texas 23rd CD

[sabbat hunter]

why are there 6 democratic candidates on the ballot against one republican and one independent. if you add up all the democratic votes, they would have won!


http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/TX/H/23/index.html

[Justitia]

1. special election due to judicial decision on redistricting. -eom

[sabbat hunter]

2. special election?

how can it be a special election when every rep is up for election? even if it is a special election why 6 democratic candidates? there should have been only 1 put forward. we would have won!

[Justitia]

3. This district was judicially determined by the SC to be gerrymandered.

And in violation of the Voting Rights Act.

[sabbat hunter]

4. ok good for a special election

doesnt explain there was 6 democratic candidates on the ballot to 1 republican.

[last_texas_dem]

5. That may be a good thing

Because of the illegality of that district as it existed, Bonilla will be forced into a runoff if his "victory" margin stays below 50-percent. The fact that there were several Dems running is likely what kept him (if he stays that way) below 50-percent of the vote. I'm not sure, but it seems like it would have been more likely for him to garner over 50-percent if he had been facing only one Democrat in that traditionally Repug district. (The alterations of the district made it more Democratic, I believe; but I'm not sure by how much.) I'm thinking of the Louisiana Senate race from '02 (Louisiana has this system in many of their races). Landrieu only managed 46-percent in the November elections with many Repugs split the vote. When she faced off with Suzanne Haik "Olive Oyl" Terrell in a December run-off, she managed 52-percent. So I think the Dems splitting the vote actually helped to force Bonilla into a run-off. I'm not sure enough of the specifics of the district to know if we have a good chance of taking the district in the December run-off.