Kelly Fero Tells All (Or, At Least, Some)

For those fascinated by Texas politics as we are, Kelly Fero has done an interview with Nate Wilcox for the release of Netroots Rising which is now available online here.

If you are, as we are, a fan of the work of this longtime Democratic strategist, then this interview is a must-read. A great deal of it is dedicated to the 2002 elections and the “Dream Ticket.” In fact, moreso than anything, Kelly’s interview probably demystifies a lot of things about that election cycle, such as the ever-present question, “how did Tony Sanchez decide to run for Governor?”

In honor of that, we thought we’d also share the top five best rumors of all time (all untrue, but all funny) that we’ve heard over the years about how the “Dream Ticket” of 2002 was formed:

5. Tony Sanchez begged John Sharp to let him be on the ticket, and promised millions in his own money to help Democrats. Sanchez wept when Sharp told him no, he had to ask Cisneros first. [False; Sanchez was, at first, unwilling to run.]

4. John Sharp and Kelly Fero didn’t really come up with the Dream Ticket. It was all former TDP Chair Molly Beth Malcom, but she let Sharp take credit for it. [False; read the interview]

3. John Sharp and Tony Sanchez conceived of the “Dream Team” while deep sea fishing off the coast of the gulf of Mexico. [Again, not true. Sanchez wasn't even the first choice. Heard this rumor via email in 2002.]

2. Bill Clinton wanted to make Henry Cisneros governor of Texas, so he called Gary Mauro to ask him to help do that. Mauro enlisted the help of Sharp, who was feuding with Cisneros at the time and mad at Clinton and instead asked Sanchez to run. [Another wild one. This one was picked up at a party in Austin in 2006, and is untrue, but entertaining.]

1. John Sharp and Tony Sanchez were playing poker at a top-secret resort in West Texas known only to the super rich. Sharp and Sanchez were the last two left in a game when everyone else folded. Sanzhez ran out of cash and bet that if Sharp won the hand he’d run for governor. Sharp threw in a Rolex given to him by Bob Bullock and said, “Game on, Man.” Sharp had a full house, but Sanchez had a straight flush, and the rest is history. [Totally untrue. I heard this one in a hospitality suite during the 2004 TDP convention.]

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