No 'Grandma' on Texas ballot, state rules (but "Kinky" is ok)

[brooklynite]

AUSTIN - Carole Keeton Strayhorn won't get to be called "Grandma" on the November ballot, but fellow independent candidate for governor Kinky Friedman will get to use his nickame, the state's elections chief ruled Monday.

Secretary of State Roger Williams decided that Friedman's given first name will also appear. Friedman had wanted to be known simply as Kinky Friedman, but he will appear on the ballot as "Richard 'Kinky' Friedman."

Williams ruled that Strayhorn's use of "Grandma" is a slogan and therefore not allowed on the ballot under the Texas Election Code.

Strayhorn, the state comptroller since 1999, contends many Texans know her as "Grandma," and she calls herself "one tough grandma." She's running in her first election with her current last name. The last time she ran for office, in 2002, before she remarried, her last name was Rylander — a name she'd held for years in public office.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060710/ap_on_el_gu/governor_nicknames_3

Good think they cleared that up....

[Maat]

1. I'm surprised it didn't have to go to the Supreme Court! (n/t)

[Warpy]

2. At least the whole zoo will be on the ballot

meaning it's a typical Texas election.

I seem to remember Grandma's running as a pubbie. Which party is Kinky running for?

[EST]

4. She's a new-con puke, running as independent.

Pity Texas.

[MagickMuffin]

18. Stinky Kinky is running as an independent

[MaineDem]

3. That's Scotty McClellan's mother, right? n/t

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Correct

[SheilaT]

6. At a local Waffle House

about three years ago there was an employee whose name tag read "Grandma". I just loved it when she was there, because it was so nice to give her a hug and call her grandma when my own grandmothers had been dead for 35 and 50 years.

[bananas]

7. That happened to Grandpa too (Al Lewis from The Munsters) nt

[bluestateguy]

8. Strayhorn is a bigger threat to Perry than Friedman

and in Texas the SecState is appointed by the Governor, so this is not a surprise.

[Spirochete]

9. No "Grandma" huh?

So I guess she'll just have to settle for just her other 17 names.

[Skink]

10. Kinky's ahead in internet polling.

[w4rma]

12. lol (nt)

[MADem]

11. I think Scottie's mama is a kook, but if they give Kinky a middle

name in quotes, they oughta give "Grandma" the same courtesy.

[Retrograde]

13. but Kinky Friedman is his professional name

which he has been using exclusively for as long as I can remember. I didn't even know he had another name!

[MADem]

16. Your point is valid, but I honestly don't think GRANDMA on the ballot

is helpful to the candidate--sometimes, when ya give people what they wish for, they end up not wanting it.

But then, I'm not well attuned to the TX mindset...maybe it plays better down that way???

[Bridget Burke]

14. Kinky Friedman has been known as "Kinky" since the 70's--at least.

Carole Keeton Strayhorn (formerly McClellan, formerly Rylander) has used "One tough Grandma" as a campaign slogan, but is NOT generally known by that name.

Unlike Ma & Pa Ferguson, famous Texas Governors. (He was kicked out of office for being a crook, she was elected & was governor in name only--mostly.)

[Lisa]

17. at least he didn't go with Kinky "Big Dick" Friedman ...

.... a nickname which surfaces a couple of times in his novels.

[SoCalDem]

15. Since that's his professional name, it's ok..

Does Snotty Scottie's Mom's business cards say Grandma?

It's so republican of her to raise this issue...they are the grand champs of picking nits:)