House Majority Leader DeLay fighting for once-safe seat in Texas

By Scott Gold
Los Angeles Times

DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP Tom DeLay, R-Texas, center, talks with Shelley Henriksen, right, and Cecilia Ellis, left, after giving a speech yesterday in Houston. For the first time in years, DeLay has had to run an active campaign.

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Every two years since 1984, DeLay has run for re-election in the 22nd congressional district south of Houston — and has won big. He is the architect of a prolific fund-raising machine; in 2000, he received two corporate donations that were each worth more than the $10,000 his opponent raised for the entire race. In 2002, he captured 63 percent of the vote — a dominating performance but a nail-biter compared to earlier races, when he won more than 70 percent.

Recent ethics charges and talk of fund-raising improprieties, however, have Democrats claiming that DeLay, for the first time, is vulnerable. Even the famously confident DeLay conceded in an interview that he is facing "significant competition" from environmental attorney Richard Morrison III, a moderate Democrat.

Still, many of Morrison's supporters fear that what appears to be the race of DeLay's life won't be much of a contest. A poll conducted this month by Morrison's campaign showed DeLay up by seven percentage points. Other polls show DeLay with leads that are more commanding.

"As much as the Democrats have tried to draw horns and a tail on the congressman over the last two years, we still enjoy very strong support in the district," DeLay spokesman Jonathan Grella said. "I don't know what the spread will be, but we are very confident that we will emerge victorious."

Barring a stunning result, then, the race raises an intriguing question: Are there moral victories in politics?

Morrison has two answers. The first is his standard politician's response: "I'm going to win. You can put it in the bank." In less guarded moments, he has more of a realistic answer: If he puts in a good showing, he has demonstrated that DeLay can be beat.

"If I come close, I think it will show the Democrats that we don't need to be blowing these races off as not winnable," he said this week as he greeted early voters outside a Clear Lake polling station. His campaign volunteers were handing out "nonpartisan water" to people waiting in line under the sweltering Texas sun. "This guy has never had anybody stand up to him before. Never," Morrison said. "But if you get in there and bust your you-know-what, you can win these races."

DeLay has come under withering criticism in recent months, something Morrison has tried to capitalize on.

Three DeLay aides have been indicted on charges of soliciting illegal campaign contributions. The House ethics committee has admonished DeLay three times for abusing the power of his office.

DeLay was subpoenaed to testify last week in a lawsuit brought over whether government resources were abused in attempting to track down Democratic legislators who fled Texas last year as the GOP tried to draw new congressional districts. And the Supreme Court also ordered a lower court to determine whether the new congressional maps orchestrated by DeLay relied too heavily on partisan politics.
 
DeLay, who denies the allegations, called it a "concerted strategy by the Democrats," and several voters agreed. Others, however, thought that the questions surrounding DeLay were taking a toll, even in a district where two-thirds of voters were registered Republicans in 2002.

"I don't like it," said Amanda Smith, 29, a saleswoman. "I'll vote for George Bush. But if DeLay is using his power for the wrong thing, I can't vote for him."

Morrison said he is encouraged by such sentiments. DeLay has been forced to take the race seriously — setting up multiple campaign offices for the first time in 10 years, running numerous television advertisements and participating in a debate that he initially turned down.

"It has had a little impact," DeLay said. "But not enough to even make us worry about re-election."