Burnt Orange Report

A National Theme?

By Byron LaMasters

I've blogged twice in the past couple of weeks on a theme for Democrats in the 2004 congressional races. Republicans are abusing their power, whether it be by trying to impeach judges they don't like or by forcing an unprecedented recall election of a fairly elected Democratic governor, calling the Capitol Police to have Democrats removed from a house committee library, changing the rules with redistricting because they don't like the current districts that favor Republicans anyway, trying to change the senate filibuster rule and ignoring senate judicial committee rules to ram through arch-conservatives like William Pryor who won't uphold the law.

The Republican Party at every level has abused the power entrusted to them by the people who elected them. There ought to be consequences for it. Will this become a national theme for the 2004 congressional races? Early evidence suggests that it is. Charlie Stenholm is bringing the redistricting fight to Washington State. From the National Journal's CongressDaily:

Asked about House Majority Leader DeLay's efforts to redraw House districts in Texas to put more Republicans in office, House Agriculture ranking member Charles Stenholm, D-Texas, today warned sugar growers meeting in Blaine, Wash., that DeLay's plans "will wipe out" five districts that are primarily rural. Farmers and others in agriculture nationwide must "take a hard look" at DeLay's efforts, he said. Adding he feels "targeted," Stenholm said no one "can draw [a district] more Republican than mine." Stenholm told sugar growers who do not live in his district that their "financial support will be appreciated."

It's a good talking point. Rural voters everywhere, not just in Texas will be hurt by the loss of five rural representatives. Maybe this could also cause rural / farming interests to reevaluate their support of Republicans and Tom DeLay in many cases. Or maybe I'm just optimistic.