Tom Delay Says GOP Midterm Wins Are Not a 'Given'
Tom Diemer
Correspondent
Posted:
08/19/10
During his days as the powerful majority leader of the House of Representatives, former Texas Rep. Tom DeLay was known as "the Hammer" for his ability raise money and also enforce the party line with Republican colleagues. But the Hammer offered another lesson on discipline to the GOP this week: Don't get overconfident heading into the November midterm elections.
DeLay, interviewed on Fox News, warned that the Democrats, especially those now in the House majority, "have put together one of the most powerful grassroots coalitions that I've ever seen." As a consequence, it's "not a given that the Republicans are going to win all these seats this year," Delay said, according to The Hill newspaper.
With the economy still sagging and President Obama's approval ratings in decline, Republicans expect to pick up dozens of seats in the midterms. Some pundits even predict the GOP will win back majorities in the House and Senate,
DeLay's caution came as the Democratic National Committee reported it raised $11.5 million in July and had a healthy $10.8 million cash on hand, with obligations of $3.5 million. In his time, DeLay was formidable fundraiser and campaign strategist.
"It helped them win in 2006 and 2008," he said of the rival party's ability to rally potential voters through personal contacts. "And it's a new campaign paradigm, where they go in with grassroots people, go door to door, canvass the entire district and pump in unlimited amounts of money."
DeLay, who had a stint on the television show "Dancing With the Stars," got some good news himself on Monday when the Justice Department dropped an investigation of his ties with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. DeLay left Congress in 2006 after two former aides pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in connection with the Abramoff influence-peddling scandal. He still faces money-laundering and conspiracy charges in Texas in a case related to 2002 state legislative campaigns.
DeLay, interviewed on Fox News, warned that the Democrats, especially those now in the House majority, "have put together one of the most powerful grassroots coalitions that I've ever seen." As a consequence, it's "not a given that the Republicans are going to win all these seats this year," Delay said, according to The Hill newspaper.
With the economy still sagging and President Obama's approval ratings in decline, Republicans expect to pick up dozens of seats in the midterms. Some pundits even predict the GOP will win back majorities in the House and Senate,
DeLay's caution came as the Democratic National Committee reported it raised $11.5 million in July and had a healthy $10.8 million cash on hand, with obligations of $3.5 million. In his time, DeLay was formidable fundraiser and campaign strategist.
"It helped them win in 2006 and 2008," he said of the rival party's ability to rally potential voters through personal contacts. "And it's a new campaign paradigm, where they go in with grassroots people, go door to door, canvass the entire district and pump in unlimited amounts of money."
DeLay, who had a stint on the television show "Dancing With the Stars," got some good news himself on Monday when the Justice Department dropped an investigation of his ties with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. DeLay left Congress in 2006 after two former aides pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in connection with the Abramoff influence-peddling scandal. He still faces money-laundering and conspiracy charges in Texas in a case related to 2002 state legislative campaigns.