One of the interesting stories that will be circulating over the next few days regards the Texas primaries on Tuesday. In particular, Tom DeLay is finding that his ill fortunes have incented three challengers to run. From WaPo, via Stygius:
[E]mboldened by DeLay’s legal and ethical troubles, three Republicans have stepped up to oppose his renomination.
If DeLay emerges as the party’s candidate, the road to reelection will not get any smoother. Former representative Nick Lampson, who has no opponent in the Democratic primary, has been running since last year and, with $1.4 million, has slightly more cash on hand than DeLay, according to the latest campaign finance report. A Houston Chronicle poll in January showed Lampson with a lead over DeLay of eight percentage points.
It will not help DeLay that his district is more Democratic, ironically by his own making. DeLay’s legal and ethical entanglements stem from his efforts to redistrict Texas to elect more Republicans to the U.S. House.
It’s been pointed out that DeLay is expected to survive the primary, but pundits will be watching the margin of victory…or whether he has to go to a runoff…to determine how impaired DeLay really is by his legal troubles in the eyes of his electorate.
I don’t have an informed opinion about how that race will turn out. Instead, I’m just happy as a clam that election stats season is starting up.