Former UT QB to challenge Pelosi?

Heath Shuler is my representative. As a part of his re election he promised to run against Pelosi. His republican challenger tried very hard to tie Shuler to Pelosi. Saying he was so not Pelosi he was even going to run against her for speaker was one way Heath could distance himself from her. He has to run to be true to his word, but I don’t think he has much of a chance of winning. This is only his 3rd term.

Personally I really like Heath and I knew him before he ran the first time. He has a great Christian testimony and even spoke at a men’s banquet at our church back before he became a politician. He was recruited to run for congress by democrats in our district of NC and the republicans across the mountains in TN. I voted for him the first term he was elected but not this last time. I have a hard time voting for any incumbents right now.

As democrats go Heath is very conservative. He is pro life, pro second amendment, and voted against the healthcare bill, but he did vote for cap and trade. His office is very responsive, replies to all his correspondence and he sent my son a nice card for graduation and a capital flag when he made eagle scout.

If the democratic party had any sense they would recognize that a conservative leader like Heath could help move their party back toward the center, but I doubt if they will see it that way. Shuler was proud of his status as a “Blue dog” democrat, but the blue dogs lost a lot of power this cycle. If the remaining 26 blue dogs could build a larger coalition that would work across the aisle they could have a huge impact.