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Tom DeLay

1. Why He Matters
2. At a Glance
3. Path to Power
1. 3.1.
2. 3.2. Example Subsection
3. 3.3. In Their Own Words
4. The Issues
1. 4.1. Example Subsection
5. The Network
6. Campaign Contributions

Current Position: Reality Show Contestant (September 2009 to October 2009)

Credit: Michael Williamson /
The Washington Post

Table of Contents

1. Why He Matters
2. At a Glance
3. Path to Power
1. 3.1.
2. 3.2. Example Subsection
3. 3.3. In Their Own Words
4. The Issues
1. 4.1. Example Subsection
5. The Network
6. Campaign Contributions

Why He Matters

The former House majority leader, who resigned in disgrace after being caught up in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, made a comeback running in a different kind of race: competing with eight other celebrities on the ABC reality show "Dancing with the Stars."

First elected to the House in 1984, DeLay climbed the leadership ladder as his Texas district boomed. The 1994 Republican revolution made him House majority whip, and he soon gained the nickname "The Hammer" for his strict enforcement of party loyalty.

In 2003, DeLay was elected House majority leader, but his moment in the sun didn't last long. His close connections to superlobbyist Jack Abramoff tarred the majority leader and two of his aides with scandal.

After a Texas prosecutor indicted him on unrelated campaign contribution violations, DeLay was forced to step down from House leadership in January 2006. The case has not yet gone to trial. The charges plagued DeLay's re-election battle, and he resigned from the House in June 2006.

To the end, DeLay was a staunch partisan. "You show me a nation without partisanship, and I'll show you a tyranny," Mr. DeLay said in his farewell speech from the House floor. Hulse, Carl, The New York Times, "Delay Bids the House a Torrid Goodbye," June 9, 2006

After leaving the House, DeLay blogged and wrote a book. But his most prominent comeback was on the ABC reality show "Dancing with the Stars." As one of eight celebrity contestants, he and his professional partner shimmied and lip-synched across the dancefloor in what Newsweek called "a low moment in our nation’s long and stormy history, by which we mean it was totally and completely awesome in every imaginable way."Bailey, Holly, Newsweek.com, "The Awesome Train Wreck that Was Tom Delay on Dancing with the Stars," September 22, 2009

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DeLay suffered stress fractures in both feet while training for the competition and withdrew after his performance in the third week of the show. Associated Press, "Injured Tom DeLay Hangs up His 'Dancing' Shoes," October 6, 2009

At a Glance

Current Position: Reality show contestant (September 2009 to October 2009)

Career History: House Majority Leader (2003 to 2006); House Majority Whip (1994 to 2003); U.S. Representative (R-Texas) (1984 to 1994)

Birthday: April 8, 1947

Hometown: Laredo, Texas

Alma Mater: Baylor University; University of Houston

Spouse: Christine

Religion: Christian

Office: N/A

Email N/A

Web site

Path to Power

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Example Subsection

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In Their Own Words

The Issues

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Example Subsection

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The Network

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Campaign Contributions

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Tags: former House Member | former Texas lawmaker | ID-DeLay, Tom | political strategist | Republican

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