Burnt Orange Report

DeLay Dumps Bid To Remain Majority Leader

By Vince Leibowitz

U.S. Congressman Tom DeLay (R-Sugarland) Saturday walked away from his bid to hang on to the powerful post of House Majority Leader.

DeLay, who faces felony charges in a Travis County District Court, told Republican Congressmen in a letter:

"During my time in Congress, I have always acted in an ethical manner within the rules of our body and the laws of our land. I am fully confident time will bear this out...I cannot allow our adversaries to divide and distract our attention."

DeLay was forced to setp aside as Majority Leader after being indicted on campaign finance charges by a Travis County grand jury in for his role in a fund-raising scheme that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat incumbent Democrat Texas legislators in 2002 paving the way for the state's first Republican controlled legislature and a partisan, mid-decade redistricting scheme presently before the U.S. Supreme Court.

AP claims DeLay's decision came "amid growing pressure from fellow Republicans who were concerned about their own political futures in the wake of this past week's guilty pleas by lobbyist Jack Abramoff."

In addition to ditching his campaign to remain Majority Leader, DeLay faces a tough election in his own district. He has three opponents in the March 7 GOP primary—political activist and former teacher Pat Baig and attorneys Tom Campbell and Michael Fjetland. Former U.S. Congressman Nick Lampson will face the eventual winner in November as he was the lone Democrat to file seeking the seat. Libertarians Stan Norred and Bob Smither will seek that party's nomination at a June convention. Ex-U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Friendswood) and Gabriel P. Owens filed as independents. They will be forced to secure enough signatures from independent voters following the primary to get on the ballot.

Kuff has some interesting stuff on Stockman, via DeLay vs. World.

[Cross Posted on PolState.]

Vince Leibowitz is a regular contributor to Burnt Orange Report and the Political State Report. He may be reached at Vince_Leibowitz-at-verizon.net