DeLay's Seat to Be Filled in November (no Special Election)

[brooklynite]

AUSTIN, Texas - Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday he will not call an emergency special election to replace Republican Rep. Tom DeLay, meaning the suburban Houston congressional seat will be left unfilled until November.

DeLay, who is under indictment on campaign finance charges, announced this week that he will resign sometime before mid-June.

The Democratic candidate for the seat, former Rep. Nick Lampson, had called on the governor to set a May 13 special election so the district would be represented after DeLay leaves.

Perry, Republican, refused without elaborating. However, the election of a Democrat now could give the Democratic Party a leg up in November.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060406/ap_on_go_co/delay_replacement_1
- - -
The Democrats in the House should now start every speech with: "I'm sorry that the citizens of Sugar Land, Texas have no voice in this critical discussion about the war/national security/health care/immigration reform, because of a partisan political choice by the Governor of Texas..."

[Atman]

1. Gosh, I'm so surprised!

NOT.

[NNadir]

2. I like your proposed preface to debate.

It won't happen, but it is a good idea.

We could also mention Duke Cunningham's seat. Of course, if you have a Republican congressman, you are pretty much unrepresented anyway unless you are paying bribes.

[NYC]

3. So they just have an empty seat?

That's it?

[NV Whino]

5. I believe that Perry

can appoint someone. Not sure how things work in TX, but I think that could be the case. He will appoint a Republican. A special election could put a Dem in the seat.

[brooklynite]

6. NO, that applies to Senate Seats only

What the Gov. and/or state law determines is when a special replacement election is held.

[Igel]

11. It looks like they will.

They don't, of course. He's said he'll resign, he hasn't actually done so.

My off the cuff hunch is that Lampson currently has greater name recognition and an organization behind him, while there's no obvious front runner among republicans or campaign to support him/her. Rather than risk giving Lampson the incumbency and free media coverage between May and November, they'll leave the seat open for at least the summer.

I don't know if the winner of the Nov. election will take office immediately if the seat is empty or not.

[More Than A Feeling]

4. I'm glad he did this.

Do we really want Nick Lampson to have to run two elections in such a short timeframe? Plus, if he lost the special, to win the general he'd have to argue that voters should change their minds only a few months later.

[okieinpain]

7. what are they worried about, I thought they had a sure majority in

sugarland.

[bluestateguy]

8. The entire Texas political establishment is Republican

With DeLay in the race it was probably about a 50/50 shot, but it's a Republican district otherwise. While I am happy to see DeLay toppled from power, his abdication likely means that the seat will remain in Republican hands.

[endarkenment]

9. Gee I guess that means that Delay's seat is, right now Democratic.

Great news! Republicans are now officially scared to hold an election in the heart of the Republican Red Zone.

Mr. Bush Let My People Vote.

[Gman]

10. Sugarland, Missouri CIty, La Marque

Kemah, Seabrook and a lot more little suburbs.

[CornField]

12. Is there a reason why citizens can't petition for a special election?

I believe that's a basic right -- for the citizens themselves to be able to call special elections in such circumstances.

[tenshi816]

13. So Sugar Land residents

will be in a "taxation without representation" situation then?

[Judi Lynn]

14. DeLay's seat likely won't be filled soon

April 7, 2006, 1:50AM
DeLay's seat likely won't be filled soon
Perry says he's not planning to call early election


By ERIC HANSON and CLAY ROBISON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

AUSTIN - Unless U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay resigns today, voters in the 22nd Congressional District likely will have to wait until November to choose his successor.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday that he probably won't call an emergency special election to fill the seat that DeLay, R-Sugar Land, plans to vacate.

That means the election would fall on one of two remaining uniform election days — May 13 or Nov. 7.

Because state law requires a minimum 36 days for a race to be placed on the ballot, DeLay would have to formally resign today to allow for a May election, and he indicated earlier this week that he won't leave office until June.
(snip//...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3777634.html

http://www.gamerevolution.com.nyud.net:8090/oldsite/chatter/mailbag/roachman.jpg

[Greeby]

15. Not a big deal, the same is happening with Menendez' House seat

:shrug:

[lindisfarne]

16. Is Delay going to use this as an excuse to not resign until Nov. 6?

[monarch]

17. Nope

I read someplace that he has to resign by the June date to be able to use campaign funds to pay his legal bills

[Judi Lynn]

18. You're right! Thanks for pointing it out. It's so pathetic & crooked. n/t