🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 27 (from laksa113)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa027.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.chron.com/culture/article/shamwow-guy-texas-21953151.php\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.chron.com/culture/article/shamwow-guy-texas-21953151.php\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/shamwow-guy-texas-21953151.php","crawl_time":1775594157,"first_indexed_time":1772575681,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,chron!www,\/culture\/article\/shamwow-guy-texas-21953151.php s443","src_root_hash":"10660784629820099827","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"ShamWow guy sues Texas Republican Party over ballot nickname","meta_descriptions":["Former informercial star Vince Shlomi is suing the Texas Republican Party over the way his name appears on the ballot."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"(C) ShamWow spoke person, Vince Offer with friends (L) Courtney Bingham, (R) Victoria Brook the after party for the screening of Anchor Bay Films' 'Spread' at Phillippe East Hampton at Lily Pond on August 8, 2009 in East Hampton, New York.\nKevin Kane\/Getty Images\nYou can call Texas politics a lot of things; serious is not one of them. Our state's circus-as-governance \nhas long attracted all manner of charlatans.\nNow one of them,\nengaged in a long-shot race for Congress\n, is mad that his preferred nickname isn't on the ballot.\nOn March 3, which is Texas' primary day, Vince Shlomi,\nbetter known as the ShamWow Guy\n, announced that he would be suing the Republican Party of Texas. Shlomi, who is running for Congress in Texas' 31st congressional district against longtime incumbent Rep. John Carter, says that the primary is rigged because the state did not list \"ShamWow\" as part of his name on the ballot. \nArticle continues below this ad\n\"Rigged election by these rhinos,\"\nShlomi wrote on X\n, misspelling the acronym for \"Republican In Name Only\" (it's RINO).\nShlomi indeed has sued both the Republican Party of Texas and its chairman, Abraham George. The suit, filed on Tuesday in Williamson County, says that the state party previously approved Shlomi's request to appear as Vince \"ShamWow\" Shlomi on the primary ballot, only to later inform him his name would be changed. \nThe suit includes as evidence emails from Rachel Hooper, the general counsel of the Republican Party of Texas, which explains that the National Republican Congressional Committee challenged Shlomi's ballot name. In Hooper's telling, the NRCC did so because it did not fit the \"legal requirements\" of the Texas Election Code regarding nicknames on the ballot. Additionally, Hooper noted that Shlomi's actual nickname is \"the ShamWow Guy,\" not simply \"ShamWow,\" the name of the product he hawked. Shlomi has trademarked both \"ShamWow\" and \"the ShamWow Guy.\"\nChron Logo\nMake us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search.\nAdd Preferred Source\nUnder the Texas Election Code\n, candidates may have a nickname listed on the ballot, as long as it is 10 letters or fewer and they've been \"commonly known\" as that nickname for at least three years before the election. Candidates can't use nicknames that function as slogans or \"otherwise indicate a political, economic, social, or religious view.\" The economic view clause is what probably dinged Shlomi.\nArticle continues below this ad\n Texas Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman gives a thumbs up as he poses for photographers by the NASCAR Busch Series No. 80 car at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006. \nHouston Chronicle\/Hearst Newspap\/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag\nBelieve it or not, there's precedent for this.\nIn 2006, former Texas Comptroller Carol Keeton Strayhorn ran as an independent for governor after feuding with then-Gov. Rick Perry\n. Strayhorn attempted to have herself listed on the ballot as \"Carole Keeton 'Grandma' Strayhorn.\" She argued that \"Grandma\" was a nickname of hers and that if her fellow independent and opponent could be listed as \"Richard 'Kinky' Friedman,\" her nickname was fine. Then-Secretary of State Roger Williams disagreed, probably because \"Grandma\" sounded a lot like her campaign slogan, \"One Tough Grandma.\" Friedman, meanwhile, had been going by \"Kinky\" since the mid-1960s. Still, \"Grandma\" finished third in that year's election. \nLike Strayhorn, Shlomi appears to be attempting to leverage the only notable thing about him into electoral success. Facing an uphill climb in a nine-way Republican primary against Carter, who has served since 2003, Shlomi has gone all in on hoping you remember the ShamWow (and SlapChop) commercials\nand nothing else\n. It's a tried, if not true, political strategy: Be a notable, slightly washed celebrity, tie yourself to the anti-woke bandwagon, and hope it pays off. \nAnyway, Shlomi accuses the state party and George of colluding with Carter and the National Republican Congressional Committee to sink his campaign. Shlomi is asking a Williamson County judge to rule that he can, in fact, be listed as \"ShamWow\" on the ballot, as well as find that the Republican Party of Texas acted improperly in changing his name. Shlomi is asking for attorney's fees and other relief. \nArticle continues below this ad\nThis could have all been solved if Shlomi had taken a page out of the true GOAT of Texas political candidate nicknames. In 2012, perennial Republican candidate Larry Kilgore changed his name to Larry \"SECEDE\" Kilgore when he ran for president, and later governor, on a platform of allowing Texas to, well, secede. Did it work? No. Do I remember it still to this day? Oh yeah. \nAll of this will probably be moot, considering the election is today. But there's always next time for Vince \"ShamWow\" Shlomi. \nMore Culture\nMarch 3, 2026\nTexas Culture Reporter\nGwen Howerton is Chron's Texas Culture Reporter. She covers all the things that make Texas the weirdest and wildest state in the nation. Her areas of interest include the lighter side of politics and stories about Texas' LGBTQ+ population, which is one of the largest in the country. Before becoming a reporter, she worked on Chron's audience team. A native Texan, Gwen graduated from Texas A&M University, where she hosted a radio show on politics. When not working, she enjoys shooting film, watching the Astros, and listening to 2000s alternative rock.","attrs_markdown":"Chron Logo\n\nHearst Newspapers