Dems now gunning for DeLay? (former Congressman Nick Lampson may run)

[Freddie Stubbs]

11:04 AM CDT on Tuesday, April 5, 2005

By Doug Miller / 11 News

A growing number of Democrats are thinking about running against Tom DeLay, the Sugar Land Republican who's one of Washington's most powerful members of Congress.

DeLay has been admonished by the House ethics committee and has faced questions about overseas travel. And now, 11 News has learned a couple of well-known Democrats are considering campaigning against DeLay.

Voters have elected Tom DeLay to Congress for 20 years now. But now, some Democrats think he's vulnerable.

Houston city council member Gordon Quan has confirmed for that he's talked with national Democratic Party leaders about running against DeLay.

more: http://www.khou.com/news/local/fortbend/stories/khou050404_jt_delay.1a698823c.html

[leftofcool]

1. Poor Tom........... eom

[Tempest]

3. Couldn't happen to a more deserving person

I can see the bumper stickers now:

Exterminate DeLay

[leftofcool]

8. Oh, I want one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! eom

[Tempest]

2. DeLay's approval rating is in the toilet

A recent poll in his district had only 38% voting for him, and 49% voting for anyone but DeLay.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. It wasn't that great last year

But he was still reelected.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. He'll be serving a different kind of term before the next election

Leavenworth Federal Prision from Kent State University

[leftofcool]

5. Let us hope so!!! eom

[crispini]

6. Now, where the hell were all of these people

in 2004? I find it very irritating that Richard Morrison PROVED that DeLay was vulnerable in his own district by running such a strong race, and raised a lot of money from small donors, and now that he's been the trailblazer, and some cracks are showing in the bugman's armor, here come all of these other coat-tail riders. Oh well, I suppose that's par for the course.

MY money's STILL going to Morrison, who is ALREADY running:

www.morrisonfor22.com

[mopinko]

13. ditto np

[Gman]

7. Morrison has worked hard to beat Delay

and is running again next year. I wish everyone else would stay out of it and let Morrison have it in the primary.

The General Election will all boil down to where the DCCC decides to put their money, if they decide to get involved in the primary or if these guys are independently wealthy.

And, just because Quan says he's talked to "national Democratic Party leaders" by no means says he has their support. They are constantly looking for candidates and encouraging them to run. If they win the primary, they may or MAY NOT get nationally available money, including DCCC money for the general election. If it's decided that the Dem can't'/won't win in November, the money goes to candidates somewhere nationwide that have a better chance of winning including incumbents that are in trouble.

DCCC = Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

[last_texas_dem]

9. This is good to hear

I can't think of a Rep I'd like to see defeated more in '06 than the Bug Man!

It's also good to see Lampson may run against him. He was the former Rep of the Congressional district adjacent to mine before Delay "undistricted" him out of his seat. I interned for his district office my last semester of college and got to meet him and found him to be a really nice guy. He's also a good Democrat; the bulk of his district was "blue" Jefferson County... in fact, he might be considered "too liberal" by the voters in Delay's ultraconservative district. But if they've had enough of Delay, maybe not.

[golfboy]

10. Why aim at one guy?

Aren't there bigger problems to tackle than Tom Delay?

[zipplewrath]

11. He's the money man for the whole operation

Delay arranges funding for the election of many "like minded" republicans. Get him out, and it allows a move towards a different kind of "like mind". Also potentially reduces the flow of cash from its current sources.

[last_texas_dem]

12. Sure, but

In terms of targeting someone for defeat in an election, knocking off someone like Delay is a major symbolic victory. Just as defeating Minority Leader Daschle in '04 was the cherry on top of getting Shrub in there again for the Republicans, defeating Delay in '06 would be an impressive feat for the Dems.

Plus, it's really more than symbolic... Delay is the Majority Leader and plays a major part in what types of policies get voted on by the U.S. House of Reps. Sure, if he's defeated and the Repugs still hold the majority in the House they'll just replace him with someone similar, but they'll have to work hard to find someone as shamelessly crooked as Delay.

[bluedeminredstate]

14. He also enforces the absolute obedience

that the GOP reps. show in votes. He also keeps votes open against the rules until Reps. can be blackmailed, beaten or forced to watch their wives assaulted and give up the vote Delay wants.
He's a bully who is the De Facto Speaker of the House, letting Hastert have the title but making sure the eunuch does what he tells him.

I spoke to someone this summer at a family reunion (who is married to a distant cousin - I barely knew him) who was formerly the head of the Congressional Budget Office (Jesus, did I pick his brain!! Talk about Heaven...). He was very, very interesting, full of great stories, said Clinton was the smartest person he ever met, but was mostly careful about what he said. When I asked about DeLay, he practically spat out that he was EVIL!!!
I had been trying my hardest to get good dirt and he was too polite and too smart to really dish, but at the mention of the Hammer's name, his response was instinct.

[Freddie Stubbs]

15. "absolute obedience" is a myth

Anytime there is a contorversial bill there are usually a few moderate Republcians who will cross party lines and vote against the GOP majority.

And with regards to keeping votes open for extended periods of time, that was an abuse that was started long before Newt & his gang took over in 1994.