A Republican baroness is running for governor of Texas

Kandy Kaye Horn, a retired mortgage broker and philanthropist from Terrell, is the only woman running in the crowded Republican gubernatorial primary, March 1.

• She’s also the only candidate who assumes the title of "baroness," which she bought online for $20,000.

Why it matters: Though she has virtually no chance in the race for governor, Horn has spent a reported $1.4 million of her own money campaigning, mostly in the form of billboards across Texas. She calls herself "a different kind of Republican."

Context: Horn is polling at around 1% in the Republican primary, according to recent data from the University of Texas/Texas Politics Project. That puts her in sixth in the eight-candidate field.

• No incumbent governor in Texas has lost his or her party’s nomination since 1978, according to Ballotpedia.

Background: Horn has a rags-to-riches story. She grew up with a single mother who died when Horn was 15. She graduated from TCU then got her MBA at UTA before becoming a successful mortgage broker in Houston.

• Her foundation has reportedly given away millions to nonprofits that help vulnerable people find jobs.

Details: Horn wants to legalize marijuana and release low-level drug offenders from Texas prisons.

• She also says all public school teachers should get a raise and each school day should start with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, according to her website.

What they’re saying: "At least I put myself out there as a different alternative as a different choice. Certainly I have some different ideas than all the men that are on the podium,​​" Horn told Texas Monthly.