DeLay, Republicans Face Political Setback on Texas Voting Map
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to review congressional redistricting in Texas is a new setback for Republicans and Representative Tom DeLay, who lost his House leadership post over the issue and now finds the plan he engineered in legal jeopardy.
The high court may force a redrafting of the redistricting map that helped Republicans pick up five U.S. House seats in Texas in the 2004 elections. The decision to consider the case is a symbolic boost to Democrats in Texas and Congress, without guaranteeing them more seats as they seek to win back control of the House.
DeLay, then House majority leader, worked to elect state lawmakers who backed the change and then personally visited the Capitol in Austin to consult on where to draw the district lines. He was indicted Oct. 3 on money-laundering and conspiracy charges related to fund-raising for the Texas statehouse candidates.
``This is another blow to DeLay,'' said Amy Walter, House editor of the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter based in Washington.
posted by EAPrez @ 10:09 AM
1 Comments
1 Comments:
Ironically, though, the DeLay redistricting plan, if it survives, may spell the doom of DeLay anyway.
He was very generous in parcelling out Republican territory to other districts, and absorbed a relatively high number of Democrats in his own, apparently thinking that as a member of the leadership, he could survive it. And last time around, he won by a somewhat underwhelming 55-41% against an unknown Democrat.
DeLay's opponent this time around is likely to be former Congressman Nick Lampson, who was 'delaymandered' out of the second district and lost in 2004 to Ted Poe. He has since moved into DeLay's 22nd district, and in fact represented about 30% of it for years (a heavily Democratic 30% at that). Lampson has the experience both at campaigning and serving in Congress, and fundraising ability, to compete with DeLay anyway. And, not too long ago there was a poll out showing that DeLay was even losing to an 'unnamed Democrat.' It will be even harder for him against a proven candidate.
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