June 30 (Bloomberg) -- An off-color remark by Texas Governor Rick Perry has spurred Internet sales of T-shirts, coffee mugs and even baby bibs, and the slip may haunt Perry's re-election bid.

Using a shortened version of a two-word expletive, Perry ended an exchange with a television reporter: ``Adios, Mofo.'' The remark, caught on tape June 20 after he finished an interview about the special legislative session he had called to address school funding, was later aired by Houston ABC affiliate KTRK-TV.

T-shirts bearing Perry's face and the phrase popped up on the Internet within hours. The offerings later expanded to include bumper stickers, buttons, posters, post cards, hats, coffee mugs, beer steins and computer mouse pads.

``A buddy of mine e-mailed me that story, and I thought we should make up some T-shirts,'' said Travis Fussell, a Dallas man selling the Perry items. ``Here we are with this conservative person all of a sudden switching to that urban street slang coming out of his mouth.''

The comment became fodder for talk-radio shows across Texas and a Democratic strategist registered the Web domain adiosmofo.com.

Perry, a Republican who earlier this month used a church school gymnasium to sign a bill asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, later apologized. The comment was ``inappropriate banter'' directed toward his deputy press secretary, Robert Black, who was present during the interview, he said.

Opponents

Whether the slip hurts Perry's campaign depends on his opponents, said Calvin Jillson, professor of political science at Southern Methodist University. Someone would have to promote the gaffe as contrary to Perry's positioning of himself as a leader of conservatives and Christians, Jillson said in an interview.

``You'd think that'd be jarring to Christian conservatives,'' Jillson said of Perry's remark. If no one stresses the issue, it could die, he said. ``There are lots of Texans who occupy the pews on Sunday morning who drive pickups and chew and cuss, and Perry has their support.''

Perry's not concerned about how the remark might affect his campaign, said Black, his spokesman. As for the items being sold, ``Capitalism is a great thing,'' he said.

``The campaign is a battle of the candidates' records and vision for where they want to lead the state, and that's where this campaign will be fought,'' Black said.

Merrie Spaeth, who worked on media relations for President Ronald Reagan and at the FBI and Federal Trade Commission before founding Dallas-based Spaeth Communications Inc., said that while such gaffes can hurt candidates, Perry is managing the situation well by not being overly apologetic.

``It was stupid mouth, and everyone has stupid mouth at some point,'' she said. ``Rick Perry isn't someone who is a closet obscenity screamer.''

Blunder

A verbal blunder derailed the 1990 governor's campaign of Republican Clayton Williams, a millionaire Texas oilman. Williams joked to reporters that rape was like weather, saying, ``as long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it.'' Williams lost to Democrat Ann Richards.

Perry became governor in 2002 following the election of President George W. Bush and was elected to his own full term in 2004. He faces a challenge from fellow Republican and Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, who is campaigning on Perry's failure to orchestrate a new school finance plan and control spending. No Democrats have announced for the race.

``Perry is always in danger of a misstep,'' Jillson said. ``This isn't the last stumble in the Perry campaign. The question is, how many times he can stumble, get up, dust himself off and move on.''

Throw Pillows, Bibs

Strayhorn's office didn't return calls seeking comment.

Fussell, who designs and sells golf putters, estimated he's sold about 250 items, mostly T-shirts that cost $18 to $20 each. Fussell sells items through the Web site www.cafepress.com. Another Web site, www.pinkdome.com, which offers commentary on Texas politics, has sold about $2,000 in items, a spokesman said.

Also for sale: a $22.99 throw pillow, a $7.99 baby bib and a dog T-shirt that sells for $15.99. Buyers can pick a button featuring two of the Three Stooges, with a picture of Perry as the third member of the comedy team, and the words, ``Curley, Moe, Mofo.''

``I think the majority (of buyers) now are more or less people like me who just kind of think it's a novelty,'' he said. ``It wasn't my intention to hurt him, but I think it could. I'm voting for the guy.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Mary Schlangenstein in Dallas at maryc.s@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: June 30, 2005 00:06 EDT