Heath Shuler
Encyclopedia
Joseph Heath Shuler is a businessman
, a former NFL
quarterback
, and the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party
.
The district covers the Blue Ridge Mountains
in western North Carolina
and the largest city in the district is Asheville.
, a small town in the Great Smoky Mountains
on the Tennessee border. His father was a mail carrier
and his mother a homemaker
and volunteer with the Swain County Youth Association; he has a younger brother, Benjie.
High School. A standout quarterback
who led his team to three state championships and was named the North Carolina High School Player of the Year, he drew plenty of scout
attention and accepted an athletic scholarship
to the University of Tennessee
in 1990.
At Tennessee, Shuler gained national attention as one of the SEC
's top quarterbacks. He held nearly all Volunteer passing records at the end of his career, although most of them have since been eclipsed by Peyton Manning
. In 1993, he came in second in the vote for the Heisman Trophy
.
Shuler was a first-round selection in the 1994 NFL Draft
, taken by the Washington Redskins
with the third overall pick. ESPN rated him the 4th biggest NFL Draft
bust of all time. He held out of training camp until he received a 7-year, $19.25 million contract. The Redskins had fallen on hard times since winning Super Bowl XXVI
, and Shuler was looked on as the quarterback of the future. However, Shuler's poor play contributed to a quarterback controversy with fellow 1994 draft pick Gus Frerotte
. This was evident when Shuler threw five interceptions in a game against the Arizona Cardinals
. Shuler started 18 games in his first two years with the team and was benched in his third year, as Frerotte went to the Pro Bowl.
After the 1996 season
, Shuler was traded to the New Orleans Saints
for a fifth-round pick in the 1997 draft and a third-round pick in 1998. Shuler's statistics remained poor. He suffered a serious foot injury during the 1997 season in New Orleans and went through two surgeries. Football statistics site Football Outsiders
called Shuler "[t]he least valuable quarterback of 1997."
After being unable to take the field due to his foot injury in his second season in New Orleans, Shuler signed with the Oakland Raiders
, where he re-injured his foot in training camp and retired. As a pro, his career passer rating
was a 54.3 and in 2004 ESPN
rated him the 17th biggest 'sports flop' of the past 25 years.
After retiring from the NFL, Shuler returned to the University of Tennessee and completed his education, graduating with a degree in psychology
. He then became a real estate
professional in Knoxville. His real estate company is one of the largest independent firms in East Tennessee
. In 2003, Shuler moved to Waynesville, North Carolina
, where he lives today.
On economic and environmental matters, Shuler votes more with his party. He is a whip
of the Blue Dog Coalition, a caucus of moderate-to-conservative House Democrats.
Not long after his election, he became close friends with Brad Ellsworth
, a fellow conservative freshman Democrat from Indiana
.
In 2007, Shuler introduced proposed legislation co-sponsored with fellow North Carolina Congressman Walter Jones
to require airlines to have sections of the aircraft where large movie screens would not be visible.
Reportedly owing to his success in real estate
, Shuler was named chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship during the 110th and 111th Congresses. He has also been a deputy majority whip
.
Shuler won his bid for re-election in 2008. He defeated Asheville City Councilman Carl Mumpower by a 62%-36% margin—a massive sophomore surge
. He easily carried all 15 counties in the district, including traditionally heavily Republican Henderson County
.
Shuler voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
both times it came before the House. He later joined seven other conservative House Democrats in voting against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
, an $819 billion economic stimulus bill
proposed by President
Barack Obama
. Shuler also voted against the Affordable Health Care for America Act
, or HR 3962, along with 38 other Democrats, despite voting yes on the Stupak amendment in the same bill, which prohibits federal funds to be used for abortions.
In January 2011, Shuler voted against repealing the law.
Shuler voted in favor of HR 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act which would implement a cap and trade system aimed at controlling pollution.
In 2011, he co-sponsored HR 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, The bill contained an exception for "forcible rape," which opponents criticized as potentially excluding drug-facilitated rape, date rape, and other forms of rape. The bill also allowed an exception for minors who are victims of incest.
In July 2011, Shuler was one of five Democrats to vote for the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act.
Representative Shuler has also been a major supporter of the governmnent of Sri Lanka in Congress.
as Speaker of the House
, if Democrats maintained their majority. On November 4, after Republicans had won a majority of seats in the upcoming Congress, Shuler predicted Pelosi would no longer be a leader in the House. However, if Pelosi wanted to take the minority leader position, Shuler told Roll Call
, he would run against her if there were no "viable candidate".
