In the race to lead the Lone Star State, the choices are getting hairier and hairier…literally.

Picture one 2010 scenario: The perfectly-coiffed Rick Perry, longest-serving Governor in Texas history, squeaks by to win the Republican Primary to face-off against Democratic multi-millionaire hair exec, Farouk Shami (think BioSilk and the CHI hair-straightening irons) or an even hairier opponent, Kinky Friedman, whose cult following has expanded with each bid for Governor.

Seriously, in the “anybody-but-Perry” category, there are no standouts among the motley crew of Democrats. They desperately need a candidate who captures the hearts and minds of Texans or the race for Governor will be decided in the Republican Primary with the promise of orchestrated thrills and chills like Friday night wrestling: Smack-down 2010, Welcome to the Thunderdome.

The Politics of Indecision

U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison aims to send Governor Perry into early retirement and she has the money to make it happen. Kay’s problem is that she suffers from the politics of indecision.

In 2006, she intended to run for Governor, and then sat out the race. Some say that the state’s conservatives sent her a message: Not now Kay, next time. She says that the Governor pledged to retire in 2010. Either way, she’s a candidate now, and has yet to announce her retirement from the Senate, leaving politicos in limbo questioning when the Governor will appoint her replacement and who that might be… Kay, it’s time to make a decision already.

Kay’s campaign is all about pointing to Perry’s failures and saying that he’s been there too long. Tough talk coming from a Washington insider. Her 16 years in the U.S. Senate make for a tough sell as she tries to distance herself from Washington and its policies.

Without a clear campaign strategy, she’s tried to out-right Rick Perry and it’s backfired. Labeling Perry “governor-for-life” isn’t enough for Kay to win. She needs to claim the party moderates and change the face of the GOP primary. At risk is her base of women. In particular, those women whose support she won when she voted against overturning Roe v. Wade, and who may cross party lines to vote for her.

Compounding Kay’s ability to connect with Texas women is mounting speculation that Governor Perry may name the first Latina to the Texas Supreme Court in a move to solidify Hispanic voters who are still stinging over the Senator’s snub of Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Though recent polls give Perry a lead over Hutchison, they also show large numbers of undecided voters. Enter Debra Medina, a Ron Paul Republican who chairs the Wharton County GOP (near Houston). Count on her to split the conservative vote. More importantly, she’ll dip into Kay’s base of women and join Perry in branding the Senator a flip flopper who shouldn’t be trusted to lead Texas.

Flip Flopper

Former Forth Worth State Representative Tom Schieffer may lead the field in flip flopping. The two-time Bush appointee and former George W. Bush business partner (co-owners of the Texas Rangers baseball team) has Democrats questioning his pedigree – it’s a bit too red for most of the party faithful to sign on to his gubernatorial bid. His campaign spends most of their time trying to prove their credentials leaving little time to articulate a vision or to connect with Texas Democrats.

Most voters stay home during non-Presidential elections or sit out the primary and cast their vote in the November General Election. This means that candidates must increasingly target their message and presence on the many social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to turn out primary voters.

Take Hank Gilbert, the highest Democratic vote getter on the 2006 ballot. A lifelong Democrat who ran for Agriculture Commissioner, Hank’s a simple man, a farmer chock full of Texas grit who lacks the resources to spread the word about his campaign for Texas Governor. His social media strategy amounts to four photos on his Facebook page (let’s hope the beauty queen in that photo is related). Democrats may need to forfeit the social media advantage to Kinky. There are at least five Kinky Friedman groups on Facebook, 478 videos on YouTube, and Kinky’s crew tweets to boot.

It’s time candidates move forward to fully embrace 21st Century American politics in Texas.

In this new political landscape, shifting demographics and social media have changed almost everything in Texas, although a good media strategy doesn’t guarantee victory. Candidates who ignore these new realities are sure to lose. Remember Tony Sanchez?

Lone Star Latinos

Since 1977, I’ve had a hand in scores of campaigns from school boards to presidential elections and have seen record numbers of Latinos running for office and turning out to vote throughout the country. Nowhere is this truer than in Texas.

Texas’ Hispanic population is the second largest in the nation with roughly 3.6 million Latinos registered to vote. The largest voting blocs – Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso and the Valley — boast burgeoning Hispanic populations with the fastest growing numbers of Latino voters.

This is good news for Democrats who are focusing new resources on Lone Star Latinos. Democrats are getting a much needed boost in 2010 from the Democratic National Committee. This week Virginia Governor Time Kaine became the first DNC Chair to ever visit South Texas holding the quarterly meeting of the 300-plus DNC members in Austin this weekend for the first time since the 70’s. Proof of their commitment is the team of 10 full-time political strategists on the ground working everyday to turn Texas blue…and they’re still hiring.

Democrats are banking on the fact that Texas is trending blue in a historically red state. The current Gallup poll (Hyperlink: http://www.gallup.com/poll/122003/Political-Party-Affiliation-States-Blue-Red-Far.aspx) ranks Texas as competitive – 42% of Texans call themselves Democrats; 40% Republican. While Democrats are much better than Republicans at losing statewide elections, both parties have a decent shot at losing the important down-ballot races for the Texas House – Democrats are two seats shy of a majority.

Hispanic candidates rarely fare well in GOP primaries, and this year Latinos have little reason to vote Republican …wait, there’s Ted Cruz running for AG, another Republican with good hair.