Republican Bill Flores ousts Democratic Rep. Chet Edwards from Congress after 20 years

WACO – Rep. Chet Edwards – one of the last standard-bearers for conservative Texas Democrats – has been vanquished after 20 years in Congress. The congressman from Waco lost to Republican Bill Flores in a landslide, proving that not even Edwards' patented brand of intensely local campaigning was immune to the anti-Washington wave sweeping the country.

Benning reports: http://dallasne.ws/bjPEPa

Republicans drop plans for ad blitz to help Bill Flores unseat Chet Edwards in U.S. House District 17

WASHINGTON – The Republican Party has scrapped plans for a costly last-minute TV blitz on behalf of congressional nominee Bill Flores.


Democrats said the move signals that Republicans are giving up hope of unseating Rep. Chet Edwards. But Flores disagreed, saying that it means he's in such good shape, the national party can devote its resources elsewhere.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said today that the National Republican Congressional Committee canceled all of the advertising time it had reserved with stations in the Dallas, Waco and Bryan media markets.

Mason: http://dallasne.ws/aZ7RKd

Exclusive: Bankruptcy of Edwards challenger Bill Flores' business cost taxpayers $7.5 million

WASHINGTON — The Republican challenger who has assailed Rep. Chet Edwards for supporting taxpayer bailouts once led his company through a bankruptcy that let it avoid a $7.5 million debt to the U.S. government. Although Bill Flores, a retired Bryan energy executive, has said all creditors were fully repaid with interest, court records show otherwise. The 1992 bankruptcy allowed Marine Rig 200 Inc. to repay just $3 million of $10.5 million owed to the U.S. Maritime Administration, which held the mortgage on a drilling rig the company owned.

Dave Michaels reports: http://dallasne.ws/cGqVh3

Rep. Chet Edwards slams opponent's plan to let veterans use health benefits in private sector

Benning reports:
WASHINGTON – Rep. Chet Edwards slammed his Republican opponent's plan to allow use of veterans' health benefits in the private sector, saying Wednesday that it would "destroy the VA health care system as we know it." With the backing of several national veterans groups, the Waco Democrat said that rival Bill Flores' plan would drastically dilute the patient base at Veterans Affairs hospitals, increase costs and threaten the livelihood of the VA hospital in Waco and others across the country. 
http://dallasne.ws/9obU8L

Chet Edwards trails Bill Flores, according to new GOP poll

Tom Benning follows the Waco House race from D.C.:

A new Republican poll has Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, trailing his GOP opponent Bill Flores by double digits, although the Edwards campaign quickly dismissed the poll as "wishful thinking."


Flores, who defeated Rob Curnock in a runoff primary last month, leads Edwards 52-41, according to a survey of 400 likely voters by OnMessage Inc., a Republican political consulting firm. That's despite the poll finding high "favorable" ratings for Edwards, the longtime incumbent, and low name recognition for Flores, a retired oil and gas executive.
http://tinyurl.com/29tl23e

Gramm says GOP must beat Edwards

Todd Gillman in our Washington bureau reports:

WASHINGTON – Former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas, stumping Wednesday for congressional candidate Bill Flores, said it's vital for Republicans to unseat Rep. Chet Edwards this year.


"I don't think we can win back the House without beating Chet Edwards," Gramm said by phone while campaigning in Bryan.