The next installment of my series of images from around campus, a favorite of mine:
Now, we all know jokes about the French. And stereotypically speaking, there’s plenty of reasons to expect enmity between the French and Republicans. So every time I walk or bike past La Maison Française, Stanford’s French culture theme residence for students (not to mention, home of Café Night), on my way up the Row, it always makes me smile to see a campaign sign for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s bid for the Republican nomination for Governor of Texas right above the door.
I have no idea whose sign that is, but I give them major props for putting up a Republican campaign sign at Stanford. It’s definitely a refreshing change from all the reactionary Obama signs that were everywhere during 2008. Heck, even I keep my campaign signs indoors.
The downside? Hutchison is running for Governor of Texas, not California (or Stanford, for that matter), so I guess there’s a little less risk in that regard.
In her run, Hutchison is causing a messy Republican primary by challenging incumbent Gov. Rick Perry, who took over the job when George W. Bush was elected President in 2000 while serving as Governor of Texas. Initially leading in polls (56%-31%), she’s since struggled to catch on – in April 2009, Perry suggested that Texas should secede from the Union (again), and according to Real Clear Politics, has led in almost all polls since. The most recent poll showed Perry leading Hutchison 43%-29%. As an indicator of what she thinks of her own chances, Hutchison reneged on her plan to resign from the Senate to run for Governor full time – until the Republican primary.
Hardly a scientific sample, but knowing of at least two Stanford conservatives from Texas who have worked for Hutchison’s campaign, it’s entirely possible that Stanford Texans do indeed buck polling and prefer Hutchison to Perry.
But falling 14 points behind in polls, Hutchison might need something short of a revolution to come from behind to win the primary. And maybe that revolution could start here at Stanford – at French House! (Anyone else disappointed that there’s no photo on Google images of what I consider to be the best house theme in my four years at Stanford – “France France Revolution – Partying Since 1789”?)
Vive la revolution!