Posted on 03/28/2007 3:22:37 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
Patrick McHenry is the neighborly sort.
The Cherryville congressman was recently spotted west of his congressional district to see if he could talk state Sen. Tom Apodaca into challenging a former football star, Rep. Heath Shuler, who earned national recognition last year by beating Rep. Charles Taylor of Brevard.
Apodaca, a third-term state senator and rising star in Raleigh, is thinking about it. But McHenry hasn't stopped there. A member of the National Republican Congressional Committee executive board, he's taken it upon himself to find someone who can take back the congressional seat he believes Shuler won on a fluke.
It might even be Taylor, who has not ruled out a rematch.
Meanwhile, the national Republican Party, business groups and conservative activists have Shuler on a watch list that triggers hard-hitting press releases before, during and after any vote with potential to wound the freshman, who ran as a social and fiscal conservative, and a defender of "mountain values."
"It's going to be hard for him to keep his campaign promise of being a conservative," McHenry said.
It's not unusual for the political parties to start recruiting this early -- Democrats are working on their own target list as well -- but the intense scrutiny of Shuler's every move and the early hunt for a viable challenger demonstrates just how eager Republicans are to tackle him.
Their first obstacle, however, is Taylor, who served eight terms and enjoys mixed reviews from analysts and GOP insiders about the kind of candidate he would make. The millionaire banker looms large over the potential field, despite years of ethical questions that ultimately helped Shuler bring him down amid voter unrest over Republican lapses.
(Excerpt) Read more at hendersonvillenews.com ...
"I'd need to know how typical the Senate district is of the congressional district, and whether he's known in the rest of the district. It's not only a Hispanic name, but a weird-sounding Hispanic name."
Well, you may be right. It's just that in running against an incumbent, we need every possible advantage.
Worst NFL QB, EVER!
Close, but I think Ryan Leaf has that title locked down.
Thats a toss up.
Ryan Leaf was a spectacular failure!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.