Texas Governor’s Race Gets Interesting
[Guest post by DRJ]
In fairness, the Texas Governor’s race was already interesting because it has an honest-to-goodness GOP primary race between Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Governor Rick Perry. But it’s even more interesting now that Richard “Kinky” Friedman will reportedly enter the Democratic primary race:
“Friedman ran as an independent for governor in 2006, coming in fourth in a five-man race.
Friedman will join Fort Worth businessman Tom Schieffer, Tyler rancher Hank Gilbert and former Railroad Commission nominee Mark Thompson in the Democratic contest.
On the Republican side is Gov. Rick Perry, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Wharton activist Debra Medina.”
Coming in 4th in a 5 man race may not sound like much but there aren’t many candidates like Kinky, best known for his band ‘Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys.’ For one thing, he sells cigars online. For another, one of his first campaign events is a Bloody Mary Morning with Willie Nelson.
— DRJ
Kinky gets tiring after awhile – the media hoped lasty election that he would take the cowboy vote away from Perry
didnt work
EricPWJohnson (c99190) — 8/29/2009 @ 1:59 amKinky is a traditional liberal on most issues but it’s surprising to see a liberal with a non-traditional stance on issues like immigration, crime and taxes.
DRJ (3f5471) — 8/29/2009 @ 2:25 amSince we live in the Shreveport area we see some of the political ads from Texas. I remember his ads. Seems like quite a character.
voiceofreason2 (cfab95) — 8/29/2009 @ 5:21 amIf I may opine as a Texan, Kinky ain’t got a snowball’s chance, especially if he runs a a Democrat. Most Texas appreciate the fact that he is colorful, and his bumper stickers are kind of funny in an offbeat sort of way, but we also know that he will be a repeat of Jesse Ventura. Dems chance for the gov are slightly less than a successful McCain repeat.
So expect some more colorful bumper stickers. But don’t be surprised if he loses the Dem primary, and be like heart attack surprised if he wins the governor.
His band really wasn’t all that good.
Scott (c4abed) — 8/29/2009 @ 5:38 amAn incumbent Republican Senator is running against an incumbent Republican Governor. What don’t I understand? Did he run over her cat or something?
nk (b17d90) — 8/29/2009 @ 5:40 amI’m afraid I’m with the rest of the Texans – from the outside, he is pretty colorful and has some interesting points to add to the chatter – but the shine has worn off.
The Rick and KB smack down, not that’s some interesting viewing.
Only in Texas.
em (7139fe) — 8/29/2009 @ 5:48 amThe nostalgia associated with good old tunes like “They Ain’t Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore” does feel good temporarily, but I’d guess he will probably not move his campaign trailer out of the hill country long enough to get more than a couple of votes.
“He says, i aint a racist but aristitle onassis is one greek we dont need
And them niggers, jews and sigma nus, all they ever do is breed.
And wops n micks n slopes n spics n spooks are on my list
And theres one little hebe from the heart of texas is there anyone I missed ?
Well, I hits him with everything I had right square between the eyes.
MTF (551a4b) — 8/29/2009 @ 6:34 amI says, Im gonna gitcha, you son of a bitch ya, for spoutin that pack of lies.
If theres one thing I cant abide, its an ethnocentric racist;
Now you take back that thing you said bout aristitle onassis.”
I disagree about his music, I love Kinky’s music, the Texas Jewboys was a riot to see live. But yeah, the schtick is only good every once in a while, not daily.
Don’t mistake Tax-hike Perry and Kay Bailout as conservatives, though. Kinky is better on immigration and tax issues than either of those pro-amnesty, big spending turds. They just are just RINOs who want to launch presedential bids from the Governors mansion.
Houston Native (bf005b) — 8/29/2009 @ 8:34 amI think the only person in this race worth voting for is Debra Medina. Kinky has some interesting views that separate him from the Democratic mainstream, but both Slick Rick and Kay Bailout have too much baggage to be seriously considered for Governor next year.
Take a quick look at Debra Medina and see what you think.
http://www.MedinaForTexas.com
TexanByBirth (1c22f7) — 8/29/2009 @ 9:09 amHouston Native epitomizes what is wrong with a certain element in the Republican Party:
If you don’t agree 100% with them, then you are a RINO–regardless of how much you DO agree with them and DO NOT agree with the Democrats. Frankly, I want to win elections so that conservative ideas have a chance. Telling people they are not welcome unless they are ideologically pure is NOT how you do that.
Dave N (276c13) — 8/29/2009 @ 9:12 amTis but one of the reasons living in Texas is such a blast.
GM Roper (6afe02) — 8/29/2009 @ 9:18 amAh Kinky–high for entertainment value, that’s for sure. His tunes like Ballad of Charles Joseph Whitman, High on Jesus, and Wild Man of Borneo contain some great insights. But while he’s a smart man, and can provide a lot of entertainment in the short run, I doubt that he’d be a good governor in the long haul.
But anybody who can write a line that is ostensibly about crowds gawking at an orangutang in the zoo that goes: “They come to see what they want to see, but they never come to know” understands the human condition.
Mike Myers (674050) — 8/29/2009 @ 9:23 amRick Perry only got 39% of the vote back in 2006?
He could be in trouble.
Sunburn (5d93e3) — 8/29/2009 @ 9:31 amSuch scintillating analysis from sunbeam.
JD (d94c46) — 8/29/2009 @ 9:38 amSunburn
Because another strong conservative ran as an independent and garnered most of the female conservative vote
Polled after the election almost 100% said if Carole Strayhorn had dropped out they would have voted for Perry giving him almost 60%
So sorry to rain on your parade – but keep wishin
EricPWJohnson (c99190) — 8/29/2009 @ 9:39 ama liberal with a non-traditional stance on issues like immigration, crime and taxes.
