Mike Conaway: “I thank my friend for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to brag on Randy Neugebauer. He is a friend, and he and I…”

“I thank my friend for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to brag on Randy Neugebauer. He is a friend, and he and I have a unique circumstance that we share in that we ran against each other in Texas. Larry Combest served District 19 at that point in time, and they had a special election. Randy and I ran against each other. It hasn't happened in a long time, but right after that election, people asked me: What do you think about Randy Neugebauer? I said: Well, he is my friend. They said: I know, but that is what you politicians always say--the ``good gentleman,'' the ``friend.'' You never tell the truth in those circumstances. I said: No, no, no. With Randy and I, the key is our wives are friends; so, if wives can survive a campaign against each other and be friends, then it is a testament that we ran the way Republicans should run against each other. He stuck to why folks should vote for Randy Neugebauer, and I stuck with why folks should vote for me. Randy prevailed in that election and joined Congress in June of 2003. He has served wonderfully and ably since then. Randy has a strong moral compass and exhibits that moral compass to the House all of the time. He is one of those guys who is true north and never wavers, a rock solid Conservative and someone, I am sure, who is proud of his service to the folks in District 19. Our districts are contiguous.…”