David Wallace will not pursue a write-in bid in CD22.
Wallace announced his decision about the Congressional District 22 race today at a news conference at Sugar Land City Hall.
The decision comes after Republican party leaders from Fort Bend, Harris, Galveston and Brazoria counties selected Houston City Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs as the party’s choice to run in the November election as a write-in candidate.
I’m sure there’ll be more on this later. According to Juanita, Wallace said “the GOP in Washington” (RNC? NRCC? Big Time Dick? unclear at this time) will send three million bucks to support the “consensus” candidate. I still don’t understand the cost/benefit analysis behind that, but hey, it’s their money. Between this, the SCOTUS-ordered open Congressional primaries, and the four-headed Governor’s race, political scientists will dine out on the 2006 campaign season for years to come.
UPDATE: Fred attended the press conference, and summarizes as follows:
He is withdrawing from the race to unify the party.
He received no outside pressure from the party chairs.
When asked what happened last Thursday and why he wasn’t selected his answer was simply, “I don’t know”
He will donate the maximum amount allowed to Shelley Sekula Gibbs campaign.
Again and again he said he did not receive outside pressure to withdraw.
How many of these items do you believe? The only one I’m sure of is that he doesn’t know why he wasn’t selected as the One True Write-In.
Three words: This is illegal.
Kuff- my mistake. He only said “Washington.” And his written press release says “from Washington.” That probably means more K-Street money.
I love how Republicans think Washington DeeCee is evil until they want something.
I can’t decide if I want K-Street to blow $3M on the race or if I’d rather see someone push the runner up in the primary into it to keep that money out.
Either way, a great show.
This should be an interesting race. If Republicans can get teams of volunteers handing out write-in hand outs at each polling place in the district, Sekula-Gibbs has a chance; as much as I don’t like it.
Sekula-Gibbs has a chance
But that’s assuming that Bob Smither and his Smitherenes will not be there and the Lampsonettes will not be there.