Farouk who?

I’ll have to admit that I was intrigued when I first heard the name “Farouk Shami” in the context of the Texas governor’s campaign.

Why the intrigue? It’s just so rare to see someone with an ethnic name running for high office in Texas. As one with such a name, I am drawn by candidates with relatively unusual-sounding family names.

Shami is one of seven people running for the Democratic nomination for governor. He’s a fabulously wealthy hair-care tycoon who has bought a lot of advertising air time on TV to tout his message, which is that he’s a job-creator.

Then he made the mistake of opening his mouth during a televised debate with fellow Houstonian and former Mayor Bill White. He said he’d pay the state $10 million out of his own pocket if the state couldn’t balance its budget.

Hey, wait a minute. Doesn’t the Texas Constitution require a balanced budget? I guess he forgot that part.

I don’t begrudge Shami’s right to run for governor. There’s something rather appealing about an immigrant, from the Middle East no less, seeking the state’s highest-profile office. It’s fair to acknowledge, though, that Texas has a history of voting against candidates because of the sound of their name. I can cite the Supreme Court race back involving appointed incumbent Xavier Rodriguez, who lost to challenger Steven Wayne Smith in the 2002 Republican primary. Rodriguez, appointed by Gov. Rick Perry in 2001, outspent Smith $500,000 to $9,500. Moreover, he was supremely more qualified than Smith, but still lost — primarily because Smith’s name was, um, more appealing to many Texas Republicans.

Shami isn’t similarly qualified to be governor. But he does have money. And his offer to throw his cash around is a major turn-off to those who should take this office seriously.