Tom DeLay has abandoned his bid to remain as House Majority Leader. As I reported on Thursday, House Republicans were gearing up to replace DeLay as Majority Leader. DeLay abandoning his bid has cleared the way for leadership elections among Republicans eager to distance themselves from the deepening grasp of scandals revolving around Delay and Jack Abramoff .

In a letter to rank-and-file Republicans, DeLay said, “During my time in Congress, I have always acted in an ethical manner within the rules of our body and the laws of our land. I am fully confident time will bear this out.”

At the same time, “I cannot allow our adversaries to divide and distract our attention,” the Texas Republican wrote.

DeLay is battling campaign finance charges in Texas and was forced to step aside temporarily as majority leader last fall after he was charged in his home state. He has been trying to clear his name and, until Saturday, resume his leadership role.

In a separate letter to Speaker Dennis Hastert, DeLay said he intends to seek re-election to his House seat in November “while I work to clear my name of the baseless charges leveled against me.” Urging a new leadership election as soon as possible, DeLay said the majority leader’s job and “the mandate of the Republican majority are too important to be hamstrung, even for a few months, by personal distractions.”

DeLay acted hours after a small group of disgruntled Republicans “circulated a petition calling for leadership elections and citing DeLay’s legal problems as well as his long ties to Abramoff.”

Republican rules permit an election to fill the vacancy, and aides to Reps. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Charles Bass of New Hampshire said on Friday that the lawmakers’ petition would allow the rank and file to pick new leadership quickly.

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