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Fri 1 Sep, 2006 05:09 pm
Sept. 1, 2006, 7:32AM
Lampson to skip special election
By KRISTEN MACK
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
Nick Lampson, the Democratic nominee to succeed former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay when Congress convenes next year, said Thursday that he has decided not to run in the special election for DeLay's unexpired term.
Lampson said he wants to limit confusion at the ballot box, since the special election will coincide with the general election Nov. 7, when only two months will remain on DeLay's term.
"Enough is enough," said Lampson, who served four terms in the House before redistricting engineered by DeLay forced him from office in 2004. "I am not going to put voters through that extra confusion. I am going to focus my attention on the general election and the next full term of Congress."
Houston City Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs and retired Air Force Force Maj. Don Richardson have filed for the special election. The filing deadline is 5 p.m. today.
The winner of the special election will represent the 22nd Congressional District from the day the election results are certified until a new Congress begins in January. At that point, the winner of the general election will become the representative of the suburban Houston district.
I know this is a ploy to fill his space with another Republican, but I fail to see how it enhances their chances.
Dunno. Maybe trying to create an equivalence between an elected Republican and the Democrat who will replace him, setting up a confrontation six years down the line?
More likely a steppingstone for someone of either party who wants a political career-a win is a win, regardless of the duration of the office.
I think a TV show gave me the clue this AM. The Republican favorite is likely to win the special election, especially since the Democrat refused to file for it. They figure this will motivate her supporters to make the special effort to write her in in the general election. It seems probable this will give her more votes. We just have to wait to see how many.
Yeah, thats what I read - having Shelley Sekula-Gibbs on the special election ballot would make it more likely for her to win the regular one as write-in candidate as well. Even just because of the name recognition issue: "Shelley Sekula-Gibbs" isnt exactly an easy name to remember, but now Republicans would be able to just copy it from the special election ballot.
Still, what that strategy must not have calculated in is that the special election would attract three rival Republicans:
Special election draws 5 for DeLay seat - including former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman. That kind of division in the other race cant be good for Sekula-Gibbs's write-in campaign in the regular one..
Running as a Republican, Shelley Sekula-Gibbs doesn't have a chance.
Why? Obvious. Half her last name sounds like "secular". We all know how Republicans feel about anything "secular"-secular government, secular education-you name it, if it's "secular", they're agin' it.
Alas, the lady, pretty as she is, is doomed.
When it comes to defeating the evil known as the Democrats, they will vote for most anybody.
Like the final outcome or hate it, it's going to be exciting to watch.
From
Juanita's.
Beware that this is just a short opinion piece from a partisan blog, but I'm quoting it here because it may be onto something interesting.
Quote: It's common knowledge that practically nobody in the GOP wants Shelley to win the special election. Winning it would make her the presumptive Republican nominee in 2 years. She was nobody's first choice, and only a few people had her as second choice. Talton, Wallace, and Howard are all cheering for her to get whipped. Let's see which one of them is willing to get out and help her win.
With three candidates already, it's gonna be a mess.
So the election to replace DeLay will occur in two years, not six. Which might be why people are even bothering to run for a term which might last only a couple of weeks.
I live rather close to that district, but I don't follow Republicans that much. Until she was chosen to run, I had not heard of her at all.
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