Roddy Stinson argues that Kinky FriedmanÂ’s 21% showing does not prove any such thing.

The only "serious" point that can be made about candidate Kinky is that he has become the poster child for the crippled Texas Democratic Party.

The most significant number in the Zogby poll wasn't Perry's 42 percent, but the measly 25 percent garnered by the Democrats' leading candidate, Chris Bell.

Whom did other Democrats or Democrat-leaning independents select?

Here's a clue:

Four years ago, in the state's top three races — governor, lieutenant governor, U.S. senator — the Democratic candidates received, respectively, 40 percent, 46 percent and 43 percent of the votes cast.

If you take 46 percent (the number of voters willing to vote Democratic in at least one statewide race) and subtract 25 percent (Bell's support), you get 21 percent ... Friedman's poll number.

Coincidence?

Hardly.

While Journal-Constitution writer Galloway and other reporters and pundits imply that Friedman's popularity signifies Texans' discontent with Republican rule in general and Gov. Rick Perry in particular, the opposite — discontent with the Texas Democratic Party — is closer to the truth.

The question is, will the addition of Carole Keeton McClellan Rylnader Strayhorn [YOUR LAST NAME HERE] to the race as an independent rather than a GOP primary contender take voters from Friedman and Bell – or from Perry. And will her presence bring about a runoff?

Posted by: Greg at 10:50 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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