Jan. 2, 2006, 3:01PM
Strayhorn enters governor's race as independent
By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau
AUSTIN — Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn ended speculation today by announcing she will run for governor against Gov. Rick Perry as an independent.
"It's time to shake Austin up," Strayhorn, who is now serving as a Republican officeholder, told reporters today, the filing deadline for the 2006 elections.
"Governor Perry may be doing the best he can, but after five years, we have learned he is not the strong leader we need to put Texas above politics," she added.
Satirist Kinky Friedman already has announced as an independent candidate for governor.
The major candidates in the Democratic primary are Chris Bell of Houston, a former congressman, and Bob Gammage, a former Houston congressman and Texas Supreme Court justice who now lives in Llano.
Strayhorn, who was first elected comptroller in 1998 as a Republican, had announced in June that she would challenge Perry for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. But last week she refused to dismiss speculation that she would run as an independent to avoid Perry's strong popularity in the GOP primary.
Typical turnout in the Republican primary in a state election is less than 700,000 voters, and polls have shown about 40 percent of the primary voters are social and religious conservatives. Perry has been working to solidify support with this group with strong stands against abortion and gay marriage.
Perry, who had been lieutenant governor, became governor in 2000 when George W. Bush resigned to become president. Perry won election to a full term as governor in 2002, defeating Democrat Tony Sanchez.
To get on the ballot as an independent, Strayhorn will need to collect the signatures of 45,450 registered voters who cast ballots in neither party primary or runoff. The signatures will have to be collected between March 8 and May 11.
Anticipating Strayhorn's independent candidacy, Perry spokesman Robert Black last week said it would demonstrate "the latest desperate act of a politician who has no core convictions or guiding principles."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3560456.html
