TX Gov: Strayhorn falls second to Kinky in ballot collection

[Sam Spade]

For Congress, the signature requirement is only 500 vs. the 45,000+ for statewide office.  Stockman was reported to have filed petitions, so I wonder what happened.  Maybe some people who voted in the Democratic or Republican primary signed.

Probably. I mean, he seemed to have a real following going on over there...500 shouldn't have been anything. My best guess is that he stopped collecting too soon.

My best guess is he stopped collecting sigs when DeLay said that he was leaving Congress and recognized that a Republican who's not DeLay would be almost assured of winning if he weren't on the ballot.

Stockman was in this game because he hates Lampson more than say, Satan, not because of especially strong negative feelings towards DeLay (I'm not going to say he didn't have them).  This feeling goes always the way back to the 1996 Congressional races, which have been documented here numerous times.

He also thought that enough conservative voters would choose him over DeLay so that he could beat Lampson.  It's pretty much what his statements laid out.

Anyway, when and if the Republicans get a new candidate on the ballot, I will probably move the race to Likely R, unless the candidate is below average or cuckoo.  The lean of the CD is still about 60-40 Rep and that's a tough task for a Dem to overcome, even with a lot of money.

[Sam Spade]

What's wrong with so many of Strayhorn's signatures?

Could be any one of three reasons:

1.  Signatures voted in Republican or Democratic primary or runoff.
2.  Signatures were collected by another candidate prior to her collection.
3.  Signature were not registered voters.

Doesn't really matter, though.  The point is to get on the ballot.  By how much is really irrelevant.

[Sam Spade]

Doesn't really matter, though.  The point is to get on the ballot.  By how much is really irrelevant.

While this is true, it doesn't change the fact that Strayhorn used oodles of corporate soft dollars and PAC contributions during her ballot drive where as Kinky used only volunteers. If she can't beat him in ballot collection with all of that help, how can she beat him in the general? Kinky now looks like a serious contender, where as Strayhorn looks like a complete dork.

Unless either can start breaking into the Perry 40% of the vote, neither will be a serious contender.  Sorry to break the bubble again. 

I do agree that committed volunteers are much more important than simple cash in signature collection (look at the success of the Libertarian party in getting on the ballot in Texas for many years).  I question whether it is more important in the general election, though.

Still, committed volunteers are one reason why I'm fairly confident Kinky will receive more votes than Bell this year, frankly.

Another interesting note:  The Green Party failed to receive ballot access in the Governor's race this year.  I wonder if the mass of signature-getting by Kinky contributed to this.

[Sam Spade]

For Congress, the signature requirement is only 500 vs. the 45,000+ for statewide office.  Stockman was reported to have filed petitions, so I wonder what happened.  Maybe some people who voted in the Democratic or Republican primary signed.

Probably. I mean, he seemed to have a real following going on over there...500 shouldn't have been anything. My best guess is that he stopped collecting too soon.

In a news articles, he is said to have been caught by surprise.  He turned in about 600, but fewer than 500 qualified.

That is interesting, but I can't believe he was not smart enough to know that there was a good chance a certain percentage of his signatures would be invalidated and get a much larger amount than 600.  Even Kinky lost about 20%-25% of his signatures.

Sort of like Wilson in OH-06, it makes no sense to me.