As expected, Pelosi did run for minority leader, and on November 14, Shuler told CNN
he would run against her, though he doubted he would win. Shuler lost to Pelosi 150-43 on November 17, but he was pleased that moderate Democrats showed they must be dealt with. On the opening day of the 112th Congress, Shuler received 11 votes for Speaker of the House, which his political aide called "the most dissenting votes recorded in modern history for partisan defections during a vote for Speaker" (Since 1925 ).
Charles H. Taylor
. The district covers most of the Western North Carolina mountains where Shuler grew up.
Shuler repeatedly attacked Taylor for not standing up more often for the 11th's interests. For example, he blasted Taylor for missing a vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which only passed by two votes. Shuler pointed out that according to the House roll call, Taylor voted 11 times on the same day CAFTA came up for a vote. Taylor was one of two Republicans who didn't vote on the bill, even though he'd strongly opposed it in the past. Taylor, for his part, claimed that Shuler would be an extra vote for Nancy Pelosi
, even though Shuler is almost as conservative on social issues as Taylor.
In the November election, Shuler won with 54 percent of the vote to Taylor's 46 percent. He carried nine of the district's 15 counties, including several areas that had reliably supported Taylor over the years. He even carried Taylor's home county of Transylvania
. Shuler was one of only two Democrats to defeat an incumbent in the South that year. His victory gave the Democrats a majority of the state's congressional delegation for the first time since the 1994 elections.
In 2009, a documentary film about the successful 2006 Democratic campaign to retake control of the House, HouseQuake, prominently featured then-Congressman Rahm Emanuel
's efforts to recruit new candidates including Shuler. "Mr. Emanuel’s efforts to get him to run offer one of the most revealing moments in the film," including two weeks of frequent phone calls about the balancing of family and Congressional obligations. The film was directed and produced by Karen Elizabeth Price, daughter of Congressman David Price
who represents the 4th District of North Carolina.
.
for the United States Senate
in the next year's elections. He chose not to do so. Shuler would go on to defeat Republican Jeff Miller to retain his House seat by a margin of 54% to 46%.
2008 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - North Carolina 11th District
2010 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - North Carolina 11th District
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
, a former NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, and the U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
The district covers the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
in western North Carolina
Western North Carolina
Western North Carolina is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains, thus it is often known geographically as the state's Mountain Region. It is sometimes included with upstate South Carolina as the "Western Carolinas", which is also counted as a single media market...
and the largest city in the district is Asheville.
Early life, education and career
Shuler was born in Bryson City, North CarolinaBryson City, North Carolina
Bryson City is a town in Swain County, North Carolina in the United States. The population was 1,353 as of 2009, a decrease of 4.1% since the 2000 census...
, a small town in the Great Smoky Mountains
Great Smoky Mountains
The Great Smoky Mountains are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The range is sometimes called the Smoky Mountains or the...
on the Tennessee border. His father was a mail carrier
Mail carrier
A mail carrier, mailman, postal carrier, postman, postwoman , postman/postwoman , letter carrier or postie is an employee of the post office or postal service, who delivers mail and parcel post to residences and businesses...
and his mother a homemaker
Homemaker
Homemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping or household management...
and volunteer with the Swain County Youth Association; he has a younger brother, Benjie.
Football career
Shuler's athletic career began at Swain CountySwain County, North Carolina
Swain County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 12,968. Its county seat is Bryson City.Swain County is home of the Nantahala River . The Nantahala is one of the most popular whitewater rafting rivers in the nation...
High School. A standout quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
who led his team to three state championships and was named the North Carolina High School Player of the Year, he drew plenty of scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
attention and accepted an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
in 1990.
At Tennessee, Shuler gained national attention as one of the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
's top quarterbacks. He held nearly all Volunteer passing records at the end of his career, although most of them have since been eclipsed by Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
. In 1993, he came in second in the vote for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
.
Shuler was a first-round selection in the 1994 NFL Draft
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
, taken by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
with the third overall pick. ESPN rated him the 4th biggest NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
bust of all time. He held out of training camp until he received a 7-year, $19.25 million contract. The Redskins had fallen on hard times since winning Super Bowl XXVI
Super Bowl XXVI
Super Bowl XXVI was an American football game played on January 26, 1992 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota to decide the National Football League champion following the 1991 regular season...
, and Shuler was looked on as the quarterback of the future. However, Shuler's poor play contributed to a quarterback controversy with fellow 1994 draft pick Gus Frerotte
Gus Frerotte
Gustave Joseph "Gus" Frerotte is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tulsa....
. This was evident when Shuler threw five interceptions in a game against the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Shuler started 18 games in his first two years with the team and was benched in his third year, as Frerotte went to the Pro Bowl.
