Kinky Friedman May Run for Governor: Kinky Update #1

Sunday morning at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in north Austin found Richard S. “Kinky” Friedman preaching to the choir: like-minded voters seeking a change at the Governor’s Mansion. Kinky Friedman, billed at this public affairs forum as the “The Cowboy Philosopher,” ran in 2006 as an Independent. He lost to Rick Perry. He said, “I made a mistake not running as a Democrat” and strongly hinted he would correct that misstep this time. Taking aim at Governor Perry, he began by telling the crowd of 150 that he was getting older and had been working on his will, saying “I have requested that when I die, I am to be cremated and the ashes are to be thrown into Rick Perry’s hair." A “listening tour” throughout Texas is his plan to get the grass roots excited. He also talked about his animal rescue efforts at the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch and wants to make Texas a no kill state. Kinky even read a story about his mother from one of his books.

He talked about life in Texas and then took questions from the audience. Humane, big-hearted, funny and a great story teller, Friedman can entertain a crowd. The words don’t sound like a typical politician; today he didn’t even pass the hat. “Anything that is not very political is fun,” he told the crowd. Whether the voters of Texas will give him a second chance is not clear. Stay tuned for further updates.