Breaking from the TX Tribune: Kinky Friedman Drops Governor's Bid, Running for Ag

Not amused. (3.00 / 2)

While I don't want Kinky on the ballot anywhere, personally, I really don't understand why we aren't looking a bit further down field at the Legislative Redistricting Board.
Why the hell are we stacking races that aren't on the LRB with primary opponents, instead of taking the longer view?  If he has to continue with the self-aggrandizing joke of running for a statewide office, could he at least go for one that doesn't already have a solid candidate?
I mean no offense to Bill Burton, but I'd rather see Friedman in the Land Commissioner's race, or perhaps Comptroller-where there is no Democrat filed.

I'm supporting Hank Gilbert for Ag Commission. The End.

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by: anonintx @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 12:37:56 PM CST

I agree here (0.00 / 0)

Agriculture Commissioner was the last office I wanted to see Kinky switch to run for.  He could have gotten even activist Democratic support if he gave us a reasonable shot at taking back a Redistricting Board seat, but I think we'll all be sticking to Gilbert, here.  At least the ones who already liked him there, which is a very large percentage.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 12:48:53 PM CST

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Kinky for Comptroller? Are you kidding? (0.00 / 0)

Whoever is comptroller should have at least half of a working brain.  Even if Grandma Carol Keeton McClellan Rylander Strayhorn managed to do the job.

The Democratic Party loses credibility when unqualified candidates win in the primary.  We need a candidate for comptroller who knows how to save the state money.

That's Why the Hell Not.

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by: MarkCamann @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 21:51:15 PM CST

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Interesting primary (0.00 / 0)

Gilbert has many similarities to Kinky's appeal, I'm surprised Kinky would want to run against him.

"I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually."- James A. Baldwin

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by: Timothy @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 12:46:52 PM CST

The debates will be entertaining (3.00 / 1)

But that's about the only positive thing I can think of about this.

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by: anonintx @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 12:57:29 PM CST

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Kinky is a clown (0.00 / 0)

I don't understand why he would run for Ag Commish. I don't know a single progressive that will support him in the primary. He's a sorry sad act that needs to just go away.

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by: TexianPolitico @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 12:49:54 PM CST

Sigh (0.00 / 0)

I'm somewhere between being happy that Kinky is out of the Governors race, but sad that it's into a race with Gilbert, and unsure how I'd feel if he were actually anywhere else on the ballot.

Then again, it will make Hank work for the nomination and may elevate the awareness of that race a bit more compared to others. Hopefully it won't waste a lot of resources on a pointless primary.  

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 13:03:39 PM CST

It'll waste resources...<eom> (0.00 / 0)

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by: McBlogger @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 14:54:37 PM CST

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i get that (0.00 / 0)

sentiment, totally.

as difficult as the decision was for hank, it was as difficult for Kinky.

obviously it would have been "easier" to run for land commish, but Kinky looked at his passions and his interests and this is where it led. i and many others had held out hope for hank in the land commish race.  it would be awesome to have someone with his passion fighting for us on the LRB. Kinky running for land commish would have done a great disservice to Dems because he isn't passionate about redistricting.

certainly it is nothing against hank at all.  he's a great guy and a great Democrat. should he beat us in march, i know Kinky will endorse hank and do whatever he can to help him win in november. kinky may actually be the only Dem on the ticket that has promised to do that.

but getting out of the gov race was the right thing to do for our party. for both hank and kinky.

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by: colin @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 15:09:58 PM CST

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Kinky is NOT a Democrat (1.25 / 4)

Besides being a freaking side show, he is NOT a Democrat. Never was. Never will be.

He hasnt earned a vote by a Democrat.

He is doing nothing but the work of the republican party by making Hank spend alot of money on the primary.

Hank is the Democrat in the race. He has earned our support.

Kinky idiot.

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by: johncoby @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 20:25:21 PM CST

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Colin, man, I love you to death... (3.00 / 3)

... but sell this bs somewhere else. I don't think there's a person in the universe who thinks that Kinky has any interest in any plant life other than the varieties you can smoke.

