Many of you followed the saga of Hubert Vo, the unknown Democrat who defeated one of the most powerful Republicans in the Texas legislature.
Texas Republicans, deciding democracy wasn't for them, refused to seat Vo, and threatened to overturn the election on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives (which has final jurisdication over who gets seated). But today, the ousted Republican finally conceeded to the will of the people.
Averting a potentially nasty partisan showdown at the Capitol, Houston Republican Talmadge Heflin withdrew his election challenge against Rep. Hubert Vo for the District 149 seat late Monday.
His decision came hours after a report upheld Heflin's narrow loss to Vo, a Democrat, and recommended that his legal fight be dismissed [...]
"I think there's a collective sigh of relief among Republicans and Democrats, because Democrats didn't want to see any opportunity that the will of the voters be overturned," said Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. "Many of our Republican colleagues didn't look forward to having it on the House floor."
On election night, Vo won by 32 votes, and a November recount by Harris County indicated that Vo defeated Heflin by 33 votes. But Heflin and his lawyers tried to build a case to restore Heflin, who was chairman of the Appropriations Committee, to his House seat.
Heflin's is the last of three challenges stemming from that election to be dropped. Jack Stick withdrew his challenge against Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, and Eric Opiela dropped his contest against Rep. Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles, D-Alice, last month.
Republicans still have a solid majority in the Texas House.