Bar Fight in the Blue Ridge:The Coming Battle for NC 11(right wing attacks AFSCME ads 4 Dems)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.canyon-news.com/artman/publish/article_5644.php

Bar Fight in the Blue Ridge:The Coming Battle for NC 11 Posted by John Armor on Jun 24, 2007, 11:31


You'd think that what happens in western Carolina, in the 11th Congressional District, isn't very important to the powers-that-be in Washington. That's usually so. But not now. And two extraordinary events that have occurred a year and a half before the 2008 election for that seat, prove the point.

Some of you are aware of the TV ads now being run by AFSCME that paint freshman Congressman Heath Shuler, NC 11th, as a good guy. The ad sponsor's full name is American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. This union is
committed to steady expansion of government at all levels, supported by more taxes at all levels.

Why is that union, part of the left wing of the Democratic Party, supporting Heath Shuler (who ran as a "conservative" Democrat) a year before he announces for reelection? It's simple. AFSCME is practical. If Shuler gets challenged by a hard-line liberal Democrat, like most of the Democrats who have run for this seat
over the years, there are two possible bad outcomes. The liberal might beat Shuler and get trounced in the general election. Or, the liberal might damage Shuler so much that he will lose the general.

This exceptional action by this national union in 2007, has a clear meaning. The unions are trying to scare off any liberal competition for Shuler in his primary. It's a message that the unions are satisfied that they can work with Shuler for union issues in Congress.

And what gives them that assurance? Shuler has reliably voted with Speaker Nancy Pelosi on critical votes in the House, except when he sought permission to stray -on issues like stem cell research where she had the winning votes anyway, and Heath pleaded for a little independence for the sake of the folks back home.

Are the Republicans taking the 11th District as seriously in 2008? Yes, they are, as shown by the fact that the chief political strategist in the White House, Karl Rove, came to the District recently to address the annual Convention of the Republicans here. Why would someone that important show up here?

AFSCME ads for Congress: http://www.afscme.org/press/15895.cfm

FULL story at link.

http://www.afscme.org/index.cfm