I agree Kinky made the right choice in getting out of the Governor's race. He made the wrong one coming here because even if he did get through the primary, he wouldn't have a shot in hell against Staples. Ag Comm is as much about policy as personality, Land Comm he could have run and won on personality alone. But Hightower is nothing if not persuasive with the weak willed.

You know why no one likes Kinky, Colin... he's the least genuine politician in the state. He makes Tom Delay look positively trustworthy.

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by: McBlogger @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 21:07:52 PM CST

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okay (0.00 / 0)

i certainly respect your opinion.

i disagree that he is not genuine.  i do resent the comparison to delay. really? delay?

i'm confident that the overwhelming majority of Dems will give Kinky a fair shake, save a few that had their mind made up long ago.

i respect and appreciate your restraint.  it is unfortunate that certain other people cannot express themselves thoughtfully without petty, personal insults.

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by: colin @ Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 00:00:53 AM CST

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Absolutely... (0.00 / 0)

Be confident all you want, but it ain't going to happen. The man doesn't even know what the office does because he's getting advice from a guy whose information is almost 20 years out of date.

The hard reality of a D primary for him is much, much worse than anything that he's experienced. Especially for him. Especially with what you already know is out there. WHY would you let him do this? If he really is such a nice guy, why wouldn't you explain to him that running is akin to masochism? You know where this is going to go... multiply the neg in the 06 general by a thousand and none of it will come from us. We don't have to. People will come out of the woodwork, all over the state, to take a piece out of him. It's the level of enthusiasm people have for hating him that's been the great untold story of Kinky's political career. But, I gotta tell ya, 'bringing peace' in the Governor's race was hella funny:). How long do you think he can keep the routine up? How long until he slips and says something that breaks the facade? A week? Two weeks?

Finally, you guys can't beat Staples. You don't have the credibility or the cross support. Hank does. Hank won't have to spend much in the general because we already know where the numbers are and how to get to them. You don't. You don't have a clue.

At least against Patterson you had a chance. Now, there's just nothing. If y'all want to sit down I'd be happy to walk you all through this, especially Hightower who apparently thinks it's now time to refight the 1990 cycle.

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by: McBlogger @ Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 11:22:42 AM CST

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haha (0.00 / 0)

we'll see.

none of those things have come to pass in the past 5 months of campaigning for gov.

not worried about the negative and folks in glass houses....plus, the bonehead of the cycle award has already been awarded to your boy for his endorsement. now that was funny. talk about clueless. if we manage to do something dumber than that, we deserve to lose.

we know hank CAN'T beat staples--he has proven that. what we don't know is if Kinky can beat staples. i know we can get closer than 42 (which isn't close, btw).

i've run more campaigns than your entire campaign combined, i'm pretty clear on where the "numbers" are.

jim hightower is a populist icon and a big cheerleader for the Democratic Party. if he was with your guy you wouldn't be saying those things. your inability to be intellectually honest is startling.

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by: colin @ Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 11:48:08 AM CST

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No one took him seriously in the past five months... (0.00 / 0)

because most of the time he wasn't campaigning in Texas. He was campaigning on Fox Business News. Now it's a different race and it's further along in the cycle.

As for Hank's inability to beat Staples, keep in mind in 2006 he got outspent more than 22:1. Kinky wasn't outspent that badly, so how do explain his abysmal showing in 2006?

Actually, my impression of Hightower at this point is much the same as the impression I have of Kinky. He's promised a lot, to a lot of people, and never really delivered. He promised a lot for Hank in 2006 and never came through. I know he did for others as well. They also remember
Nader in 2000.

We'll see how things go.

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by: McBlogger @ Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:12:54 PM CST

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Kinky can't and won't beat Staples (1.00 / 1)

The only way Kinky beats Gilbert in a Democratic Primary is through a low profile primary. The more time, money, and attention in this primary, the worse Kinky does in it.

