I love it. I REALLY love it. DeLay's CD likely to go Democratic

Tom DeLay tried hard to choose his own successor in the Congressional seat he has held for two decades. That was why he tried to drop out and let the Republicans choose his replacement, but the Democrats scotched that effort.

Finally, "The Hammer" had no choice but to ask that his name be removed from the ballot in November and Texas law does not permit the Republican Party to replace his name on the ballot after he won the Primary. Nick Lampson, the Democrat, is now set to take the seat. From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Free reg required)

"No question it's possible," said Thode, GOP chairman in DeLay's home county until a few months ago. "I would hope that any logical thinking Republican will realize where the blame lies. The blame lies with Tom DeLay."

DeLay's voluntary withdrawal from the ballot Tuesday, the product of an attempt to have the party handpick his successor, has left Republicans with no choice but to try a long-shot write-in campaign. Yet they are in such disarray now that the hope of backing a single write-in candidate has essentially vanished. There are three declared write-ins, and one top state Republican, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, is urging Republicans to consider voting for the Libertarian candidate, who does have a spot on the ballot.

Citing the divisions and the $3 million that Democratic nominee Nick Lampson has raised, two leading political analysts -- Charlie Cook and Larry Sabato -- changed their ratings of the seat this week to "leans Democrat."

It had been "leans Republican" only a few days ago.

"This is extremely strange," said Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia. "No one could have predicted this. No one did predict it. It's a comedy of errors, but the joke is on the Republicans."

Even many Republicans now acknowledge the race is all but lost."

Mother was right. There IS real justice in the world! I love this.

[Granted, I am looking at eggs and counting chickens, and there are two-and-a-half months to go. If I were Nick Lampson I wouldn't take any plane rides until I was sworn into Congress next January.]

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See Previous posts:

• Tom DeLay to take name off ballot for Nov.
  August 9, 2006
• Tom DeLay must stay on ballot for Nov.
  August 3, 2006