House dismisses challenge to Rep. Cuellar's election

The House on Tuesday approved a resolution that dismissed what appears to be an arbitrary and capricious challenge to the 2012 election of Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) to Congress.

Cuellar's challenger, Republican William Hayward, lost handily to Cuellar last November in a 68-30 rout.

Nonetheless, Hayward challenged Cuellar's election. An aide to Cuellar said the basis of Hayward's challenge was simple disbelief and incredulity that Hayward would lose by so much even in his home territory of Webb County, Texas.

But the aide said Cuellar, a fifth-term member of the House, has always polled well in Webb County, usually in the high 80s to low 90s range.

Hayward's campaign could not be reached for comment, as a phone number on his campaign site was disconnected.

According to Cuellar's office, Hayward did not file a challenge to the election result in court, as might normally happen when an election is challenged. Instead, he filed a complaint to the House of Representatives.

The Cuellar aide said Hayward may have been hoping that GOP leaders would "bail him out."

But the House Committee on House Administration approved a resolution, H.Res. 127, dismissing Hayward's filing. And on Tuesday, by unanimous consent, the House approved the resolution with no debate.

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