10:30 PM CST on Wednesday, January 5, 2005

From Dallas Morning News Reports

State Rep. Jack Stick of Austin, one of three Republicans contesting November defeats, has dropped his request that the House review the election results.

Mr. Stick, who lost his second-term run to Democrat Mark Strama by 569 votes, said Wednesday that he ran out of time to build the "comprehensive and succinct" case he would need before hearings start in a few weeks.

And although he said he found evidence of thousands of illegal votes, he decided a contest would be too divisive at a time when "too many issues are coming up that are going to require House members to work together."

Mr. Stick said he plans to push for election reform during the session and will probably run for office again.

Election contests filed by state Reps. Talmadge Heflin of Houston and Eric Opiela of Karnes City are pending.

A special House committee will review the contests and decide whether the full House should vote on them.