You Pays Your Money
Carole Keeton Strayhorn has finally announced her candidacy for Texas governor…as an Independent.
To say that I’m disappointed would be a vast understatement. I have become convinced that this is an example of the same political opportunism that she’s decrying.
If you objectively look at the lay of the political landscape here in Texas, you see that the 2006 gubernatorial race is Rick Perry’s to lose. And I mean the whole ball of wax, not just the Republican primary.
Perry is popular with the religious conservative base. He’s coming off of some outstanding PR in his handling of out-of-state refugees when hurricane Katrina blew through, as well as competent handling of the landing of hurricane Rita on the Texas/Louisiana border. Unlike four years ago, he won’t have to deal with a physicians revolt.
But, Strayhorn wants to be governor. She has made inroads into the fiscal conservative base. And in Texas, that’s nothing to sneeze at. However, she managed to hack off some of the more partisan Republicans by constantly criticising Gov. Perry during the last legislature as well as refusing to certify the budget.
Objectively, though, it’s still Perry’s race to lose. So, what do you do?
If you’re Karole Keeton Strayhorn, a/k/a “One Tough Grandma,” you decide that race will be too tough and you abandon the political party that put you in office and kept you there. And so we have Ms. Strayhorn declare her candidacy as an independent.
I’m one of those folks who would very likely have voted for Strayhorn in the primaries if she had run on the Republican ticket. I remember hearing her speak to the local party conventions that I attended in Travis County. I liked her plain-spokenness and willingness to take it to the Democrats. I really liked her fiscal conservative attitude.
But, by not waiting or at least not trying to put up a fight, even a losing fight, within the party, she’s lost my respect.
And I won’t be voting for her in November.
MickC @ January 8, 2006