So, Democrat Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX) upsets Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX) to settle up the last outstanding race of the 2006 midterms. Rahm Emanuel has a statement out tonight saying, “Voters sent a message in November and they sent another one tonight, that change is coming to Washington.” Absolutely. But there’s another wrinkle to this story. We pick up the story from Chris Cillizza in the Post …
Rodriguez’s victory is doubly sweet for national Democrats, since they not only pick up another seat but also scored another direct hit on the legacy of former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas). DeLay engineered the congressional re-redistricting in 2003 that led to a six-seat Republican gain in Texas in 2004. But those gains came at a price. Portions of the 2003 map, including the removal of 100,000 Hispanic voters from the 23rd District, were ruled in violation of the Voting Rights Act by the U.S. Supreme Court last June. The resulting changes in the district’s boundaries reinstituted a strong Hispanic presence in the 23rd and led to Bonilla’s loss.
Karma.
