Bothwell to Challenge Shuler in Primary Rather Than Independent Bid

ASHEVILLE — Councilman Cecil Bothwell, who last month announced a bid to seek Western North Carolina’s congressional seat as an independent, now says he’ll challenge U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler in the Democratic primary.

Bothwell said he changed his mind on the advice of friends and supporters who said he had a better chance of winning by running in the primary.

He said he also was swayed by arguments that a three-way race could make him a spoiler, possibly handing the race to the Republican candidate.

Asheville Citizen-Times

That’s pretty much what I said too.  The 11th Congressional District is a comfortably Republican district.  Shuler benefited from an electorate in 2006 that was hostile towards Republicans and his centrist voting record has kept him in the good graces of the people of Appalachia.  If Bothwell had made an independent bid and the hard left went for him over Shuler there was a good possibility that it would have thrown the election to the Republican candidate next year.

Honestly though, I don’t know if Bothwell’s chances are really any better in the primary.  Outside of Buncombe County the Democrats are a fairly conservative bunch in the rest of the district.  In my opinion they will prefer Shuler’s moderate credentials over Bothwell’s progressive agenda and if by chance he were to defeat Shuler I’m not convinced he could win the general election.  This is an R+6 district.  The odds would be stacked against him.

Nevertheless, competition is good.  The incumbents shouldn’t just automatically be able to walk back in to their party’s nomination year after year.  They should have to keep earning it.  Give the Democrats of the 11th a choice and let them decide if they are happy with Shuler or would prefer someone new.

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