It seems that Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert got a rash of calls from the public after last week’s announcement by Tom DeLay that he would soon be vacating his congressional office. Hebert said the callers wanted to know if rumors that he would seek Delay’s office were true.

“Not,” according to Hebert, who added he had learned to “never say never,” but currently had no intention of running for Delay’s slot. Noting that he was unopposed in his current bid for re-election to the office of county judge, Hebert added that he couldn’t visualize himself “sitting in Washington wearing a freshman beanie.” He did say that he felt Delay’s resignation was “sad” and losing a senior member of congress was painful. Hebert also noted that DeLay had been “extremely helpful to Fort Bend County.”

That said, Hebert reiterated that he wanted to put all of the current rumors to rest and noted that he is very satisfied serving as county judge.

The silence is deafening or I don’t hear you—Andy

Of course when Hebert made mention of how many calls he had received from interested voters wanting to know if rumors on his potential bid for Delay’s seat were true, the rest of the court just had to chime in.

Republicans on the court, Precinct 1 Commissioner Tom Stavinoha, Precinct 4 Commissioner James Patterson and Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers all had a word or two in regards to the DeLay resignation/opening in D.C.

Stavinoha said he wouldn’t be running. Patterson said he hadn’t received any calls from anxious constituents in regards to the possibility he might run for Delay’s position, adding that he wasn’t going to run.

Meyers said “no comment.”

Now that comment, or lack thereof, could open a whole new round of speculation by courthouse watchers. Is it possible that Andy knows something the rest of us do not know?

Talk about the silence being deafening...fellow court members, who usually chime in when impromptu comments are made, made no comment when Andy said no comment.