Logo\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/shamwow-guy-texas-21953151.php#content)\n\n[Newsletters](https:\/\/link.chron.com\/join\/signup-chron)\n\n[About Us](https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/chron)\n\n- [Contact Chron](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/about\/)\n- [Advertise with Us](http:\/\/marketing.chron.com\/)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/eevd.fa.us6.oraclecloud.com\/hcmUI\/CandidateExperience\/en\/sites\/CX_1\/requisitions?lastSelectedFacet=CATEGORIES&location=Houston%2C+TX%2C+United+States&locationId=300000001934561&locationLevel=city&mode=location&radius=25&radiusUnit=MI&selectedCateg)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/newsletters\/)\n- [Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/terms\/)\n- [Privacy Notice](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/privacy\/)\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/news\/houston-texas\/)\n\n- [Space](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/news\/space\/)\n- [Parks & Wildlife](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/life\/wildlife\/)\n- [US News](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/news\/nation-world\/nation\/)\n- [Houston News](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/news\/houston-texas\/)\n- [Texas News](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/texas\/)\n- [Transportation](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/news\/houston-texas\/transportation\/)\n- [Weather](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/weather\/)\n- [Politics](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/politics\/)\n- [Science & Environment](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/news\/science-environment\/)\n- [Education](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/news\/houston-texas\/education\/)\n- [World News](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/news\/nation-world\/world\/)\n\n[Food & Drink](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/food\/)\n\n[Sports](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/sports\/)\n\n- [Texans](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/sports\/texans\/)\n- [Rockets](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/sports\/rockets\/)\n- [Astros](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/sports\/astros\/)\n- [High School](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/sports\/highschool\/)\n- [Colleges](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/sports\/college\/)\n\n[Culture](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/)\n\n- [Travel](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/life\/travel\/)\n- [Music](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/music\/)\n- [TV & Film](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/tv\/)\n- [Arts & Theater](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/arts)\n\n[Business](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/business\/)\n\n[Shopping](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/shopping\/)\n\n[Gulf Coast](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/gulf-coast\/)\n\n[Puzzles](https:\/\/www.puzzmo.com\/+\/chron\/today)\n\n[Best Of](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/best\/)\n\n[Classifieds](https:\/\/marketplace.houstonchronicle.com\/houston-marketplace\/)\n\n- [Legal Notices](https:\/\/marketplace.houstonchronicle.com\/houston-marketplace\/category\/legals\/)\n- [Place Legal Notices](https:\/\/placelegal.hearst.com\/legals\/houston\/index.html)\n- [Obituaries](https:\/\/www.legacy.com\/obituaries\/houstonchronicle\/)\n- [Place an Obituary](https:\/\/ezads.hearst.com\/obits\/houston\/index.html)\n- [Jobs](https:\/\/marketplace.houstonchronicle.com\/houston-marketplace\/category\/jobs\/)\n- [Cars](https:\/\/marketplace.houstonchronicle.com\/houston-marketplace\/category\/autos\/)\n- [Real Estate](https:\/\/marketplace.houstonchronicle.com\/houston-marketplace\/category\/real-estate\/)\n- [Place Real Estate Agent \/ Broker Ad](https:\/\/marketing.houstonchronicle.com\/contact)\n\n[Sponsor Content](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/sponsoredarticles\/lifestyle\/)\n\n- [Sponsor Content: Business](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/sponsoredarticles\/business\/)\n\n[Chron Logo](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/)\n\n[Newsletters](https:\/\/link.chron.com\/join\/signup-chron)\n\nTop Stories:\n\n[Astros make subtle change](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/houston-astros-broadcast-change-22161739.php)\\|\n\n[Houston radio show canceled](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/news\/houston-texas\/article\/frito-katy-audacy-layoffs-houston-22183263.php)\\|\n\n[➕ Make Chron your preferred Google source](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=chron.com)\n\n[Culture](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/)\n\n# ShamWow guy sues Texas Republican Party over how he appears on the ballot\n## He wants to appear as Vince \"ShamWow\" Shlomi on the ballot. The Republican Party of Texas says no.\nBy [Gwen Howerton](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/author\/gwen-howerton\/), Texas Culture Reporter\n\nMarch 3, 2026\n\n![(C) ShamWow spoke person, Vince Offer with friends (L) Courtney Bingham, (R) Victoria Brook the after party for the screening of Anchor Bay Films' 'Spread' at Phillippe East Hampton at Lily Pond on August 8, 2009 in East Hampton, New York.]()\n\n(C) ShamWow spoke person, Vince Offer with friends (L) Courtney Bingham, (R) Victoria Brook the after party for the screening of Anchor Bay Films' 'Spread' at Phillippe East Hampton at Lily Pond on August 8, 2009 in East Hampton, New York.\n\nKevin Kane\/Getty Images\n\nYou can call Texas politics a lot of things; serious is not one of them. Our state's circus-as-governance [has long attracted all manner of charlatans.](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/texas-transplants-running-congress-politics-21221701.php) Now one of them, [engaged in a long-shot race for Congress](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/shamwow-texas-primary-ad-21336239.php), is mad that his preferred nickname isn't on the ballot.