Heath Shuler

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Joseph Heath Shuler
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from North Carolina's 11th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2007
Preceded by Charles H. Taylor
Personal details
Born 31 December 1971 (1971-12-31) (age 40)
Bryson City, North Carolina
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Nikol Davis Shuler
Children Navy Shuler
Island Shuler
Residence Waynesville, North Carolina
Alma mater University of Tennessee (B.A.)
Occupation Real estate investor, retired football player
Religion Southern Baptist
Heath Shuler
No. 5     
Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth: December 31, 1971 (1971-12-31) (age 40)
Place of birth: Bryson City, North Carolina
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Weight: 216 lb (98 kg)
Career information
College: Tennessee
NFL Draft: 1994 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3
Debuted in 1994 for the Washington Redskins
Last played in 1997 for the New Orleans Saints
Career history
*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 1997
TD-INT     15-33
Yards     3,691
QB Rating     54.3
Stats at NFL.com

Joseph Heath Shuler (born December 31, 1971) is a businessman, a former NFL quarterback, and the U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 11th congressional district, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

The district covers the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina and the largest city in the district is Asheville. On February 2, 2012, Shuler announced his retirement from the House, and will not be seeking re-election to a fourth term.[1]

Contents

[edit] Early life, education, and early football career

Shuler was born in Bryson City, North Carolina, a small town in the Great Smoky Mountains on the Tennessee border. His father was a mail carrier and his mother a homemaker and volunteer with the Swain County Youth Association; he has a younger brother, Benjie.[2]

Shuler's athletic career began at Swain County High School. A standout quarterback who led his team to three state championships and was named the North Carolina High School Player of the Year, he drew plenty of scout attention and accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Tennessee in 1990.

At Tennessee, Shuler gained national attention as one of the SEC's top quarterbacks. He held nearly all Volunteer passing records at the end of his career, although most of them have since been eclipsed by Peyton Manning. In 1993, he came in second in the vote for the Heisman Trophy.

[edit] Professional football career

Shuler was a first-round selection in the 1994 NFL Draft, taken by the Washington Redskins with the third overall pick. ESPN rated him the 4th biggest NFL Draft bust of all time.[3] He held out of training camp until he received a 7-year, $19.25 million contract. The Redskins had fallen on hard times since winning Super Bowl XXVI, and Shuler was looked on as the quarterback of the future. However, Shuler's poor play contributed to a quarterback controversy with fellow 1994 draft pick Gus Frerotte. This was evident when Shuler threw five interceptions in a game against the Arizona Cardinals. Shuler started 18 games in his first two years with the team and was benched in his third year, as Frerotte went to the Pro Bowl.

After the 1996 season, Shuler was traded to the New Orleans Saints for a fifth-round pick in the 1997 draft and a third-round pick in 1998. Shuler's statistics remained poor. He suffered a serious foot injury during the 1997 season in New Orleans and went through two surgeries. Football statistics site Football Outsiders called Shuler "[t]he least valuable quarterback of 1997." [4]

After being unable to take the field due to his foot injury in his second season in New Orleans, Shuler signed with the Oakland Raiders, where he re-injured his foot in training camp and retired. As a pro, his career passer rating was a 54.3 and in 2004 ESPN rated him the 17th biggest 'sports flop' of the past 25 years.[5] NFL Network ranked Schuler as the ninth biggest bust in NFL history.

[edit] Real estate career

After retiring from the NFL, Shuler returned to the University of Tennessee and completed his education, graduating with a degree in psychology. He then became a real estate professional in Knoxville. His real estate company is one of the largest independent firms in East Tennessee. In 2003, Shuler moved to Waynesville, North Carolina, where he lives today.

[edit] U.S. House of Representatives

[edit] Elections

[edit] 2006

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2006#District 11

In July 2005, Shuler announced his intentions to seek the Democratic nomination to run against eight-term incumbent Republican Charles H. Taylor. The district covers most of the Western North Carolina mountains where Shuler grew up.

