To Heath Schuler, too boot. Wow if accurate.
My folks are from Swain County, and all of the locals, of course, attended Swain High. Heath Shuler rose to cult status during his time there. To pretend that he isn't a factor is to pretend a misconception that will hurt the GOP.
The GOP would have done far better to have recruited Shuler before the Rats did.
Heath had a reputation as a solid, out-spoken Christian in High School. In all of the surrounding counties, you must understand that Heath and his high school team came in and graciously handed them their heads for a number of years in a row, and they went on to the state championship under his leadership. By that time, they were all rooting for the kid who had beat them.
You must also understand that the Democrats of this mountain area do NOT hold to national democratic values...at least not publicly.
If this young man is still that young man, then someone should ask him straight up: "Is abortion OK in the eyes of Jesus?" They should have a tape recorder and a number of witnesses on hand at that time. My guess, though, is that Shuler will say, "NO."