\n\n![](https:\/\/cdn-channels-pixel.ex.co\/events\/0012000001fxZm9AAE?integrationType=DEFAULT&template=design%2Farticle%2Fplatypus_two_column.tpl)\n\nOn March 3, which is Texas' primary day, Vince Shlomi, [better known as the ShamWow Guy](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/shamwow-texas-primary-ad-21336239.php), announced that he would be suing the Republican Party of Texas. Shlomi, who is running for Congress in Texas' 31st congressional district against longtime incumbent Rep. John Carter, says that the primary is rigged because the state did not list \"ShamWow\" as part of his name on the ballot.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\n\"Rigged election by these rhinos,\" [Shlomi wrote on X](https:\/\/x.com\/RealShamwowGuy\/status\/2028899775295205656), misspelling the acronym for \"Republican In Name Only\" (it's RINO).\n\nShlomi indeed has sued both the Republican Party of Texas and its chairman, Abraham George. The suit, filed on Tuesday in Williamson County, says that the state party previously approved Shlomi's request to appear as Vince \"ShamWow\" Shlomi on the primary ballot, only to later inform him his name would be changed.\n\nThe suit includes as evidence emails from Rachel Hooper, the general counsel of the Republican Party of Texas, which explains that the National Republican Congressional Committee challenged Shlomi's ballot name. In Hooper's telling, the NRCC did so because it did not fit the \"legal requirements\" of the Texas Election Code regarding nicknames on the ballot. Additionally, Hooper noted that Shlomi's actual nickname is \"the ShamWow Guy,\" not simply \"ShamWow,\" the name of the product he hawked. Shlomi has trademarked both \"ShamWow\" and \"the ShamWow Guy.\"\n\nChron Logo\n\n### Want more Chron?\nMake us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search.\n\n[Add Preferred Source](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=chron.com)\n\n[Under the Texas Election Code](https:\/\/codes.findlaw.com\/tx\/election-code\/elec-sect-52-031\/), candidates may have a nickname listed on the ballot, as long as it is 10 letters or fewer and they've been \"commonly known\" as that nickname for at least three years before the election. Candidates can't use nicknames that function as slogans or \"otherwise indicate a political, economic, social, or religious view.\" The economic view clause is what probably dinged Shlomi.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\n![ Texas Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman gives a thumbs up as he poses for photographers by the NASCAR Busch Series No. 80 car at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006. ]()\n\nTexas Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman gives a thumbs up as he poses for photographers by the NASCAR Busch Series No. 80 car at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006.\n\nHouston Chronicle\/Hearst Newspap\/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag\n\nBelieve it or not, there's precedent for this. [In 2006, former Texas Comptroller Carol Keeton Strayhorn ran as an independent for governor after feuding with then-Gov. Rick Perry](https:\/\/www.mrt.com\/news\/article\/Friedman-makes-his-case-for-Kinky-as-first-name-7533212.php). Strayhorn attempted to have herself listed on the ballot as \"Carole Keeton 'Grandma' Strayhorn.\" She argued that \"Grandma\" was a nickname of hers and that if her fellow independent and opponent could be listed as \"Richard 'Kinky' Friedman,\" her nickname was fine. Then-Secretary of State Roger Williams disagreed, probably because \"Grandma\" sounded a lot like her campaign slogan, \"One Tough Grandma.\" Friedman, meanwhile, had been going by \"Kinky\" since the mid-1960s. Still, \"Grandma\" finished third in that year's election.\n\nLike Strayhorn, Shlomi appears to be attempting to leverage the only notable thing about him into electoral success. Facing an uphill climb in a nine-way Republican primary against Carter, who has served since 2003, Shlomi has gone all in on hoping you remember the ShamWow (and SlapChop) commercials [and nothing else](https:\/\/www.nbcmiami.com\/news\/local\/shamwow-guy-is-all-hookered-out\/2054775\/). It's a tried, if not true, political strategy: Be a notable, slightly washed celebrity, tie yourself to the anti-woke bandwagon, and hope it pays off.\n\nAnyway, Shlomi accuses the state party and George of colluding with Carter and the National Republican Congressional Committee to sink his campaign. Shlomi is asking a Williamson County judge to rule that he can, in fact, be listed as \"ShamWow\" on the ballot, as well as find that the Republican Party of Texas acted improperly in changing his name. Shlomi is asking for attorney's fees and other relief.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\nThis could have all been solved if Shlomi had taken a page out of the true GOAT of Texas political candidate nicknames. In 2012, perennial Republican candidate Larry Kilgore changed his name to Larry \"SECEDE\" Kilgore when he ran for president, and later governor, on a platform of allowing Texas to, well, secede. Did it work? No. Do I remember it still to this day? Oh yeah.\n\nAll of this will probably be moot, considering the election is today. But there's always next time for Vince \"ShamWow\" Shlomi.\n\nMore Culture\n\n[**Drama** \\| Upcoming Buc-ee's causing an uproar with thousands opposed](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/bucees-virginia-drama-stafford-22153432.php)  \n[**Eats** \\| Blue Bell adds new flavor to its ice cream arsenal](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/blue-bell-new-flavor-brookie-22141756.php)  \n[**Sounding Off** \\| Bun B says he dropped out of rodeo to help more Black artists](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/bun-b-rodeo-performance-22155440.php)  \n[**Sadness** \\| H-E-B shoppers still mourn these discontinued items](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/texas\/article\/heb-discontinued-products-22088243.php)  \n  \n*For the latest and best from Chron, [sign up for our daily newsletter here.](https:\/\/link.chron.com\/join\/signup-chron)*\n\nMarch 3, 2026\n\n![Photo of Gwen Howerton]()\n\n[Gwen Howerton](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/author\/gwen-howerton\/)\n\nTexas Culture Reporter\n\nGwen Howerton is Chron's Texas Culture Reporter. She covers all the things that make Texas the weirdest and wildest state in the nation. Her areas of interest include the lighter side of politics and stories about Texas' LGBTQ+ population, which is one of the largest in the country. Before becoming a reporter, she worked on Chron's audience team. A native Texan, Gwen graduated from Texas A\\&M University, where she hosted a radio show on politics. When not working, she enjoys shooting film, watching the Astros, and listening to 2000s alternative rock.