The Hill, a non partisan publication of Capitol Hill, lists 8th District Rep. Larry Kissell of Biscoe as the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent in the country and 11th Rep. Heath Shuler of Waynesville as the fourth most vulnerable.
Writing in the Hill's Campaign Blog, Cameron Joseph notes that Kissell “barely survived” in 2010 in a district in which he won 53 percent of the vote. The old district gave Republican presidential candidate John McCain 47 percent of the vote but the newly realigned district would have given McCain 57 percent of the vote.
Among the Republicans lining up to challenge Kissell are Scott Keadle, a former Iredell County commissioner; state Rep. Justin Burr of Albermarle; and state Rep. Jerry Dockham of Denton.
The Hill notes that Shuler won in 2010 by nine points, but that district has gone from a 52 percent McCain district to a 58 percent McCain district.
Shuler is being challenged by Republicans Jeff Hunt, a district attorney; Spencer Campbell, a former Henderson County GOP chairman; and Don Eichenbaum, an opthamologist.
Although The Hill only named the top five most endangered Democrats, it did include nine Democrats on the honorable mention list including two from North Carolina: 13th District Rep. Brad Miller from Raleigh and 7th District Rep. Mike McIntyre of Lumberton.
No state had more endangered Democratic congressmen than North Carolina, providing some idea of the success of the Republican redistricting plan passed by the legislature in July.
