Free Republic

CHARLOTTE, N.C. North Carolina voters aren't likely to get a chance to send a second ex-NFL player to Congress. Former Carolina Panthers safety Mike Minter told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he has decided against seeking the Republican nomination for the 8th District seat in 2010. Ex-Washington Redskins quarterback Heath Shuler, a Democrat, holds the state's 11th District seat. Republicans hosted Minter in Washington earlier this month in hopes the popular ex-Panther would decide to challenge Democrat Larry Kissell, who beat 10-year Republican incumbent Robin Hayes in November's election. Minter said he decided the job would put too much...

After receiving local and national publicity as one of several Iraq war veterans running for Congress this year, North Carolina Democrat Tim Dunn in late March suddenly dropped his challenge to 8th District Republican Rep. Robin Hayes. Dunn’s unexpected move was a boost for fellow Democrat Larry Kissell, a social studies teacher who in an instant went from little-noticed longshot to front-runner for the party’s nomination. Fundraising accelerated. Consultants and a pollster were hired. A media strategy was crafted. But Dunn’s dropout was even better news for Hayes, whose chances for winning a fifth term in the potentially competitive 8th...

Mooresville may be Race City USA and, yes, stock car racing has its roots in the N.C. foothills, but a number of other states have been quietly working to lure the industry away from here with sweet economic incentives. And for good reason: Seventeen years ago, when the last economic impact study on motorsports was done, the industry did a $500 million per year business in North Carolina. Another study is about to be done, and the numbers are certain to far surpass that. If North Carolina ultimately strengthens its grip on motorsports by fending off the overtures of other...

The Army last week approved the transfer of four M8 Armored Gun Systems from contractor storage facilities to the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC, sources say, marking the first time the vehicles will be used by the service since the program was terminated in 1996. Proposed in the 1980s as a lightweight combat vehicle that could fit aboard a C-130, the AGS was canceled as the Army struggled to pay for other priorities. Contractor United Defense LP, which fought the cancellation decision, has five M8 AGS vehicles in stock -- four in York, PA, and one in San...