\n\nChron Logo\n\n### Want more Chron?\nMake us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search.\n\n[Add Preferred Source](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=chron.com)\n\nMost Popular\n\n1\\.\n\n['Largest international store in Texas' closes after bankruptcy](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/food\/article\/world-food-mart-houston-22192180.php)\n\n2\\.\n\n[Lance McCullers Jr.'s Midtown pickleball oasis has dried up](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/food\/article\/houston-astros-solarium-pickleball-closes-22192666.php)\n\n3\\.\n\n[19 miles of Texas road are now hotbed for 'ghost wolves'](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/gulf-coast\/article\/galveston-ghost-wolves-signs-22192261.php)\n\n4\\.\n\n[Southwest could be dinged over drug-and-alcohol testing](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/southwest-airlines-faa-drugs-22192135.php)\n\n5\\.\n\n[After 'Houston Life,' Tessa Barrera is betting on herself](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/news\/houston-texas\/article\/why-tessa-barrera-left-houston-life-22161860.php)\n\nShopping\n\n[How to watch Rockets vs Suns tonight](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/shopping\/article\/how-to-watch-rockets-vs-suns-game-april-7-22191199.php)\n\n[The Rockets face the Suns with playoff positioning on the line. 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Our state's circus-as-governance [has long attracted all manner of charlatans.](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/texas-transplants-running-congress-politics-21221701.php) Now one of them, [engaged in a long-shot race for Congress](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/shamwow-texas-primary-ad-21336239.php), is mad that his preferred nickname isn't on the ballot.\n\nOn March 3, which is Texas' primary day, Vince Shlomi, [better known as the ShamWow Guy](https:\/\/www.chron.com\/culture\/article\/shamwow-texas-primary-ad-21336239.php), announced that he would be suing the Republican Party of Texas. Shlomi, who is running for Congress in Texas' 31st congressional district against longtime incumbent Rep. John Carter, says that the primary is rigged because the state did not list \"ShamWow\" as part of his name on the ballot.\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\n\"Rigged election by these rhinos,\" [Shlomi wrote on X](https:\/\/x.com\/RealShamwowGuy\/status\/2028899775295205656), misspelling the acronym for \"Republican In Name Only\" (it's RINO).\n\nShlomi indeed has sued both the Republican Party of Texas and its chairman, Abraham George. The suit, filed on Tuesday in Williamson County, says that the state party previously approved Shlomi's request to appear as Vince \"ShamWow\" Shlomi on the primary ballot, only to later inform him his name would be changed.\n\nThe suit includes as evidence emails from Rachel Hooper, the general counsel of the Republican Party of Texas, which explains that the National Republican Congressional Committee challenged Shlomi's ballot name. In Hooper's telling, the NRCC did so because it did not fit the \"legal requirements\" of the Texas Election Code regarding nicknames on the ballot. Additionally, Hooper noted that Shlomi's actual nickname is \"the ShamWow Guy,\" not simply \"ShamWow,\" the name of the product he hawked. Shlomi has trademarked both \"ShamWow\" and \"the ShamWow Guy.\"\n\nChron Logo\n\nMake us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search.\n\n[Add Preferred Source](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=chron.com)\n\n[Under the Texas Election Code](https:\/\/codes.findlaw.com\/tx\/election-code\/elec-sect-52-031\/), candidates may have a nickname listed on the ballot, as long as it is 10 letters or fewer and they've been \"commonly known\" as that nickname for at least three years before the election. Candidates can't use nicknames that function as slogans or \"otherwise indicate a political, economic, social, or religious view.\" The economic view clause is what probably dinged Shlomi.\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\n![ Texas Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman gives a thumbs up as he poses for photographers by the NASCAR Busch Series No. 80 car at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006. ]()\n\nTexas Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman gives a thumbs up as he poses for photographers by the NASCAR Busch Series No. 80 car at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006.\n\nHouston Chronicle\/Hearst Newspap\/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag\n\nBelieve it or not, there's precedent for this. [In 2006, former Texas Comptroller Carol Keeton Strayhorn ran as an independent for governor after feuding with then-Gov. Rick Perry](https:\/\/www.mrt.com\/news\/article\/Friedman-makes-his-case-for-Kinky-as-first-name-7533212.php). Strayhorn attempted to have herself listed on the ballot as \"Carole Keeton 'Grandma' Strayhorn.\" She argued that \"Grandma\" was a nickname of hers and that if her fellow independent and opponent could be listed as \"Richard 'Kinky' Friedman,\" her nickname was fine. Then-Secretary of State Roger Williams disagreed, probably because \"Grandma\" sounded a lot like her campaign slogan, \"One Tough Grandma.\" Friedman, meanwhile, had been going by \"Kinky\" since the mid-1960s. Still, \"Grandma\" finished third in that year's election.\n\nLike Strayhorn, Shlomi appears to be attempting to leverage the only notable thing about him into electoral success. Facing an uphill climb in a nine-way Republican primary against Carter, who has served since 2003, Shlomi has gone all in on hoping you remember the ShamWow (and SlapChop) commercials [and nothing else](https:\/\/www.nbcmiami.com\/news\/local\/shamwow-guy-is-all-hookered-out\/2054775\/). It's a tried, if not true, political strategy: Be a notable, slightly washed celebrity, tie yourself to the anti-woke bandwagon, and hope it pays off.\n\nAnyway, Shlomi accuses the state party and George of colluding with Carter and the National Republican Congressional Committee to sink his campaign. Shlomi is asking a Williamson County judge to rule that he can, in fact, be listed as \"ShamWow\" on the ballot, as well as find that the Republican Party of Texas acted improperly in changing his name. Shlomi is asking for attorney's fees and other relief.