Delay Delay May Have Cost Republicans A House Seat

[Nbadan]

Judge Darlene Bryne at 5:10 yesterday granted a Temporary Restraining Order against the Chair of Texas Republican Party from calling the first meeting of the Republican Distirct Executive Committee to name a replacement for Tom DeLay. The State Democratic party argued that DeLay cannot be replaced on the ballot. Saying, specifically - among other things - DeLay has finally let voters in on his true intent: he wants to have his name removed from the ballot in November and replaced with another candidate while keeping the money contributed to his primary campaign in clear violation of the Texas Election Code.

The Texas Election Code permits a candidate to withdraw. However, the Legislature attached a cost to withdraw after a primary. If a candidate withdraws after his party's primary, the party cannot substitute another candidate for the withdrawing candidate. The reason for this rule is simple - the Legislature did not want the candidates duping voters into contributing money and energy to the candidate in the primary, only to watch the candidate take the money and run, not in the general election, but to the bank.

So the law places the burden on the party in whose primary the candidate ran - in this instance the Republican party - to make sure that candidates in the party's primary intend to and will run in the general election. If the Party fails to impose this discipline, the penalty is that the Party cannot insert another candidate into the race for District 22.

[exstatic]

I'm sure DeLay doesn't care, as long as he can loot that campaign fund for his obviously needy legal defense fund.

[xrayzebra]

But, but, but the dimm-o-craps always play fair. They wouldn't try to steal an election.
Must be a mis-print. Oh, I am so disillusioned.

[fyatuk]

Good. Delay was the mastermind behind the redistricting that completely screwed the Dems, besides the fact that he's a crook, etc.

Hopefully the Dems will make some inroads in both the National and State elections so there's a better balance in the government.

[Extra Stout]

So it looks like Tom DeLay's replacement will be Democrat Nick Lampson. Not exactly new blood, though Lampson does get revenge for DeLay's initiative to carve up Lampson's old district and turn him out of office.

[Nancy Pelosi]

This is the way we do things. All lawful and everything. I will be the speaker of the
house or there will be hell to pay. Besides we love the judges when they do things
the way we want.