[PeteB570]

You say he will be running as a Republican.

I didn’t see that in the story.

Could he be a Democrat and talking about the primary?

[byteback]

Minter was in Washington earlier this week and spoke with the National Republican Congressional Committee to discuss a possible GOP campaign. He still is a long way off from making a decision, but has begun to consider a career in politics.

Republicans feel they have a good shot at winning back Kissell's district. The Charlotte-area seat gave President Obama 52 percent of the vote, aided by record-high African-American turnout. But Minter, who is black, would in credible position to win some of the African-American vote in the district..

Politico

[aft_lizard]

According to the Hill he is a Republican.

Heath Shuler Part Two?
@ 10:31 am by Jeremy P. Jacobs

Former Carolina Panther safety Mike Minter is looking to follow in Rep. Heath Shuler’s (D-N.C.) NFL footprints and run for Congress.

Minter, unlike Shuler, would run as a Republican and is thinking of challenging Congressman Larry Kissell (D-N.C.), the Charlotte Observer reports.

Minter reportedly visited D.C. earlier this week and discussed the possibility on Wednesday.

As the Observer notes:

Minter is one of the most popular players in Panthers history. A second-round pick out of Nebraska in 1997, Minter became a mainstay in the Panthers’ secondary. He retired in 2007 because of knee trouble.
END

Kissell is definitely a target for Republicans next year. The district was carried by President Obama last year but is rated as a Republican +2 district by the Cook Political Report. It is one of the districts where Republicans believe Obama significantly boosted African American turnout, which increased the strength of his coattails.