Texas GOP trying to steal an election

[quaoar]

Got this email today from Richard Morrison, who ran against Tom DeLay:


My Friend Hubert Vo Needs Your Help to Keep the House Seat He Already Won!

This year, for the first time in a generation, Texas Democrats increased our numbers in the Texas House of Representatives. With Bush polling 62 percent at the top of the ticket, my good friend Hubert Vo knocked off a powerful incumbent by just 31 votes.

Now the GOP machine in Austin is trying to throw the contest in the state House, where their majority can vote to seat the loser. Please click here to help Hubert defray the legal expenses associated with the recount: http://r.vresp.com/?RichardMorrisonCongr/c05f601da3/251975/76aa5eed30/7a363d7

Hubert Vo won a stunning upset on Tuesday in his rookie race for State Representative, toppling Talmadge Heflin, the 22-year veteran and most powerful member of the Texas Legislature.

Hubert Vo came here 30 years ago from Vietnam because he had faith in our democratic system. He has worked hard and succeeded as a businessman and now as a first-time candidate.

His opponent, Talmadge Heflin, the powerful head of the Appropriations Committee, has not conceded and is threatening to contest the election in the Texas House of Representatives.

Here's more on the story from the Houston Chronicle:

A recount, however, is not a necessary prerequisite to contest the election. Heflin has until Dec. 8 to do that. The election would then be thrown to the House of Representatives, which could either seat Vo or overturn the election and require a new vote.

There have been several contested elections in the Texas House in recent years, but none has reversed the outcome. Most were withdrawn.

Buck Wood, one of several lawyers observing the Harris County vote canvass on Vo's behalf, said Heflin's case posed a potential public relations "nightmare" for Republicans.

With an 87-62 Republican majority (excluding the contested seat) in the House, partisanship could become a factor.

"This House has shown itself to be as partisan as any I've ever seen," Wood said.

This is the same extremely partisan House of Representatives that passed Tom DeLay's redistricting plan in 2003. Please don't let them steal this election from Hubert Vo. Click here to contribute: http://r.vresp.com/?RichardMorrisonCongr/23f45969a5/251975/76aa5eed30/7a363d7


thanks again,
Richard Morrison

[MrUnderhill]

1. Let them steal it!

There's a backlash to come when the redistricting court cases come around and Bush is no longer at the top of the ticket. It can only help if they abuse their power to seat someone against the will of the voters.

This assumes there is a recount and our guy still wins (no matter how narrowly).

That one seat isn't going to make a differenct overall... but could win us several more NEXT TIME if they blatantly steal it.

[cosmik debris]

4. You gotta be nutz

Give up -- HELL NO! We can't wait for a backlash to win with. that is a crazy idea!

[TexasSissy]

6. The redistricting matter has already been decided by the Tx. S.Ct.

I think, hasn't it? They decided it was legal.

[crispini]

8. Nope, it went to the SCOTUS

who said the redistricting was stinky and kicked it back to the district court. Not sure what's gonna happen next.

[TexasSissy]

9. Really? Very interesting.

[Democat]

2. This is a case worth fighting all the way to the Supreme Court

We need to damage Republicans "brand" on a national level every chance we get. Make them pay for being thugs.

[Mugsy]

3. Thanks for posting this. Vo is my rep.

First-time candidate Vo beat 20 year veteran Heflin by about 110 votes. The Heflin campaign pushed for recounts, and that lead magically dwindled as more and more "phantom votes" were dug up.

America needs to pay close attention to this one tiny election as it is a case study in "how to steal an election". :(

[Gothmog]

5. Heflin is toast, the gop is fighting over his office

Heflin and the GOP can not steal the election. The best that he can do is get a new election. The gop is already telling him to give up and one gop rep is trying to claim Heflin's office See http://www.click2houston.com/politics/3921824/detail.html
"Most people in Austin feel very sorry for Talmadge. I don't want to tell him what to do. But it's irreversible, and that's a fact of life and he needs to move on," Miller said.

A senior legislator has already claimed Heflin's Capitol office in a ritual that follows legislative elections. Based on seniority, returning House members get the chance to pick new offices being vacated by retiring or defeated members.

State Rep. Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin, claimed Heflin's third-floor office, one of the bigger ones in the Capitol.

[TexasSissy]

7. Since when do Repubs care about public relations?

To their supporters, it doesn't matter. To their non-supporters, again it doesn't matter.

The Repubs have got this game downpat.

[The Flaming Red Head]

10. kick