Contender for Tom Delay's Seat Quits

Houston Chronicle ^ | 8-22-06 | Eric Hanson / Ruth Rendon

[no dems]

SUGAR LAND — Citing his desire to support the Republican Party in its difficult write-in campaign to hold the congressional seat vacated by Tom DeLay, Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace withdrew from the race Monday.

The move leaves Houston Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs as the sole Republican write-in candidate — a condition, Wallace said, for $3 million in campaign funding from the national GOP.

The state party endorsed Sekula-Gibbs' candidacy last week at a meeting of GOP precinct chairs in the 22nd Congressional District.

"Now is the time for all Republicans to unite around one candidate and preserve our conservative voice in Congress," Wallace said during a news conference.

A federal court, ruling in a suit filed by Democrats, said Republicans could not replace DeLay on the Nov. 7 ballot, forcing the GOP to mount a write-in campaign.

The only candidates on the ballot in November will be Democrat Nick Lampson and Libertarian Bob Smither. Smither has encouraged Republicans to vote for him to keep the Republican-leaning district in conservative hands.

Sekula-Gibbs said Wallace called her to declare his plans. "He called me and said I had his full support"

Having just one Republican write-in candidate will improve the party's chances of holding the seat, she said.

"He expressed his willingness to be a team player and to work with the party. Basically he would work hard to make sure Congressional District 22 stays Republican," she said.

Besides campaigning and voicing her stance on different issues, Sekula-Gibbs said she will have to educate voters on how to vote for a write-in candidate on the electronic or optical scan ballots in use throughout the district. A Republican straight-party vote won't register for Sekula-Gibbs because she is a write-in candidate.

[no dems]

Does anyone think a write-in candidate has a chance; even in a District that voted 2 to 1 for Delay and almost that high of a margin for President Bush?

Wow, they sure made it easy by getting behind a candidate whose last name is Sekula-Gibbs

[LS]

It does seem difficult, but having worked precincts, I can guarantee you that EVERY Republican will be given a tear-out piece of paper with that name on it, and it will be HAMMERED (no DeLay pun intended) home for the next two months. Given the 2:1 ratio, she has a shot.

[RushingWater]

Doesn't Rush say never trust anyone with a hyphenated last name!

[ansel12]

Although he was the leading candidate he withdrew, to try and save the seat.

If only we had people like this in Florida.

[sportutegrl]

Rarely has a write in candidate won. I have worked on a write in campaign once and I met voters outside the polls, giving them a packet with a sample ballot that showed exactly how to vote and even a little peel and stick sticker so they wouldn't have to 'write in' the name. If we just got 50 percent of the voters that wanted to vote for our candidate, we would have won. I had voters coming out saying, "(your candidate)'s name wasn't on the ballot", I had the vote commissioner come out repeatedly and ask us to stop because voters were putting the stickers on the voting booth, on the laminated sample ballot in the voting booth, on the wrong place, usually over the other candidate's name, etc. It was a nightmare. The sad irony is they all wanted to vote for my candidate.

[samtheman]

Hope they can pull it off, but it seems like herding cats.

[maryz]

voters were putting the stickers on the voting booth, on the laminated sample ballot in the voting booth, on the wrong place,

I saw the same thing in Boston the last time someone ran a sticker campaign.

Years ago, I wanted to write in someone for mayor -- not that I thought he could win, but I couldn't stand either of the two regular candidates. None of the poll workers could tell me how to do it. I remained sweet through the two hours it took them to locate someone in the Election Department who could explain it.

[bert]

if she were really smart, she would campaign ......vote gibbs!! Write in my name GIBBS

[longtermmemmory]

Which is another example of poor decision making on the part of that candidate AND that party.

[bgsugar]

"Although he was the leading candidate he withdrew, to try and save the seat."


To the contrary, Wallace had no broad support among local leadership despite a heavy PR campaign funded by business associate DC oriented consultants. Lesson here that many need to keep relearning is all politics is local and, by the way, Shelley Seklua-Gibbs seems to be doing a good job of cultivating support among the local leaders and grassroots. Republicans can pull this off if they get focused because Lampson has had very little opportunity to get his message out and this is a Republican district. The major challenge is not philosophy, it's making voters understand how to make their wishes known in the voting booth.

[38special]

Well the district is less Republican than it used to be and the GOP write-in candidate is really a RINO.