Redistricting in North Carolina should prove to be the best net advantage for the GOP of any state and the General Election field is now set after three congressional runoff elections were held yesterday.
The fight to face off against two-term incumbent Rep. Larry Kissell (D) in NC-08 provided the most fireworks and they certainly were not the ones you find in the post July 4 sale bin. According to media reports, the two GOP candidates spent over $1 million with outside groups kicking in another $1.7 million. To date, this is the most expensive House race in 2012. On the winning side with 63.7% of the vote was Richard Hudson (R), a former congressional aide and the House leadership who strongly supported his efforts. On the short end with just 36.3% was Tea Party candidate Scott Keadle (R) and groups like the Club for Growth. Hudson will now face Kissell in the General Election in a newly drawn district that favors the GOP picking up a seat. Unsuccessful 2008 gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory (R) received 54.6% while John McCain (R) received 57.5% for president in a state Barack Obama (D) won.
One last note of interest in NC-08 that I picked up while in Charlotte earlier this week was that the 8th District Black Leadership Caucus introduced a write-in candidate (Dobbins Heights Mayor and Richmond County Democratic Party Chair Antonio Blue) on the same day Kissell voted to repeal Obama’s health care plan.
In NC-09, Robert Pittenger (R) defeated Jim Pendergraph (R) by a narrow 52.9% to 47.1% margin and will face Jennifer Roberts (D) in the General Election. Pittenger is a three-term state senator in the real estate sector and will be strongly favored in this GOP district where many Republican candidates hit 60%. In the final Runoff Election, real estate investor Mark Meadows (R) easily defeated Vance Patterson (R) in NC-11 and will be a favorite to win the General Election over Hayden Rogers (D), Rep. Heath Shuler’s chief of staff.
The fight to face off against two-term incumbent Rep. Larry Kissell (D) in NC-08 provided the most fireworks and they certainly were not the ones you find in the post July 4 sale bin. According to media reports, the two GOP candidates spent over $1 million with outside groups kicking in another $1.7 million. To date, this is the most expensive House race in 2012. On the winning side with 63.7% of the vote was Richard Hudson (R), a former congressional aide and the House leadership who strongly supported his efforts. On the short end with just 36.3% was Tea Party candidate Scott Keadle (R) and groups like the Club for Growth. Hudson will now face Kissell in the General Election in a newly drawn district that favors the GOP picking up a seat. Unsuccessful 2008 gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory (R) received 54.6% while John McCain (R) received 57.5% for president in a state Barack Obama (D) won.
One last note of interest in NC-08 that I picked up while in Charlotte earlier this week was that the 8th District Black Leadership Caucus introduced a write-in candidate (Dobbins Heights Mayor and Richmond County Democratic Party Chair Antonio Blue) on the same day Kissell voted to repeal Obama’s health care plan.
In NC-09, Robert Pittenger (R) defeated Jim Pendergraph (R) by a narrow 52.9% to 47.1% margin and will face Jennifer Roberts (D) in the General Election. Pittenger is a three-term state senator in the real estate sector and will be strongly favored in this GOP district where many Republican candidates hit 60%. In the final Runoff Election, real estate investor Mark Meadows (R) easily defeated Vance Patterson (R) in NC-11 and will be a favorite to win the General Election over Hayden Rogers (D), Rep. Heath Shuler’s chief of staff.
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