Posted on 02/15/2006 9:40:33 AM PST by SolidSupplySide
DeLay campaign lashes out at a primary foe Campbell called an 'outsider,' but an aide says he's a 'citizen politician'
U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, forced onto the political defensive by ethical and legal charges, went on the offensive Tuesday, claiming one of his Republican primary opponents has overstated his GOP credentials.
DeLay's campaign said challenger Tom Campbell, a lawyer, has not been active in local party politics and has not voted regularly in Republican primaries.
"Every day he proves he's nothing more than an outsider who isn't concerned with conservative issues or fighting for the priorities of Texas taxpayers," DeLay campaign manager Chris Homan said of Campbell.
Campbell's campaign countered that no pure GOP insider would dare challenge the powerful DeLay, even if he has been weakened by a Travis County indictment relating to campaign finance and a federal investigation into his relationship with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
"The fact is that Tom Campbell is like you and me. He is not a career politician like Tom DeLay. He is a citizen politician," said Michael Stanley, Campbell's campaign chairman. "Tom Campbell calls on Tom DeLay to get beyond the negative, immaterial distractions and get back to the real issues that are important to the people of the district."
Republican Party officials in Fort Bend and Harris County, who have close ties to DeLay, said they had neither seen nor heard of Campbell before he filed for office.
"We wouldn't have called him a conservative as far as being a Texas Republican," said Michael Wolfe, chairman of the Harris County Republican Party's candidate's committee.
Campbell is not in agreement with the Texas Republican Party platform, Wolfe said, citing Campbell's stance against a plank to abolish the Internal Revenue Service and another that states children born in the United States of illegal immigrants should be barred from citizenship.
DeLay, who was unopposed in the 2004 primary and won with 80 percent of the vote in 2002, has said he takes all political challenges seriously. His campaign's attacks on Campbell suggest that he wants to head off any groundswell of support for the challenger, an analyst said.
"Is Campbell a threat to DeLay? I find it hard to believe Mr. Campbell is going to win a primary against DeLay. But he doesn't have to win to do damage to DeLay," said Rice University political scientist Bob Stein. "DeLay needs to win with a substantial number of votes, so he can demonstrate that he is the standard-bearer for his party."
The other Republican primary candidates in the 22nd Congressional District are former school teacher Pat Baig and lawyer Michael Fjetland.
You gave me a quote from a poster stating that Delay would lose in Nov.8th and that is why we should drop him.
Now, if Delay can beat Campbell in the primary then he should be supported as a conservative who has gone into the trenches for the GOP.
I think Campbell is a better choice then Delay.
That's true. I wouldn't recommend that anyone vote for Fjetland or Baig in the primary just because they are in the Republican primary.
But Campbell is a solid conservative. On my big three, taxes, traditional values and the GWOT, Campbell scores a 100% on conservatism. He also is a conservative on lesser issues like the environment.
I'm kind of puzzled why you think that Campbell is not a conservative.
Delay is expecting a tough race, knowing how much the DNC is out to get him.
As for Lampson, he is only a 'moderate' to the MSM.
What is his stand on the 2nd Amendment?
How about Iraq?
What if Campbell beats DeLay?
If Campbell beats Delay, then he will get my vote in the General election.
It is unlikely though, as even the rapid anti-Delay Houston Chronicle concedes.
Delay has a lot better chance at losing the general election than anyone else.
There you go again. When you can't argue logically, turn to name calling. Frustrating isn't it. Good-bye, this discussion is over.
Pro second amendment, do not know about Iraq, was strong on Afganistan, anti nafta, but he is pro abortion.
I think then you can take those polls for what they are, Democrat propaganda to get their vote out.
Your guy is for "lower taxes". That's so yesterday. Tom Delay is for the Fair Tax, and that's why "moderates" (wink wink) won't support him. Instead they'll help the libs send him up the river.
Forget winning in the 22nd District.
Now its a matter of who is going to be the better representative.
Why will Delay be better? and no not because democrats, the houston chronicle, or george soros hates him.
Not to a guy who is pro-abortion he doesn't.
It seems you cannot appreciate that the voters in the CD22 GOP primary have two fine conservatives on the ballot -- DeLay and Campbell. Why don't you think Campbell is a conservative?
For me, I recognize that I agree with the politics of both DeLay and Campbell. It is hard to distinguish between the two on that level. Therefore, I am left with character. Campbell wins on that factor.
I know what values Delay holds, he is a solid conservative.
I haven't seen much on Campbell.
Feel free to link me to anything you have on him.
Its a legitimate post. If you can't stand the heat...
You're the one name calling, RINO, non conservative etc.
Except for GW Bush.
Judging from my mailbox, DeLay doesn't think this is a winning platform in the election. He hasn't mentioned it in any of his campaign material. The last one I received yesterday bragged at how much pork DeLay has brought to the district.
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