\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\nThis could have all been solved if Shlomi had taken a page out of the true GOAT of Texas political candidate nicknames. In 2012, perennial Republican candidate Larry Kilgore changed his name to Larry \"SECEDE\" Kilgore when he ran for president, and later governor, on a platform of allowing Texas to, well, secede. Did it work? No. Do I remember it still to this day? Oh yeah.\n\nAll of this will probably be moot, considering the election is today. But there's always next time for Vince \"ShamWow\" Shlomi.\n\nMore Culture\n\nMarch 3, 2026\n\n![Photo of Gwen Howerton]()\n\nTexas Culture Reporter\n\nGwen Howerton is Chron's Texas Culture Reporter. She covers all the things that make Texas the weirdest and wildest state in the nation. Her areas of interest include the lighter side of politics and stories about Texas' LGBTQ+ population, which is one of the largest in the country. Before becoming a reporter, she worked on Chron's audience team. A native Texan, Gwen graduated from Texas A\\&M University, where she hosted a radio show on politics. When not working, she enjoys shooting film, watching the Astros, and listening to 2000s alternative rock.","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://www.chron.com/culture/article/shamwow-guy-texas-21953151.php
Last Crawled	2026-04-07 20:35:57 (4 hours ago)
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Meta Title	ShamWow guy sues Texas Republican Party over ballot nickname
Meta Description	Former informercial star Vince Shlomi is suing the Texas Republican Party over the way his name appears on the ballot.
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Boilerpipe Text	(C) ShamWow spoke person, Vince Offer with friends (L) Courtney Bingham, (R) Victoria Brook the after party for the screening of Anchor Bay Films' 'Spread' at Phillippe East Hampton at Lily Pond on August 8, 2009 in East Hampton, New York. Kevin Kane/Getty Images You can call Texas politics a lot of things; serious is not one of them. Our state's circus-as-governance has long attracted all manner of charlatans. Now one of them, engaged in a long-shot race for Congress , is mad that his preferred nickname isn't on the ballot. On March 3, which is Texas' primary day, Vince Shlomi, better known as the ShamWow Guy , announced that he would be suing the Republican Party of Texas. Shlomi, who is running for Congress in Texas' 31st congressional district against longtime incumbent Rep. John Carter, says that the primary is rigged because the state did not list "ShamWow" as part of his name on the ballot. Article continues below this ad "Rigged election by these rhinos," Shlomi wrote on X , misspelling the acronym for "Republican In Name Only" (it's RINO). Shlomi indeed has sued both the Republican Party of Texas and its chairman, Abraham George. The suit, filed on Tuesday in Williamson County, says that the state party previously approved Shlomi's request to appear as Vince "ShamWow" Shlomi on the primary ballot, only to later inform him his name would be changed. The suit includes as evidence emails from Rachel Hooper, the general counsel of the Republican Party of Texas, which explains that the National Republican Congressional Committee challenged Shlomi's ballot name. In Hooper's telling, the NRCC did so because it did not fit the "legal requirements" of the Texas Election Code regarding nicknames on the ballot. Additionally, Hooper noted that Shlomi's actual nickname is "the ShamWow Guy," not simply "ShamWow," the name of the product he hawked. Shlomi has trademarked both "ShamWow" and "the ShamWow Guy." Chron Logo Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Under the Texas Election Code , candidates may have a nickname listed on the ballot, as long as it is 10 letters or fewer and they've been "commonly known" as that nickname for at least three years before the election. Candidates can't use nicknames that function as slogans or "otherwise indicate a political, economic, social, or religious view." The economic view clause is what probably dinged Shlomi. Article continues below this ad Texas Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman gives a thumbs up as he poses for photographers by the NASCAR Busch Series No. 80 car at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006. Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspap/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag Believe it or not, there's precedent for this. In 2006, former Texas Comptroller Carol Keeton Strayhorn ran as an independent for governor after feuding with then-Gov. Rick Perry . Strayhorn attempted to have herself listed on the ballot as "Carole Keeton 'Grandma' Strayhorn." She argued that "Grandma" was a nickname of hers and that if her fellow independent and opponent could be listed as "Richard 'Kinky' Friedman," her nickname was fine. Then-Secretary of State Roger Williams disagreed, probably because "Grandma" sounded a lot like her campaign slogan, "One Tough Grandma." Friedman, meanwhile, had been going by "Kinky" since the mid-1960s. Still, "Grandma" finished third in that year's election. Like Strayhorn, Shlomi appears to be attempting to leverage the only notable thing about him into electoral success. Facing an uphill climb in a nine-way Republican primary against Carter, who has served since 2003, Shlomi has gone all in on hoping you remember the ShamWow (and SlapChop) commercials and nothing else . It's a tried, if not true, political strategy: Be a notable, slightly washed celebrity, tie yourself to the anti-woke bandwagon, and hope it pays off. Anyway, Shlomi accuses the state party and George of colluding with Carter and the National Republican Congressional Committee to sink his campaign. Shlomi is asking a Williamson County judge to rule that he can, in fact, be listed as "ShamWow" on the ballot, as well as find that the Republican Party of Texas acted improperly in changing his name. Shlomi is asking for attorney's fees and other relief. Article continues below this ad This could have all been solved if Shlomi had taken a page out of the true GOAT of Texas political candidate nicknames. In 2012, perennial Republican candidate Larry Kilgore changed his name to Larry "SECEDE" Kilgore when he ran for president, and later governor, on a platform of allowing Texas to, well, secede. Did it work? No. Do I remember it still to this day? Oh yeah. All of this will probably be moot, considering the election is today. But there's always next time for Vince "ShamWow" Shlomi. More Culture March 3, 2026 Texas Culture Reporter Gwen Howerton is Chron's Texas Culture Reporter. She covers all the things that make Texas the weirdest and wildest state in the nation. Her areas of interest include the lighter side of politics and stories about Texas' LGBTQ+ population, which is one of the largest in the country. Before becoming a reporter, she worked on Chron's audience team. A native Texan, Gwen graduated from Texas A&M University, where she hosted a radio show on politics. When not working, she enjoys shooting film, watching the Astros, and listening to 2000s alternative rock.
