Austin Bay Blog

I rarely comment on events in central Texas — it’s not my beat. Listeners to Blog Week In Review know I am interested in independent politics and for that reason I have covered this year’s Texas election. Kinky Friedman is a character– a super-talented character. Carol Strayhorn (another independent candidate) is a character– another talented person. I’ve also written about Senator Lieberman versus Ned Lamont in Connecticut (which I think is the most important election in the nation).

However, here’s a local central Texas election story that may attract national attention– it has the celebrity name i.d. and shock psychological dynamite Oprah Winfrey digs.

The Austin American-Statesman runs this story under the title “Brees vs. Brees”:

Drew Brees wants no part of his mother’s political aspirations.

The NFL quarterback and Westlake High School graduate has told Mina Brees, an Austin attorney, to stop using his picture in TV commercials as she runs for a spot on Texas’ 3rd Court of Appeals, saying their relationship is now “nonexistent” after souring six years ago.

“I think the major point here is that my mother is using me in a campaign, and I’ve made it known many times I don’t want to be involved,” he said Monday.

The New Orleans Saints player said he is speaking out now because she did not acknowledge previous requests to keep him out of the campaign.

She said replacement spots have been sent to TV stations.

The commercial in question has been airing on local stations. It includes a picture of Drew Brees in a San Diego Chargers uniform (his former team) and notes Mina Brees’ football ties: She is also the daughter of a successful high school coach and the sister of former University of Texas quarterback Marty Akins.

Mina Brees, a Democrat, is running for a spot on the court that reviews civil and criminal cases from 24 counties in Central and West Texas. Her opponent is incumbent Republican Justice David Puryear.

Drew Brees said that when he heard about the spots, he called his mother and asked her to stop them. She did not return his calls or stop using his image, he said, and his agent sent her a letter Oct. 20 threatening legal action.

Read the entire sad story. Apparently ABC News had an inkling of the problem, at least that’s a possible reading of the American-Statesman’s report.

“Family campaigning” is fundamental to American politics. Most of us respond favorably to “vote for my Daddy.” It may strike the John Kerry “nuanced politicos” as corny, but it connects at both the barbershop and the beauty parlor. (Note to John Kerry: Barber shop and beauty parlor votes count as much as those of Boston brahmins.) In most cases the heart string appeal isn’t schtick. However, when children are grown, and especially when they have their own careers, common sense says get your kids’ permission. What the son says about his mother in this article is more damaging than anything a political opponent could ever say. This is a “self-inflicted” October Surprise. This down-ballot judicial race now becomes rather interesting. My guess is –before this story broke– Ms. Brees was ahead of her opponent.

And yes, I would campaign for my mother. Anyone who can run a kindergarten (which my mother did) will know how to handle Congress.