That is interesting, even more so since, at least when it comes to those particular issues, he appears to be placing himself to the right of the Republican opponents. However, when the middle ground of American politics has shifted to the left over the past 50 years, and when the Democrat Party therefore is more liberal today than it was several decades ago, I’m leery of anyone who supposedly has more than an ounce of common sense but who also aligns him or herself with Democrats and is registered accordingly.
Mark (411533) — 8/29/2009 @ 9:48 amYeah, it was a 5 person race, so getting 39% was actually a pretty good score. He was double digits over his nearest competitor. Rick Perry would take Kinky behind the woodshed. Kinky was for socialized health care in 2006. Kinky was a joke then and is a joke now. Perry has done all the right things and will beat KBH and then beat Tom Schieffer in the general election.
Texas Truth Teller (be4188) — 8/29/2009 @ 9:50 amSo supporting bailouts, amnesty for criminals, and massive tax hikes is OK in the modern GOP?
No, thank you.
Houston Native (bf005b) — 8/29/2009 @ 10:20 amSomebody just roll the dice, will ya? It will either be a Damnocrat or a Republibutt. The list of candidates is endless:
Republican
Rick Perry http://www.rickperry.org
Kay Bailey Hutchison http://www.texans.forkay.com
Debra Medina http://www.medinafortexas.com
Larry Kilgore http://www.larrykilgore.com
David C. Beilharz website soon from Heritage Web Solutions of Provo, UT
Democrats
Tom Schieffer http://www.tomfortexas.com
Kinky Friedman http://www.kinkyfriedman.com
Ronnie Earle has not yet declared, but folks on Facebook are trying to “draft him”.
Travis County District Attorney website http://www.ronnirearle.com (he retired in 2008 or 9)
Mark Thompson http://markfortexasgovernor.wordpress.com/about/
Felix Alvarado http://www.felixalvarado.com
Hank Gilbert http://hankgilbert.com/
Libertarian
Jeff Daiell http://www.jeffdaiell.com
Kenneth Griffin http://www.elliscountyobserver.com/?p=4905 shows several YouTube videos on him
Steve Nichols http://www.stevenichols.com
Independent
Francis L. Jr. “Fran” Cavanaugh http://www.francavanaugh.com/index.html
an admitted R.I.N.O(a Republican in name only)
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Patricia A. Jones (996c34) — 8/29/2009 @ 11:17 amWell I think Hutchinson is being stupid, because she could run and become or first female president or maybe vice-president. Now Perry I like a lot, but I feel 14 years is a little much as governor.
charles (eb6028) — 8/29/2009 @ 1:45 pmI do hope voters will look over all the possibilities, including, of course, myself. With the 2010 vote perhaps being the most important in decades, the governorship is too important to be decided without careful consideration.
Jeff Daiell
Jeff Daiell (40e68d) — 8/29/2009 @ 1:54 pmThanks for dropping by, Mr. Daiell. I suspect there are some libertarians here who will be interested in your candidacy.
DRJ (3f5471) — 8/29/2009 @ 2:00 pmKinky is on record as saying one of his first acts would be to abolish the death penalty. In other words, if elected by the people, he will immediately begin ignoring the will. of a sizeable majority on a pretty important issue.
If you ever watch him politicking, you’ll notice that his answers and proposals are more vague than most professional pols. That isn’t skill- it’s a complete lack of detailed plans.
We don’t need a clown of his caliber as Governor.
Mitchell (07bd35) — 8/30/2009 @ 7:44 pmNo, I don’t think that Kinky Friedman should be Governor of Texas, either.
For any voters that are inclined that way, please consider writing me in. I promise you, you will hear the same things from me after the election as you have heard from me before the election. And isn’t that a good thing in a politician?
I do live in Illinois now but I have no problem moving to Texas if you were to give me a mansion, a limousine, a security detail, and a salary.
nk (ce533b) — 8/30/2009 @ 7:56 pmBut I’ve got all of Kinky’s albums! ( His novels are unreadable sadly ).
Earle would be more of a clown than Kinky.
SPQR (26be8b) — 8/30/2009 @ 8:00 pmDoes anybody know why Kay Bailey Hutchison is challenging Perry? Is it Alzheimers, Huntington’s, or tertiary syphillis? I would have, at first, thought menopause, but she should have gone past that by now.
nk (ce533b) — 8/30/2009 @ 8:10 pmI’m a native Texan and I have observed Texas politics for a long time.
But, I really can’t figure out this one.
Despite being an Aggie, I’ve never been a big fan of Perry, although he’s been OK as governor.
But why would Kay Bailey give up her Senate seat to be Governor? It just doesn’t make sense to me.
All I can think is that she wants to make a run as President.
As all Texans, I love Kinky, but no way does he have a chance. He should move to Minnesota.
Ag80 (fc6fd8) — 8/30/2009 @ 8:29 pmHutchison has always said she wants to raise her children in Texas. Here’s an excerpt from a 2003 Texas Monthly article:
People can’t understand how some Texans feel about their State. It’s the way Americans used to feel about America when I was growing up. State pride is the last acceptable form of nationalism, and even that’s unacceptable to some.
And (thankfully) I know Kinky is unlikely to win. The Don Quixote aspect is part of his charm.
DRJ (3f5471) — 8/30/2009 @ 8:59 pmThank you, DRJ! I am currently building a staff, and have already campaigned in several counties and begun raising money. My website contains a few of my stands on the issues, with more to be added.
For Texas and Liberty,
Jeff Daiell http://www.JeffDaiell.com
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Jeff Daiell (40e68d) — 9/1/2009 @ 12:18 pm