Waiting For Kinky

As most of this blogs readers know, I supported Kinky Friedman for governor in 2006, and I jumped on board his campaign early this year for the 2010 primary. I have written posts in support of him and have sent monetary donations to the campaign. But now things seem to be on hold.

The Democratic side of the governor's race has really been shaken up since Houston Mayor Bill White entered the race -- well, actually jumped from the senate race to the governor's race. First, Hank Gilbert dropped out and filed to run for Agriculture Commissioner again. I was sorry to see that since he was the only true progressive in the race, but I wish him luck in his run for Ag. Commissioner.

Now Kinky Friedman has delayed signing up with the state party to get his name on the ballot in the governor's race. His campaign manager denies that he has dropped out of the race. Supposedly, Kinky wants to talk with both of the other two main candidates before making his final decision.

Sadly, that sounds as though he may really be considering dropping out of the race. Several other blogs are already guessing that he will drop out and enter the race for either Agriculture Commissioner or Land Commissioner. I haven't heard anything about that, but I guess it is a possibility. I hope he doesn't wait too long to make up his mind, because he's kind of leaving us supporters dangling.

Personally, I am hoping he stays in the governor's race. I say that because I really can't see myself supporting either of the other two main candidates. There are actually three other candidates in the race, but Felix Alvarado, a school teacher I believe, is not known by 99% of the state's Democrats. In addition, he does not have the money, or access to the money, to remedy that situation. That means he has absolutely no chance of winning the nomination -- regardless of how good his ideas may be.

The first of the major candidates is Farouk Shami. Like White, Shami is from Houston. He is a hair care magnate and is very rich. Although he has no political experience (and a spotty record of voting as a Democrat), he is willing to spend at least $10 million of his own money to finance his campaign. He seems to think he can come from obscurity and buy his way into the governor's mansion. Personally, I find that offensive.

The other candidate is Bill White. Even his supporters are not trying to claim he is a progressive or liberal. The terms I have heard applied to him are that he's a "pragmatist" and a "problem-solver". For those of you not familiar with Texas politics, that means he would not go along with the national party's beliefs and programs. In other words, he's a BLUE DOG.

Frankly, after the mess that the blue dogs have made with health care reform, I just couldn't stomach voting for another blue dog for anything -- not even for dog-catcher. If you're going to vote for a blue dog, someone who'll act more like a Republican than a Democrat, you might as well just vote Republican!

I know there are many of my friends and fellow bloggers that believe any Democrat is better than a Republican, and they harbor the fantasy that maybe that blue dog will actually act like a Democrat someday. Those people would say I'm not a good Democrat. They are right.

I'm not really a Democrat at all, although I usually vote for Democrats. I have also voted for a third-party candidate many times. What I really am is a liberal, a progressive, a leftist, a socialist -- call it what you will. I keep trying to be a Democrat, but especially in Texas, the party has disappointed me many times by abandoning liberal values.

Kinky is not as left-wing as I would like, but he is a maverick and a populist and not a career politician. I think he has the good of ordinary Texans as his goal, and I think he would shake up the political establishment in this state -- and that would be a good thing. I hope he stays in the governor's race.

The way it looks now, if Bill White or Farouk Shami is the Democratic candidate, I probably won't vote in the governor's race. I simply can't support either one.