Run, Tom, Run!

GOP Loses Bid to Drop DeLay From Texas Ballot

By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 8, 2006; Page A06

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia refused yesterday to block an appeals court ruling to keep former congressman Tom DeLay as the Republican candidate on the ballot, all but ensuring that the former House majority leader will stand for election in November for his suburban Houston district.

DeLay was under indictment in Texas and facing a possible House ethics investigation when he resigned his seat in June and announced he would move to Alexandria in hopes of removing his name from the ballot.

But Democrats, eager to keep the politically tainted DeLay on the ballot, argued that he won the Republican primary this spring and cannot now decide on a successor without violating state election law and the U.S. Constitution. DeLay maintains a home in his district and cannot show that he would be living outside the district on Election Day, Democrats asserted.

A Republican federal judge in Texas ruled in favor of the Democratic argument last month, and that ruling was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans last week. With the election less than 100 days away, Texas Republicans appealed to the Supreme Court yesterday to stay the appeals court ruling and allow them to pick a new candidate to stand against Democrat Nick Lampson in November. That appeal was routed to Scalia, who denied it just two hours after it was received.

Alright Tom, it's time to quit playing around and get serious about this campaign. The Republican party needs you to be a stand up guy, put the past issues behind you and run like heck. You've got three months and you're going to have more press than you could buy when you re-enter the race. You've got a successful record in Congress as the most effective leader in recent history. Time to suck it up and do your public/Republican duty.

I hope you're listening out there, 'cause there are a lot of folks counting on you. It's time to put on your gloves and come out swinging. Hope you do!

Full Story: Fish of Cut Bait Time for DeLay

What do you think?

To leave your opinion click on the word "COMMENT(S)" below