Markdown	Chron Logo Hearst Newspapers Logo [Skip to main content](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/shamwow-guy-texas-21953151.php#content) [Newsletters](https://link.chron.com/join/signup-chron) [About Us](https://www.hearst.com/chron) - [Contact Chron](https://www.chron.com/about/) - [Advertise with Us](http://marketing.chron.com/) - [Careers](https://eevd.fa.us6.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions?lastSelectedFacet=CATEGORIES&location=Houston%2C+TX%2C+United+States&locationId=300000001934561&locationLevel=city&mode=location&radius=25&radiusUnit=MI&selectedCateg) - [Newsletters](https://www.chron.com/newsletters/) - [Terms of Use](https://www.chron.com/terms/) - [Privacy Notice](https://www.chron.com/privacy/) [News](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/) - [Space](https://www.chron.com/news/space/) - [Parks & Wildlife](https://www.chron.com/life/wildlife/) - [US News](https://www.chron.com/news/nation-world/nation/) - [Houston News](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/) - [Texas News](https://www.chron.com/texas/) - [Transportation](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/) - [Weather](https://www.chron.com/weather/) - [Politics](https://www.chron.com/politics/) - [Science & Environment](https://www.chron.com/news/science-environment/) - [Education](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/education/) - [World News](https://www.chron.com/news/nation-world/world/) [Food & Drink](https://www.chron.com/food/) [Sports](https://www.chron.com/sports/) - [Texans](https://www.chron.com/sports/texans/) - [Rockets](https://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/) - [Astros](https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/) - [High School](https://www.chron.com/sports/highschool/) - [Colleges](https://www.chron.com/sports/college/) [Culture](https://www.chron.com/culture/) - [Travel](https://www.chron.com/life/travel/) - [Music](https://www.chron.com/culture/music/) - [TV & Film](https://www.chron.com/culture/tv/) - [Arts & Theater](https://www.chron.com/culture/arts) [Business](https://www.chron.com/business/) [Shopping](https://www.chron.com/shopping/) [Gulf Coast](https://www.chron.com/gulf-coast/) [Puzzles](https://www.puzzmo.com/+/chron/today) [Best Of](https://www.chron.com/best/) [Classifieds](https://marketplace.houstonchronicle.com/houston-marketplace/) - [Legal Notices](https://marketplace.houstonchronicle.com/houston-marketplace/category/legals/) - [Place Legal Notices](https://placelegal.hearst.com/legals/houston/index.html) - [Obituaries](https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/) - [Place an Obituary](https://ezads.hearst.com/obits/houston/index.html) - [Jobs](https://marketplace.houstonchronicle.com/houston-marketplace/category/jobs/) - [Cars](https://marketplace.houstonchronicle.com/houston-marketplace/category/autos/) - [Real Estate](https://marketplace.houstonchronicle.com/houston-marketplace/category/real-estate/) - [Place Real Estate Agent / Broker Ad](https://marketing.houstonchronicle.com/contact) [Sponsor Content](https://www.chron.com/sponsoredarticles/lifestyle/) - [Sponsor Content: Business](https://www.chron.com/sponsoredarticles/business/) [Chron Logo](https://www.chron.com/) [Newsletters](https://link.chron.com/join/signup-chron) Top Stories: [Astros make subtle change](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/houston-astros-broadcast-change-22161739.php)\\| [Houston radio show canceled](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/frito-katy-audacy-layoffs-houston-22183263.php)\\| [➕ Make Chron your preferred Google source](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=chron.com) [Culture](https://www.chron.com/culture/) # ShamWow guy sues Texas Republican Party over how he appears on the ballot ## He wants to appear as Vince "ShamWow" Shlomi on the ballot. The Republican Party of Texas says no. By [Gwen Howerton](https://www.chron.com/author/gwen-howerton/), Texas Culture Reporter March 3, 2026 ![(C) ShamWow spoke person, Vince Offer with friends (L) Courtney Bingham, (R) Victoria Brook the after party for the screening of Anchor Bay Films' 'Spread' at Phillippe East Hampton at Lily Pond on August 8, 2009 in East Hampton, New York.]() (C) ShamWow spoke person, Vince Offer with friends (L) Courtney Bingham, (R) Victoria Brook the after party for the screening of Anchor Bay Films' 'Spread' at Phillippe East Hampton at Lily Pond on August 8, 2009 in East Hampton, New York. Kevin Kane/Getty Images You can call Texas politics a lot of things; serious is not one of them. Our state's circus-as-governance [has long attracted all manner of charlatans.](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/texas-transplants-running-congress-politics-21221701.php) Now one of them, [engaged in a long-shot race for Congress](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/shamwow-texas-primary-ad-21336239.php), is mad that his preferred nickname isn't on the ballot. ![](https://cdn-channels-pixel.ex.co/events/0012000001fxZm9AAE?integrationType=DEFAULT&template=design%2Farticle%2Fplatypus_two_column.tpl) On March 3, which is Texas' primary day, Vince Shlomi, [better known as the ShamWow Guy](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/shamwow-texas-primary-ad-21336239.php), announced that he would be suing the Republican Party of Texas. Shlomi, who is running for Congress in Texas' 31st congressional district against longtime incumbent Rep. John Carter, says that the primary is rigged because the state did not list "ShamWow" as part of his name on the ballot. