Exclusive: DeLay Leans Toward Standing Aside, Endorsing Write-In
Ever since the mugshot taken when he was booked on money laundering
charges, former Congressman Tom DeLay of Texas has been grinning through his court appearances and resignation speeches. He even mischievously suggested recently on TV that Democratic efforts to keep him on the November ballot might prompt him to seek reelection. On Monday, the Democrats won the ballot battle and Republican sources tell TIME that DeLay is leaning to another surprising move -- stepping aside and supporting a write-in candidate for his old seat.
A Republican official with first-hand knowledge of the deliberations by DeLay said he "more likely than not" will go that route, although he had not made a final decision. "With DeLay, you never know," the official said.
DeLay plans to make the announcement this week, the officials said. Monday's decision by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia denying high court review of the ballot issue means Republicans will not be able to put another party candidate's name on the November ballot. Democrats believe that will boost the chances for a victory by Democrat Nick Lampson. The former congressman, who lost a neighboring district in DeLay's redistricting shuffle, had $2.1 million in campaign funds by last official count. Democratic operatives testifying in Austin last month said keeping DeLay's name on the ballot would boost Lampson's profile with national Democratic big donors.
Some Republican lawyers said the write-in strategy could prevail if DeLay's name remains on the ballot, or if officials allow him to withdraw so that no Republican name appears.
The write-in effort in the 22nd District of Texas would bring a fresh, unsullied face to the hunt. "Lampson's best shot has always been against DeLay--Lampson's record is too liberal for a Republican district," a GOP official said, signaling the tack the party plans to take. An official close to DeLay said: "Nick Lampson would lose this race to a write-in candidate who had any name ID at all."
The write-in candidate has not been chosen, but Republican officials in
Washington said they have a good chance of retaining the seat if it is a credible candidate like a mayor, judge or state legislator. Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace has expressed interest in running. Write-in candidates have until Aug. 29 to apply for a slot on the ballot. National Republicans are prepared to put money into the write-in campaign if a promising candidate is found. "You can buy name ID," said a Republican official, using campaign shorthand for making a candidate well known in the district.
But the notion of a write-in campaign drew a different reaction in Texas.
"This would be met with ridicule and scorn," said Bill Miller, a Republican
consultant with close ties to the state's GOP legislative leadership. "This
strategy would be like handing the seat to the Democrats on a silver platter," Miller said. "Tom Delay will be remembered for the craziest end to his political career."
Miller said it is arrogant to think voters will support a write-in gambit.
"Anointing a candidate never works," Miller said. "Voters are likely to say,
'The hell with 'em' and write in their own name, their kid's name." Plus, if his name remained on the ballot, it is likely DeLay would attract some of the
vote away from the write-in candidate.
DeLay is a proven draw when it comes to national Democratic fundraising and he continues to garner support in his old Texas district, where he won the March primary election with 62% of the vote. But his legal troubles have cut into that hometown popularity and when DeLay made his stunning decision not to run again, it was based partly on a poll showing he might have to struggle for the seat while almost any other Republican would win easily.
DeLay's legal woes will not be going away before Election Day. In Texas, he
is appealing state money-laundering charges linked to funneling prohibited
corporate donations to state legislative races. Meanwhile in Washington, the Jack Abramoff scandal has ensnared two of DeLay's former aides
and on Monday prompted Republican Congressman Bob Ney to announce he would not seek re-election.
DeLay has suggested in television appearances that he would give Democrats their worst nightmare by mounting a full-fledged campaign for the seat if the court fight failed, and DeLay's team gave serious consideration to that route. But out of the more than $3 million raised by his reelection committee last year, DeLay still had some $641,000 on his latest federal elections report in June and he testified in an Austin federal court last month that he has embarked on a new career. DeLay has signed with an international speakers' bureau, and has a contract with a bestselling author who will write an as-told-to book that will include DeLay's views on his Christian faith. However, Miller warned that DeLay
could jeopardize his ties to conservative Republicans if he adopted the write-in scenario.
Royal Masset, the former political director of the Republican Party of Texas, said DeLay's old district is still "winnable" by the GOP even with DeLay as
the candidate, but a write-in campaign would be "a disaster." Masset warned his fellow Republicans to recall the last time they ran a major write-in effort.
In 1976, Donald Yarbrough, an unknown with a mess of legal woes said he was called to run "by God" for a seat on the state Supreme Court. Yarbrough won the Democratic primary on the strength of sharing the same last name with several notable Texas Democrats. Republicans thought they saw an opening and launched a statewide write-in campaign for their own candidate who also boasted a famous last name - Houston, as is Sam Houston. Masset said the GOP bombarded voters with free pencils and copies of sample write-in ballots. But Yarbrough won with over 90% of the vote. Later, Justice Yarbrough was indicted for perjury by DeLay's nemesis, prosecutor Ronnie Earle, then fled to Grenada and was discovered there attending medical school when the U.S. invaded the Caribbean island nation.