Shuler repeatedly attacked Taylor for not standing up more often for the 11th's interests. For example, he blasted Taylor for missing a vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which only passed by two votes. Shuler pointed out that according to the House roll call, Taylor voted 11 times on the same day CAFTA came up for a vote.[6] Taylor was one of two Republicans who didn't vote on the bill, even though he'd strongly opposed it in the past.[7] Taylor, for his part, claimed that Shuler would be an extra vote for Nancy Pelosi, even though Shuler is almost as conservative on social issues as Taylor.[8]

In the November election, Shuler won with 54 percent of the vote to Taylor's 46 percent. He carried nine of the district's 15 counties, including several areas that had reliably supported Taylor over the years. He even carried Taylor's home county of Transylvania. Shuler was one of only two Democrats to defeat an incumbent in the South that year. His victory gave the Democrats a majority of the state's congressional delegation for the first time since the 1994 elections.

In 2009, a documentary film about the successful 2006 Democratic campaign to retake control of the House, HouseQuake, prominently featured then-Congressman Rahm Emanuel's efforts to recruit new candidates including Shuler. "Mr. Emanuel’s efforts to get him to run offer one of the most revealing moments in the film," including two weeks of frequent phone calls about the balancing of family and Congressional obligations. The film was directed and produced by Karen Elizabeth Price, daughter of Congressman David Price who represents the 4th District of North Carolina.[9]

[edit] 2008

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2008#District 11

In 2008, Shuler faced Republican Asheville city councilman Carl Mumpower and Libertarian Keith Smith. Shuler was handily reelected with 62 percent of the vote. He easily carried all 15 counties in the district, including traditionally heavily Republican Henderson County.

[edit] 2010

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2010#District 11*

In early 2009, he was mentioned as a possible candidate to run against Richard Burr for the United States Senate in the next year's elections.[10] He chose not to do so.[11] Shuler would go on to defeat Republican Jeff Miller to retain his House seat by a margin of 54% to 46%.[12]

[edit] Tenure

Ideology

On economic and environmental matters, Shuler votes more with his party.[citation needed] He is a whip of the Blue Dog Coalition, a caucus of moderate-to-conservative House Democrats.[13]

Earlier official photo of Shuler

Not long after his election, he became close friends with Brad Ellsworth, a fellow conservative freshman Democrat from Indiana.[14]

In 2007, Shuler introduced proposed legislation co-sponsored with fellow North Carolina U.S. Congressman Walter Jones to require airlines to have sections of the aircraft where large movie screens would not be visible.[15]

Representative Shuler has also been a major supporter of the government of Sri Lanka in Congress.[16]

Reportedly owing to his success in real estate, Shuler was named chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship during the 110th and 111th Congresses.[17] He has also been a deputy-at-large Whip.[18]

Key votes during economic recession

Shuler voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 both times it came before the House.[19][20] He later joined seven other conservative House Democrats in voting against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, an $819 billion economic stimulus bill proposed by President Barack Obama. Shuler also voted against the Affordable Health Care for America Act, or HR 3962, along with 38 other Democrats, despite voting yes on the Stupak amendment in the same bill, which prohibits federal funds to be used for abortions.[21][22] In January 2011, Shuler voted against repealing the law.[23]

Cap and Trade

Shuler voted in favor of HR 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act which would implement a cap and trade system aimed at controlling pollution.[24]

Abortion

In 2011, he co-sponsored HR 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,[25] The bill contained an exception for "forcible rape," which opponents criticized as potentially excluding drug-facilitated rape, date rape, and other forms of rape.[26] The bill also allowed an exception for minors who are victims of incest.[25]

Republican 2011 budget

In July 2011, Shuler was one of five Democrats to vote for the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act.[27]

