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Heath Shuler Wins Third Term in D.C.
By Chris Mottram | November 5, 2008
Redskins great Health Shuler is returning to Washington for a third time (the first, of course, being his ‘94-96 term with the Redskins), winning 62% of the vote in the Western Carolina mountain town of Asheville, and it’s surrounding areas, in his re-election bid:
Shuler, D-Waynesville, claimed 62 percent of the vote in the 15 counties in the 11th Congressional District, according to unofficial results, compared with 36 percent for Republican challenger Carl Mumpower. Libertarian candidate Keith Smith, of Rutherford County, got 2 percent of the vote.
It ranks as one of the more lopsided victories in the district, at least in recent history. The next-largest margin of victory over the past dozen years was Republican Charles Taylor’s performance in 1996, when he tallied 58 percent of the vote to 40 percent for Democrat James Ferguson.
Shuler declared victory just after 10 p.m.
He told the crowd at the Crowne Plaza Resort in West Asheville that, “As always, I’d like to thank our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.”
He also added, “Thank the good Lord for the south; the only place in the world where you can apply a literal interpretation of the Bible to your daily life, consider abortion murder, think the only thing more dangerous than immigrants are the gays, yet still be considered part of the liberal party.”
Topics: Politicking, Redskins | 6 Comments »
November 5th, 2008 at 3:33 PM
Isn’t this out of step with Asheville’s hippie rep? And how are both Shuler and Desmond Howard as successful in life as they were unsuccessful with the Redskins?
November 5th, 2008 at 3:49 PM
That may have something to do with the fact that they were unsuccessful in their playing careers, that they had to strive to be successful elsewhere.
On the flip side, you might remember that successful athlete Lynn Swann lost the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race in 2004. So in politics, Heath Shuler is more successful than Lynn Swann.
November 5th, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Shuler was to the Redskins what Palin is to the Republican party.
November 5th, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Don’t forget that hippie Asheville is surrounded by, well, North Carolina. When I interviewed him two years ago, I asked him “What are these ‘Mountain Values’ you talk about? I saw Deliverance, but I don’t think that’s what you mean.” (That still makes me laugh) He went on a rap about small-town life that could have been in a Palin speech. Still boggles my mind that this has happened.
Oh, and Desmond Howard was a Super Bowl MVP (post-Redskins, of course), so he did have some success in football…
November 5th, 2008 at 5:54 PM
I’m going to Asheville this weekend, actually.
/cool story
November 5th, 2008 at 6:12 PM
Pick me up a hemp anklet, bro!
/actually wore hemp flip-flops in college