That's Congresswoman Sekula-Gibbs to You (for the next 8 or so weeks)!

Congresswoman Shelley Sekula Gibbs from Texas's 22nd district, who managed to smack down Libertarian Bob Smither in the House election 42 percent to 6, despite not even being on the ballot (though she still lost to Democrat Nick Lampson) did win the pointless special election to keep the office seat Tom DeLay resigned from warm until January 20.

Her general obnoxiousness, including a demand that her underlings make sure Bush and Cheney attend her swearing in, have led the rump of DeLay's staff to walk away from their next two months salary, Robert Novak reports via Wonkette.

Comments

[Lost_In_Translation]

Considering she's pretty much a pompous ass and moral blowhard (she pretty much ran her campaign that way), I'm not surprised.

[Herrick and His Balls]

Jan 3rd you mean.

[Pro Libertate]

It'll be a nice r?sum? line. Though she'll have to explain why she was there for such a short time!

Sekula. Was that her porn star name?

[Jozef]

Well, someone had to replace McKinney...

[Jim Murphy]

It gets even better....she's demanding some sort of investigation of the aides that quit. I'm almost sorry that she's only going to be around for a few weeks because there's nothing better than elected officials who are batsh*t crazy...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4341776.html

[Kap]

She clearly fits the bill, Jim.

[steveintheknow]

Bitches aint nothin but...

[Morat20]

I remember standing in line to vote (early voting) and listening to the elderly couple ahead of me try to figure out how to vote for her in the general. A nice man handed them a flyer (I'd seen it -- Gibbs ran a very slick campaign for write-ins. Lot of volunteers with "Vote Twice" signs, constant mailings, lots of TV to remind people to vote AND write in her name).

It appeared the elderly couple was voting for her because she was a Republican. They were almost giddy that she used to be their doctor (I think she was a dermatologist?), and how good a doctor she was, and how that meant she'd be an awesome US Rep.

I suppose if the House came down with moles or warts, she'd have her chance in the sun....

[Aresen]

"I suppose if the House came down with moles or warts, she'd have her chance in the sun...."

There appears to be a surfeit of warts in your Congress and our Parliament.

[Lamar]

Is she the new Cynthia McKinney or won't Suck-u-la have enough time to go that crazy?

[dead_elvis]

Lets see- a write in candidate that's batshit insane, and the LP lost to her? That's embarrassing. The LP guy even seemed somewhat normal. Something's backwards here.

[Kap]

I think the folks from Clear Lake voted her in to get her the hell away from them.

[joe]

I see a whole lot of "Do you know who the fuck I am?" is this woman's future.

[Pro Libertate]

Yeah. If you're a cop, don't write this lady a ticket. It isn't worth it.

[J sub D]

joe, Are you from the metro Detroit area? Because "Do you know who the fuck I am" is famous around here. Mayor's Chief of Staff to ticketing police officers. And she didn't get a ticket after all.

[Johncjackson]

Her official name is Hyphen-Lady. Get it right.

[Peter K.]

Maybe if the Libertarian had turned his skin blue, he could have blamed it on his dermatologist (implying with an eye shift in her direction that she's the doc in question), he might have won.

[Shem]

From the Chron article, I have to say she reminds me of Peggy Hill come to life.

[joe]

J sub D,

Do-you-know-who-the-fuck-I-am-ism is not confined to any particular place.

[ed]

I'm assuming Congresswoman Sekula-Gibbs is H&R's Friday stand-in for the Official Joe Lieberman Legislative Pinata. I will also assume that we have already forgotten Nancy Pelosi. Damn, that was quick. Not that I don't approve.

[Derrick]

Lets see- a write in candidate that's batshit insane, and the LP lost to her? That's embarrassing. The LP guy even seemed somewhat normal. Something's backwards here.

The Libertarian candidate, Bob Smither, is a long-time activist in the Texas LP. Prior to Delay's ouster, he was on the ballot more or less as a paper candidate. He is a soft-spoken guy who is obviously not used to speaking in front of crowds, and it seemed that it took him some time to get used to the idea. I think he rose to the occasion and did an outstanding job, for having been thrust into the limelight so abruptly. If I was him, I would have just crapped my pants while mumbling something about the Founding Fathers.

It just goes to show that it does make sense for the LP to contest as many races as possible, because one never knows when one of the major party contenders will be forced out for accepting bribes, having sex with farm animals, etc. Had the Delay fiasco happened in the district of an LP candidate who was already campaigning hard, the outcome could have been historic.

[Jim Murphy]

I see a whole lot of "Do you know who the fuck I am?" is this woman's future.

Did she try to get a PS3 out of Wal-Mart too?

[James Anderson Merritt]

I actually read and heard some of Smither's addresses to various groups, and I echo Derrick's assessment that he did an "outstanding job." From the items I was able to review, you'd never know he had expected to run a "paper candidacy" against DeLay. I'm sorry that more effort and money wasn't put into this campaign, as apparently the GOP hype machine (and their slimy tactic of creating a "special election" just to get the hyphen-lady's name on the physical ballot as a guide for write-in voters) was too powerful a vote-getter: clearly the candidate herself was an irritant, and I got that impression from reading several accounts in the local press.

I hope Smither will run again, after Lampson proves himself to have feet of clay; and I hope LP supporters will give him the resources he needs to fight a credible fight.

[Eric Dondero]

I worked on the Smither Campaign. I live right there.

Bob was a fantastic candidate, the best the LP could ever hope to field. Yet, he couldn't even get out of the single digits, despite some Republican backing.

I fear the only thing that one can conclude from his Campaign, is despite a superior candidate, good funding, and a professionally run campaign, added to a fluke election that could benefit a 3rd party candidate, the Libertarian Party still can't win a Congressional seat.

It's becomming clear that the only real choice for libertarians to win elections to state legislatures and congress is the Republican Liberty Caucus.

[Derrick]

It's becomming clear that the only real choice for libertarians to win elections to state legislatures and congress is the Republican Liberty Caucus.

Eric, it is disingenuous to represent yourself as an impartial observer who is independently reaching the conclusion that the LRC offers the best path forward. You've been singing this song for years.

If you want to try to attract people to the RLC that's fine. But, I suggest that you'll have more luck if you are open about who you are, and focus on the RLC's strengths instead of the LP's weaknesses.

[Derrick]

s/LRC/RLC

[MUTT]

Myself, Im rather taken with Downsize DC's take on this. Rather than run candidates, run legislation. like the "Read the Bills Act" which will appeal widely, and wont involve takin on Dimbulb & Republigoon slime machines. You arent trying to win votes for an individual, you are presenting an idea & suggesting voters force already elected people to deal with it.

[Eric Dondero]

Sure Derrick, but the point still stands.

I was actually stupidly predicting that the Libertarian Party would have a great year. And I was working to help that come about, not only on the Smither Campaign, but the Scott Kohlaas for Alaska House and other LP candidates.

Needless to say, I'm thoroughly dissapointed and I admit, somewhat baffled by the LP's poor performance this year.

The RLC had a tough year too, losing some key RLC-backed races. But at least they won a few, as well. What else can you conclude from such results?