Watt's good fortune is Miller's curse
Vernon Robinson has skipped out.
I welcomed the volatile black Republican's challenge of Congressman Mel Watt in my 12th District, and now he's abandoned me. Robinson scratched his name off the books today and re-filed as a candidate in the 13th District.
That seat is held by Democrat Brad Miller.
Running against Watt would have been "a waste of Robinson's resources," the former Winston-Salem alderman's Web site says.
Now he's matching his "mainstream record" against the "ultra-liberal" Miller.
Um, Watt is more "ultra-liberal" than Miller.
But, since when is Robinson "mainstream"? He calls himself the black Jesse Helms and is probably most famous for placing a monument to the Ten Commandments in front of the Winston-Salem municipal building on a holiday. Of course, he had no authorization for that stunt.
Nevertheless, I was excited about having Robinson run in my district. Watt never has faced a contentious challenger, and Robinson would have given him fits.
Now the GOP nomination will go to Ada Fisher, who was crushed by Watt with barely a whimper two years ago.
Miller, on the other hand, is in for a tough year. He'll probably win in his Democrat-leaning district, but Robinson will make him work for it ... and give him indigestion.
Wait a minute? How can Robinson, who ran for Congress in the 5th District two years ago, file to run in the 12th, then the 13th? Does the guy live in an RV that he drives from one district to another?
Nope. There's no law that says a congressional candidate has to live in the district where's he's running.
Witness Rory Blake of Charlotte, who filed Tuesday to run against Howard Coble in the 6th District.
Blake ran several times against Sue Myrick in the 9th District.
Since no 6th District Democrat was willing to take on Coble, Blake apparently decided to give it a try.
Blake can't win, but Coble might be nicer to him than Sue "HELL NO!" Myrick would be.
I doubt even Myrick, as feisty as she is, would want to have Vernon Robinson to contend with.
I think I hear Mel Watt breathing a sigh of relief.
And Brad Miller crying.
Comments (2)
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Doug:
I have to disagree. As the last of the moderate Republicans, I would never vote for Vernon. I have met Brad Miller and contacted him several times about issues important to me (environment, energy policy).
He has been active in Rockingham County, visiting often and is very responsive to our needs here.
Robinson has done what, besides run his mouth?
Politics is quickly becoming more and more about the candidate and less about the party to many I know in the under 40 demographic.
Posted on February 28, 2006 11:27 PM
Brad Miller will beat Vernon Robinson like a rented mule. All Robinson has done is give Brad an incentive to fundraise - the last things Republicans in the 13th District want is Brad Miller in an active campaign that will draw out Democratic voters to keep their favorite congressman in office.
Thanks Vernon! You just saved the Democratic candidates in Wake County!
Posted on February 28, 2006 11:53 PM