FortBendNow.com

At a farewell luncheon sponsored by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, businesses and political supporters gathered to pay tribute to the Fort Bend County business owner who hammered his way to the top of leadership in Washington, D.C.

Speaking to a packed house of supporters at the upscale Sugar Land Marriott, Friday, Congressman Tom Delay praised the hard work and leadership of those present in helping to accomplish an agenda of building an economy where taxes have not been raised for 12 years.

As for the ruling by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, in Austin, which halts the process of replacing Delay on the ballot with another GOP candidate, Delay called it “the most unbelievable ruling I’ve ever read.”

Delay accused the Democrats of turning to the judiciary for a resolution. “They can’t win at the ballot box, they can’t win in the legislative body,” Delay said, “so they’ve got to run to the judiciary for everything.” The Congressman claimed that, “in essence, what this federal judge (did) was virtually declare Texas election law unconstitutional.”

In response to Delay’s name being on the ballot from the primaries, he said the primary is not an election, it’s a nominating process: “and for this guy to say that he can’t tell where I’m going to be on Nov. 7th, therefore I am forced to be on the ballot, and the Democrats are just loving it.” Then Delay brought down the house with: “Well, I may give them just exactly what they want.”

Delay’s excoriation continued, “only in this state can the federal judiciary force somebody to run for office. It’s absolutely amazing. This isn’t about me. It’s about the voters and the people in the 22nd District having the ability to have a choice on the Nov. 7th ballot of the person they want to represent them.

“They want somebody to continue the agenda that has been going on for the last 12 years of pro growth policies, fighting the cultural war and winning the war on terror, or do they want to bring in Nancy Pelosi as Speaker?” There was a strong reaction from the conservative base to hearing Pelosi’s name.

Delay hammered his point home that the voters of Congressional District 22 should have their choice on the November ballot, “The Constitution guarantees that choice and no federal judge is going to keep you from having that choice.” He says he believes an appellate decision will overturn this latest federal court decision.

When confronted by a throng of reporters afterward, Delay refused to speculate on “what ifs” but reiterated his point: “Frankly, I think I could be the Democrats’ worst nightmare both outside Congress and inside.” “It’s very simple. We’re in the Lord’s hands. We are still fighting. I did not give up. I just found a new arena to fight in.”

A local political observer, Marlene Keplinger lives in Fort Bend County and runs a business with her husband. She is a former radio news anchor and reporter in Houston, Rosenberg, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.