Democrat dirty politics in DeLay district

Houston Chronicle:

The National Democratic Party has spent $50,000 promoting a nominal Republican write-in candidate to succeed former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a move the more prominent GOP campaign called a "desperate" effort to split the write-in vote.

The mailout on behalf of write-in candidate Don Richardson describes positions potentially appealing to conservatives who, according to a recent Chronicle-11 News poll, make up at least 55 percent of the district's population.

"Don Richardson supports President Bush's Patriot Act," the mailer says. "Do you?"

It also says he would put troops on the border to stop illegal immigration, allow law enforcement officials to wiretap suspects, read their e-mail and conduct random searches, all without a warrant.

"I don't remember saying all that," said Richardson, a retired Air Force major, but he agrees with the statements. He has not seen a copy of the ads, but said he doesn't think they are going to help or hurt Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, the party-backed write-in candidate.

"I don't see Shelley losing any votes," Richardson said.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent more on the direct mail than Richardson has spent on his own campaign. In Federal Election Commission filings, the DCCC classifies the $50,000 expenditure as "opposition" mail.

A spokeswoman for the DCCC declined to discuss its strategy.

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The campaign for this house seat has been a dirty one for the Democrats starting with the DeLay indictment and then the law suit to keep Sekula-Gibbs name off the ballot. They know they cannot win in a fair contest, so they are pulling out all the unfair practices they can. They have also spent $25,ooo in a mailing attacking Sekula-Gibbs. Their bad behavior should not be rewarded. Lampson does not reflect the values of this district, or Texas.