It's hard to believe that in the great state of Texas, where politics can be a blood sport, it could be possible to have a gubernatorial campaign that seems an afterthought. Quick; can anyone tell me who is running for Governor? No? Well, I didn't think so. What's worse is that no one seems to care.
In the Republican corner, you have Rick Perry, who only ascended to the throne when Shrub stole the 2000 Presidentiary election. Chiefly noted for hair that never seems to move, Perry has accomplished nothing of note, except to veto most everything that has crossed his desk. He seems to have no ideas of his own, and, even if he does, he's doing a damn poor job of articulating them.
In the Democratic corner, you have Tony Sanchez, the Laredo businessman who apparently has more more than common sense (Running for statewide office as a Democrat? He might as well toss Benjamins into a campfire- at least he'd get something for his money.). Sanchez has built a financial empire, lost it, and rebuilt another, and is one of this state's shining Hispanic success stories.
In a campaign that has generated neither heat nor light (frankly, both candidates are all hat and no cattle), both campaigns are struggling to find something to grab the public's attention. The Perry campaign is accusing one of Sanchez' banks of providing money to drug kingpins. Sanchez' minions are accusing Perry of being a career politician devoid of ideas. Frankly, Perry IS a career politician devoid of ideas, but the public doesn't seem intrigued by either accusation. (Yawn...hey, Ma; when do the Cowboys play??)
Now the campaigns are wrangling over debates that will largely be noticed only because they won't be noticed. The problem with this gubernatorial campaign is that there are no larger-than-life characters like Ann Richards or Clayton Williams, who attracted attention as if it was the stuff of life. Neither Sanchez nor Perry would likely get noticed if they danced naked at halftime of a Cowboys-Texans game....
