On the evening of April 3, Tom DeLay let it become known that he will resign from Congress. He had already won the March 2006 primary for the 22nd U.S. House seat. Although Texas permits candidates to withdraw, it does not let parties replace nominees unless they die, become ill, or become ineligible. In order to let the Republican Party replace him with a new nominee, DeLay plans to establish domicile in Virginia. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this.

There may be a special election to fill the vacancy. Texas special elections are conducted as non-partisan elections, although a new law permits party labels on the ballot.