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Tar Heel Blues for North Carolina Democrats

Rep. Larry Kissell (above) lost to former Congressional aide Richard Hudson. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Rep. Larry Kissell (above) lost to former Congressional aide Richard Hudson. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

North Carolina Democrats are having a very, very bad night. Running in a redrawn Congressional map favoring the GOP, at least three Democratic Congressmen will not be coming back to Capitol Hill. The only bright spot for Democrats: Rep. Mike McIntyre’s race remained too close for the Associated Press to call as of 10:10 p.m.

Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell (D) lost to former Congressional aide Richard Hudson (R). With 68 percent of precincts reporting, the Associated Press said Hudson had 58.4 percent to Kissell’s 41.6 percent. Kissell, a lackluster fundraiser and campaigner, always had a steep path back to the House. After the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee abandoned him, not fulfilling reservations it had to advertise on TV for him, his fate was all but sealed.

In western North Carolina’s 11th district, businessman Mark Meadows won the open seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Heath Shuler (D). Meadows faced former Shuler Chief of Staff Hayden Rogers, but the Democrat never really had a shot in the state’s most Republican district.

Finally, the 13th district, currently held by retiring Rep. Brad Miller (D), was easily won by former U.S. Attorney George Holding (R).

In the open-seat 9th district currently held by retiring Rep. Sue Myrick (R), former state Sen. Robert Pittenger looked poised to win, though the race was not called as of 10:10 p.m.

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