Write in candidate tied with Dem in DeLay's old district

Houston Chronicle:

The Republican write-in effort to hold former Rep. Tom DeLay's congressional seat, once viewed as a long shot, has created a tight race, according to a Houston Chronicle-11 News poll.

Thirty-five percent of respondents said they would vote for a write-in candidate, a statistical tie with the 36 percent support for Democrat Nick Lampson, according to the poll of more than 500 likely voters in the 22nd Congressional District.

...

"This is why we have elections and we don't have talking heads decide in May who the winners are going to be," said pollster John Zogby, president of Zogby International, which conducted the poll last week.

"Punditry was coloring the district blue. It's still a Republican district. Even harder than selling a write-in, is selling a Democrat in this district."

Fifty-two percent of poll respondents identified themselves as Republicans, 32 percent as Democrats and 16 percent as independent.

That GOP strength also was evident when poll respondents were asked specifically about Sekula-Gibbs, Lampson and Smither. Sekula-Gibbs drew 52 percent support in that situation, with Lampson holding at 35 percent.

"There reasonably enough would be a substantial number of Republicans looking for a Republican or at least not willing to vote for a Democrat," Zogby said.

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If Lampson squeaks by it will be because of the Democrats efforts to thwart democracy by keeping Sekula-Gibbs name off the ballot. It will also be because of their criminalization of the political process with their outrageous prosecution of Tom DeLay. Zogby's findings are consistent with what I have been saying about this District for months. The National Republican Campaign Committee has said little about Sekula-Gibbs in its emails on the race, but it has had much to say about Lampson's voting record which is out of touch with this district. With Lampson getting only 35 percent support, he is in big trouble. His loss would be a huge embarrassment to the Democrats.

The NY Times is also covering the race and the appearance by President Bush in support of Sekula-Gibbs. They also mention the special election where Lampson is not on the ballot to fill the remaining term of DeLay. His poll standing probably suggest why he did not bother since he was a clear loser in a fair head to head race in Zogby's poll. KHOU has a story on the poll results also.