Bob Barr is slated to be the only presidential candidate on the ballot in Texas after Republicans and Democrats missed the Aug. 26 deadline to file in the state.

“Unless the state of Texas violates its own election laws, Congressman Barr will be the only presidential candidate on the ballot,” says Russell Verney, campaign manager for the Barr Campaign and the former campaign manager for Ross Perot. “Texas law makes no exceptions for missing deadlines.”

The Texas Secretary of State Web site shows only Bob Barr as the official candidate for president in Texas.

No joke. Check out the screen shot below (click to see larger):

Republican? Nothing. Democratic? Nothing. Libertarian? Bob Barr and Wayne A. Root! Woohoo! Everyone start jumping for joy, right?

Eh. That would be quite naive…

Anticipate injustice. As a subsequent press release from the campaign put it:

“Agents of the GOP are twisting the law to have Bob Barr thrown off the ballot in Pennsylvania,” says Russell Verney, campaign manager for Barr and a former campaign manager for Ross Perot, “while the law has to be twisted for them to get on the ballot in Texas. Rules are rules, except when they inconvenience those who make them.”

…

“Third parties are never given second chances when it comes to getting on the ballot,” says Verney. “And third parties are often thrown off the ballot for the most minor infractions of ballot access laws. In Texas, we have a clear deadline that was not met by the Republicans and Democrats, but it is all but certain that some way, some how, the establishment candidates will find a way on the ballot. Some people are just above the law.”