STRAYHORN TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR AS INDEPENDENT (Texas)

The Quorum Report ^ | 1/2/06 | Harvey Kronberg

[LdSentinal]

Deadline day filing ends mystery

Quote from the announcement: "I am a Republican, but I know we must set partisan politics aside and do what's right for Texas. That is why I am running for governor as a Texas Independent. We can't wait any longer. It's time to shake Austin up."

[mnehring]

She's a democrat in all but name, she might as well just call herself a dem and get it over with.

[Servant of the 9]

With her and Kinky both muddying the water, this is gonna be a zoo of a campaign.

So9

[RobbyS]

She's trying to play the role of spoiler. Split the Republican vote and hand the job to the Democratic flake.

[CindyDawg]

Shouldn't this just split the democrats? I can't see her getting a lot of Republican support.

[txroadhawg]

Only way she could split the vote is if she had a platform to run on, all she says is Perry is bad, typical Dem, all whine and no alternatives

[sittnick]

This is TEXAS, not Maine or Vermont. Shouldn't a renegade Republican be runnign to the right of the tax raising guy in there now? I would expect a Ron Paul type more than a RINO type to run for that spot as an Independent.

[deport]

Let the games begin..... now she must get her 45,000 signatures which will make it harder for Kinky, I'd guess.

[mnehring]

Strayhorn cannot split the Republican vote.. no Republican in their right mind would vote for Strayhorn or Kinkey. Sure, Slick Rick is a RINO in many ways, but he is still more conservative than both the other posers combined.

[maggief]

I'm no fan of her son, Scott McClellan.

[daybreakcoming]

She's trying to play the role of spoiler. Split the Republican vote and hand the job to the Democratic flake.

That is exactly what is going on. Strayhorn is just as freaky in her own way as whatshisface. She will be taking a page out of the SHE*BEAST'S book playing to the center.

[Bubba_Leroy]

English translation:

"I am a Democrat in a state where there is no possiblity of a Democrat winning state office. I have been trying to run as a Republican for months now with nothing to show for it and realize that I have no chance of getting the Republican nomination. If the Democrats nominate a complete loser and I keep running as if I am a Republican, I might squeeze out enough Republican votes to win the general election."

[deport]

Strayhorn running for governor as independent

By APRIL CASTRO
Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN — Comptroller and gubernatorial hopeful Carole Keeton Strayhorn turned her back on the Republican party Monday, announcing she'll seek the state's top job as an independent candidate.

The move allows Strayhorn to escape a potentially ugly battle against Gov. Rick Perry before the March 7 Republican primary election.

Strayhorn, who called herself "One Tough Grandma" in previous campaign ads, has been a harsh critic of Perry's leadership over the last couple of years. Monday's announcement all but guarantees Perry will be the Republican candidate on the November ballot.

To be listed as an independent candidate on the ballot, one must gather 45,540 signatures next spring from registered voters who didn't vote in either the Democrat or Republican primary or any primary runoff in April.

Candidates on the Texas ballot as independents avoid the primary and stand for election in the November general election. Kinky Friedman, the kooky mystery writer and musician, also is running for governor as an independent.

Both Strayhorn and Perry are former Democrats.

Strayhorn, the mother of White House press secretary Scott McClellan, announced last summer that she would challenge Perry. She was elected as the state's first woman comptroller in 1998. As comptroller, Strayhorn controls how much money lawmakers have to spend.

In the Democratic race, the main candidates are former congressman Chris Bell and former Texas Supreme Court justice Bob Gammage.

___

[deport]

Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn speaks at a rally
outside the state Capitol on May 3, 2005, in Austin.
HARRY CABLUCK: AP

Strayhorn enters governor's race as independent

Jan. 2, 2006, 3:01PM

By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn ended speculation today by announcing she will run for governor against Gov. Rick Perry as an independent.

"It's time to shake Austin up," Strayhorn, who is now serving as a Republican officeholder, told reporters today, the filing deadline for the 2006 elections.

"Governor Perry may be doing the best he can, but after five years, we have learned he is not the strong leader we need to put Texas above politics," she added.

Satirist Kinky Friedman already has announced as an independent candidate for governor.

The major candidates in the Democratic primary are Chris Bell of Houston, a former congressman, and Bob Gammage, a former Houston congressman and Texas Supreme Court justice who now lives in Llano.

Strayhorn, who was first elected comptroller in 1998 as a Republican, had announced in June that she would challenge Perry for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. But last week she refused to dismiss speculation that she would run as an independent to avoid Perry's strong popularity in the GOP primary.

Typical turnout in the Republican primary in a state election is less than 700,000 voters, and polls have shown about 40 percent of the primary voters are social and religious conservatives. Perry has been working to solidify support with this group with strong stands against abortion and gay marriage.

Perry, who had been lieutenant governor, became governor in 2000 when George W. Bush resigned to become president. Perry won election to a full term as governor in 2002, defeating Democrat Tony Sanchez.

To get on the ballot as an independent, Strayhorn will need to collect the signatures of 45,450 registered voters who cast ballots in neither party primary or runoff. The signatures will have to be collected between March 8 and May 11.

Anticipating Strayhorn's independent candidacy, Perry spokesman Robert Black last week said it would demonstrate "the latest desperate act of a politician who has no core convictions or guiding principles."

r.g.ratcliffe@chron.com

[sinkspur]

This all but guarantees Perry's re-election. She can't win as an Independent. The numbers are simply not there.

[RobbyS]

Well, maybe something good will come out of this. Maybe McClellan will resign and come back to Texas, making way for someone who can do the job.

[RobbyS]

You mean the $ are not there.

[deport]

With her and Kinky both muddying the water,

---

This may make it harder for Kinky now that 'grandma' has to get 45,000 signatures also to get on the ballot.... She has the organization set up to do so much easier than Kinky, imo.

The question becomes who will fore go there primary vote to sign her petition.....

[sinkspur]

Well, that too.

I really don't get why she's doing this. She has to know she can't win. Somebody's giving her very bad advice, but I'm glad they are.

[Sen Jack S. Fogbound]

It is good she is running as an independent. I really don't like her to ruin the name Republican by pretending to be a member of the party!