Just wondering what the opinions were here on Lampson and Bell

[tbyg52]

mentioning Tom DeLay in their TV ads.

I'm not any kind of a campaign expert, but I thought it was a bad idea, here - too many people who voted for DeLay and still like DeLay. I couldn't see mentioning him getting any new voters (I figure the ones who cared about their interactions with DeLay already knew) and that it was more likely to *lose* votes.

Still, the way this place is gerrymandered, I guess it would have been hard for them to win no matter what they did.

[Jane Austin]

1. They were only okay

as candidates, in my view.

[tbyg52]

2. What's your opinion on their mentioning DeLay in their TV ads? nt

[Jane Austin]

4. I didn't see any of their ads over here

in Central Texas.

Mentioning his name might have reminded people that they were stupid to elect him in the first place.

People don't like to be reminded that they are stupid. :)

[cosmik debris]

3. I think it is a bad idea.

My father spent 26 yrs as a State Senator (not Texas) after 15 yrs as a Union President. He never lost an election and he never mentioned his opponent's name. In fact, he usually spoke as if he was running unopposed. To me, that's not just the best politics, it is the civil thing to do.

[tbyg52]

6. And they weren't even running against DeLay

Just saying how bad he was, in the case of Lampson, or reminding people who filed the ethics charges, in the case of Bell.

[johncoby2]

5. It didnt matter

In Bells race, the democrats didnt vote, so we lost.

In the Lampson race, he got wiped out. People didnt want an effective, hard working Congressman. They wanted a republican. It was just that simple.

Both areas are truly lost.

[Baby Snooks]

8. The African-Americans didn't vote..

The reality is the African-American community didn't support Bell and it had nothing to do with Republican conspiracies. They don't like him. Quite a few don't. Maybe after the next campaign everyone will finally realize it. Or the one after that. His only purpose in running appears to be to guarantee an income for Jason Stanford. And to get his and Alison's cars serviced.

As for Lampson, who knows? There was the Bush-Cheney connection to his opponent. Ft. Bend County is Bush-Cheney territory. Quite a few would still vote for Tom De Lay. Maybe when Tom De Lay II gets in trouble, which he probably will, Lampson can take the seat back again.

[Citizen_Penn]

7. Not worked up about either man

not willing to spend my time and money on either guy