Ms. LINDA HANCOCK: I just do not feel that some new individual coming in running for Congress, that has no seniority, is going to be able to go up there and put a plug in for funds for us and be able to get them.

NPR: DeLay Faces Tough Texas Primary Challenge

Allen said that in preparation for the storm, crews had pulled the drill string out, put a plug known as a "packer" in the casing pipe and filled the riser with seawater so the pipe would be stable.

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All that would have put Mr Kohl's centre-right coalition in a jam even without a scramble to plug budget holes to qualify for the euro.

ECONOMIST: Germany