HOW TOM DELAY'S GREATEST SLEIGHT OF HAND WILL BECOME HIS UNDOING-- PART I, THE MARCH GOP PRIMARY

Rozius is an old comrade in arms of DWT's from years and years of online skirmishing with right-wing loons. Recently we drove out to Crawford together to support Cindy Sheehan. Today he sent us the first of what we hope will be many contributions to our efforts here. Living in Tom DeLay's district Rozius has a unique perspective to share with us. Rozius...


To say that the last 5 months have been a downward spiral of bad publicity for Tom Delay would be an understatement.

But, forget that Tom Delay has served for 22 years in the vineyard of GOP fanaticism.

Forget that Tom Delay has been indicted for money-laundering illegal campaign contributions in his home state of Texas.

Forget that Tom Delay likely faces more charges of bribery and conspiracy for his dalliances with admitted GOP felon Jack Abramoff.

Forget that Tom Delay was forced from his position as the most powerful man in the House of Representative by his fellow Republicans.

When the history of the downfall of the modern day GOP political machine in America is written perhaps the most ironic portion will be the story of how "The Hammer" set up his own demise by redrawing Texas Congressional districts in an attempt to add to the GOP's already sizable majority in the House of Representatives.

And the instrument of that downfall will be a man who was forced from office by Delay's redistricting machinations, Nick Lampson.

But I am getting ahead of myself.

On Tuesday, March 7, Tom Delay faces what used to be a 'gimmee,' winning the Republican nomination for House District 22, a four county fiefdom headquartered in the suburban "ghetto of affluence" known as Sugarland, Texas.

In past GOP primaries Delay has never received less than 80% of the vote. This election cycle he is attempting to avoid being forced into a runoff by three Republican unknowns. Delay's campaign tactic during the 2006 primary has been to ignore his opponents and to talk about all the good he has done for his district. No one in the Delay campaign mentions the long list of legal and ethical problem that confront the candidate. When the subject is broached they brush the topic aside calling it "D. C. gossip."

Delay has run a low-key primary campaign concentrating on direct mail and phone banks to contact those who are most likely to vote for him or to burn books and witches. He has not run any radio or TV spots fearing that such ads would bring out the anti-Delay vote.

Under Texas law if no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast in the primary then the top two finishers must meet in an April run-off. It is unlikely that such a run-off will occur. Delay is wounded but he is still a popular figure among his reactionary Republican constituents and his opponents have split the anti-Delay vote three ways.

The Delay campaign seems to have few worries about the outcome on Tuesday as evidenced by the fact that he will not even be in Texas on election night. Delay will be busy attending a Washington fundraiser in his honor thrown by former Republican representatives Bill Paxton and Susan Molinari of New York as the votes are being counted on the Texas Gulf coast.

Should Delay prevail his Democratic opponent in November will be former Representative Nick Lampson who lost his 9th Congressional District seat due to Delay's gerrymandered redrawing of Texas congressional districts. Lampson is unopposed in the Democratic primary and is sitting on a $1.8 million campaign chest.

Also in the race is former Republican representative Steve Stockman, running as an Independent and a Libertarian to be named by a convention in June.

More on the primary results and the general election coming up.