Texas Redistricting Is One More Hurdle for DeLay

[Judi Lynn]

Texas Redistricting Is One More Hurdle for DeLay

By RICK LYMAN
Published: January 12, 2006
HOUSTON, Jan. 11 - Representative Tom DeLay is in the toughest re-election campaign of his 11-term House career, a battle that might be decided not only by his legal problems, but also by the Congressional redistricting plan he spearheaded in 2003.

Michael Stravato for The New York Times



If Representative Tom DeLay of Texas, above, wins the Republican primary, he will face Nick Lampson in November.



Michael Stravato for The New York Times

Mr. Lampson lost his seat when a campaign spearheaded by Mr. DeLay redrew Congressional districts in 2003.

The redistricting led to the loss of six Democratic seats in Texas in 2004, but it also shifted thousands of Democratic voters to strong Republican districts. Among those, Mr. DeLay's 22nd District added several Democratic-leaning parts of Galveston County; several political analysts estimate they may have raised the district's Democratic vote around 5 percent.

"There is huge irony here," said Richard Murray, a University of Houston political scientist. "Six Democrats in Congress were eliminated, but the seventh victim may turnout to be the author of the plan."

Should Mr. DeLay survive, as expected, a March 7 primary challenge by three Republican opponents, in November he will face a former Democratic congressman, Nick Lampson, whose district once included those parts of Galveston County now in Mr. DeLay's district.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/12/politics/12delay.html?hp&ex=1137042000&en=69b28fa361d98601&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=login

[E-Z-B]

1. Karma's a bitch

and DeLay's about to learn.