In the 1960s, Briare served in the Nevada Assembly and as a Clark County Commissioner.

In 1971, he lost his first campaign for mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada to Oran K. Gragson, but Briare was elected in his next attempt in 1975, defeating Harry Reid.

[1] His obituary in the Las Vegas Review Journal noted that Briare's "public tenure came during a key time when control of casinos shifted from organized crime figures to corporations.

"[1] In 1994, Briare ran for Lieutenant Governor of Nevada, but lost to Lonnie Hammargren.

[2] Briare died in Las Vegas at the age of 76, and was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery.