A timeline of the rise and fall of Tom DeLay:
November 1984—Tom DeLay, a Sugar Land exterminator and member of the Texas Legislature, is elected to Congress from the 22nd District.
November 1994—After Republicans sweep the congressional elections and take control of the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years, DeLay is chosen to be majority whip, the chamber's third-ranking Republican.
September 2001—DeLay spearheads the creation of the Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee, aimed at ending more than a century of Democratic rule in the state House, an impediment to a pro-Republican redistricting plan.
November 2002—DeLay is elected U.S. House majority leader; Texas Republicans take control of the state House for the first time in more than 130 years.
October 2003—Texas Gov. Rick Perry signs into law a redistricting plan that DeLay had pushed through the Legislature, producing six new Republican seats in Congress.
Sept. 28, 2005—DeLay steps down as majority leader after a Texas grand jury indicts him on charges of campaign-finance violations tied to Texans for a Republican Majority. Delay denies wrongdoing.
March 7, 2006—DeLay wins the primary and becomes the Republican nominee in the 22nd District.
April 3—Amid declining popularity and criticism for his close ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, DeLay announces plans to resign from Congress.
June 7—The Texas Republican Party, citing DeLay's claim of residency in Virginia, says he's ineligible for the Texas ballot and moves to pick a replacement. Texas Democrats sue the next day to halt the process, while DeLay says goodbye to colleagues in Congress as his resignation takes effect.
Aug. 7—The U.S. Supreme Court agrees that DeLay is eligible to appear on the ballot, ending Republicans' efforts to select a replacement.
Aug. 15—The Texas secretary of state's office, at DeLay's request, removes his name from the ballot, leaving Republicans with no candidate on the November ticket.
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(c) 2006, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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