A man vying to become the next Kentucky governor has legally changed his name to Gatewood Galbraith after a late local celebrity who bid five times for the title but never won enough votes . The 68-year-old Pulaski County resident , who was known as Terrill Wayne Newman until Tuesday , told the Lexington Herald-Leader he does n't expect to be elected but hopes the gesture will 'warm Galbraith 's grave . ' His predecessor , who died in 2012 from chronic emphysema , gained a following for his wit , sharp dress sense and support of legalizing marijuana . Terrill Wayne Newman ( right ) , who is vying to become Governor of Kentucky , has legally changed his name to Gatewood Galbraith after the late local celebrity ( left ) who bid five times for the title but never won . The newly-christened Galbraith filed paperwork on Wednesday to run as an independent for the state 's highest office . The Secretary of State 's office says independent candidates must obtain 5,000 signatures from registered voters by August 11 to get their names on the general election ballot . Galbraith said he 'll run on a similar platform , but will focus on his namesake . ' I mostly will be talking about the great Gatewood Galbraith , ' he said . Galbraith says he and the late Galbraith were 'not friends per se , ' but they shared mutual friends and knew each other on a first-name basis . Dea Riley , who was the original Galbraith 's running mate in 2011 , said she thinks he would find the whole name change amusing . ' I can hear him now : `` I 'll tell the IRS to send him the tax bill , '' ' Riley said . But she also said the new Galbraith 'has very big shoes to fill ' with his name and she hopes he will honor it . 'To have Gatewood 's name and message prostituted , for the sake to garner political office , is a personal affront to me in that I was not only his running mate but equally his friend and confidant , ' Riley said .
Terrill Wayne Newman is vying to become the next Kentucky governor . On Tuesday he legally changed his name to Gatewood Galbraith after a late local celebrity who bid five times for the title but never won enough votes . Score: 6