If you don't pay enough attention to the Lone Star state, you just might miss something. Like today, for instance, as The Houston Chronicle's team of Samantha Levine and Michael Hedges report that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is bringing in the big guns from the administration to raise some money for his reelection bid.

Vice President Dick Cheney is scheduled to appear at a campaign event for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay at a Houston hotel in mid-September.

[...]

One Houston-area executive said she received an invitation and put the details in her calendar.

"It is just a fundraiser to show that Mr. DeLay has got the support of the administration," she said.

The White House has offered cordial words for DeLay over the past several months despite questions about whether lobbyists paid for some of DeLay's overseas travel, a violation of House rules.

If this event is as it seems -- a show of support by the administration -- it is a clear indication that the President and Vice President condone the actions taken by DeLay and his associates, not long after the Texas Republican was chided by the Federal Elections Commission. If the GOP truly wants the Democrats to stop crying foul over electoral irregularities and interest peddling, perhaps the Republican administration should stop standing up for the people who most egregiously abuse the system.

While Tom DeLay is garnering new found support in his bid for another term to the House, another Texas Republican is finding some new opposition. According to Damon McCullar over at Burnt Orange Report -- a Democratic blog out of Texas -- House Energy and Resources Chairman Joe Barton has a new challenger -- another Democratic Iraq War veteran.

That's right folks, you heard it hear first. David Harris is exploring a race to take on Smoky Joe Barton up in Tarrant County. David is a father of three and husband of 7 years. He has served his county in Iraq where he received a Bronze star for actions in Iraq. His current gig is Assistant Professor of Military Science/Training Officer, University of Texas at Arlington. Previous to that he severed in the United States Army on active duty until the end of 2002, where he transferred to the reserves. He was called back to active duty in January 2003 to serve in Iraq. He came back March of 2004 David and his wife have served as interns for the State and Local Democratic Party and were delegates from Texas to the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Mass.

His website will tentatively launch on October 15th, 2005. The web address will be www.followmetodc.com.

The key issues to David's campaign will be threefold. They are a strong defense, strong families and protecting the rights of all Americans.

David needs 500 signatures to get on the ballot. He is well on his way to that. If any of you folks up in Tarrant County are interested in helping David out, feel free to drop him a line at fm2dc@aol.com or Follow Me To DC, PO Box 1408 Fort Worth, TX 76102.

This is a district that George W. Bush carried with 66 percent of the vote in both 2000 and 2004, so it won't be an easy win for Democrats by any stretch of the imagination. But Paul Hackett nearly won a district this month that President Bush carried with 64 percent of the vote in 2004. Anything is possible these days.