Texas: The debate is on for tonight....

From the Austin American Statesman: The debate is on....
7 p.m. tonight in Dallas for the only televised debate in the race for the Governor's Mansion. Republican Gov. Rick Perry, Democrat Chris Bell, independent Carole Keeton Strayhorn and independent Kinky Friedman will come together for the one-hour event. The debate sponsor, Dallas-based media company Belo Corp., did not invite Libertarian James Werner, who has threatened to sue.... [more]

By the way, News 8 Austin tells us that a poll was conducted by Blum & Weprin Associates Inc. of New York, and released by The Dallas Morning News showing that Perry's "not winning a majority of any group other than Republicans. He's not even winning a very large majority of Republicans. He's losing among Independents, badly. He's losing badly among Democrats. Most voters would like to have someone else, but they just can't get together who they like....." [more]

Any while we're on the subject, you'll be interested in this article that ran today in the Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle by Laureen Oliver, the one-time upstate activist for the Reform and Independence Parties, who has popped up consulting to Kinky. Laureen thinks we need an independent centrist candidate for President in 2008.....

And finally, this from Independent Texans organizer Linda Curtis:
HANDS ACROSS THE CORRIDOR! started out in Gonzales, Texas. Our hard-working independent candidate for governor, Carole Keeton "Grandma" Strayhorn, stopped at the "Come and Take It Cannon" with us.

THIS ENTIRE EVENT was an "explosive" moment for the campaign to oust Rick Perry. The "Come and Take It Cannon" rests where the first shot for Texas Independence took place. Thirty-two men walked from there to the Alamo, in the fight for independence. Carole gave a great talk, saying she didn't want Perry to get even "one cup of dirt" for his Trans-Texas Corridor and he could just try to come and take it, but she would fight him with every breath left in her! Then she too went from Gonzales to the Alamo to meet with more supporters.
You can reach Linda at ljcurtis@indytexans.org