While his chances are being touted by Democrats, former Tennessee and NFL quarterback Heath Shuler's campaign to unseat incumbent Republican Rep. Charlie Taylor in NC's 11th district isn't attracting much money from his fellow football millionaires, as Amy Schatz of WSJ's Washington Wire observes:
Former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler may be a darling of the Democratic Campaign Congressional Committee, but he doesn't appear to be pulling in big bucks from former teammates.
Running for the North Carolina 11th District seat held by Republican Rep. Charles Taylor, Shuler has taken in more than $1 million in contributions through the end of June, just a little more than his opponent. Much of that money has come from PACs and party donations, however, not from former football colleagues. One notable exception: Shuler's former coach at the University of Tennessee, Phillip Fulmer, gave $2,100 last September.
Even fellow alum Peyton Manning, who followed Shuler at quarterback at the University of Tennessee, hasn't contributed, at least as of June 30. In February, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback did give $2,100 to Republican Bob Corker, who's running for Senate in Tennessee, financial reports show.
Read the rest at link above. She includes a couple of links well worth a click . . .
I still don't see Shuler with much of a chance in this race. Taylor is a multi-term incumbent with an influential subcommittee chairmanship who is able to steer federal dollars to the district. He's done nothing to hurt his own popularity.
Seems like the Democrats just saw the runaway success of Glenn Reynolds, and decided to find a pretty-boy UT grad of their own.
;-)
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Campaign Contributions, Congressional Races, Democrats, North Carolina
Comments (6)
I knew there was a reason I... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Dominick | September 6, 2006 2:06 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I knew there was a reason I liked Peyton Manning. Maybe it was subconscious "Republican Radar."
1. Posted by Dominick | September 6, 2006 2:06 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 6, 2006 02:06
2. Posted by P. Bunyan | September 6, 2006 11:08 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
No surprise here.
I doubt it's every been "studied", but if professional athletes were surveyed I would bet that 85% or more of them would be found to be right leaning politically.
The qualities and values that make a person sucessful in most things (except the legal system, journalism, acting, & teaching) are the qualities and values of the right side of the political spectrum.
The left is full of wealthy people, but few, if any, of them earned their wealth through honest, hard work. Those the left are the antithesis of most professional athletes.
2. Posted by P. Bunyan | September 6, 2006 11:08 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 6, 2006 11:08
3. Posted by Screwy Hoolie | September 7, 2006 12:08 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"he's done nothing to hurt his popularity."
This is untrue. He "botched" his CAFTA vote, failing to lead on this important policy change that's resulted in the district losing thousands of jobs.
He held up the Flight 93 Memorial for no good reason.
He supports a $600 million road that no one wants.
He's tied to Abramoff and Delay.
He's done a miserable job of getting our parks funded, and he's the Chair of the Interior Committee.
Charles Taylor has failed, and that's why Shuler has been ahead in five consecutive independent polls.
Don't report it like fact when you know it's only fiction.
3. Posted by Screwy Hoolie | September 7, 2006 12:08 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 7, 2006 00:08
4. Posted by Stop Shuler | September 7, 2006 12:50 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The key thing that Charles Taylor hasn't done is be a terrible NFL quarterback, like Shuler. The folks in DC don't want Heath back, so let's hope the folks in NC listen....
And yes, there were some good links in that post...
4. Posted by Stop Shuler | September 7, 2006 12:50 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 7, 2006 00:50
5. Posted by Jim Addison | September 7, 2006 1:11 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I don't know how CAFTA played politically in the district, but the notion the treaty "costs jobs" is sheer economic illiteracy.
I invite links to the "five independent polls" that have Shuler ahead. I doubt they exist - else most analysts wouldn't have it "Leans Republican hold." I think Cook has it as "toss-up" still, but with that kind of polling, he and others would have changed their projection.
5. Posted by Jim Addison | September 7, 2006 1:11 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 7, 2006 01:11
6. Posted by Chris From Seattle | February 4, 2007 2:21 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Reading this months later, it must hurt for you southern Republican apologists. Shuler won... the truth hurts.
And the implication that athletes tend republican purely because of their "hard work ethic" is ridiculous: it's probably 90% economic. No one likes paying taxes, and Republicans have taken dodging their responsibility to pay for their delusional policies (ie, how much does the Iraq cost us each day?) to an art form.
Go Colts!
6. Posted by Chris From Seattle | February 4, 2007 2:21 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on February 4, 2007 14:21