After the 1996 season
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
, Shuler was traded to the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
for a fifth-round pick in the 1997 draft and a third-round pick in 1998. Shuler's statistics remained poor. He suffered a serious foot injury during the 1997 season in New Orleans and went through two surgeries. Football statistics site Football Outsiders
Football Outsiders
Football Outsiders is a website started in July 2003 which focuses on advanced statistical analysis of the NFL. The site is run by a staff of regular writers, who produce a series of weekly columns using both the site's in-house statistics and their personal analyses of NFL games.In 2005 and 2006,...
called Shuler "[t]he least valuable quarterback of 1997."
After being unable to take the field due to his foot injury in his second season in New Orleans, Shuler signed with the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, where he re-injured his foot in training camp and retired. As a pro, his career passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
was a 54.3 and in 2004 ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
rated him the 17th biggest 'sports flop' of the past 25 years.
After retiring from the NFL, Shuler returned to the University of Tennessee and completed his education, graduating with a degree in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. He then became a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
professional in Knoxville. His real estate company is one of the largest independent firms in East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
. In 2003, Shuler moved to Waynesville, North Carolina
Waynesville, North Carolina
Waynesville is a town in and the county seat of Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest town in Haywood County and the largest in Western North Carolina west of Asheville. Waynesville is located about or 50 km southwest of Asheville between the Great Smoky and Blue...
, where he lives today.
Committee assignments
- Committee on the BudgetUnited States House Committee on the BudgetThe U.S. House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress...
- Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureUnited States House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureThe U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
- Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
- Subcommittee on Highways and TransitUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and TransitThe House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee oversees highway, transit, and highway safety programs in the United States, as well as policy governing how highway and transit projects...
On economic and environmental matters, Shuler votes more with his party. He is a whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
of the Blue Dog Coalition, a caucus of moderate-to-conservative House Democrats.
Brad Ellsworth
John Bradley "Brad" Ellsworth is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 until 2011, and was the unsuccessful 2010 Democratic nominee for the United States Senate seat currently held by Dan Coats...
, a fellow conservative freshman Democrat from Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
In 2007, Shuler introduced proposed legislation co-sponsored with fellow North Carolina Congressman Walter Jones
Walter B. Jones
Walter Beaman Jones, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district encompasses the Outer Banks and areas near the Pamlico Sound. Jones' father was Walter B. Jones, Sr., a Democratic Party congressman from the neighboring 1st district...
to require airlines to have sections of the aircraft where large movie screens would not be visible.
Reportedly owing to his success in real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
, Shuler was named chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship during the 110th and 111th Congresses. He has also been a deputy majority whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
.
Shuler won his bid for re-election in 2008. He defeated Asheville City Councilman Carl Mumpower by a 62%-36% margin—a massive sophomore surge
Sophomore surge
A sophomore surge is a term used in the political science of the United States Congress that refers to an increase in votes that congressional candidates usually receive when running for their first re-election...
. He easily carried all 15 counties in the district, including traditionally heavily Republican Henderson County
Henderson County, North Carolina
Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Asheville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2008, the population was 102,367. Its county seat is Hendersonville.- History :...
.
Shuler voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (Division A of , commonly referred to as a bailout of the U.S. financial system, is a law enacted in response to the subprime mortgage crisis...
both times it came before the House. He later joined seven other conservative House Democrats in voting against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
, an $819 billion economic stimulus bill
Fiscal policy
In economics and political science, fiscal policy is the use of government expenditure and revenue collection to influence the economy....
proposed by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Shuler also voted against the Affordable Health Care for America Act
Affordable Health Care for America Act
The Affordable Health Care for America Act was a bill that was crafted by the United States House of Representatives in November 2009. At the encouragement of the Obama administration, the 111th Congress devoted much of its time to enacting reform of the United States' health care system...
, or HR 3962, along with 38 other Democrats, despite voting yes on the Stupak amendment in the same bill, which prohibits federal funds to be used for abortions.
In January 2011, Shuler voted against repealing the law.
Shuler voted in favor of HR 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act which would implement a cap and trade system aimed at controlling pollution.
In 2011, he co-sponsored HR 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, The bill contained an exception for "forcible rape," which opponents criticized as potentially excluding drug-facilitated rape, date rape, and other forms of rape. The bill also allowed an exception for minors who are victims of incest.
In July 2011, Shuler was one of five Democrats to vote for the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act.
Representative Shuler has also been a major supporter of the governmnent of Sri Lanka in Congress.
