Texas Land Commissioner Jokes About Shooting Opponent (Again)

Gun-toting incumbent land commish Jerry Patterson is once again having a laugh over the idea of shooting his political opponents.  This time, the target is Democratic candidate for agriculture commissioner, Hank Gilbert.

Dallas Morning News reporter Christy Hoppe reports how Patterson "shoots from the lip."

Jerry Patterson at an early voting GOP rally managed to jump from national politics into the acrimonious contest for Agriculture Commissioner, telling incumbent Todd Staples that if he were running against Democrat Hank Gilbert, "I think I would have shot him by now, if I was you."

Patterson later said he was joking, of course.  But it's not the first time he made a ruse of attacking an opponent with the loaded firearm he carries at all times. Early in 2010, he joked about shooting his Democratic opponent for land commissioner, Hector Uribe.