Eckels not running for DeLay's seat

[muse]

Just read this in Fort Bend Now:


Republican Harris County Judge Robert Eckels said he’s conducted polling that shows he can beat Democrat Nick Lampson by more than 15 points in the race for resigning Congressman Tom DeLay’s seat.

Nonetheless, Eckels – who may have more name recognition across DeLay’s Congressional District 22 than any other politician – said Wednesday he is withdrawing his name from consideration as a candidate for Congress.

and this:

“The truth is, like Tom DeLay, Judge Eckels realized this would be a very difficult race,” said Lampson campaign manager Mike Malaise. “You’re going to see more and more of these stories suggesting Nick Lampson will be extremely difficult to beat in November.”

Malaise also said Lampson will have “more than $3 million raised by the time another candidate enters the race…”


Full article at this link:

http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/1020/harris-county-judge-robert-eckels-says-he-wont-run-for-delays-seat

[johncoby2]

1. Well Eckels is not DeLay's bitch.

Who will be the chosen one?

Oh and the 15 point margin? What dope is this dope smoking.

And if anyone doesnt know what Eckels looks like here is a pic:

http://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/t2004/images/Eckels,Robert.jpg

[muse]

2. The Chosen One

I love that moniker. That's what Charles Kuffner uses (Off the Kuff.)

The article focuses on Charlie Howard (my state rep) and Talton (a state rep in your end of the world, John). What I find interesting about that scenario is that when you brought up Talton in an earlier post, I thought, "who the hell is that?" I had to dig around and figure that out. Oh, a state rep from Pasadena. So, he doesn't have name recognition in the west side of the district, at least for me.

And, then you left out Howard in your post, who has big name recognition on my end of the district. That should be a problem for either one of those guys if one of them is THE CHOSEN ONE. An east/west problem in TX-22.

We already have Lampson covering all four counties.

[PDittie]

3. The only candidate Lampson couldn't have beaten

would have been Judge Eckels. This leads me to believe that the Repukes think they can hold the seat with a far weaker nominee. Wallace, Howard, Talton -- whoever they decide to put up now is a novice, a neophyte with the stain of DeLay still smeared all over him.

Heh.

[muse]

4. Well, we have a lot of work ahead of us

to prove the Republicans wrong. But, that's no news to us. We had a lot of work ahead of us to beat DeLay and we were willing to do that and we had already started. We had 35 volunteers at our last Lampson volunteer meeting in Fort Bend, for goodness sakes, and it is only April!

This is why this Lampson race is a huge focus for me. It's not like I really have the time in my already over busy life, but it is hugely important for the people in TX-22 and I really believe for the nation. And, whether my life is busy or not, the time is now. I hope others will join us in our effort as we get closer to November and things heat up.

[johncoby2]

5. Talton and Howard

Talton was rated as the WORST legislator in Texas for a record two times in a row by Texas Monthly. Howard is not a coward like DeLay but his ideas are inline with DeLay. he is a nut.

[muse]

6. Well, then they are BOTH perfectly qualified to run

I really wouldn't mind running against either one of them. It would be fun to block walk and talk to voters about the difference between Lampson and either one of those idiots.

How can we make this happen? :)

I'll tell you my opinion of Shelly Sekula-Gibbs in person sometime. Remind me about that.

[sonias]

7. Oh please let it be Talton

That would be so sweet. We would get rid of him in the Texas House as well.

Sonia

[merci_me]

8. Question.....................

if the repukes name a State Rep. (Talon or Howard) or anyone else currently on the November ballot, what happens to the seat? They still live in the State and are still eligible to be a candidate, so they can't run off to Virginia.

Does that mean the repukes have to let that seat go? If so, do we have Dems running in each one of the possible districts who will then be unopposed in November? I think that would play a big role in who the repukes name.

[NoPasaran]

9. Election code

§ 145.036. FILLING VACANCY IN NOMINATION.

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), if a candidate's name is to be omitted from the ballot under Section 145.035, the political party's state,
district, county, or precinct executive committee, as appropriate
for the particular office, may nominate a replacement candidate to
fill the vacancy in the nomination.

(b) An executive committee may make a replacement nomination following a withdrawal<0> only if:

(1) the candidate:

(A) withdraws because of a catastrophic illness that was diagnosed after the 62nd day before general primary election day and the illness would permanently and continuously incapacitate the candidate and prevent the candidate from performing the duties of the office sought; and

(B) files with the withdrawal request a certificate describing the illness and signed by at least two licensed physicians;

(2) no political party that held primary elections has a nominee for the office sought by the withdrawing candidate as of the time of the withdrawal; or

(3) the candidate has been elected or appointed to fill a vacancy in another elective office or has become the nominee for another office.

(c) Under the circumstances described by Subsection (b)(2), the appropriate executive committee of each political party making nominations for the general election for state and county officers may make a replacement nomination for the office sought by the withdrawing candidate.

(d) For the purpose of filling a vacancy, a majority of the committee's membership constitutes a quorum. To be nominated, a person must receive a favorable vote of a majority of the members present.

(e) A vacancy in a nomination for a district, county, or precinct office that was made by primary election may not be filled before the beginning of the term of office of the county executive committee members elected in the year in which the vacancy occurs.

So it appears that if one of the state reps became a nominee for Congress the repubs could name another nominee for his old race.

DISCLAIMER I am not an attorney, but I do watch a lot of them lawyer shows on TV.

[merci_me]

12. That answers my question, thanks.

I read it the same as you did. How convenient.

BTW, I'm not a lawyer either, just in a family full of them and worked in legal services for many years (ask me anything about restraining orders, migrant services and utility shutoffs).

[PDittie]

13. I would sure like to see

Janette Sexton run for an open seat -- on the presumption, as Kuffner notes, that Governor MoFo would be as reluctant to call for a special election before November in HD144 as he is in CD22 and SD19.

[Czolgosz]

10. Isn't Michael Wallace's selection pretty much a done deal?

How does Nick Lampson match up against Wallace (I understand that Wallace is pretty weak in the portions of CD 22 outside of Sugarland?

[PDittie]

11. David Wallace eom

[Czolgosz]

14. No it's Michael Wallace; David Wallace is the douchebag mayor of Sugarland

I think renowned journalist Michael Wallace (this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Wallace_(journalist)) is a shoo in to get the nod.

[PDittie]

15. Sugar Land

The Grammar Police are speeding your way with punctuation handcuffs and misppelling leg irons.

:bounce:

[Czolgosz]

16. If we're getting technical, it's also "douche bag" instead of douchebag

I fully confess my crimes against the English language and humbly ask for Strunk's and White's forgiveness.