Kinky Friedman Jumps 5 Points in Latest Poll

Surpasses Strayhorn, Bell Among Likely Voters
Five Additional Polls Between March and May Show Friedman in Lead

AUSTIN, Texas -- June 15, 2006 -- In the latest Rasmussen poll, independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman jumped five percentage points, surpassing independent candidate Carole Strayhorn and Democrat Chris Bell.

Friedman's gains came at the expense of Gov. Rick Perry, who dropped two percentage points, and Bell, who dropped three points.

The Rasmussen poll of 500 likely voters indicates 38 percent of voters would re-elect Perry while 20 percent would elect Friedman. Strayhorn places third with 19 percent of the vote, while Bell garnered 14 percent.

"We're not putting much stock in these traditional polls, because they screen out the very demographic we're targeting: the unlikely voter," Friedman said. "But this upswing of support among likely voters is encouraging."

Five recent polls that did not screen out likely voters indicate most Texans would elect Friedman in the governor's race, his campaign also said Thursday.

The five polls - representing voters in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Brazoria County and Amarillo - were conducted either via online voting or phone-ins, and each was sponsored by a media outlet.

The results include: a poll of 945 people conducted by LoneStarTimes.com, a prominent conservative political blog, which gave Friedman 61 percent, or 577 votes; an Austin Business Journal poll of 1,227 readers, which gave Friedman 47 percent; a San Antonio Business Journal poll giving Friedman 59 percent of the vote; a Brazosport Facts newspaper poll of 169 readers that gave Friedman 52 percent; and an Amarillo radio station poll of 142 listeners that reports 95 of the callers, or 67 percent, would vote for Friedman.

"These are the people's polls. They more accurately reflect the mood of this state than traditional polls, which don't take unlikely voters into account," Friedman said. "Fortunately, the best-kept secret in this state is that voter turnout in this year's governor's race is going to reach historic highs. And I assure you, they won't be showing up to re-elect Rick Perry."

Campaign director Dean Barkley said Friedman's campaign takes all polls with a grain of salt, adding that traditional polls carry even less import in a three- or four-way race.
"Traditional polls tend to underestimate the true strength of independent candidates, simply because they're structured to reflect our two-party system," Barkley said. "If scientific polls had any validity, Jesse Ventura would never have been the governor of Minnesota."

"This year in Texas, the pollsters are scratching their heads," Barkley added. "Predictions and forecasts go right out the window."

Rasmussen poll results:
Total votes: 500
Perry - 38%
Bell - 14%
Strayhorn - 19%
Friedman--20%

Results of five additional polls, taken between March and May of 2006:

Austin Business Journal (Austin)
Total votes: 1,227
March 2006
Kinky - 47%
Perry - 20%
Strayhorn - 25%
Bell - 6%

San Antonio Business Journal (San Antonio)
Total votes: Were not released
April 2006
Kinky - 59%
Perry - 20%
Strayhorn - 12%
Bell - 6%

LoneStarTimes.com (Houston)
Total votes: 945
May 2006
Kinky - 61% (577 votes)
Perry - 20% (190 votes)
Strayhorn - 14% (136 votes)
Bell - 4% (42 votes)

Brazosport Facts newspaper poll (Brazoria County)
Total votes: 169
April 2006
Kinky - 52%
Perry - 22%
Strayhorn - 16%
Bell - 9%

KGNC Radio 97.9 FM (Amarillo)
Total votes: 142
May 2006
The question was: Kinky Friedman - Yes, No, or Maybe?
95 votes: Yes
34 votes: No
13 votes: Maybe