For a Democrat to beat Staples, there needs to be a lot of time, money, and attention in the general election.

These two combined mean that Kinky has no conceivable way to win in March AND November.

He is too unpopular with Democrats to really rally the base effectively enough to work for him. Your average Democratic volunteer is going to avoid Kinky like the plague and his only chance will be a statewide sweep.

It is obvious that you like him a lot colin, but the majority of us don't and frankly will never like Kinky. He has burnt too many bridges without ever offering anything valuable in return. He voted for Bush in '04, and Hutchison and Lamar Smith in '06, and his "always been a Democrat" line is just laughable.

You have to understand that the majority of high information active Democrats despise Kinky and there is nothing you or Kinky can do about that but hope he can Gene Kelly his way into the general.

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by: DallasDavid @ Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 13:27:56 PM CST

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Puh-leez (3.00 / 1)

The person that has no shot at winning is Gilbert. He has put out some good policy papers and definitely has the energy and self-confidence that a winning candidate needs. But he has no money and no name recognition, a fatal combination. Plus, he showed very bad political judgment endorsing Shami. It was a petty and unnecessary move. Maybe Shami promised him money, but Shami and Kinky are friends, so I wonder if Shami will follow through with whatever support he promised Gilbert. Regardless, even if everything went perfectly for Gilbert, he loses against Staples.

Kinky has a shot against Staples. A longshot, but he has a shot. And he will probably beat Gilbert in the primary. Kinky has money and name recognition. Kinky has one campaign under his belt. If he gets serious (big if) and runs a mature, moderate campaign, he could challenge Staples.  

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by: el_longhorn @ Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 14:49:42 PM CST

[ Parent ]

That remains to be seen... (0.00 / 0)

... I certainly know Colin was upset by it. As for petty, why would you expect Hank to endorse someone who never asked for his support?

Y'all are living in a dream world if you think Kinky has a shot in this race. But please feel free to keep posting. I know K-T appreciates the traffic.

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by: McBlogger @ Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 22:02:13 PM CST

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You're half right (5.00 / 1)

The half about Friedman's chances against Staples.  However, your admiration for Gilbert is blinding you to the reality that he not ready for prime time.  

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by: Dale Napier @ Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 16:35:33 PM CST

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Glass half full or half empty? (3.00 / 3)

I can't help but think that Gilbert brought this primary upon himself by offering such a stupid endorsement after he dropped out of the Governor's race.

That being said, I'm glad Friedman dropped out of the Governor's race and now it is up to us to make sure Gilbert defeats him in March.

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by: DallasDavid @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 13:20:20 PM CST

Chances (3.00 / 1)

I have a bad feeling that Kinky may easily beat Hank Gilbert just based on name recognition. Let's face it, there are a lot of primary voters out there who know nothing about Ag Commish when they go to vote. What do others think about Gilbert's chances against Kinky?

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by: pinko @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 15:30:54 PM CST

slim -> nil (0.00 / 0)

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by: trowaman @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 16:53:54 PM CST

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Bill White vs. Shami doesn't help (0.00 / 0)

That Bill White has an opponent in the primary against whom he needs to GOTV, there will probably be lots of Houston voters in the primary who don't know who the heck Gilbert is and know who Kinky is.  

Hank Gilbert will have to work pretty hard to win this nomination.  

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 17:16:01 PM CST

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Pretty low (0.00 / 0)

If he outspends Hank 10:1 there's a chance he could edge him out but that's what he'd have to do.  

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by: McBlogger @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 21:10:49 PM CST

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Gilbert should win the primary (3.00 / 2)

and he's got my support. But if can't beat Kinky, it means he would have been a very weak candidate in November, anyway.

Hank's problem is that he has very little visibility and very few dollars to spend on upping his profile. Kinky will make him spend dollars (bad), but he'll also generate a lot of free publicity that Hank couldn't possibly generate on his own (good). It's anybody's guess which is more important.  

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by: LSadun @ Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 23:42:00 PM CST

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