TX-22
(Map)
When I originally announced these endorsements, I gave three criteria I looked at -- two of which where essential for a candidate to get a nod: 1) Whether the district was in a swing state; 2) Whether the district was competitive; and 3) whether the Republican incumbent was a major fundraiser that we'd rather pin at home, rather than fundraising for at risk Republicans in other competitive districts.
No Republican House member raises as much money as Tom DeLay, and he had not bothered to campaign for reelection to his House seat for over a decade, lacking any significant opposition. That meant all his campaigning and fundraising was directed at other candidates.
Enter Richard Morrison. Here was a candidate with no money, going up against the House Majority Leader. People laughed at his chances. But he raised a fair amount of money online, and parlayed that into strong fundraising via traditional means. Poll results proved DeLay was beatable, and the DCCC is now considering putting resources into the race.
This is still an uphill race, but consider that DeLay is now pinned down in his own district until election day. And given a potential criminal indictment, lingering anger over his heavy-handed redistricting coup, a district made more Democratic by the arrogant DeLay during that redistricting, and a fired up Texas Democratic Party, and this David v. Goliath battle has the potential of going our way.
