"Walker, Texas Ranger" runs from a political fight.
Actor Chuck Norris, who for years played a tough Texas lawman on TV, has ducked for cover in a real-life brawl — the race to become the next Dallas County sheriff.Norris stopped in the city recently to record two radio ads for Lupe Valdez, the Democratic candidate in what has shaped up to be a spirited race for sheriff.
The spots would have been a small coup for Valdez given that Norris is a convincing law-and-order type and, more importantly, a well-recognized Republican.
Thursday, though, Norris informed Valdez in a brief letter from his lawyer that he was withdrawing his support.
Susan Hays, chairwoman of the Dallas County Democratic Party, said Republicans got wind of the endorsement and leaned on Norris to withdraw it.
"I'm restraining myself from calling him a weenie," Hays said of Norris, a martial arts black-belt who never flinched as Walker, Texas Ranger.
John Hensley, a former U.S. Customs agent who was Valdez's boss when he ran the agency's Dallas regional office, was the one who asked Norris to endorse Valdez.
"I'm sure Chuck's mad at me for ever bringing this up," said Hensley, who described himself as a longtime Norris friend.
Hensley said he thought Valdez was a "good, competent and loyal agent" and approached Norris on her behalf.
Hensley said backers of GOP sheriff candidate Danny Chandler pressured Norris. "Rather than get in the middle of it he just said, 'I'm not gonna be involved,' " Hensley said.
Michael Forshey, Norris' lawyer, confirmed that Norris is officially neutral in the race.
Just that ***I*** wouldn't want to be the guy with a Google-able web page calling Chuck Norris a wimp.
Posted by: Scott Chaffin on October 25, 2004 2:38 PMMy first thought on reading this article was, "there's a sheriff's race?" Living in the 'burbs of Dallas, you try not to pay too much attention to the big city. The police chief discussions are much more fun (see http://www.dallasobserver.com for more details).
I always thought that Norris' show was absolutely horrible. He filmed in a field near our house once, but more often than not, you saw his production company making Fort Worth spots look like Dallas.
Heck, I'll vote for Valdez just because I disliked the show.
Posted by: Kevin J on October 25, 2004 3:18 PMSome of my Dallas friends were telling me that Norris was supporting Valdez last week, and I was pretty shocked. So, his retraction isn't a surprise. I guess Norris decided he'd do a favor for a friend, then Republicans told him he couldn't do it if he wanted to remain in good standing in the Republican Party.
Posted by: Byron L on October 25, 2004 8:13 PMOh, and by the way, if you live in Dallas County, be sure to vote for Lupe Valdez. She's an extremely well-qualified candidate running against the Republicans record of scandal and corruption.
Posted by: Byron L on October 25, 2004 8:16 PMAnd a-a-lways be sure to look behi-i-nd you
'Cause that's where the ranger's gonna be.
Glad to see my Uncle Chuck is a Republican but you would think that after playing in 'Delta Force' and 'Invasion USA' he'd support the party who still supports America first and kicks ass at the same time before allowing it's own ass to be kicked. And you people wonder why so many of those Texas/Southern/Midwestern Democrats are becoming Republicans? Zell's book, 'A National Party No More' hit it right on the head.
When it comes to threats ... we don't give into the UN .... we stick to our guns and ride tall in the saddle. That's what my uncle Chuck would do and that's what almost 60 million Americans did when they voted to reelected George W Bush.
Reelect not reelected George W Bush.
Oh and by the way ... I am from the Metroplex.
Posted by: Byron Norris on November 14, 2004 1:13 AM