I highly recommend reading this excellent analysis:
Assault on DeLay is All About Politics
http://www.conservative.org/columnists/lessner/04132005rl.asp
"Democrats despise DeLay because he is a tough, principled conservative and an effective majority leader who is successful in driving the Republican agenda though the House. Unable to win elections, and bereft of anything positive to offer the country, the Democrats and their Soros-funded allies have become little more than a pack of seething scandalmongers."
The only thing underhanded about Pubbies is their pitching. Pubbies won't play hardball even when the Rats are playing slimeball.