Posted on 03/08/2006 9:49:03 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay on Tuesday held off the most serious challenge to his job in Washington since first being elected to congress in 1984.
Fending off three challengers, the 11-term Republican congressman will now face Nick Lampson in the November election.
“This race was about who can effectively represent the values and the priorities of the people in this district,” DeLay said from Washington. “I’m proud to have earned, and overwhelmingly kept, that trust among Republican voters.
“Not only did they reject the politics of personal destruction, but they strongly rejected the candidates who used those Democrat tactics as their platform.”
Tom Campbell, considered DeLay’s top challenger, mustered only 25 percent of the vote.
“I am proud of what we accomplished,” said Campbell, who warned DeLay that more work was needed to keep the seat in Republican hands.
“Mr. DeLay needs to earn back those votes (cast for Campbell and the other challengers). I would like to see that seat remain in Republican hands, but Mr. DeLay has a lot of work to do.”
Lampson said he was prepared for the challenge.
“Tonight is the first big step toward a big change in November,” he said.
“The departure of Mr. DeLay has been delayed long enough.”
In the other Galveston County congressional race, Ron Paul cruised to an easy victory over Cynthia Sinatra. The Brazoria County Republican earned almost 80 percent of the vote districtwide. He will face Democrat Shane Sklar in November.
Incumbent Gov. Rick Perry scored an easy win of the GOP nomination over three challengers, netting more than 80 percent of the vote statewide. Likewise, former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell won clear victor among Democratic Party voters over two opponents. Bell took more than 60 percent of the statewide vote.
Along with Bell, Perry could face two charismatic independents — state Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn and humorist Kinky Friedman are hoping to collect enough signatures to get on the November ballot.
Meanwhile, voters passed slates of propositions that will become parts of their parties’ platforms during campaigns for November’s general election. Republican voters passes four propositions — proposing requiring a photo ID to vote in any Texas election, prohibiting taking of private property, limiting some government spending increases and reducing the property tax increase rate to 5 percent or less.
Democrats passed two — raising the minimum wage and restoring rights to trial by jury in civil cases.
Bell is weaker than the DemocRATS want to let on. He's only raised $500,000 statewide. Pretty weak for a candidate for statewide office in the second most populous state.
Did Frank pass away?
Yes. It's the Frank Sinatra Jr.'s ex-wife.
L
Sinatra Makes Last-Second Push for Votes (Ron Paul Opponent)
Galveston Daily News ^ | March 4, 2006 | TJ Aulds
Posted on 03/04/2006 3:24:58 PM CST by anymouse
It almost sounds as if this Campbell fellow intentionally acted as a spoiler, siphoning off GOP voters so they wouldn't vote GOP in the general election.
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