Burnt Orange Report

DeLay Name I.D. at 77%

By Byron LaMasters

The Stakeholder brings us the news that Tom DeLay is a household name all across America. It was difficult to take advantage of Tom DeLay's ethical troubles nationally in the 2004 election, because many voters just had no knowledge of Tom DeLay. Now they do - and they don't like him. Time Magazine reports:

At first, it was easy to believe that the storm clouds gathering around House Majority Leader Tom DeLay signaled little more than another Washington tempest. After all, most Republicans reassured themselves, hardly anybody outside the Beltway or DeLay's district in Sugar Land, Texas, had even heard of the Congressman, much less cared about his inflammatory comments about judges or his overseas junkets that might have been paid for by lobbyists. But not any more. Letters and phone calls to congressional offices about DeLay have picked up sharply of late, an aide to the House GOP leadership says. The Majority Leader has become a punchline for late-night comedians; two weeks ago, he was the subject of the lead skit on Saturday Night Live. And one national poll, by Democrat Stan Greenberg, shows DeLay's name recognition at 77%—making him more famous than any other House member in modern history, except Newt Gingrich.