DeLay Wins Texas Republican Primary

[AGENDA21]

HOUSTON (AP) - In his first election since he was indicted and forced to step aside as majority leader, Rep. Tom DeLay held off three challengers to keep the Republican nomination to the U.S. House. Now he faces what many consider the real contest - a general election fight against an organized, well-funded Democrat with a score to settle.

Nick Lampson, who was unopposed in Tuesday's primary, represented a district adjacent to DeLay's for four terms until it was redrawn in a redistricting plan engineered by DeLay. Lampson lost in 2004 to Republican Ted Poe.

DeLay, 58, held on to his ballot position by avoiding public discussions of his considerable political problems - a felony money-laundering indictment, close ties to lobbyist Jack Abramoff and the loss of his leadership position.

Instead, DeLay campaigned at carefully orchestrated events, avoided direct interviews with reporters and largely focused on his hometown of Sugar Land. It paid off with a 2-to-1 victory margin over lawyer Tom Campbell, who had ties to the first President Bush's administration, and two other candidates.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5670652,00.html

[KnaveRupe]

1. Well, there ya go.

Need any more proof that the rank-and-file republican voter is too stupid for words?

Once again, an opportunity to clean up their own mess is SOUNDLY rejected by the party of "personal responsibility". Is there nothing these people do that is untainted by hypocrisy, poor judgement, or outright criminality?

[napi21]

2. Yea, I know, I wanted to smash little bug last night too!

However, many other DUers wanted him to win becaause they think HE will be much easier to defeat in Nov. His problems are not going away, but are getting worse. I guess we'll see.

[KnaveRupe]

12. Oh, Absolutely!

It's great that he won! He will be an albatross around the whole Republican party's neck right up through November!

That was my point in saying that rank and file Republicans are absolute idiots. They could have given their party a slim chance to keep that seat and a good chance to take DeLaybramoff out of every Democratic ad for the next 8 months.

Instead, they lobbed us the BugMan to swat right out of the freakin' park.

I :heart: Chuckleheaded Republicanimrods!

[Earth_First]

3. Unreal. Need proof that Washington is broken? The "fix" is in! n/t

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. I'll tell you a secret

He's gonna win the general as well, indictment or no.

The people in his district would elect Goerring if he was listed under the GOP banner.

It's really that simple.

[kevinbgoode]

6. megachurches do not mind corruption

after all, isn't that the foundation most televangelistas are built on anyway? Being a corrupt politician is actually reassuring to these people, as long as the corruption is used to further their agenda.

[Just Me]

8. But, he can't be "elected" if he's convicted.

True?

[Geoff R. Casavant]

10. If it's not past indictment, I agree.

But between now and November, Abramoff will be singing, and Ronnie Earle is working away in Austin. If Delay has to drop out now, the Repubs will be scrambling to find a replacement and get him/her up to speed. With luck, trial starts in late September or October.

[bigdarryl]

5. Delay election

There's something in the water in Sugar Land Texas plain and simple.

[Virginia Dare]

7. He's been paid good money to do the bidding of his masters...

they'll fight to keep him in.

[MsUSA]

9. Yeah, that rank and file will follow along regardless......

heard on NPR some of those faithful saying, that * prays everyday to make the right decisions, "and if he's doing that I will follow him regardless"......and I'm sure that's with delay too. Just makes me sick..... :puke:

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Great news!

This is a Republican seat, but if Delay still hasn't resolved his legal problems by November it is likely to go Democratic. If any other Republican had been the nominee, it would have likely stayed in the GOP column.