DeLay: Republicans got a 'Texas whupping'

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SECACUS, N.J., Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Former U.S. House Republican Leader Tom Delay says Republicans got a "Texas whupping" in Tuesday's midterm elections.

That included the loss of DeLay's Texas congressional seat to Democrat Nick Lampson, who took Tuesday's election over Republican Shelly Sekula-Gibbs. Sekula-Gibbs was forced to run as a write-in candidate because it was determined that DeLay's name had to stay on the ballot even though he had resigned from Congress and didn't seek re-election.

"And in my opinion, the Democrats didn't win. The Republicans lost," DeLay told MSNBC's Rita Cosby Wednesday. DeLay said the GOP played not to lose the election and "didn't fight for the things that we really believe in."

Republicans had held DeLay's Texas district for more than 20 years. Democrats also won the House seat vacated by former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., who resigned in a scandal over sexually suggestive e-mail sent to male congressional pages. Democrat Tim Mahoney defeated Republican Joe Negron for the Florida seat 49 percent to 48 percent.

Foley's name remained on the ballot in Florida's 16th Congressional District and his campaign slogan was "Punch Foley for Negron."

Democrat Zach Spence won the central Ohio seat formerly held by Republican Rep. Bob Ney, who resigned after pleading guilty in a corruption scandal.