|
Office | District | Status |
| U.S. Representative | U.S. House 11 | Incumbent | |
| Party | In Office Since | Term Ends | |
| Democrat | 2006 | 2010 | |
| Level of Government | |||
| Congress | |||
| Date of Birth | Birthplace | Now Lives In | |
| December 31, 1971 | Bryson City, NC | Waynesville, NC | |
Synopsis | Heath Shuler had better luck in his second big move to Washington. A star quarterback in high school and college, the Western Carolina native was famously a dud playing for the Washington Redskins. But after turning down Republican scouts in Tennessee, he successfully unseated longtime U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor in 2006 as a conservative Democrat, winning by an even larger margin two years later. One of two members of the Blue Dog Coalition from North Carolina, he briefly considered a run for U.S. Senate during his second term. |
Trivia |
In 2007, he was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by a Capitol Hill newspaper. |
Endorsements |
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Biography
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Marital Status
Married
Spouse
Nikol
Children
Son, Navy; daughter, Island
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Heath Shuler is a U.S. representative from the 11th District in North Carolina and a former pro football player.
Early Life and Education
Joseph Heath Shuler was born Dec. 31, 1971, in Bryson City, N.C. His father was a mailman.
He led Swain High's football team to three consecutive state 1-A titles.
He then attended the University of Tennessee, playing college football as the star quarterback. In 1993, he was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.
Pro Football Career
As a college junior in 1994, Shuler was a first-round draft pick of the Washington Redskins.
After three seasons, he was traded to the New Orleans Saints and later played for the Oakland Raiders.
Shuler was widely considered a disappointment in professional football due to injuries and poor game results.
Professional Career
After leaving the National Football League, Shuler returned to the University of Tennessee to finish his education, earning a bachelor's degree in 2001.
He then started a real estate company in Knoxville, Tenn., with his brother.
Political Career
In 2002, Tennessee Republicans unsuccessfully attempted to recruit Shuler to run for Congress.
Former U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, later a member of President Obama's administration, played a key role in recruiting Shuler as a Democratic candidate in North Carolina.
In 2006, Shuler ran against longtime Republican Rep. Charles Taylor, winning with 53.8 percent of the vote. He easily won re-election in 2008 with 62 percent.
Shuler represents the 11th Congressional District, which includes Asheville and most of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
He is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition of conservative Democrats, serving as a whip in the 2008 session.
After winning his second race, Shuler spent several months publicly considering a run for U.S. Senate before deciding against it.
Research and reporting by Ryan Teague Beckwith.
Occupation
| Real estate company owner Heath Shuler Real Estate |
Community Involvement:
Not specified.
Contact Info
| U.S. House 512 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-6401 |
Asheville Office 356 Biltmore Ave., Suite 400, Asheville, N.C. 28801 828-252-1651 |
Education
| bachelor of arts University of Tennessee Graduated: 2001 |
Military
Not specified.Links
http://shuler.house.govhttp://miva.citizen-times.com/cgi-bin/miva?blogs+blog_id=hshuler
http://www.heathshuler.com
N&O Profile:
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary_newmems.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00027655
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/s001171/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heath_Shuler
