DeLay Stays on the Ballot

As I noted the other day, Texas Republicans will not be allowed to replace Tom DeLay on the ballot.

This should make the campaigns interesting. Democrats outside Texas will doubtless try to tie Congressional candidates to DeLay. But DeLay will probably play - to some extent - the role of aggrieved victim of Democrats playing politics, who refused to allow him to walk away.

He will have to choose whether to run for the seat itself - promising to serve the full term - or whether he will promise to resign after being elected, thereby creating a new election to replace him, in which Texas Republicans could select their nominee in a primary. The latter course would probably be easier - since more people will probably vote for a new election than will vote for DeLay. But now that he's been forced back in, I bet DeLay will not go halfway, and will instead run for the seat for real.

Expect it to be a very expensive race - in the $10 million range for both candidates.

Update: I have DeLay's response below



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