HOUSTON — Kinky Friedman, the musician, mystery writer and self-styled Jewish cowboy running for governor of Texas, was stumping for votes in a smoky beer bar called the Flying Saucer, and spraying one-liners like a Gatling gun.
Rick Perry, the Republican governor, "had done a pretty good job -- as a cheerleader at Texas A&M," Friedman joked to raucous applause. Perry had served on the Aggies' pep squad, an apparent political no-no in this macho slice of the Lone Star State.
Friedman then introduced his guest of honor, an unusual voice of political gravitas fresh off the beaches of Baja California. Sporting a nascent attempt at dreadlocks and a braided beard, Jesse Ventura stared out over the crowd of under-40s. The former pro wrestler said it felt like 1998, when he stunned the country by wooing enough disaffected voters to win the Minnesota governorship.
"We haven't had an independent governor in Texas since Sam Houston," Ventura said in his wrestler's growl. But he predicted that "Kinky will win -- if you have a big voter turnout."
The barroom appearance was another odd moment in a four-way race for governor that has begun living up to its billing as one of the most colorful contests in recent Texas history.
In addition to the GOP incumbent and the cigar-chomping comedian, there is Carole Keeton Strayhorn, another independent candidate, who waged a losing battle to be called "grandma" on the ballot, and Democrat Chris Bell, who is pushing a "Don't Mess with Ethics" reform plan, a play on the state's famous anti-litter slogan, "Don't Mess with Texas."
Whether the Texas campaign will be close as well as colorful, however, remains to be seen.
Polls have consistently shown that Perry, who analysts say lacks the folksy charisma that helped popularize former governors such as Ann Richards and George W. Bush, is vulnerable to defeat -- some surveys gauge his support as low as 31%. Yet, with a little more than a month left in the race, no challenger has made a move, raising the likelihood that a splintered vote will get Perry reelected.
A Survey USA poll taken two weeks ago showed Perry with 35% of the vote, followed by Bell and Friedman with 23% each and Strayhorn with 15%. A Zogby International/Wall Street Journal poll earlier had shown the race much closer, with Perry at 31%, Bell at 25%, Friedman at 22% and Strayhorn at 11%.
A fifth candidate, Libertarian James Werner, is trailing far behind the rest but hopes to play the spoiler.
