Congressman Andrew Clyde is a combat veteran, small business owner, and a proud Georgian. After earning his commission from the University of Notre Dame, he served as an U.S. Navy officer for 28 years, which included three combat deployments to Kuwait and Iraq. After receiving an honorable discharge, Congressman Clyde made his home in Athens, Georgia and earned a master’s degree in Corporate Finance and Entrepreneurship from the University of Georgia. He established Clyde Armory in 1991 and grew the company into a nationwide firearms business which currently operates two brick-and-mortar locations in Georgia. Congressman Clyde was elected to the 117th Congress in November 2020 as the representative for Georgia’s Ninth Congressional District. He currently serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Homeland Security Committee. The Congressman and his wife, Jennifer, are residents of Jackson County.
The Founding Fathers enshrined the right to keep and bear arms in the Constitution because they understood the first step toward tyranny is disarming the citizenry. A brief glance through history will show that nearly every totalitarian and dictator rescinded their citizens’ ability to defend themselves before ultimately stripping them of their freedoms.
America is unique in that the Constitution empowers our citizens to defend themselves. Sadly, our Second Amendment rights have been slowly chipped away over the years through unconstitutional laws and undemocratic regulations.
I will always be a stalwart defender of the Second Amendment while serving in Congress. Accordingly, I will oppose all bills and efforts that seek to limit or restrict this right in any way, no matter the circumstances. Instead, I will work tirelessly to restore our Second Amendment rights, which includes eliminating excise taxes on firearms and ammunition, prohibiting “Sporting Use” tests to determine legality of a firearm, and ensuring no federal funds are used to establish a national firearm database, just to name a few efforts, all so that Americans can enjoy the right to bear arms now and in the future.
Andrew's career in the Navy began after he earned his commission as an officer from the University of Notre Dame. He then spent the next 28 years of his life in service to our country including three combat deployments to Kuwait and Iraq. During his service, he earned a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, four Navy Commendation Medals, a Navy Achievement Medal, Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal w/Marine Corps Combat Operations Insignia, Iraq Campaign Medal, Expert Rifleman Medal, Expert Pistol Shot Medal, and multiple other medals.
After completing his active military service, Andrew homesteaded in Athens and decided to pursue a master’s degree from UGA in Corporate Finance and Entrepreneurship. In 1991 he started a small firearms business called Clyde Armory. What started as a hobby business in his garage has grown into a nationwide company with two brick-and-mortar locations here in Georgia. As a veteran turned small business owner, Andrew was truly living the American dream.