Tag Archives: Kinky Friedman

McConaughey not running for Governor

Posted on November 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Thank God that’s over. Actor Matthew McConaughey on Sunday removed himself from consideration as a potential candidate for governor after months of toying with a campaign. In a video posted to his Twitter account, McConaughey, who lives in Austin, said … Continue reading →

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Matthew McConaughey redux

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Again? sigh All right… Two weeks ago, in these very same digital pages, I claimed that Matthew McConaughey had shown more leadership during Texas’s devastating winter storms than Senator Ted Cruz, simply by clearing the low bar of not scuttling off to … Continue reading →

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When Republicans fight

Posted on October 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Such a sight to see. Gov. Greg Abbott’s most exasperating allies sure chose an awkward time to act up. In the face of a momentous election, with an array of issues that includes the pandemic, the recession, climate change, racial … Continue reading →

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Musicians for Beto

Posted on October 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Just another dimension to a really interesting picture. Beto O’Rourke’s time as a musician is one of the more well-trodden parts of his bio. And it makes sense. As O’Rourke worked to introduce himself to 28 million Texans who had … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Music | Tagged , , , , , , | 22 Comments

We may have reached peak independent candidate

Posted on June 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Jonathan Jenkins, who would apparently like to be on your ballot for the Senate this fall. It’s got a high-tech evangelist for a founder, $6 million in private equity investments, even its own crypto-currency. No, it’s not a driverless … Continue reading →

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The life and times of Kinky Friedman

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I have feelings about this. With Friedman, it’s showtime most of the time. On this occasion, he’s in town with Mary Lou Sullivan, his biographer, who attempted to condense his strange life into 300 pages. Hers was an unenviable task. … Continue reading →

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O’Rourke and Dowd say they want to challenge Cruz in 2018

Posted on January 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Beto O’Rourke upgraded his chances of running for the Senate in 2018 to “very likely”. U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke said Thursday he is all but certain to make a run for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s seat in 2018. “I’ve … Continue reading →

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Saving SD10 and other benchmarks

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Observer looks at the race to succeed Wendy Davis in SD10. It’s a steamy, hot summer morning in the Metroplex, and at the Dixie House, a Southern-style diner in east Ft. Worth where gravy flows like water, Libby Willis … Continue reading →

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Is this really the end for Kinky Friedman?

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll believe it when I see it on my 2018 ballot. It’s been more than a month since he lost his bid to be the Democratic nominee for Texas agriculture commissioner, and the cigar-smoking author-musician can’t shake the loss — … Continue reading →

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Probably the last thing I’ll write about Jim Hogan

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

At least, I hope it’s the last thing, because there ain’t much to say. Texas Democrats are not holding their breaths for a win for the office held by Republicans since Perry ousted Jim Hightower in 1992. Democratic consultant Jason … Continue reading →

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Primary runoff results

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So long, Dave. Riding a wave of conservative sentiment that Texas Republicans were not being led with a hard enough edge, state Sen. Dan Patrick crushed Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff election for lieutenant governor, ending … Continue reading →

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Early voting begins today for primary runoffs

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County voters can prepare to vote in the May 27 Democratic and Republican Primary Runoff Elections by visiting www.HarrisVotes.com to view the contests which will appear on their ballot. Early Voting for the Primary Runoff Elections … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of Dem Ag Commissioner runoff

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the same story we’ve known all along. Texas Democrats’ dreams of taking over statewide offices surely never envisioned the kind of race they have in the primary runoff for agriculture commissioner where musician and writer Kinky Friedman faces off … Continue reading →

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Friedman for feral hogs

Posted on April 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As the man once said, Why the hell not? As meat prices rise, a candidate for agriculture commissioner is proposing beefing up the state’s program to harvest and market wild hog meat in a way he says will create jobs … Continue reading →

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Would pot be a cash crop?

