By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-874553.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Farouk Shami, Houston businessman and democratic candidate for Governor, says Texans are tired of the same old politics, and want new leadership. KERA's BJ Austin says Shami opened his Dallas campaign headquarters yesterday.
Farouk: I am running for Governor because I'm sick and tired of career politicians who are taking us to the ground and not rising up to the stars.
Farouk Shami plans to spend 10 million dollars of his own money in his campaign to bring change to the state Capitol. His priorities are jobs, especially "green" industries; education; prison reform; and manufacturing - with jobs -- in a "zone" along the border with Mexico instead of a wall.
Shami says he's not intimidated by Houston Mayor Bill White's entry into the Democratic race for Governor. Shami: I challenge him any day and any night. Who's going to do the good job, and who is going to perform the jobs, who is going to stimulate the economy.
Shami says he will not take any money from lobbyists, and he'll take a salary of one dollar a year, if elected. He says he's an American and a Texan. And he doesn't think his strange name will detract from his message that "business as usual" in Texas is not working.
Shami: Let's look at what we have right now. We have a black president now, right? We need a brown governor.