WILL McCAUL BE THE FIRST OF THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN CREATED IN THE TOM DELAY TEXAS GERRYMANDER TO BE OUSTED?

First a little background: Texas' 10th Congressional District was illegally created in a blatant powerplay by Tom DeLay. With the Republicans in complete control of all branches of Texas government, DeLay was able to force through an illegal gerrymander of the state's congressional districts in time for last year's elections. The Democratic stronghold of Austin was cut into 3 pieces and divided among 3 newly created GOP districts (effectively disenfranchising Austin's progressives and minorities). Mike McCaul, the son-in-law of L. Lawry Mays, CEO of the Republican propaganda network Clear Channel, ran, unopposed, on a platform of "Bush, Bush, Bush... and more Bush." In office he has been a complete and utter corporate shill, helping many times over all the fat cat donors who financed his primary battle (the most expensive congressional primary in American history). With Howard Dean as DNC Chairman, districts like this will not be going uncontested by the Democrats. And in 2006 the Democrats already have a strong candidate, Ted Ankrum. Ankrum, a highly decorated disabled combat veteran with 4 tours of duty in Vietnam (Bronze Star, Navy Commendation Medal, Purple Heart) was outraged when McCaul voted against increasing veterans benefits (while he works assiduously to abolish the estate tax for multi-millionaires). Ankrum worked for NASA and as the Deputy Head of the EPA specializing in cleaning up the hazardous waste sites abandoned by corporate industrial polluters (the ones McCaul and his Repuke pals are always trying to shield from Justice).

He'll make a strong candidate against McCaul but the 10th IS tailor-made, courtesy of DeLay, for a Republican. And now the news: over the weekend Texas Libertarian Michael Badnarik announced that he's running in the 10th too. Badnarik ran against Bush and Kerry in the 2004 presidential election. He is unlikely to draw more than 6-7% of the vote but that could be enough assistance for Ankrum to defeat McCaul.