Interest in leadership position
During his 2010 campaign, Shuler showed interest in taking the place of Nancy PelosiNancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
as Speaker of the House
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
, if Democrats maintained their majority. On November 4, after Republicans had won a majority of seats in the upcoming Congress, Shuler predicted Pelosi would no longer be a leader in the House. However, if Pelosi wanted to take the minority leader position, Shuler told Roll Call
Roll Call
Roll Call is a newspaper published in Washington, D.C., United States, from Monday to Thursday when the United States Congress is in session and on Mondays only during recess. Roll Call reports news of legislative and political maneuverings on Capitol Hill, as well as political coverage of...
, he would run against her if there were no "viable candidate".
As expected, Pelosi did run for minority leader, and on November 14, Shuler told CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
he would run against her, though he doubted he would win. Shuler lost to Pelosi 150-43 on November 17, but he was pleased that moderate Democrats showed they must be dealt with. On the opening day of the 112th Congress, Shuler received 11 votes for Speaker of the House, which his political aide called "the most dissenting votes recorded in modern history for partisan defections during a vote for Speaker" (Since 1925 ).
2006
In July 2005, Shuler announced his intentions to seek the Democratic nomination to run against eight-term incumbent RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Charles H. Taylor
Charles H. Taylor
Charles Hart Taylor is an American politician; a Republican, he represented North Carolina's 11th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. He began serving in 1991 and continued through January 3, 2007....
. The district covers most of the Western North Carolina mountains where Shuler grew up.
Shuler repeatedly attacked Taylor for not standing up more often for the 11th's interests. For example, he blasted Taylor for missing a vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which only passed by two votes. Shuler pointed out that according to the House roll call, Taylor voted 11 times on the same day CAFTA came up for a vote. Taylor was one of two Republicans who didn't vote on the bill, even though he'd strongly opposed it in the past. Taylor, for his part, claimed that Shuler would be an extra vote for Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
, even though Shuler is almost as conservative on social issues as Taylor.
In the November election, Shuler won with 54 percent of the vote to Taylor's 46 percent. He carried nine of the district's 15 counties, including several areas that had reliably supported Taylor over the years. He even carried Taylor's home county of Transylvania
Transylvania County, North Carolina
Transylvania County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 33,090. Its county seat is Brevard.- History :The county was formed in 1861 from parts of Henderson County and Jackson County...
. Shuler was one of only two Democrats to defeat an incumbent in the South that year. His victory gave the Democrats a majority of the state's congressional delegation for the first time since the 1994 elections.
In 2009, a documentary film about the successful 2006 Democratic campaign to retake control of the House, HouseQuake, prominently featured then-Congressman Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Israel Emanuel is an American politician and the 55th and current Mayor of Chicago. He was formerly White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama...
's efforts to recruit new candidates including Shuler. "Mr. Emanuel’s efforts to get him to run offer one of the most revealing moments in the film," including two weeks of frequent phone calls about the balancing of family and Congressional obligations. The film was directed and produced by Karen Elizabeth Price, daughter of Congressman David Price
David Price (American politician)
David Eugene Price is a professor and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997 and previously from 1987 to 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
who represents the 4th District of North Carolina.
2008
In 2008, Shuler faced Republican Asheville city councilman Carl Mumpower and Libertarian Keith Smith. Shuler was handily reelected with 62 percent of the vote. He easily carried all 15 counties in the district, including traditionally heavily Republican Henderson CountyHenderson County, North Carolina
Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Asheville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2008, the population was 102,367. Its county seat is Hendersonville.- History :...
.
2010
In early 2009, he was mentioned as a possible candidate to run against Richard BurrRichard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in the next year's elections. He chose not to do so. Shuler would go on to defeat Republican Jeff Miller to retain his House seat by a margin of 54% to 46%.
Electoral history
2006 Race for U.S. House of Representatives — North Carolina 11th District- Heath Shuler (D), 54%
- Charles H. TaylorCharles H. TaylorCharles Hart Taylor is an American politician; a Republican, he represented North Carolina's 11th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. He began serving in 1991 and continued through January 3, 2007....
(R) (inc.), 46%
2008 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - North Carolina 11th District
- Heath Shuler (D) (inc.), 62%
- Carl Mumpower (R), 36%
- Keith Smith (LIB), 2%
2010 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - North Carolina 11th District
- Heath Shuler (D) (inc.), 54%
- Jeff Miller (R), 46%
Personal life
Shuler is married to Nikol Davis, with whom he has two children: a daughter, Island, and a son, Navy.http://projects.newsobserver.com/dome/profiles/heath_shulerExternal links
- Congressman Heath Shuler official U.S. House site
- Heath Shuler for Congress official campaign site
- Profile at the Raleigh News & Observer
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
- Heath Shuler's Blog.
- HouseQuake film synopsis.
- Career stats for Shuler
- NFL.com career stats