Country music icon, satirist and one-time gubernatorial candidate Richard "Kinky" Friedman has announced his bid for agriculture commissioner in 2014. Friedman will run in the Democratic primary.
The 68 year old said he’s interested in legalizing and regulating marijuana as an agricultural crop to revitalize the Texas farming industry.
"In a year or two I’m predicting [that] if I’m elected, the Poteet Strawberry Festival may well be called something else,"Friedman said. "And as soon as the farmers understand that they may make 25 times as much money cultivating marijuana and hemp, that’s going to make a big difference."
Friedman ran for governor in 2006 as an independent and took just over 12 percent of the vote, and he said there’s a reason he’s throwing his hat in a different ring this time.
"I think there is a certain Texas two-step out of there," Friedman said. "If Wendy Davis can activate the base for the Democratic Party and if I can bring over the independents that will win it for the Democrats and we won't have Perry, Dewhurst and Abbott."
Friedman said the Democratic base in Texas is re-vitalized again like he saw 20 years ago when Ann Richards won the governor's seat.
