Texas candidate bucks hunting lobby

HOUSTON, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- A candidate for Texas governor jokingly says big-game hunters are punished by God with erectile dysfunction.

Independent candidate Richard "Kinky" Friedman -- who is also a singer-songwriter and novelist -- says he understands the value of hunting, particularly to manage the state's deer population.

But, "Somebody that goes out and kills a polar bear or has to go out and shoot an elephant, I believe God punishes 'em by giving them erectile dysfunction. That's just a theory, though," he tells the Houston Chronicle.

Political watchers point out that hunting is no joke in Texas.

"Living on the land, farming, ranching and hunting -- that's all sort of a piece of being a true Texan," said Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson.

Friedman hopes to follow other entertainers into the governor's mansion, including Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan.

Among his campaign slogans are "How Hard Could It Be?" and "Why the Hell Not?"