Democrats take Texas seat in runoff

SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Democrats secured their 233rd seat in the U.S. Congress as former Rep. Ciro Rodriguez defeated incumbent Republican Henry Bonilla in a Texas runoff.

Rodriguez, 60, a four-term veteran legislator from San Antonio was sidelined two years ago when the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature redrew the state's congressional districts but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that Texas Republican leaders breached the Voting Rights Act and the district was redrawn, the San Antonio Express-News reported Wednesday.

Bonilla, 52, who has been in Congress for 14 years, conceded the election and called Rodriguez around 9 p.m. Tuesday, the report said.

The runoff was necessary as in the Nov. 7 open primary, Bonilla captured less than 49 percent of the vote, while Rodriguez had less than 20 percent of the Democratic vote.

The decision, the final 2006 congressional race to be determined, leaves the Democrats with a 233-202 majority over the Republicans come January.