Some people have questioned the wisdom of turning Tom DeLay in particular and ethics in general into a campaign issue for the upcoming election cycle. Personally, ever since Chris Bowers
articulated the plan, I've thought it an excellent idea. I think if we want to see a national tide turn against the GOP, we've got to use a national issue against them. And, as it turns out, the issue is starting to get
some serious traction:
After enlarging their majority in the past two elections, House Republicans have begun to fear that public attention to members' travel and relations with lobbyists will make ethics a potent issue that could cost the party seats in next year's midterm races.
In what Republican strategists call "the DeLay effect," questions plaguing House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) are starting to hurt his fellow party members, who are facing news coverage of their own trips and use of relatives on their campaign payrolls. Liberal interest groups have begun running advertising in districts where Republicans may be in trouble, trying to tie the incumbents to their leaders' troubles.
Among those endangered are at least two committee chairmen and several other senior members. Congressional districts that traditionally have been safe for Republicans could become more competitive, according to party officials.
What's also interesting to me about the article itself is that Republicans are starting to crack out of turn on the subject of ethics, fretting aloud (and in some cases on the record) about hos this issue will hurt their party. This says to me that (possibly cleaner) GOP Congressman are trying to distance themselves from (probably dirtier) colleagues, which will only accellerate the collapse of that vaunted Republican unity, as rats seek to flee the GOP's listing pirate's galleon.
The WaPo mentions a few GOPers who have already been targeted for their ethical lapses: Bob Ney of Ohio, Richard Pombo of California and Tom Feeney of Florida. If you live in one of these guys' districts, please keep us informed as to any DeLay-related coverage - local media is often the best source for this kind of information. (Read the article for more in this vein.) And of course, if your Congressman or -woman is not on this list but nonetheless comes under ethical scrutiny - whether by the media or local activists - be sure to let us know as well.
(Via Swing State Project via Raising Kaine.)