Former Mayor John Cook won’t back down in statewide race vs. Bush

Former El Paso Mayor John Cook has spent most of the past six months on the road campaigning for Texas Land Commissioner.

His opponent is Republican George P. Bush, the nephew of former President George W. Bush.

ABC-7 caught up with Cook on his way out of town again Tuesday. Cook, 68, pulled off an upset for mayor eight years ago with a grassroots effort and his approach in the statewide election is the same, and although the odds are against him he says he won’t back down.

“I’ve put over 30,300 miles (on my truck) is what my odometer had this morning and we’ll be out for the next three weeks,” said Cook, who has been singing his way across Texas in attempt to become the first El Pasoan in the 168-year history of the state to be elected to a statewide office. “My goal has always been this, number one, to bring some attention statewide to El Paso, the sixth largest city in the state. I was determined I was going to run this race. Little did I know the Republican candidate was going to be a guy named George Bush.”

George P. Bush made an El Paso campaign stop last March. He is a former school teacher and Naval reserve officer. That name, and Republican electoral dominance at the state level, make Cook an overwhelming longshot. But he won’t be out worked.

“I’ve been to 140 counties out of the 254 counties in the last six months,” Cook said. “I’ve always been the kind of guy, I would rather go out and knock on doors then stay on the telephone asking people for money and that’s what I’ve done in this campaign.”

Riding shotgun the entire way? Cook’s wife, Tram.

“While I drive, she knits,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to take my wife to some really neat places, to China, to Moscow, to Dublin to London. We even spent the night in Paris, all without ever leaving the state of Texas.”

Cook knows his chance of winning in a deep red state are slim. But in addition to Tom Petty, his philosophy is inspired by baseball legend Catfish Hunter.

“He said winning isn’t everything, wanting to is,” Cook said. “Never back down. Always stand your ground.”

Cook’s opponent, George P. Bush, he will be in El Paso again Wednesday. His campaign will make a stop from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at UTEP’s El Paso Natural Gas Conference Center. Early voting starts Monday and election day is Nov. 4.