Pundits are making much ado about close federal races in North Carolina this year. But is the situation really that competitive? A report in CQ Politics raises some reasons it might not be:
[W]ith the candidate filing deadline passed, it?s become clear that the Tar Heel State has the potential to became an afterthought on the playing field of competitive House races. Georgia may be equally unexciting in terms of competitive races, but the filing deadline in the Peach State is still a month and a half off.
There are no North Carolina recruits listed among the 31 candidates who have reached the top two levels of the NRCC?s much-touted ?Young Guns? program. Among the 35 candidates who have reached the program?s third tier, North Carolina Republicans boast just one, retired Army Col. and defense industry consultant Lou Huddleston. Three other North Carolinians are enrolled in the Young Guns program but have yet to break into any of the top three tiers.
Gary Pearce, a self-described ?recovering? North Carolina Democratic political consultant who runs a Web site about national and Tar Heel State politics, said that while North Carolina Democrats are concerned about the poor environment this year, that concern hasn?t really translated to the congressional level. Pearce said Tar Heel State Democrats are primarily worried about maintaining their hold on the state legislature, which they?ve controlled for more than a decade.
It’s worth pointing out that a huge number of candidates have filed for office in the Tar Heel State ? and the competition isn’t one-sided, either. Republican Howard Coble, for example, has five primary opponents. Patrick McHenry has three. Sue Myrick is the only N.C. representative with no primary challenger.
And, of course, Larry Kissell in the 8th Congressional District has a whopping seven opponents (one Democrat in the primary, six candidates in the Republican primary).
