Heading into election night, pundits had identified North Carolina’s 8th, 7th, 11th, and 2nd congressional districts, in that order, as competitive (or at least leaning competitive). By the night’s end, though, the margins weren’t even close in the first three; in the 2nd, it looks like Renee Ellmers has prevailed over Bob Etheridge.
As John Hood points out below, Etheridge was the only enthusiastic apologist for the Obama/Pelosi agenda out of these four districts. It speaks volumes that he was the one to get picked off ? particularly given the political composition of his district.
Meanwhile, Shuler and McIntyre ran, essentially, as Republicans. Kissell managed to distance himself enough from Pelosi and Obama to prevail. If these three hadn’t voted against Obama’s health care reform agenda, it’s a safe bet the results from last night would’ve looked much different.
