I can confirm that was a conference call today between the Tom Delay campaign and the Cd 22 District Committee. No word yet on the results of the call.

UPDATE: Essentially there are two issues:

1. - Who gets to pick Delay's replacement as the party's nominee on the general election ballot in November? (This person would serve the full term starting in January '07)

2. - Who gets to pick the replacement for Delay's unexpired term? (from when he actually resigns - mid - June?? to Dec 31, 2006)

Rick Hansen's Election Law Blog has a synopsis of the Texas Election Code that applies to the special election.

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The Delay vs The World Blog is reporting that the Texas Election Code, section 171.054 applies. It lays out the following process:

The GOP County Chair in Harris, Fort Bend, Galveston and Brazoria will call a
meeting of the precinct chairs of that district.

Each county's precinct chairs will elect one precinct chair.

Those four precinct chairs (one each from Fort Bend, Harris, Brazoria, and Galveston) will meet and determine who represents the GOP on the ballot in November against Nick Lampson.

If this process is not followed, then the state GOP committee (SREC) will decide on the nominee.

According to Ft. Bend County GOP Chairman Eric Thode as reported by the Texas
Safety Blog, the process to replace Delay would go as follows:

There are two processes in play. One is withdrawal from the ballot. Two is
resignation from the seat.

According to DeLay's staff, the official withdrawal will occur once residency
has been established in another state, which will allow the CD 22 District
Committee to replace DeLay on the ballot.

Based on my conversation with Secretary of State staff, the Committee will be
comprised of the County Chairs from Harris, Fort Bend, Galveston and
Brazoria; plus one Precinct Chair from CD 22 in each of those counties.

(TMR Note: I think the County Chairs select a precinct chair; and those precinct chairs make the decision. I don't think the precinct chairs are part of the original committee)

This individual would be selected by their peers from CD 22 in the respective
counties.

Part two is the resignation, which according to DeLay staff will not occur until June
or July.

At that point, the Governor can choose to hold a special election on one of
Texas' predetermined election dates, or decide not to hold a Special Election.

Essentially, there could be two simultaneous elections...the November General
Election for the 2007-2008 term of Congress and a Special Election for the final
few months of DeLay's current term.

Needless to say, it's all up to Congressman DeLay when these two processes
actually start and this could all change tomorrow.

FYI: In order for a May Special Election to occur, DeLay must resign before
April 7, which at this point, he says he does not plan to do.