CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
July 16, 2008 – 2:36 p.m.
North Carolina’s Shuler Now Rated ‘Safe’ in House Race
By Marie Horrigan, CQ Staff
With a broke and inactive nominee, Republican hopes of winning back North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District seat from freshman Democratic Heath Shuler are essentially gone, leading CQ Politics to change its rating of the race to Safe Democrat from Democrat Favored.
The Republican establishment has struggled with Asheville City Council member Carl Mumpower since he won the May 6 primary. And, the relationship significantly deteriorated on Saturday when Mumpower announced that — in defense of his Republican principles — he was suspending his campaign.
“Effective immediately, my campaign is suspended as I appeal to my party to make a firm commitment to our core principles,” he said in a letter to the chair of the 11th District GOP. He outlined criteria for “reigniting his campaign,” which included a demand that the majority of counties in the 11th District “develop a sincere process for challenging local, state and national Republican elected officials on votes that sidestep or otherwise betray our core guiding principles.”
Mumpower’s second quarter campaign finance reports indicated he had less than $1,000 left in his campaign coffers by June 30 to run for the general election, out of $69,000 raised total. Shuler reported he had $965,000 on hand by the same date out of $1.3 million raised.
Mumpower also reported $25,000 in debt.
Comments
This wasn't a serious race to begin with. The fastest way for the GOP to reclaim this seat, that should be rightfully their's anyway, is for Shuler to switch parties. And during the expected Obama administration, this will likely happen.
To the other post, that is hilarious, Shuler is a pretty loyal Democrat, except on social issues which is a conscience vote
Interesting to see it stated flat out that the best chance for a Republican pickup in NC is for a Democrat to change parties. Just another part of the George W. Bush legacy to his party.
Rightfully be theirs? What does that even mean? No party owns any particular seat. The GOP lost it. They want to win it back, they'll have to fight for it. Just like every other seat they lost in 06 and will lose in 08.
Glad to see this item, but when Heath was the Redskins' quarterback, "no lead was safe".
My local blue dog Rep. Shuler refuses to endorse Barack as he endorsed hillary post her winning his district in the primary. Call Shuler's campaign manager, Andrew Weyland and let him know how you feel about his lack of effort for unity at 828-348-0414.
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