Looks Like a Dem Primary in the NC-10

Patsy Keever says she's also running for Congress in the newly drawn NC-10, joining Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy, who announced a few days ago.

Keever has extensive political experience. Most recently, she defeated incumbent blue dog Bruce Goforth in the NC House Dist. 115, but Republicans in the General Assembly rewarded that bold move by "double-bunking" Keever and Democratic House member Susan Fisher. (Meanwhile, Bruce Goforth switched parties and went to work for Republican Speaker Thom Tillis ... just to prove that his primary challenge from Keever was prescient and probably divinely inspired.)

Keever also previously ran for Congress in 2004 against long-time Republican incumbent Charles Taylor in the NC-11. Heath Shuler eventually retired Taylor.

Anyhoo, looks like a pretty substantive primary is shaping up, with either candidate presenting Patrick McHenry with a credible challenger. Plus, O my brethren, it can't be a bad thing to bring the Dems out for the primary in order to vote against Dan Soucek's hateful anti-gay amendment. Probably, the more hot Dem primaries we have in May, the more the anti-gay amendment suffers.

Bring 'em on!

Patty McHenry Draws a Credible Challenger

Terry Bellamy, the popular mayor of Asheville since 2005, has announced that she will run against Congressman Patrick McHenry in the redrawn 10th Congressional District. Most of the city of Asheville was gerrymandered into McHenry's otherwise safe Republican district ... apparently, just to make things interesting.

The upside for McHenry? He gets to campaign now in gay-friendly Asheville.

The downside for McHenry? He has to campaign now in Asheville.

There will apparently be a Democratic primary in this race, since there's another announced Democrat already running. And, of course, McHenry will have his own primary, as he always does, against one or more Republicans who don't cotton to Little Patty for one reason or another.