A federal appeals court yesterday refused GOP requests to put someone other than former Rep. Tom DeLay on the ballot.

The GOP lawyer:

"This is completely incomparable with a viable two-party system," Bopp said. "This makes a mockery of our democratic system and denies voters a meaningful choice."

Rewind 4 years and fly on over to New Jersey:

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said that by objecting to Torricelli's request (to withdraw from the N.J. senate race), Republicans were "denying the people of New Jersey a choice" in the election.

The only difference: Judges in New Jersey were willing ignore the law four years ago and embrace the "spirit of the law." Today, federal judges in Texas aren't so willing to do the same.