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Rigged election by these rhinos," [Shlomi wrote on X](https://x.com/RealShamwowGuy/status/2028899775295205656), misspelling the acronym for "Republican In Name Only" (it's RINO). Shlomi indeed has sued both the Republican Party of Texas and its chairman, Abraham George. The suit, filed on Tuesday in Williamson County, says that the state party previously approved Shlomi's request to appear as Vince "ShamWow" Shlomi on the primary ballot, only to later inform him his name would be changed. The suit includes as evidence emails from Rachel Hooper, the general counsel of the Republican Party of Texas, which explains that the National Republican Congressional Committee challenged Shlomi's ballot name. In Hooper's telling, the NRCC did so because it did not fit the "legal requirements" of the Texas Election Code regarding nicknames on the ballot. Additionally, Hooper noted that Shlomi's actual nickname is "the ShamWow Guy," not simply "ShamWow," the name of the product he hawked. Shlomi has trademarked both "ShamWow" and "the ShamWow Guy." Chron Logo ### Want more Chron? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. [Add Preferred Source](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=chron.com) [Under the Texas Election Code](https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/election-code/elec-sect-52-031/), candidates may have a nickname listed on the ballot, as long as it is 10 letters or fewer and they've been "commonly known" as that nickname for at least three years before the election. Candidates can't use nicknames that function as slogans or "otherwise indicate a political, economic, social, or religious view." The economic view clause is what probably dinged Shlomi. Advertisement Article continues below this ad ![ Texas Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman gives a thumbs up as he poses for photographers by the NASCAR Busch Series No. 80 car at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006. ]() Texas Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman gives a thumbs up as he poses for photographers by the NASCAR Busch Series No. 80 car at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006. Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspap/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag Believe it or not, there's precedent for this. [In 2006, former Texas Comptroller Carol Keeton Strayhorn ran as an independent for governor after feuding with then-Gov. Rick Perry](https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Friedman-makes-his-case-for-Kinky-as-first-name-7533212.php). Strayhorn attempted to have herself listed on the ballot as "Carole Keeton 'Grandma' Strayhorn." She argued that "Grandma" was a nickname of hers and that if her fellow independent and opponent could be listed as "Richard 'Kinky' Friedman," her nickname was fine. Then-Secretary of State Roger Williams disagreed, probably because "Grandma" sounded a lot like her campaign slogan, "One Tough Grandma." Friedman, meanwhile, had been going by "Kinky" since the mid-1960s. Still, "Grandma" finished third in that year's election. Like Strayhorn, Shlomi appears to be attempting to leverage the only notable thing about him into electoral success. Facing an uphill climb in a nine-way Republican primary against Carter, who has served since 2003, Shlomi has gone all in on hoping you remember the ShamWow (and SlapChop) commercials [and nothing else](https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/shamwow-guy-is-all-hookered-out/2054775/). It's a tried, if not true, political strategy: Be a notable, slightly washed celebrity, tie yourself to the anti-woke bandwagon, and hope it pays off. Anyway, Shlomi accuses the state party and George of colluding with Carter and the National Republican Congressional Committee to sink his campaign. Shlomi is asking a Williamson County judge to rule that he can, in fact, be listed as "ShamWow" on the ballot, as well as find that the Republican Party of Texas acted improperly in changing his name. Shlomi is asking for attorney's fees and other relief. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This could have all been solved if Shlomi had taken a page out of the true GOAT of Texas political candidate nicknames. In 2012, perennial Republican candidate Larry Kilgore changed his name to Larry "SECEDE" Kilgore when he ran for president, and later governor, on a platform of allowing Texas to, well, secede. Did it work? No. Do I remember it still to this day? Oh yeah. All of this will probably be moot, considering the election is today. But there's always next time for Vince "ShamWow" Shlomi. More Culture [Drama \\| Upcoming Buc-ee's causing an uproar with thousands opposed](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/bucees-virginia-drama-stafford-22153432.php) [Eats \\| Blue Bell adds new flavor to its ice cream arsenal](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/blue-bell-new-flavor-brookie-22141756.php) [Sounding Off \\| Bun B says he dropped out of rodeo to help more Black artists](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/bun-b-rodeo-performance-22155440.php) [Sadness \\| H-E-B shoppers still mourn these discontinued items](https://www.chron.com/texas/article/heb-discontinued-products-22088243.php) For the latest and best from Chron, [sign up for our daily newsletter here.](https://link.chron.com/join/signup-chron) March 3, 2026 ![Photo of Gwen Howerton]() [Gwen Howerton](https://www.chron.com/author/gwen-howerton/) Texas Culture Reporter Gwen Howerton is Chron's Texas Culture Reporter. She covers all the things that make Texas the weirdest and wildest state in the nation. Her areas of interest include the lighter side of politics and stories about Texas' LGBTQ+ population, which is one of the largest in the country. Before becoming a reporter, she worked on Chron's audience team. A native Texan, Gwen graduated from Texas A\&M University, where she hosted a radio show on politics. When not working, she enjoys shooting film, watching the Astros, and listening to 2000s alternative rock. Chron Logo ### Want more Chron? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. [Add Preferred Source](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=chron.com) Most Popular 1\. ['Largest international store in Texas' closes after bankruptcy](https://www.chron.com/food/article/world-food-mart-houston-22192180.php) 2\. [Lance McCullers Jr.'s Midtown pickleball oasis has dried up](https://www.chron.com/food/article/houston-astros-solarium-pickleball-closes-22192666.php) 3\. 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Readable Markdown	![(C) ShamWow spoke person, Vince Offer with friends (L) Courtney Bingham, (R) Victoria Brook the after party for the screening of Anchor Bay Films' 'Spread' at Phillippe East Hampton at Lily Pond on August 8, 2009 in East Hampton, New York.]