May 06, 2008
The GOP’s Big Tent?
Don’t tell this to Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD 01), who lost his primary bid in Feb., but apparently, GOPers don’t mind if their Rep. is against the Iraq war. Rep. Walter Jones (R), who faced stiff opposition in his conservative CD over his outspoken stance against the war, nonetheless comfortably defeated Onslow Co. Commis. Joe McLaughlin (R) 60-40%.
McLaughlin had the perfect issue in which to attack Jones in the primary, but he never raised enough money to raise his name ID enough to come close to knocking off Jones, whose father was a Democratic Congressman in the state. In the end, Jones’ long ties to the CD, his conservative position on social issues and McLaughlin’s lack of cash, made this a laugher for Jones.
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC 10) also briefly had a scare in his primary, when his opponent, Ret. USAF JAG Lance Sigmon (R), attacked him over a few of McHenry’s statements regarding a trip to Iraq. But in the end, they mattered little, as Sigmon didn’t have the cash to make his case. McHenry beat Sigmon 67-33%.
Both Jones and McHenry are the heavy favorites in the general.
And finally, Rep. Heath Shuler (R-NC 11) appears to have lucked out again. First, GOPers couldn’t recruit a top-tier challenger to take him on in the GOP-leaning CD. Now, they’re on their way to nominating a candidate who Dems believe is very flawed, Asheville Councilor Carl Mumpower (R).
Despite being outspent 10-1 in the primary, Mumpower topped ex-Henderson Co. GOP Chair Spencer Campbell (R) 56-35%, with 81% of precincts reporting. If his lead holds, Mumpower will enter the general with $2K in the bank, compared with Shuler’s $735K, and will be the heavy underdog.
(TIM SAHD)
Posted at 11:01 PM
Comments
Heath Shuler is actually a Democrat. Easy mistake to make though...
HoraceTBass | 05.06.08 11:38 PM
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I'm assuming you meant to write: Heath Shuler (D-NC 11)?
JW | 05.06.08 11:39 PM
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"Rep. Heath Shuler (R-NC 11)" s/b "Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC 11)"
Robert Hartle | 05.06.08 11:47 PM
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Patrick McHenry is, in a party of perverts and assholes, easily the biggest asshole in the entire congress. There is more than a hint that he had a gay lover killed in Charlotte last year.
Poed Lib | 05.06.08 11:57 PM
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Well, Heath Shuler has been closer to the Republican than the Democratic side on a number of issues so far, so I would say that is accurate. This cycle however, we may yet win enough to let some of them stray from time to time without penalizing them. Except for Lieberman. He needs to go. Immediately. We have the organizing resolution which cannot be undone so we would not lose control of the committees.
MikeF | 05.07.08 01:01 AM
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Shuler says he is prolife, progun; yet always votes for proabortion, antigun leaders like Pelosi, et al. What a fraud! He sucked as a QB too!
Sound Conservative | 05.07.08 11:47 AM
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