Libertarians Nominate Star Power Again

I have always wondered whether the Libertarians have noticed a trend that I have noticed in how their nominee for Governor of Texas does in the general election. And now I see that they have.

This past weekend the Libertarians nominated a woman named Kathie Glass to be their standard bearer to lead them to the Governor’s Mansion (whenever it gets renovated).

This is a name with star power.

Now what do I mean by that. Well OK just looking back through the last four gubernatorial elections you see the trend.

Libertarians who vote for a Libertarian candidate in the gubernatorial election in Texas number between 20 and 30 thousand. That is, when you run such people with plain-jane names as Keary Ehler, Les Turlington or James Werner.

1994: Keary Ehler received 28,320 votes (0.64%)

1998: Les Turlington received 20,711 votes (0.55%)

2006: James Werner received 26,749 votes (0.6%)

But in 2002 the Libertarians ran a guy named Jeff Daniel. Daniel garnered 66,720 votes (1.46%). Get it? They tripled their vote-getting power simply by nominating a guy whose name is one whole letter off from attention-getting Hollywood actor Jeff Daniels.

It’s an effect that we Democrats have unfortunately noticed whenever perennial candidate Gene Kelly ran for some office in Texas. Indeed, in 2006 the attention-grabbing star-powered guy named Gene Kelly, he of the singing, puddle-stomping “American in Paris” role, forced Barbara Ann Radnofsky into a campaign fund-consuming primary runoff election.

The “real” Gene Kelly died in 1996.

Alas we find voters like this in Texas. They are everywhere, it seems.

And coming out of last weekend’s Libertarian Party state convention in Austin we hear that they have named Kathie Glass as their gubernatorial nominee.

You know, Katherine Glass, the actress who played in the memorable role of Allison MacKenzie in the 70’s TV series "Return to Peyton Place."

Or if you don’t recall that, then what about the attention-getting that a name like that of Hollywood actress Sharon Gless could get?

Surely that association will poll over 1%, don't you thnk?

The Libertarian Party. I think they are on a roll.

Or is it role?