U.S. Election Disappointment: Friedman Loses!

Apparently Texas still isn't ready for a Jewish governor.

Kinky Friedman, political rabble rouser, author, and leader of the late country/rock band "The Texas Jewboys", came in fourth in the Texas gubernatorial contest. On the plus side, he did get 12% of the vote (which in Texas is still 552,402 votes!).

Freedman's platform was somewhat eclectic. He promised to end rampant corruption in Texas state politics, as well as providing more money to education and health care. In addition he promised to promote alternate green energy - a controversial position in oil rich Texas - the number one greenhouse gas producer in the U.S.

His campaign slogan: Why the Hell Not? - Vote Kinky!

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In other "Jewish" election news:

• Jews voted for Democrats in their highest numbers in 14 years, an exit poll showed. Democrats garnered 87 percent of Jewish votes, the CNN exit poll said, and Republicans earned 10 percent. That was opposed to 55 percent of all respondents who voted Democrat and 44 who voted Republican.
  
  
• Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who is close to national Jewish leaders, is set to become speaker of the House of Representatives. Pelosi is a close friend of Amy Friedkin, a past AIPAC president and like Pelosi, a resident of the Bay area in northern California.
  
  
• U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), who had strong backing among some pro-Israel activists, lost most of the Jewish vote in Pennsylvania. Santorum was one of the biggest beneficiaries of pro-Israel money, getting $2 million in support, more than any other candidate except for U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) However, his opponent Bob Casey garnered more than 80 percent of the Jewish vote.
  
  
• For the first time, a Muslim is set to become a U.S. congressman. Keith Ellison, a Democrat, easily defeated Alan Fine, a Jewish Republican, in Minneapolis. Ellison earned endorsements from leading Jews in the district. He is due to visit Israel for the first time in the coming weeks as a guest of the Minnesota Jewish community.
  
  
• Jews increased their numbers by two in the U.S. Senate and at least four in the U.S. House of Representatives. Bernie Sanders, an Independent, who calls himself a Socialist (!!), won Vermont´s Senate seat. Ben Cardin, a Democrat, won Maryland´s seat. The wins would raise Jewish representation in the Senate to 13 (13%). There will be at least 30 Jews in the House in the next Congress (7%). Jews make up less that 2% of the U.S. population.