Accidental Blogger

Names – official monikers as well as nicknames, are likely to play a key role in the November elections in Texas.  Two of the four major candidates running for the office of Texas governor asked that their nicknames be on the official ballot.  One was partially granted his wish and other was denied. Singer and entertainer Kinky Friedman, an independent candidate who has used the name Kinky publicly since 1962 ,wanted to appear simply as "Kinky Friedman" on the ballot.  He has been allowed to use "Kinky", but it must appear along with his real name. So, Kinky will show up as Richard "Kinky" Friedman.  Another independent (a Republican in disguise) candidate is Texas State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, who happens to be Bush’s ex- White House spokesperson Scott McClellan’s mom. Strayhorn’s campaign slogan describes her as "One Tough Grandma."  She wanted her name on the ballot to read Carole Keeton "Grandma" Strayhorn. Her request was turned down because it was decided that "Grandma" is a slogan, not a name.  Strayhorn is now "One Mad Grandma." (I must add here that thankfully, Texas’ current governor has not chosen his flattering nickname of Rick "Good Hair" Perry as his preferred handle on the ballot).

"Strayhorn has said people know her as "Grandma" and that she has run as "One Tough Grandma" since 1998. " She has said "we jump 10 points" in polls when she is identified as "Grandma."

Brad McClellan, Strayhorn’s son and campaign manager, said a call from the Express-News was the first he had heard of the decision. "This is America, this is Texas, and she is Grandma," McClellan said. "We are confident she will be ‘Grandma’ on the ballot." Strayhorn told reporters her campaign will file a lawsuit in state district court to try to overturn the decision."

The Republicans are feeling some trepidation about a candidate’s name in another crucial election – the US congressional seat in District 22 in Texas’ Fort Bend County.  The seat was vacated by the formidable Tom "The Hammer" DeLay.  I reported a while ago on the mess created by DeLay’s devious departure which has raised some doubts about the Republicans’ chances of holding on to the seat which during DeLay’s tenure, was reliably in their pocket. After much legal wrangling, back room machinations and arm twisting of ambitious pols, the Fort Bend County Republicans now have a write-in candidate for November. DeLay’s name will still appear on the official ballot as the Republican congressional candidate – but he is no longer running.  Much to the delight of the Fort Bend Democrats, the name of the write-in candidate is Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, which is not exactly Jane Doe.  Here are the possible scenarios which may favor the Dems in the DeLay – Sekula-Gibbs interchange. Remember that any vote cast for DeLay is wasted and Sekula-Gibbs’ name has to be spelt as something reasonably close to her real name.

• A straight party Republican vote will mark the ballot for DeLay.
• Some voters who may not know that DeLay has withdrawn, might vote for him from years of conservative habit.
• Republicans mad at their party for underhanded tactics, will either not mark any candidate or write in the candidate they had voted for in the primary against DeLay.
• Some may be aware of DeLay’s abdication but may not know the name of his replacement.
• Voters who are only slightly familiar with the write-in candidate, might misspell her name.
• And finally, even those dedicated Republican faithfuls who follow the party line, might be in for a slightly nasty surprise.  Since District 22 has installed E-Slate voting in all its polling precincts, "Shelley Sekula-Gibbs" must be entered on the ballot not with a # 2 pencil but with this fancy gadget which makes you choose each letter, one by one, by turning a wheel.  :-)

Stay tuned for the expected post election drama.  The Republicans are likely to accept any name entered on the ballot as the correct spelling, including Tom, Dick and Harry.  And the Dems will want to throw out everything short of the immaculately spelt "Shelley Sekula-Gibbs." Texas 2006 might come to resemble Florida 2000.  (photo of E-Slate ballot from TPM Muckraker )

Update: By pleasant coincidence, today’s Houston Chronicle has an editorial on more tangled web of Republican politics in TX District 22 in the wake of DeLay’s "cut and run" tactic.