Ding Dong, The Bug Man's Dead

Tom DeLay has announced he won't be running for reelection; from the WaPo:

The decision came just three days after his former deputy chief of staff, Tony C. Rudy, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and corruption charges, telling federal prosecutors of a criminal enterprise being run out of DeLay's leadership offices. Rudy's plea agreement did not implicate DeLay in any illegal activities, but by placing the influence-buying efforts of disgraced Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff directly in DeLay's operation, the former aide may have made an already difficult reelection bid all but out of reach.

[...]

"I'm a realist. I've been around awhile," he added. "I can evaluate political situations." Asked if he had done anything illegal or immoral in public office, DeLay replied: "No."

[...]

DeLay's decision capped a long, difficult slide from power that began in September, when a Texas grand jury charged him with money laundering and campaign finance violations. Under House Republican rules, DeLay had no choice but to relinquish his post as majority leader, but he vowed to beat the charges and quickly return to power.

In the ensuing months, the separate federal corruption probe stemming from Abramoff's activities drew closer to DeLay, first eliciting a guilty plea from his former press secretary Michael Scanlon and then from Abramoff, whom DeLay once described as "one of my closest and dearest friends."

[UPDATE] More from Time:

DeLay said he is likely to leave by the end of May, depending on the Congressional schedule and finishing his work on a couple of issues. He said he will change his legal residence to his condominium in Alexandria, Va., from his modest two-story home on a golf course here in the 22nd District of Texas. "I become ineligible to run for election if I'm not a resident of the state of Texas," he said, turning election law to his purposes for perhaps on last time. State Republican officials will then be able to name another Republican candidate to face Democrat Nick Lampson, a former House members who lost his seat in a redistricting engineered by DeLay.

Wonder what he's gonna be doing in Alexandria, VA? Volunteering his time at the local grade school?

[PS] Check out the Atrios post...