Kinky Friedman for Texas

[This is a response to an article in The Clarion-Ledger of January 3, 2006.]

The Associated Press focuses on Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn's independent candidacy for governor. (Strayhorn is the mother of Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary.) It also mentions Republican incumbent Rick Perry and the two leading candidates in the March 7 Democratic primary.

But the AP totally overlooks the state's next governor, Kinky Friedman, who is also running as an independent. ("Why the hell not?")

Kinky, of course, is known as the author of numerous hilarious novels. Many will also recall his band, the Texas Jewboys, and their stirring renditions of such smash hit songs as "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore" and "Proud to be an A**hole from El Paso." This makes him at least as qualified as the late Gov. Jimmie Davis of Louisiana.

Singer Willie Nelson has already hosted a fund-raiser for Kinky, and a number of other such events are upcoming. Country Music TV will run a "Go Kinky" series on Friedman's attempt to get on the ballot; this series will illustrate just how hard it is to run for office as an independent nowadays.

As the AP notes: "To be listed as an independent on the November ballot, a candidate must gather 45,540 signatures in the spring from registered voters who did not vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary or any primary runoff in April." To add insult to injury, no voter may sign the petition of more than one candidate for the same office.

What is so amazing about two potential independent candidates for governor? Since Texas adopted government-printed ballots in 1903, no independent has ever qualified as a candidate for any statewide constitutional office.

Kinky's Web site is www.kinkyfriedman.com.

As Kinky says, "May the god of your choice bless you!"

[The November 3, 2005 post on this blog is also about Kinky's candidacy.]