Russ Diamond (PA)

A professional musician, Diamond became a millionaire after opening a CD and DVD manufacturing and duplication service called Raintree. His first foray into politics was in 2004, when he ran for both the U.S. House and the State House of Representatives as a Libertarian. In 2005, he formed PACleanSweep, an organization dedicated to ousting incumbent state legislators, particularly those who supported a much-hated pay raise last year. Three weeks ago, the group scored several major victories, unseating eight incumbent legislators, including the Senate Majority Leader and President Pro Temp. He is now running as an Independent candidate for Governor on a platform of abolishing the property tax, convening a constitutional convention, and reducing the size of state government.

Richard "Kinky" Friedman (TX)

He acts like he's kidding, but mystery writer and country singer-songwriter Kinky Friedman is deadly serious about being the next Governor of Texas. He's hired former Wellstone/Ventura/Nader adman Bill Hillsman and former Ventura campaign manager Dean Barkley and turned in 169,574 signatures to get on the ballot in November. His slogans ("Why the Hell Not?" "How Hard Could It Be?") make him seem like a bit of a joke, but his positions (15% refund for property tax payers, higher teacher pay, free children's health care, total energy independence) do not.

Andrew Halcro (AK)

After two terms as a maverick Republican State Representative, youthful Anchorage businessman Andrew Halcro retired from politics at the end of 2002. Now he's back and running for Governor as an Independent. With incumbent Governor Frank Murkowski's approval rating an abysmal 27% and popular former Governor Tony Knowles running for the Democrats, Republicans may go for Halcro's platform of tax reduction, energy independence through more domestic oil production, and running government like a business.

Peter Hutchinson (MN)

The descendant of Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party activists, Hutchinson attended Dartmouth and Princeton before returning to Minnesota to serve as Deputy Mayor of Minneapolis and superintendent of that city's school system. Under Governor Rudy Perpich, he was Minnesota's Commissioner of Finance. Since 1991, he has been co-owner of the Public Strategies Group, a consulting firm that helps streamline government. Hutchinson, who is running as an Independent but seeking the Independence Party's endorsement, promises to "Open Up Minnesota" by cleaning up politics, providing universal health care, making the state energy independent, and making the state number one in college education.

Barbara Merrill (ME)

After working for several years as a lawyer representing non-profit groups in front of the state legislature, Merrill ran as a Democrat for a State House seat in 2004, capturing 60% of the vote in a heavily Republican district. After becoming an Independent (and throwing the House into a partisan tie), she authored the book Setting the Maine Course: We Can Get There From Here, in which she outlines an intriguing mix of policies that includes scrapping both the corporate income tax and economic development tax breaks, dedicating the sales tax to education, having the state pick up the tab for teacher pay, increasing environmental regulation, decreasing all other regulation, establishing a surplus account to cover budget shortfalls, and fighting urban sprawl. She is now an announced Independent candidate for Governor.

Christy Mihos (MA)

The heir to a single Cape Cod convenience store, Mihos built the family business into a 144-store chain across Massachusetts. After selling 132 of the stores to 7-Eleven for several hundred million dollars, he entered politics, being appointed to a five-year term on the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, where he opposed toll increases to pay for the now-infamous Big Dig. After Governor Mitt Romney announced that he would not seek re-election, Mihos, a Republican, declared that he would run to succeed him. Feeling that he could not win a spot on the Republican primary ballot, he decided that he would campaign as an Independent. His platform includes a strident call for campaign finance reform, support for gay marriage and abortion rights, and "Proposition 1," an economic plan that includes spending 40% of the state budget on municipal-level aid, eliminating fees for public education, and doing away with annual property tax reassessment.

Carole Keeton Strayhorn (TX)

Elected to be the first female Mayor of Austin as a Democrat, Strayhorn (then McClellan) campaigned unsuccessfully for a U.S. House seat as a Democrat in 1986. In 1994, Strayhorn (then Rylander) was elected as a Republican to be the first female member of the Texas Railroad Commission. In 1998, she was elected as a Republican to be the state's first female Comptroller and re-elected in 2002. A foe of incumbent Governor Rick Perry, she originally announced that she would run against him in the Republican primary, but then decided to run in the general election as an Independent. She runs second behind Perry in most polls.

Ben Westlund (OR)

A small businessman, Westlund was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives as a Republican in 1996 and served until 2003, when he was appointed to fill the an empty State Senate seat. He was elected to a full term in 2004, winning both the Democratic and Republican nominations and clobbering a tenacious Constitution candidate 80% to 20%. On February 14, he announced that he was now a registered Independent and declared his candidacy for Governor. His platform includes converting to an open primary, protecting abortion rights, making health care a right, and increasing corporate income taxes.