Another One Bites the Dust

Tom DeLay is going away. The only question is where -- and for how long.

The Associated Press is reporting that DeLay is going to quit the race to retain his Congressional seat in the face of internal polling that shows that he would most likely lose the race to Democrat Nick Lampson.

According to the AP article, DeLay will also resign his Congressional seat within a month or two.

Let's pause a moment and consider what this means. Jack Abramoff is on his way to prison. Tom DeLay has already stepped down as Majority Leader and is about to give up his seat in the House in the face of almost certain defeat in November. Two of DeLay's former staffers have pled guilty to federal charges in connection with the lobbying investigation that is sending Abramoff to prison. Will DeLay be following them to the slammer?

While I know it's way too soon to start singing "Happy Days Are Here Again," you also have to ask yourself: what were the odds, say, a year and a half ago, that on this date Jack Abramoff would be on his way to getting "three hots and a cot" in the cooler for the next five-plus years and Tom DeLay would be on his way from being the most powerful man in Congress to being completely incongruous?

Can anyone doubt at this point that the perfect political storm is coming that is going to wash away the Republicans out of both houses of Congress this November?

Tom Moran