Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace, who has said he intends to run for Congressional District 22 in the 2008 election, is considering running this year as a write-in candidate.

Shortly after Tom DeLay announced he’ll withdraw from the ballot as a candidate for the congressional seat he held for more than 20 years, Wallace’s campaign committee released a statement saying he’s considering running a write-in campaign in a race against Democrat Nick Lampson and Libertarian Bob Smither.

“Mr. Wallace has received many calls from grassroots leaders encouraging him to take the fight to Nick Lampson,” the campaign statement said. “He’s talking it over with his family and friends and will release a statement within the next two days.”

DeLay’s announcement came a day after the courts, at the Texas Democratic Party’s urging, essentially forced DeLay to remain on the ballot for Congress against his will.

DeLay had announced in April his intent to quit Congress and move to Virginia. The Texas Republican Party chairman had declared him ineligible to be on the ballot. Wallace was among about eight candidates vying to replace DeLay on the ballot.

But the Texas Democrats filed suit, arguing that the Texas GOP’s declaration of DeLay’s ineligibility violated a provision of the U.S. Constitution. A Travis County District Court judge, a federal judge, a 5th Circuit Court of Appeals panel and, apparently, Justice Scalia, agreed with the Democrats.

As a result, DeLay was left in the position of either reviving his campaign for Congress or withdrawing and leaving the GOP without an official candidate on the ballot.

DeLay chose the latter course of action.

Wallace campaign consultant Ted Delisi said Wallace has until the end of the month to become a qualified write-in candidate. His name would not appear on the ballot, but Delisi said he believes Wallace’s name would appear where voters could see it, somewhere in the area around the voting machines used in Fort Bend, Harris, Galveston and Brazoria counties.

Also, Delisi said, he understands voters would be allowed to bring information with them explaining how to cast a write-in vote.

In the case of at least Fort Bend and Harris, the voting machines would require voters to use a wheel to select each letter of Wallace’s name in order to vote for him.

Delisi said Wallace campaign officials have spoken to officials at the Texas secretary of state’s office and determined that if a voter “misspelled one letter of ‘Wallace’…apparently voter intend would be taken into account” and “we would submit that was a vote for David Wallace.”

Delisi was unable to say what issues Wallace must take into account before making his final decision.

“I really think he’s considering it,” he added, “but stay tuned.”