Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Suger Land is up for grabs

Former House of Representatives' majority leader Tom DeLay announced he'll step down and let another Republican try to hold the district.

Folks outside Southeast Texas probably don't realize this area is pedominantly Catholic and Southern Democratic. The Houston metro area and Southeast Texas are divided by the Trinity River, however Congressional District lines don't follow natural boundries - particularly after DaLay's redistricting plan. Consequently, DeLay would have faced Nick Lampson, who represented Southeast Texas until 2004.

In December, a poll indicated DeLay was losing support. Below is a look at his home turf of Sugar Land (near Houston) to see what's at stake.


Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise


(Above) The town square in Sugar Land acts as a hub of community activity and commerce on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2005.

(Right) USB financial advisor Rama Gali drinks a soda next to the town's 4-star hotel in Sugar Land.


Tara Lipinski's autographed figure skates are displayed prominently in the in Sugar Land City Hall. At age 15, Sugar Land's Lipinski won the gold medal in women's figure skating during the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.


Nail tech Hilda Lewis (left) and Stafford resident Jennie Ormsby share a laugh at Strands Hair and Nails in Sugar Land.


Although no longer operational, the Imperial Sugar plant remains in Sugar Land. The company-owned town incorporated in 1959 and established a home-rule municipal government in 1981 - three years before DeLay was elected.

2 comments:

E said...

are you pumped about this deLay news or what?!?!

Mark M. Hancock said...

I'm not listed in his fan club. Let's see if there's a conviction.