Put a fork in Tom DeLay

He's done.

Tom DeLay announced this morning he would resign his seat in the Congress and would not be a candidate in the November election.

From the Washington Post:

Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), a primary architect of the Republican majority who became one of the most powerful and feared leaders in Washington, said this morning that he will give up his seat rather than face a reelection fight that appears increasingly unwinnable.

In a videotaped message aired this morning on stations in his home district, DeLay said that "the voters in the 22nd District of Texas deserve a campaign about the vital national issues they care most about . . . and not a campaign focused solely as a referendum on me. So today I am announcing my intention to resign my seat in the House."

DeLay cited the increasing difficulty of the campaign and that it would likely be a drain on GOP coffers as main reasons for stepping aside. Fact is, he probably would have lost. Depending on when he leaves office, a special election might be held to replace him. Assuming a Republican won that special election, he or she would run in November as an elected incumbent, a significant advantage over other Republicans and any Democratic challenger.

The Texas 22d was a race to watch already; now it is the first step in the Democrats' plan to regain control of the House.

Meanwhile, DeLay, one of the most corrupt people to serve in Congress, is left behind. Certainly the GOP leadership must be breathing at least a small sigh of relief today as they can move forward beyond this one of their many scandals.

With eight months to go in the 2006 election season, things are getting interesting.

UPDATE: From Slate magazine, an analysis and decoding of the interview DeLay gave with Time Magazine.

-- Wenatchee, Wash.