Carl Mumpower Leaves GOP Over Asheville Water Theft

Carl Mumpower was a conservative Republican member of the Asheville city council for years, until he ran for the U.S. Congress as the Republican nominee against Heath Shuler a few years ago.

But he's leaving the Republican Party to become unaffiliated, and it's the Republican-engineered seizure of Asheville's water system that was the last straw.

“This is not anything more than stealing Asheville’s water system,” Mumpower said. “I don’t care what people say or how complicated they try to make it, it’s just theft through our legislature, and that’s wrong. And this [leaving the party] was a way to fight back.”

According to John Boyle, Mumpower is the only visible Republican to stand up for (Republican) principle against this example of Big Government bullying.

The New NC House Speaker

Thom Tillis of Mecklenburg County.

Who, according to Buncombe County arch conservative Carl Mumpower, is really just a "Republican in Name Only" (RINO).

Tillis's election "tells us even more about what we can expect from NC's new elephant majority," sez Mumpower, meaning by that, "not much."

A full transcript of Mr. Mumpower's podcast about Tillis is posted on This Old State.

Republican Big Tent Gets Caught in Gale

The internecine strife among Republicans in the NC-11 has broken out into the public square.

First, Carl Mumpower, the Republican congressional candidate running against incumbent Democrat Heath Shuler, famously suspended his campaign until at least half the counties in his district pledged to salute his version of "values."

To which the Henderson County Republican Party has now replied, "Kiss our fat, hairy posteriors."

One of the more entertaining side-shows in North Carolina.

Agree to Republican Values, Or This Kitten Gets It!

No, seriously, Carl Mumpower (which is a GREAT name, particularly in this instance), the Republican candidate running against incumbent Democrat Heath Shuler in the NC-11, has suspended his campaign until Republican leaders in the counties in his district pledge to support Republican values.

Okay, okay, he says he'll resume his campaign if HALF the counties pledge to support Republican values.

The Asheville Citizen-Times has the only slightly less loopy details here.

Mumpower ("Just Say Shuuuush to Power!") is particularly pissed that fellow Republican Liddy Dole recently voted to override President Bush's veto of the Farm Bill. In June, Mumpower said he would support impeachment of President Bush over "the illegal immigration problem."

And you thought the silly season was long over!