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib takes a serious look at Kinky Friedman’s campaign platform. Currently, it is illegal to grow and possess marijuana in Texas and most other states, and while hemp is legal for consumption, Texas and most other states do not … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Democratic primary elections

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I finally got around to asking for the canvass reports for the primaries in Harris County. I didn’t have any specific agenda in looking at the data from each, I just wanted to see what I could learn. Let’s start … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: DMN goes Kinky

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Since pretty much every newspaper endorsed Hugh Fiztsimons for the Democratic nomination for Ag Commissioner in the primary, they now have the choice of picking a new candidate for the runoff or ignoring it and hoping it goes away. The … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: None of the above

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Farm Bureau is unhappy with its choices in the Ag Commissioner runoffs. The political arm of the Texas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farming organization, will refrain from endorsing a candidate in the GOP runoff for agriculture commissioner … Continue reading →

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Pot polling

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Our favorite pollsters aren’t optimistic about pot legalization despite some good looking poll numbers for it. In the February 2014 University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, we asked respondents for their opinions on marijuana possession and gave them four options to … Continue reading →

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How I’ll be voting in the runoffs

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This is pretty straightforward, as there are only two races in the runoff for me to consider. Senate – This is the definition of a no-brainer. David Alameel wasn’t my first choice. I voted for Maxey Scherr, and didn’t recommend … Continue reading →

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The case for Kinky

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib sums up the reasons for voting for the Kinkster in the runoff. The race for agriculture commissioner is far down the list, both in terms of voter interest and the interest of people who write checks to political … Continue reading →

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Primary results: Statewide

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So Wendy Davis and Greg Abbott won easily. They never had to sweat their primaries, so on Tuesday night Attorney General Greg Abbott and Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis turned their attention to a fall election that is shaping up … Continue reading →

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The UT/TT poll’s track record in past Democratic primaries

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The one result in that UT/TT poll from Monday that has people freaking out is the one that shows nutball LaRouchie Kesha Rogers leading the Senate race with 35%, followed by David Alameel with 27%. I expressed my skepticism of … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of Ag Commissioner race

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s mostly about Kinky and pot, because what else is there to talk about? Democrat Kinky Friedman is attempting to add a little spice to the crowded agriculture commissioner race by being the lone candidate to advocate legalizing marijuana and … Continue reading →

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Interview with Kinky Friedman

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

We come to my last set of interviews for the primary season, the Democratic race for Ag Commissioner. Some primaries feature candidates that don’t differ all that much. This race is not one of those. Making his second run for … Continue reading →

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What’s at stake in the Democratic primaries

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve had my fun poking holes in Mark Jones’ ridiculous argument that we should all just vote in the Republican primary, but now it’s time to talk about the Democratic primary and why these races matter. US Senate On Monday … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Fitzsimons for Ag Commissioner

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron recommends Hugh Fitzsimons as the best choice for Ag Commissioner in the Democratic primary. A 59-year-old San Antonio native and third-generation rancher, Fitzsimons produces honey and raises grass-fed organic bison on his ranch in Dimmit County. One of … Continue reading →

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January finance reports for Democratic statewide candidates

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

With the exception of a stray missing report here and there, all of the January campaign finance reports for state office holders and seekers are up on the Texas Ethics Commission webpage. Here’s a brief look at the reports filed … Continue reading →

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Kinky and pot

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib talks to Kinky Friedman, making another run for Ag Commissioner as a Democrat, and his new signature issue. Friedman, 69 — a singer, humorist, novelist and hawker of tequila — has tried, frequently, to add “elected official” to … Continue reading →

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Final filings: We have a statewide Democrat

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, I didn’t see this coming. Longtime Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Lawrence “Larry” Meyers announced Monday that he is leaving the Republican Party to run as a Democrat for the Texas Supreme Court. Meyers, of Fort Worth, filed … Continue reading →

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Sam Houston officially announces for AG

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston attorney and fortuitously named Democrat Sam Houston announced Thursday his plans to make a statewide run at Attorney General, making him the first Democrat to officially toss his hat in the ring. Houston, who received the most votes … Continue reading →

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Kinky for Ag Commish, Sam Houston (maybe) for AG

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

One and a half candidate announcements to note from the weekend. First, from the Trib, is the quadrennial appearance of Kinky Friedman. Singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist and former Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman will run for the Democratic nomination to … Continue reading →

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Medina for Governor?

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this would shake things up. Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina could end up running again for the state’s highest office, this time as an independent, she said Friday afternoon. Medina, who has been exploring a race for comptroller … Continue reading →

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We’ll always have Kinky

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Like cicadas on a four-year cycle, he keeps coming back. Kinky Friedman doesn’t know if he’s ready to jump back into Texas politics. But the cigar-chewing humorist and musician — known for the black attire and cowboy hats he normally … Continue reading →

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