Herald-Zeitung: The close Dist. 73 Republican primary drew recounts and double checks as the original 38-vote margin for challenger Doug Miller dwindled to 17 votes. Accusations of double voting and voter fraud emerged as Macias sought to overturn Miller's victory margin. And Macias' attempt to get the lawsuit judge replaced - just because, rather than for a specified reason - was rejected by the Texas Supreme Court last week.
The incumbent's decision to drop the lawsuit is the best decision for the Republican Party, which stands divided in the four counties of District 73, where more than 29,000 voters split their allegiances between Miller and Macias. This process already has been expensive and stopping the lawsuit halts that expenditure, particularly for Comal County taxpayers where the case was to be heard.
At any rate, Macias is not giving it up without one last dig at, well, everybody. And I mean, everybody. In a long concession statement sent to us this afternoon, he blasts:
The courts: "With the Supreme Court denying our request for a new judge and understanding the potential for this litigation to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, only to have a judge rule against the facts, is not my idea of a good investment."
Doug Miller: "Let's not forget the extremely suspicious irregularities that occurred with Doug Miller's sister-in-law counting the ballot box ...."
The media: "It is a shame that most, not all, of the local/regional media appear incapable of reporting the news in an unbiased manner to allow the voters to decide an election."
The "cross-over" Republicans: "For all the conservatives who crossed over and voted in the Democratic primary, the reality is that it had a profound impact on our State Representative race."
He even managed to take a shot at Rep. Carter Casteel, whom he beat in the 2006 primary: "Unlike your previous State Rep, I will contact Mr. Miller and make myself available to him."
And as Brooks points out, $5 million later... "this makes Rep. Wayne Christian the last Leininger man standing."
