Texas political history is interesting, largely because Texans as a group hate politics. In fact, for a long time the legislature met only ever other year, in an effort to limit how much legislation they could pass, and thus, how much damage they could do. There has always been money and influence peddling in Texas politics, particularly along the Mexican border in an area called 'The Valley' in which whole counties can be bought and paid for.
That's not the public face of Texas politics, though, and never has been. The public face is much more caught up in the whole cowboy mythology, the pioneer epic. This idealized vision of Texas politics nearly always conflicts with reality. Let's have a bit of Texas political history starting with the first governor to be elected largely on the basis of personality, Pa Ferguson:
"Pa" Ferguson, who assumed the Governorship in 1915, was a beloved public figure. He ran on an anti-Prohibition platform, and promised to be a 'Farmer Jim', a candidate for the common man. Then he was impeached and convicted on ten charges including misapplication of funds and failure to respect the bank laws. Ferguson had been making loans to himself.
This wasn't enough to keep him out of politics. After the turns of Hobby and Neff, Ferguson made another bid to get on the ballot and back into office. He was thwarted, so his wife Miriam "Ma" Ferguson ran instead, and won.
Ma Ferguson granted hundreds of pardons, sometimes as many as a hundred in a month, she said out of a desire to decrease penitentiary expenditures. But there was a joke going around about Pa Ferguson bumping into a man with his son in the penitentiary. Ferguson offered to sell the man a horse five thousand dollars. When the man commented on the ridiculous price, Ferguson said, "You buy that horse and your son just might ride it out of the penitentiary..."
After being defeated and out of politics for several years, Ma Ferguson was re-elected in 1933 and served another two years. In 1939, Pappy O'Daniel entered the Texas political scene. O'Daniel was the Garrison Keillor of the time, 
crooning down-home reassurances over the radio with familiar music in the background. He even occupied the same time slot that Keillor now occupies. O'Daniel was not merely a radio personality, but also a savvy businessman. He used his radio show to advertise Hillbilly Flour, which he sold himself (The brand's motto was 'Pass the Biscuits, Pappy'). Then he decided to enter politics. Pappy unscrupulously kept his radio show and turned it into a long political ad. He and his popular band the Doughboys toured the state playing concerts and singing sentimental songs about Ma. O'Daniel was an amazingly effective public speaker as well.
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Article comments
1 - Nancy
No more outrageous than having former B-actors, wrestlers, or anyone else as governor. Actually, I'd rather have a REAL person be governor than a professional politician.
2 - Leoniceno
I don't think that I said it was outrageous. And I certainly agree with you, Nancy. I like Kinky a lot.
3 - Leoniceno
Say, I just noticed that this piece has been linked from the Kinky Friedman campaign site.
4 - Eric Berlin
So a profile on him on This Week. I say, Go for it -- why the hell not?
5 - wil
Kinky for President!
6 - Leoniceno
Why not? We've had Reagan and Teddy Roosevelt, not to mention William Henry Harrison.
7 - Dave Nalle
The Kinkster still has to qualify and get on the ballot, of course - it's not an easy thing here in Texas.
The democrats are effectively dead in this election, so the big question is the Republican primary. Perry thinks he has a lock on reelection, but everyone I know who's a Republican is voting for Carol Keaton Rylander McClellan Strayhorn or whatever name she has this week. If she gets the nomination the election might well come down to her vs. Kinky, and he could well get most of the Democrat votes.
An interesting struggle, because Carol Strayhorn is a kind of an outsider too, a moderate Republican with some unusual ideas and a reputation for being a fiscal hardass. Between her and Kinky we can't go wrong, so long as Rick Perry gets buried along the way.
Dave
8 - Leoniceno
That's good to hear, Dave.
9 - Sarah
I usually dislike blogs, but this caught my attention. And you're damned thorough. Personally, I love Kinky Friedman, And I hope he wins, i'll sure as hell vote for him.
And you're absolutely right. Texans hate politicians, And we love outsiders. The state was BUILD on outsiders, and we never really shot for the 'law abiding citezen' routine. :D
10 - Brian
doesn't have a chance w/ his no exception anti-hunting sentiment
11 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
The no-bullshit ticket, huh?
I remember Jesse Ventura when he ran for governor in Minnesota. He was the candidate of the little guy, the bartender, the foodie with no health insurance, etc. The fact that he was a millionaire was not important to the folks who backed him.
He won on a total surprise and was a lousy governor helped by the fact that he had a great economy. We got all sorts of tax rebates whiel there was money in the treasury. the year IU left was the first year the gov had trouble. When it came to the inevitable budget cutting, Ventura had a bad time. He realized that he didn't want the headaches - and didn't run for a second term.
So much for no-bullshit candidates.