December House Cleaning

TX 23: Punctuation Matters

Today's runoff between Rep. Henry Bonilla (R) and ex-Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D) either "will be an exclamation point" to the Dem takeover over Congress or a "question mark," suggesting a potential GOP comback down the road. "Seeing a chance to personally strengthen" the new Dem majority, incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) "got personally involved," sending Rodriguez $5K from a PAC she controls. Yet her contribution doesn't amount to $315.9K Bonilla received "over the past two weeks," to Rodriguez's $168.7K.

Bonilla predicts "it'll be close" in Bexar Co. but believes his margins in TX 23's outlying counties will "put us over the top."

Regardless of the outcome, Gov. Jeb's son George P. Bush thanked Bonilla for his efforts, saying he "has been there for the Bush family through and through, and he's been there for the Republican Party." Meanwhile, Rodriguez camp "blasted" Bush's visit, saying it showed Bonilla would "support" Bush "without question" (San Antonio Express-News).

FL 13: Media Turning On Jennings?

In the contest between banker Christine Jennings (D) and auto dealer Vern Buchanan (R), St. Petersburg Times editorializes, "the race's troubling aspects have morphed into absurdity. It is time to bring finality. Christine Jennings (D) should concede defeat and the Democratic Party should butt out."

Jennings has raised "some legitimate questions about the voting process" in FL, but "no evidence of fraud or equipment malfunction has been found."

It's time for Jennings "to bow out," and for Dems "to stop fanning fears about electronic voting machines without much more than suspicions" (St. Petersburg Times).

Miami Herald's Reinhard writes, "a happy ending is unlikely for Jennings" since lawsuits seeking to overturn elections "tend to be hard sells in court." Moreover, the "fledging" Dem "leadership will find itself in an awful bind" if Jennings "seeks a political remedy" and asks Congress "to investigate and bar Buchanan from joining the House." Having already won the majority and trying to lay the groundwork for WH '08, Dems don't need another "Sore Loserman." (Miami Herald).