Chris Shays is not a fan of DeLay

Although many Republicans are backing House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, I think it's safe to say that Chris Shays isn't one of them.
At his latest town hall meeting in Greenwich on Saturday, Shay's rips into DeLay calling him a "absolute embarrassment" and will not make it though his term of leader of the House.

Yesterday, Shays flatly denied supporting DeLay, telling the small but lively gathering that the Texan probably will not last out this term as house majority leader, lacks credibility and will never attain the prominent position of speaker of the house.

"He knows that . . . if he ever runs for speaker, I get to vote on the House floor, and my 'No' vote combined with the Democrats means he will never be speaker," Shays said, drawing applause from the room. "One of the things I want to say here is that Tom DeLay will never be speaker in Congress."

It's clear, based by the polls, that Tom DeLay is extermely unpopular and a liability to any Republican congressman running for re-election in '06.

Town resident John Howard, 39, said he has supported Shays in the past and knows that the congressman is not a defender of DeLay. Even so, Howard said, he wouldn't continue to support Shays if he voted to keep DeLay in power.

"I was very proud of you for standing up to the Republican caucus," Howard said. "However, you do vote for the Republican leadership in Congress -- and you must know that you have a lot of constituents, like myself, who deeply respect you, and agree with you on many different issues -- but I can't vote for a congressperson who would vote to keep Tom DeLay in power. You must understand that he's a liability for you."

We always knew Shay's as a person who doesn't always walk the party line and it's not surprising that he would come out against DeLay since he clearly didn't support the Schiavo bill. One should wonder if Nancy Johnson jump on the "I'm ntot a fan of DeLay" bandwagon or support him. Looking at her track record on Social Security privatization, she could support and denounce him at the same time.