U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler is again the hot topic.

Recent remarks by N.C. Democratic Party chairman David Young on an Asheville radio station that Shuler is reconsidering a run for Senate have fanned the flames, reports the Hendersonville Times-News: 

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee members "are talking to him very seriously," Young told WPEK 880-AM. "I believe congressman Shuler is considering it again."

Young told the Times-News Tuesday that he had not spoken directly with Shuler, but believes it would be positive for Western North Carolina if Shuler ran against Burr.

"I think he would be a fantastic candidate," said Young, a former Buncombe County commissioner.

The newspaper also notes that an open seat in Shuler's conservative mountain district could mean a GOP win there.

Hat Tip: Scorecard 

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr said he panicked when he first learned of the banking crisis.

The Winston-Salem Republican told the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce that he called his wife, Brooke, and told her to withdraw money from the bank after talking with former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

The remarks, first reported by the Hendersonville Times-News, have since been picked up by The Hill, a Washington-based newspaper, and various political blogs:

"On Friday night, I called my wife and I said, 'Brooke, I am not coming home this weekend. I will call you on Monday. Tonight, I want you to go to the ATM machine, and I want you to draw out everything it will let you take. And I want you to tomorrow, and I want you to go Sunday.' I was convinced on Friday night that if you put a plastic card in an ATM machine the last thing you were going to get was cash."

Burr also said that he does not think the current economic problems — which he termed a depression — would have a U-shaped or V-shaped recovery, as past recessions have had.

"Those are the only things they talk about," he said. "Either it’s a lack of imagination or some belief that you can make everything fit into those two. Let me suggest to you today, I think we are in a Nike swoosh."

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler's non-campaign lasted 118 days.

The Waynesville Democrat kicked off his non-run for the seat held by Republican Sen. Richard Burr in an interview with the Hendersonville Times-News on Nov. 13 and ended it with a brief statement yesterday.

At no point did he ever say he was actually in the race, but Shuler got some good coverage nonetheless.

A few highlights: Shuler was praised in an editorial, held a fundraiser with Bill Clinton that raised six figures, attended Gov. Beverly Perdue's inaugural ball, was polled twice against Burr, drew attention (and the ire of Democratic leaders) for criticizing the stimulus package, became a whip for the Blue Dog Coalition and became a target for liberals on BlueNC.

All in all, that's pretty good coverage for the second-newest member of the state's Congressional delegation. It beats the attention paid to Democratic Rep. Brad Miller during his 63-day non-campaign against Sen. Elizabeth Dole in 2007.

Previously: Why the "Sophomore Strivers" usually don't run. 

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler broke ranks on the stimulus.

The Waynesville Congressman was the only Democrat in the state delegation — and one of only 11 House Democrats — to vote against the $819 billion stimulus bill Wednesday.

No Republican voted for it.

In a statement, Shuler, a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog coalition, said he felt the stimulus contained too much spending in areas that would not immediately help boost the economy.

The measure passed 244-188 and heads to the Senate. (AP)

"This can’t be a Christmas tree," Shuler told reporters in advance about the bill. "It can't be the pet projects of the House and Senate." (Hendersonville Times-News)

Speaking on the stimulus, Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx credited President Bush's 2001 tax cuts with economic growth and blamed the Democratic majority since 2006 for current problems. (NYT)