Dem Guv Uproar

A month ago, Hank Gilbert, Kinky Friedman and Farouk Shami were all running to be the Democratic nominee for governor. When Bill White got in that race, Gilbert dropped out to run for agriculture commissioner. Now, in a statement to the Texas Tribune, the Kinkster says he's following suit.

What makes this interesting is that Gilbert snubbed White to endorse today's big-name gubernatorial filer, hair-care king Shami. He and Gilbert share what the Trib calls a "key ally" in another man who made his money in shampoo, John McCall. He has been a key player in Kinky's earlier campaigns, but his firm Armstrong McCall Professional Beauty Supply does business with Shami's Chi hair care products (Shami, Kinky and McCall have shared press events before.)

While not explicitly stated, the implication from Kinky's most recent comments is that he'll support White ("After my visit with Bill my mind was made up. There is a clear alternative for the people of Texas, and today I'm changing courses with a happy heart.") So it'll be interesting to see who stumps with who, especially since six months ago Gilbert was the favorite of progressives and the party faithful, while Kinky was "That guy that screwed Chris Bell out of the governorship in 2006."

Guess this means disappointment for Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, who had been looking forward to Kinky getting into his race.