Governor's race is shaping up as much more than Democrat vs. Republican

[Judi Lynn]

Jan. 7, 2006, 10:18PM
Governor's race is shaping up as much more than Democrat vs. Republican

By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

THE Texas governor's race has turned into a potentially wild, winner-take-all battle from which the victor is likely to emerge with less than half the vote.

Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn dramatically changed the dynamics of the contest last week when she dropped her Republican primary challenge to Gov. Rick Perry to run as an independent.

She joined satirist Kinky Friedman in the quest for the independents, the disgusted and the disinterested voters of Texas. To get on the ballot, both will have to gather valid signatures from 45,450 registered voters during a 60-day window this spring, a feat most political experts expect them to achieve.

If they make it, the November general election will consist of Perry, Strayhorn, Friedman, the Democratic nominee and a Libertarian nominee.

"If you're a political junkie, you're in heaven right now," said Dean Barkley, the campaign manager for Friedman. "Everyone will be watching this race. I guarantee you this will be the race in the country to watch."
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3571531.html
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[fooj]

1. Oh Yippee!! Scotty McDickhead's mommy is running for Texas Governor!

:puke:

These people disgust me.

[MADem]

2. Kinky could well pull it off

Anyone know who the Democratic nominee will be?

[Maddy McCall]

5. Chris Bell...

and I like Kinky as a comedian and musician, but in this election he has not a snowball's chance.

I think his campaign is novel and funny, and I even have a "Kinky for Governor. How hard could it be?" t-shirt.

However, if I were still in Texas, Chris Bell, the strongest Dem candidate, would receive my vote.

[Maddy McCall]

4. Could it be a ploy to pull voters off of Bell?

I think Kinky's run is either authentic or a PR scheme. She knows that she won't defeat Perry in the primary, and in the final run, there will be a Dem, an independent, and a Republican. Could she be doing this to take votes from Bell so that Perry will win? If she ran as a Republican, she would be defeated in the primary, so she wouldn't have an impact on the final election. But running as an independent, she can have an effect on the final. I guess she could also take voters away from Perry and help Bell.

I agree: this race is a political junkie's wet dream. It'll be very interesting--and it'll start heating up this spring and summer. Wish I could still vote in Texas.

[MADem]

6. Wouldn't she be splitting the GOP vote, though?

Seems like she would siphon from Perry before Bell, ya? I have no clue, honestly. I just find Kinky interesting. Dunno if I would actually want to be governed by him, but he probably isn't any worse than what they've had in the last two incumbents...and maybe he will be an antidote to 'politics as usual.' He sure can speak in complete sentences, and that's a plus!

[Maddy McCall]

8. I love Kinky. I've enjoyed watching his interviews on Imus.

I even have a Kinky for Gov bumpersticker on my car. But it's more for humor than anything, as far as my support of him goes. I think Kinky is serious about his campaign--but I'd like to see Bell elected. Texas, home of the most democratic movement in American history (The Populist Movement) needs to be returned to Democrats.

I don't know how mother-of-Scotty's candidacy will affect the election. It will be a very interesting election season, however it works out. We'll have to get some of the politically-attuned Texans of DU to keep us up-to-date! :hi:

[Hardrada]

3. Texas could get to be like Spain in 1936!!

Lots of competing ideologies. Is one of these people an anarchist?

[Stevepol]

7. Better question: Is any of them a friend of electronic voting machine

manufacturers. In TX this is what determines elections I'm sure.

[MessiahRp]

9. It's weird how Republicans refuse to accept even possible defeat

They'll run as an "Independent" rather than face down their own possible defeat in a primary ala Pat Buchanan. Rarely do you see too many Repukes play through a primary and just accept the defeat. That's what's wrong with this country too... that same bullheaded attitude has them failing to admit any faults and it only makes things worse.

Rp

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. Unfortunately, you have two stars

and a Dem no one has ever heard of. Great.