Well folks,
All was quiet in State House District 149 in Houston. It looked like Democrat Hubert Vo's 32-vote victory over the GOP State Appropriation Chair would stand, the Repubs would accept their loss, respect the will of the people and move on.
Think again.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2913491
They will request a recount (perfectly legal), but are already preparing to challenge the result in the GOP-controlled State House. How convenient.
They are saying that "huge irregularities" have occurred in this election -- overseen by a Republican County Clerk, and one that elected mostly Republicans in this county.
They are saying a "certain kind of voter" from a "certain part of the district" (READ: minority) has systematically committed election fraud -- voted twice, voted when not registered, etc. Sound familiar?
Talmadge Heflin, the defeated incumbent, has sent a very clear message to immigrants in 2004 -- I'm powerful and don't mess with me. This summer, Heflin came under huge fire for trying to steal the child of his African immigrant housekeeper. Now he's trying to steal a fairly won election by a Vietnamese immigrant, and telling immigrant voters in the district (which is incredibly diverse), you better not try to vote unless you're voting Republican. Otherwise I'm coming after you.
Tom Delay's boy Tom Craddick, also known as the Speaker of the Texas House, has been playing a neat little game. Publicly, he's had his consultant saying Heflin should hang it up, gave his committee chair and office space to someone else, and trying to appear above it all.
Privately, he's had his and Delay's slimeball lawyer, Andy Taylor, plotting to overturn the democratic result. Daddy Delay would be proud of his apprentice, if he didn't have so many problems of his own right now.
Hubert Vo won this election fair and square. They're going to try to steal it. We're not going to let them. This is the first net gain for Democrats in the State House in decades, and we're not going quietly. Let's make sure everyone knows what they're trying to pull.