How Kinky's Campaign Manager Sees The Race

On Monday, Dean Barkley posted a letter on Kinky's website. It is mainly an exhortation to all the volunteers and supporters of Kinky's campaign, but it also includes Barkley's view of how this campaign can be won. I have reprinted the letter below:

Kinky has been criss-crossing Texas for over a year and a half trying to breath life back into Texas politics, delivering his honest, straight-talking message of hope and change. The campaign collected over three times the required signatures to get Kinky on the ballot, shocking the political establishment that doubted he would even make it onto the ballot. Kinky has been climbing steadily in the likely voter polls and has been winning every poll that does not screen for likely voters.

The political establishment is counting on most Texans sitting out this election as they did in the 2002 Governor's race. Then, only 4.5 million of you actually cared enough to vote. Another 12.5 million voters chose not to participate. I've heard every excuse for not voting. And as Kinky says, "If God wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates worth voting for."

This Nov. 7, there is a candidate worth voting for. Only Kinky has given voters a reason to return to the ballot box and take back Texas.

But there's only one way he can win. It's simple math, folks. If 4.5 million people - only 29% of registered voters - show up at the polls again, your next governor will be Rick Perry. But if voter turnout approaches or reaches 40 percent, Kinky Friedman will be this state's first independent governor since Sam Houston. If only 1 million of the registered voters who stayed home last time come out to the polls, the face of Texas politics changes forever.

If you have not registered to vote, do it now. If you have moved since the last election, you need to re-register. Sign up for early voting. If you are going to be out of Texas on November 7th, order an absentee ballot.

Kinky is right when he says he isn't running against Perry, Strayhorn or Bell. He's running against apathy.

People have died to give you the right to vote. Use it. You have the power to change Texas. Use it.

Texas is worth it.


Dean Barkley
Campaign Director for Kinky Friedman