The polling numbers say we can do it – are we motivated enough to carry it off?

U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Stafford, trailed Republican challenger Pete Olson by 17 percentage points early last week, according to the survey by Zogby International. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

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In the 22nd Congressional District, represented by Lampson after the 2006 resignation of Republican powerhouse Tom DeLay, only 5 percent of Republican voters in the survey had defected to Lampson.

Lampson led Olson among independents, 45 percent to 39 percent. But only 16 percent in the poll identified themselves as independent; while 52 percent said Republican and 32 percent said Democrat.

We’ve been stuck with this lemon since Tom DeLay decided to go out on his own ego trip two years ago. He hasn’t been much of a centrist, and it is clear that he hasn’t voted the way his constituents wanted him to, despite his claims to the contrary. If he had, he would not be losing by 17 points in the poll. And while Pete Olson was not my primary candidate 9and was not even among my top three choices in the 10 person race), I’ve gladly supported him this fall.

And folks, make sure you vote the straight GOP ticket. After all, we have a whole host of down-ballot races for judges and county-wide offices that are important for us to hold on to. If you don’t vote, they will go by default to the Democrats.