Great News From Texas - DeLay Not to Seek Reelection in 2006

Beset by scandals, Tom DeLay, the powerful Congressman from District 22 of Texas has decided to resign by the end of May - June of this year.  He won't be running for the House seat he has held for 11 terms.

"WASHINGTON — Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a Texan touched by a lobbying scandal that ensnared some of his former top aides and cost the Republican his leadership post, won't seek re-election to Congress, officials said today.

They said DeLay also is likely to resign his seat and leave Congress by the end of May or mid-June. That would trigger a special election for his replacement.

DeLay was expected to disclose his plans Tuesday at a news conference in Houston, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the congressman had not made that announcement.

In an interview with the Galveston County Daily News, DeLay said his decision was based partly on troubling internal polling results, including a poll taken after the March Republican primary that showed DeLay beating Democrat Nick Lampson in a close race.

"Even though I thought I could win, it was a little too risky," DeLay said."

It is going to take me some time to digest and truly relish this piece of news. I live in Tom DeLay's district and was getting ready to sign up as a volunteer for Nick Lampson (D), just as I have done for other Democratic challengers to DeLay in the past. Perhaps that won't be necessary now.

Update: Although I am rejoicing at the prospect of seeing the last of the Hammer (who will most probably have a fateful meeting with the gavel in federal and state courts), I am now in a bit of a quandary about the result of the 2006 congressional race in my district. The Republicans will field a new candidate and the independent and moderate voters in Sugarland, Texas will have less compunction about voting for a fresh ultra right winger than the ethically challenged DeLay.  An embattled candidate like DeLay might have been the Dems' best hope this year for a win in this heavily Republican district.  We will see. I guess I should go ahead and sign up for knocking on doors on behalf of Congressman Lampson after all.

Comments

[Robert Love]

This isn't necessarily good news. Don't you know that he's quitting because he knows that he has no chance to win? He wants another Republican to win. If he would stay in there, some real damage could be done. As it is, now he'll just work behind the scenes. I just looked at your "update" and it seems to take this into account, but still. Remember that all political moves are designed to achieve ultimate victory. What seems good for one side will be used by the other if at all possible. That's politics.

[Ruchira Paul]

Robert:
As you noted in my "update", my initial euphoria is tempered by the same fear as yours. But I have met Congressman Nick Lampson. Unlike the previous challengers to DeLay, who were all ordinary citizens disgusted with DeLay's tactics, Lampson is an experienced pol and quite an attractive candidate with a score to settle - he was redistricted out of his previous district by DeLay. Even though most of my Republican neighbors "would rather die" (so they tell me) before they vote Democrat, there may be enough people in the middle who are quite disillusioned by Bush and DeLay's shenanigans to give Lampson just enough edge to swing it for the Dems in 2006. But who knows? As I said I am signing up as a volunteer and will hit the streets, come September.

[Robert Love]

Sorry, but I didn't mean to belittle Nick Lampson's chances at all. Honestly, it's probably too late in the game to start a successful Republican candidate (for the special election at least). I am just quite cynical about what this means. The problem here is that there is probably something calculated going on (instead of merely reactionary) on the part of the Republican party. They may not have much foresight on matters important to the nation, but they know how to stay in office. Good luck to Lampson though.