Strayhorn's secret weapon?

[Sam Spade]

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3948922.html

One tough ballot problem

Polling tells Strayhorn camp it must use the 'Grandma' tag

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

AUSTIN - Independent Carole Keeton Strayhorn won political office under her two previous married names, but in this year's race for governor, voters apparently are saying: Strayhorn who?

Strayhorn told supporters in an e-mail this week that is why she wants to solve her name identification problem by appearing on the November ballot as "Grandma" Strayhorn. She has campaigned as "One Tough Grandma" since 1998.

Born Carole Keeton, she won the Austin mayor's office as Carole McClellan. She won statewide elections for railroad commissioner and state comptroller as Carole Keeton Rylander.

But she has remarried since her last election in 1992, exchanging vows with Eddie Strayhorn and picking up a new last name in the process.

"The name change from Rylander to Strayhorn has not completely sunk in with voters (She has never run as Strayhorn)," said the fundraising e-mail.

Strayhorn has six granddaughters. "Once voters are told that Strayhorn is 'One Tough Grandma,' she jumps 10 points in every poll we have taken, and (Gov. Rick) Perry drops," the e-mail said. "No public poll has tested her nickname 'Grandma,' only Strayhorn."

The e-mail says that is why she will appear on the November ballot as Carole Keeton "Grandma" Strayhorn.

And that is how she filled out her application for a spot on the ballot, said Scott Haywood, spokesman for the Texas Secretary of State's Office.

But the office is still about two weeks away from determining whether Strayhorn and Richard "Kinky" Friedman — who has applied to appear on the ballot as Kinky Friedman — filed enough valid voter signatures to qualify for ballot status. Both campaigns claim to have turned in many times more than the 45,540 required.

Haywood said Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams will not rule on nicknames on the ballot until the petition-counting process is complete in about two weeks.

State law allows the use of a nickname on the ballot if it is a name by which the candidate has been "commonly known for at least three years preceding the election."

"The law doesn't allow you to use a political slogan. So we weren't going to try that," said Strayhorn's campaign manager and son, Brad McClellan. "More people know her as 'grandma' than Strayhorn."

Robert Black, spokesman for Gov. James Richard Perry — aka Rick — said Strayhorn has never run on the ballot as "grandma." He called it a political slogan and a gimmick.

"She ain't my grandma," Black said. "If she was honestly looking for a moniker people would recognize she would put flip-flopper or multiple-party-switcher."

The Democratic nominee is R. Christopher Bell, who will appear on the ballot as Chris Bell.

[minionofmidas]

So, the real story is that up til now Keeton was the only candidate not to go by a nickname.

[Adlai Stevenson]

Thats quite cool.  I hope Strayhorn gives Perry a scare though she won't win.  If only she had stayed in the Democratic party and tried to make it electable down there.

[agcatter]

There is no Democratic Party down here.  End of story.

[Alcon]

There is no Democratic Party down here.  End of story.

Which is why Perry's performance is exceptionally poor.

[adam]

'One Tough Grandma'...my ass.

'One cheap Ann Richards wannabe' would be more accurate.

Who does she think she is fooling? Being a washed up prun of a rejected Republican doesn't make you worthy of the nickname 'grandma'.

[jimrtex]

There was a perennial candidate in Houston who started out as Sam Fayad, then became Sam "Texas" Fayad, and finally ended up as Sam Texas.

Of course Texas had a State Treasurer named Warren Harding, and elected Don Yarborough as a Supreme Court justice because they had him confused with US Senator Ralph Yarborough.  Don later fled to Grenada after being convicted of perjury to a grand jury.  And this  year, Gene Kelly received 40% of the vote in the Democrat primary for US Senator.

[agcatter]

We also had a state treasurer for at least 8 years named Jesse James in the late 60s or early 80s I think.

[jimrtex]

We also had a state treasurer for at least 8 years named Jesse James in the late 60s or early 80s I think.

1941-1977 Jesse James (died in office)
replaced by Warren G Harding (I don't thing the G is for Gamaliel though) who was defeated by Ann Richards in the Democrat primary.  Richards was followed by Kay Bailey Hutchison, and then the Treasurer's office was abolished.

[minionofmidas]

There was a perennial candidate in Houston who started out as Sam Fayad, then became Sam "Texas" Fayad, and finally ended up as Sam Texas.

