Dems Ditch Rogers

Proving that it's not just Republicans contending with their lunatic fringe, the Texas Democratic Party is trying to dump self-declared "LaRouche Democrat" Kesha Rogers as its candidate for Tom DeLay's old seat, currently held by Republican Pete Olson. At its March 13 meeting in Austin, the State Democratic Executive Committee passed a resolution releasing party officers and delegates from their obligation to support Rogers, who prevailed over more mainstream Democrat Doug Blatt with 43% of the vote in a three-way primary. The Texas Tribune speculated that Rogers, an African-American, won on the coattails of other races involving black candidates in the Houston area. Her strong support for funding NASA – a major employer in the Houston-centered district – has also been popular. However, her call for the impeachment of President Obama and backing of ultralibertarian conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche – the 1960s communist who morphed into a fascist of sorts, ran for President several times, and served a jail term for mail fraud and tax code violations – has alienated the party. "The Texas Democratic Party will have no relationship with the campaign of any person identifying him or herself as aligned with the LaRouche Movement or Lyndon LaRouche," reads the TDP resolution. Rogers called that "an example of the same old loser mentality that has characterized the SDEC's behavior over the last two decades."