NC-5

Plain and simple, Virginia Foxx is a disaster for our district. Her voting record is embarrassing, seen most recently in her vote against the child health insurance program. Because, however, her work ethic and name recognition are formidable, especially in a gerrymandered Republican district, it will take a lot to unseat her. Yet, a campaign gaining traction and momentum before the Democratic primary has a chance to capitalize on the widespread discontent within this district. Currently, only one man has stepped up to the plate: Roy Carter.

Outnumbered by Republicans, North Carolina's Watauga County Democratic Party swept the ticket in 2006. Watauga was the only 5th-district county where Roger Sharpe defeated incumbent Representative Virginia Foxx. The irony: Representative Foxx calls Watauga home.

County Chair Diane Tilson attributes her party's success to many things. But she is most proud, not of their victories at the polls, but of their efforts to improve their community. Click on the one-minute video below to hear her explain how she wants her party's actions to speak louder than words:

Meet Roger Sharpe in this short video.

If your neighbor’s house were destroyed, what would you do? Seriously. Of course you would provide food or clothing or money or whatever was needed.

When Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf, most of us watched on TV, shocked and embarrassed that our government was doing nothing. Roger Sharpe got in his car and drove to Mississippi and rolled up his sleeves. He considered Mississippians his neighbors because they’re part of the American community.

In this second short video, see how the experience affected him.

Now Roger is running for Congress and it’s our turn for action. In Washington, he’ll represent the best of each of us -- the part that would get in the car and drive to Mississippi.

Totals per Congressional Quarterly.

Notes: Being an incumbent usually gives you a huge $ advantage. We have 3 challengers doing quite well. Brad Miller and Mel Watt both have challengers who have raised a considerable amount of money.

2 & 7-Etheridge and McIntire are sitting on a lot of cash. Except compared to Taylor and Hayes, who each have more than $1 million on hand. Look for the airwaves to get real ugly very soon.

5-Foxx outspent Sharpe 4 to 1.

8-Hayes outspent Kissell 2 to 1.

11-Taylor outspent Shuler 4 to 1.

13-Robinson outspent Miller 2 to 1, but Miller has more cash on hand.

In a comment here, Stormbear observed that there may be a "Kissell Effect" coming into play, spilling across Congressional districts and changing the dynamics in NC-5. All I can say is this: if there's not a Kissell Effect, there should be.

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Like every North Carolina progressive, I was pleased to see the Winston-Salem Journal taking a stand for sanity and good governance. I applaud the newspaper's take-down of Virginia Foxx and I agree with 99% of what the endorsement said. However, there's one point I'd like to push back on:

So Foxx could have moved toward the moderate center and reached out to her Democratic and independent constituents as well. She could have been a representative with a mind of her own, one who was willing to do what was in the best interests of her district. She could have abandoned the shrillness that poisons our politics and could have tried to build consensus.

Meet Virginia Foxx's hand-picked candidate for the State Senate - David Blust.

The following is at an open candidate forum from the campus of Appalachian State University. The question is...
SHOULD STUDENTS BE ALLOWED TO VOTE???

I give you Republican David Blust...

Blust comes in and tells us 1) that we don't know jack shit, and 2) that we shouldnt be allowed to vote in local elections!!

ive run for office here, and I've taken issues to the county commission and town council and worked for local candidates (both democrat and republican) and i have canvassed the county and am a vice-chairman on the Watauga County Democratic Party. I live and work and pay taxes and rent and breathe air and love mountains in your district. For David Blust to tell me that I'm not allowed to vote (then ASK for my vote)is completely un-American.

(how fuckin annoying is THAT?)

Now imagine that she was your congresswoman, and you had to deal daily with her bullshit like this...
From the Charlotte Observer

Last year U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican from Watauga County, ranked among the top 10 of 435 House members in the number of taxpayer-funded constituent mailings.

In her district of 476,000 voters, she sent out 846,000 mailings. That cost taxpayers $167,000.

Remember...this is the "fiscal conservative" who voted...

1. FOR $250,000,000 a WEEK in Iraq
2. FOR for Bush's middle class killing tax cuts

Who is that handsome devil?

Why its Roger Sharpe of course! Along with the officer corps of the Appalachian State University College Democrats. Can you guess which one I am? (PS...why did you immediately guess the blogger looking one with the laptop strung from his back?)

Roger gave a fantastic speech about healthcare for all, ending the Iraq war, and higher education.

Virginia Foxx thinks that the federal government has no place in education (coincidentally, she attended (and was fired from) Appalachian State University - an NC public school).