Of course Texas had a State Treasurer named Warren Harding, and elected Don Yarborough as a Supreme Court justice because they had him confused with US Senator Ralph Yarborough.  Don later fled to Grenada after being convicted of perjury to a grand jury.  And this  year, Gene Kelly received 40% of the vote in the Democrat primary for US Senator.

Not the brightest bunch, Texans are?

[Sam Spade]

There was a perennial candidate in Houston who started out as Sam Fayad, then became Sam "Texas" Fayad, and finally ended up as Sam Texas.

Of course Texas had a State Treasurer named Warren Harding, and elected Don Yarborough as a Supreme Court justice because they had him confused with US Senator Ralph Yarborough.  Don later fled to Grenada after being convicted of perjury to a grand jury.  And this  year, Gene Kelly received 40% of the vote in the Democrat primary for US Senator.

Not the brightest bunch, Texans are?

I was hoping that someone might catch the little self-deprecating humor I made in posting this article in the first place. 

[jimrtex]

Of course Texas had a State Treasurer named Warren Harding, and elected Don Yarborough as a Supreme Court justice because they had him confused with US Senator Ralph Yarborough.  Don later fled to Grenada after being convicted of perjury to a grand jury.  And this  year, Gene Kelly received 40% of the vote in the Democrat primary for US Senator.

Not the brightest bunch, Texans are?

Don Yarborough ousted an incumbent justice in the Democrat primary.  Gene Kelly was chosen by the Democrats as their senate candidate before.  And Harris County Democrats elected a supporter of Lyndon LaRouche as their county chair,

  ''We don't know how it happened,'' said Bill Ramsey, executive director of
   the group.

[jimrtex]

Secretary Williams Reviews How Names Will Appear on the Ballot

The Texas Secretary of State has request more information from gubernatorial candidates _____ Friedman and _____ ______ _____ _____ Strayhorn about their proposed use of nicknames for use on the ballot in November.

It appears it will be as
Richard 'Kinky' Friedman and
Carole Keeton Strayhorn.

[minionofmidas]

I request Rick Goodhear be listed as James R Perry, in that case!

[jimrtex]

I request Rick Goodhear be listed as James R Perry, in that case!

Where did you hair about his audio acuity?

Texas Statutes on name on ballot

"Rick" is a familiar form of his given name.

[adam]

And ditto for Robert Christopher Bell...

No one is going to vote for him anyway, he doesn't need it any worse.

[minionofmidas]

I request Rick Goodhear be listed as James R Perry, in that case!

Where did you hair about his audio acuity?

Texas Statutes on name on ballot

"Rick" is a familiar form of his given name.

His middle name is Richard.

And ditto for Robert Christopher Bell...

I can't spell, Jim...
Yeah, like Vlad said, Robert C Bell is irrelevant.

[jimrtex]

I request Rick Goodhear be listed as James R Perry, in that case!

Where did you hair about his audio acuity?

Texas Statutes on name on ballot

"Rick" is a familiar form of his given name.

His middle name is Richard.

A person may have several given names.  In the United States it is most typical to have two, which are referred to as a first name and middle name.

Wikipedia article on 'given name'

[jimrtex]

The Texas Secretary of State has made his decision, and the two independent challengers will be shown on the ballot as:

Richard "Kinky" Friedman
Carole Keeton Strayhorn

  Texas Secretary of State Press Release

Edit: Fixed Kinky's last name.  ps I did come across one newspaper article where it was hyphenated between the d and m.

[adam]

Haha. Tough luck grandma.

[agcatter]

Thinking seriously about voting for Kinky,

Really.

[jimrtex]

Thinking seriously about voting for Kinky,

Really.

Grannie Strayhorn is threatening to go to court.

Meanwhile Friedman said, "I like the name 'Richard Kinky Friedman.  It evokes a certain sense of nobility that falls somewhere between Richard the Lion-hearted and Richard Nixon."

[adam]

Thinking seriously about voting for Kinky,

Really.

Grannie Strayhorn is threatening to go to court.

Meanwhile Friedman said, "I like the name 'Richard Kinky Friedman.  It evokes a certain sense of nobility that falls somewhere between Richard the Lion-hearted and Richard Nixon."

Haha. Voting for him or not, you can't help but to like the guy.

Strayhorn is just a crybaby.

[Joe Republic]

I honestly can't see why Strayhorn thinks "Grandma" is a good nickname to use in an election campaign.  The word makes me think of some senile old hag, like the crazy cat lady from The Simpsons.

Oh wait...