Reply #9: It also doesn't mean he loses his power

[Norquist Nemesis]

DeLay rose to power by being the Go To guy. Want expensive cognac in your hotel room during a golf outing? Go To Tom. Need money for your campaign? Go To Tom. Have a secret fetish? Go To Tom.

Tom know the secrets and set up the lot of them. That's how he's been able to have such a stranglehold of his minions when it comes down to votes.

So, while he might not officially hold the seat he still has the goods on them. It's just going to be a question of how far they can distance themselves from him without saying anything bad about him. Distance will give them some breathing room, but I don't expect to see independance or criticism from the Republicans.

A Republican criticizing another Republican is equivalent to taking a cyanide pill.