Our long serving incumbent in the Greensboro area, Howard Coble, is running for reelection. Coble is very conservative, but he is a nice man and reputedly runs an outstanding constituent service operation. As a result, he has attracted only token Democratic opposition in recent cycles and generally coasts to victory in our mostly conservative district.
Amazingly, Coble is being primaried from his right this time. Dr. James Taylor of Pinehurst is a relative newcomer who filed a week or so ago.
Yesterday, wingnut Guilford County Commissioner Billy Yow also filed.
In another shocking development, Coble fainted after a speech and was hospitalized after hitting his head on a wall. There is much speculation today that he is in generally poor health and that is why Yow is challenging him. Coble's Chief of Staff has been all over the local news today praising Coble's energy levels and denying the rumors about his health.
Yow is a piece of work. He's best known for comparing the NAACP to the Taliban and for selling T-shirts that feature a Confederate flag with a Calvin-like (from Calvin and Hobbes) character peeing on the NAACP.
For years Yow has been a bitter rival of fellow Commissioner Skip Alston, an egomaniacal and crooked African-American Democrat. As a result, Yow is very popular with the teabagger types.
If Coble withdraws, Yow will likely be our next congressman.
The filing deadline is next Friday, the 26th. So far, no Democrat has filed. I don't know of anyone who is looking at this race, but perhaps this will change in light of yesterdays developments.
I don't know what's happened to the the 50-state strategy (well, ok - asshole Emmanuel and inept Kaine), but shouldn't the DCCC or state Dem party have been grooming someone to eventually try to wrest this seat from the aging incumbent.
WTF?
If anyone here is in a position to talk with any knowledgeable Dems, please ask them to explain and comment. Thanks