Posted on 08/08/2006 11:57:22 AM PDT by SolidSupplySide
WASHINGTON — Dogged by scandal, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay intends to withdraw as a candidate for Congress, a Republican strategist said today, a step that would allow the party to field a write-in candidate in hopes of holding his seat.
The development came one day after Texas Republicans lost a court battle in their bid to name a replacement candidate for DeLay on the November ballot.
The strategist described DeLay's intentions on condition of anonymity, saying the former majority leader intended to make his own announcement.
DeLay resigned his Houston-area seat in June and said he was switching his legal residence to Virginia. He had already won a primary in Texas, and Republican officials there moved to name a replacement candidate.
Democrats went to court to block the switch, and prevailed.
The maneuvering underscored the intensity of the battle between the two national parties as they vie for control of Congress in the midterm elections.
DeLay had held the House seat for more than two decades, but yielded his power — first surrendering his post as majority leader, then resigning his seat — at the urging of party leaders who said he risked defeat this fall and that his presence on the ballot could hamper other incumbents.
He is awaiting trial in Texas state court on money laundering charges alleging that illegal corporate cash helped pay for legislative campaigns in 2002. DeLay also had close ties to Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist at the center of a congressional corruption investigation.
DeLay has not been charged in that investigation, although two former aides who later developed ties to Abramoff have entered into plea bargains.
Former Rep. Nick Lampson is the Democratic candidate in the race, and had amassed more than $2 million in his campaign treasury as of June 30 in preparation for a race against DeLay.
Texas Republicans on Monday abandoned their court fight to replace DeLay on the November ballot, conceding defeat after Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia ruled against them.
"I think all our legal avenues are exhausted in terms of affecting the ruling prior to the election," said Jim Bopp Jr., the attorney who argued the Republican Party's case to allow party officials to substitute another candidate for DeLay.
In a statement late Monday, Bopp warned Democrats, "Be careful what you ask for."
The lawyer said Democrats "insisted he run for Congress, now it's up to voters to decide if Democrats are going to be happy" on Election Day.
Democrats were undaunted by the prospect of facing DeLay in November and claimed victory.
"Given the choice between facing the voters and facing the courts, DeLay chose the courts and lost handily," said Bill Burton, spokesman for the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Harris County now uses paperless electronic systems.
I suppose someone can use that dial input device to enter all the letters in a candidate's name but do you suppose ANY voter will ever win by this method?
What happens to the votes in this race if someone punches straight ticket Republican?
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Delay is a pussy. He should run and win to prove he still has his mojo. I guess all that lobbying money waiting for him is more important than keeping congress in republican hands. Another conservative sell out.
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I know the DeLays and you are so far off base it isn't even funny. I hope you are just venting steam. If DeLay doesn't run then it is for a very damn good reason!
He gave up his office in order for the Republican Party not to get dragged down into his indictment.
What the GOP really needs to do is push absentee ballots and get those write-in votes in and done correctly.
Do they know something we don't know?
What poetic justice to force Tom back on the ballot and he wins!
Dem Dirty tricks dont get much dirtier than this. First they get a Dirty lawyer to charge Delay with BS charges then they delay the the trial then they force him out of the Congress then they file suit to not allow anyone else to run.
I hope at some time in this fiasco Ronnie Earle finds himself peeking out thru the bars of the Greystone hotel.
No thanks....his record on spending was no better than a democrat.
The Yellow Dogs learned the tricks of the Reds and Pinkos.
I'll bet he has taken more political bullets for conservatives than you have!
Withdrawing takes the name of completely. The Republican line for that race will be blank.
Those write-in votes would be illegal under Texas Election Code chapter 146.
That District now needs a Plan or it is lost to confusion.
TT
A plan? We better get John Kerry there on the double! :p
Hint: Tom DeLay
Now that would be a bugger!
Whahoooo!
What are Republicans such pathetic wimps? They back down and give up whenever given the chance. It's disgusting.
More should have supported Mike Campbell in hte primaries.
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