() (C) ShamWow spoke person, Vince Offer with friends (L) Courtney Bingham, (R) Victoria Brook the after party for the screening of Anchor Bay Films' 'Spread' at Phillippe East Hampton at Lily Pond on August 8, 2009 in East Hampton, New York. Kevin Kane/Getty Images You can call Texas politics a lot of things; serious is not one of them. Our state's circus-as-governance [has long attracted all manner of charlatans.](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/texas-transplants-running-congress-politics-21221701.php) Now one of them, [engaged in a long-shot race for Congress](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/shamwow-texas-primary-ad-21336239.php), is mad that his preferred nickname isn't on the ballot. On March 3, which is Texas' primary day, Vince Shlomi, [better known as the ShamWow Guy](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/shamwow-texas-primary-ad-21336239.php), announced that he would be suing the Republican Party of Texas. Shlomi, who is running for Congress in Texas' 31st congressional district against longtime incumbent Rep. John Carter, says that the primary is rigged because the state did not list "ShamWow" as part of his name on the ballot. Article continues below this ad "Rigged election by these rhinos," [Shlomi wrote on X](https://x.com/RealShamwowGuy/status/2028899775295205656), misspelling the acronym for "Republican In Name Only" (it's RINO). Shlomi indeed has sued both the Republican Party of Texas and its chairman, Abraham George. The suit, filed on Tuesday in Williamson County, says that the state party previously approved Shlomi's request to appear as Vince "ShamWow" Shlomi on the primary ballot, only to later inform him his name would be changed. The suit includes as evidence emails from Rachel Hooper, the general counsel of the Republican Party of Texas, which explains that the National Republican Congressional Committee challenged Shlomi's ballot name. In Hooper's telling, the NRCC did so because it did not fit the "legal requirements" of the Texas Election Code regarding nicknames on the ballot. Additionally, Hooper noted that Shlomi's actual nickname is "the ShamWow Guy," not simply "ShamWow," the name of the product he hawked. Shlomi has trademarked both "ShamWow" and "the ShamWow Guy." Chron Logo Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. [Add Preferred Source](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=chron.com) [Under the Texas Election Code](https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/election-code/elec-sect-52-031/), candidates may have a nickname listed on the ballot, as long as it is 10 letters or fewer and they've been "commonly known" as that nickname for at least three years before the election. Candidates can't use nicknames that function as slogans or "otherwise indicate a political, economic, social, or religious view." The economic view clause is what probably dinged Shlomi. Article continues below this ad ![ Texas Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman gives a thumbs up as he poses for photographers by the NASCAR Busch Series No. 80 car at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006. ]() Texas Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman gives a thumbs up as he poses for photographers by the NASCAR Busch Series No. 80 car at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Nov. 3, 2006. Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspap/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag Believe it or not, there's precedent for this. [In 2006, former Texas Comptroller Carol Keeton Strayhorn ran as an independent for governor after feuding with then-Gov. Rick Perry](https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Friedman-makes-his-case-for-Kinky-as-first-name-7533212.php). Strayhorn attempted to have herself listed on the ballot as "Carole Keeton 'Grandma' Strayhorn." She argued that "Grandma" was a nickname of hers and that if her fellow independent and opponent could be listed as "Richard 'Kinky' Friedman," her nickname was fine. Then-Secretary of State Roger Williams disagreed, probably because "Grandma" sounded a lot like her campaign slogan, "One Tough Grandma." Friedman, meanwhile, had been going by "Kinky" since the mid-1960s. Still, "Grandma" finished third in that year's election. Like Strayhorn, Shlomi appears to be attempting to leverage the only notable thing about him into electoral success. Facing an uphill climb in a nine-way Republican primary against Carter, who has served since 2003, Shlomi has gone all in on hoping you remember the ShamWow (and SlapChop) commercials [and nothing else](https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/shamwow-guy-is-all-hookered-out/2054775/). It's a tried, if not true, political strategy: Be a notable, slightly washed celebrity, tie yourself to the anti-woke bandwagon, and hope it pays off. Anyway, Shlomi accuses the state party and George of colluding with Carter and the National Republican Congressional Committee to sink his campaign. Shlomi is asking a Williamson County judge to rule that he can, in fact, be listed as "ShamWow" on the ballot, as well as find that the Republican Party of Texas acted improperly in changing his name. Shlomi is asking for attorney's fees and other relief. Article continues below this ad This could have all been solved if Shlomi had taken a page out of the true GOAT of Texas political candidate nicknames. In 2012, perennial Republican candidate Larry Kilgore changed his name to Larry "SECEDE" Kilgore when he ran for president, and later governor, on a platform of allowing Texas to, well, secede. Did it work? No. Do I remember it still to this day? Oh yeah. All of this will probably be moot, considering the election is today. But there's always next time for Vince "ShamWow" Shlomi. More Culture March 3, 2026 ![Photo of Gwen Howerton]() Texas Culture Reporter Gwen Howerton is Chron's Texas Culture Reporter. She covers all the things that make Texas the weirdest and wildest state in the nation. Her areas of interest include the lighter side of politics and stories about Texas' LGBTQ+ population, which is one of the largest in the country. Before becoming a reporter, she worked on Chron's audience team. A native Texan, Gwen graduated from Texas A\&M University, where she hosted a radio show on politics. When not working, she enjoys shooting film, watching the Astros, and listening to 2000s alternative rock.
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