Interest in leadership position

During his 2010 campaign, Shuler showed interest in taking the place of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, if Democrats maintained their majority. On November 4, after Republicans had won a majority of seats in the upcoming Congress, Shuler predicted Pelosi would no longer be a leader in the House. However, if Pelosi wanted to take the minority leader position, Shuler told Roll Call, he would run against her if there were no "viable candidate".[28]

As expected, Pelosi did run for minority leader, and on November 14, Shuler told CNN he would run against her, though he doubted he would win.[29] Shuler lost to Pelosi 150-43 on November 17, but he was pleased that conservative Democrats showed they must be dealt with.[30] On the opening day of the 112th Congress, Shuler received 11 votes for Speaker of the House, which his political aide called "the most dissenting votes recorded in modern history for partisan defections during a vote for Speaker" [31] (Since 1925 [32]).

[edit] Committee assignments

[edit] Electoral history

2006 Race for U.S. House of Representatives — North Carolina 11th District
2008 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - North Carolina 11th District
  • Heath Shuler (D) (inc.), 62%
  • Carl Mumpower (R), 36%
  • Keith Smith (LIB), 2%
2010 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - North Carolina 11th District
  • Heath Shuler (D) (inc.), 54%
  • Jeff Miller (R), 46%

[edit] Personal life

Shuler is married to Nikol Davis, with whom he has two children: a daughter, Island, and a son, Navy.[3]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Isenstadt, Alex; Haberkorm, Jennifer (2 February 2012). "Heath Shuler will not seek reelection or run for governor in 2012". The Politico. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72388.html. Retrieved 3 February 2012. 
  2. ^ Democrats for Values. Heath Shuler
  3. ^ ESPN.com's ranking of the top 50 busts in NFL draft history
  4. ^ Football Outsiders - 1997 DVOA Ratings and Commentary
  5. ^ ESPN25: The 25 Biggest Sports Flops of 1979–2004
  6. ^ Heath Shuler campaign press release on Taylor's missed CAFTA vote
  7. ^ Joel Burgess, "Taylor explains absent nay vote", Times-News, July 29, 2005
  8. ^ Whitmire, Tim. GOP Raises Specter of 'Speaker Pelosi'. Associated Press via San Francisco Chronicle, 2006-08-12.
  9. ^ "Emanuel at the Epicenter: Then and Now" by Peter Baker, The New York Times, October 21, 2009. Retrieved Oct. 21, 2009.
  10. ^ "Heath Shuler mulls race for Senate seat". http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20081113/NEWS/811120188/1042?Title=Heath_Shuler_mulls_race_for_Senate_seat. Retrieved 03-10-2009. 
  11. ^ "Shuler won't seek NC Senate seat in 2010". http://www.charlotteobserver.com/politics/story/587216.html. Retrieved 03-10-2009. [dead link]
  12. ^ "Elections 2010: North Carolina". USA Today. http://projects.usatoday.com/news/politics/2010/elections/NC/. Retrieved 11-03-2010. 
  13. ^ Barrett, Barbara; Bonner, Lynn; Curliss, J. Andrew (2010-11-07). "Shuler has an opening to challenge Pelosi". News & Observer. http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/07/786496/shuler-has-an-opening-to-challenge.html. Retrieved 2010-11-09. 
  14. ^ Darman, Jonathan (2006-11-20). "Behind Their Smiles". Newsweek. http://www.newsweek.com/id/44604. Retrieved 2010-07-12. 
  15. ^ "Bill targets sex and violence in inflight movies - CNN.com". http://www.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/09/25/airline.movies.ap/index.html?iref=newssearch. [dead link]
  16. ^ Roll Call. http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_48/Shulers-Outreach-Goes-All-the-Way-to-Sri-Lanka-209767-1.html. 
  17. ^ "Shuler chairman of subcommittee". Hendersonville Times-News. 31 January 2007. http://www.blueridgenow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070131/NEWS/70131005/1042/NEWS. Retrieved 3 February 2012. 
  18. ^ "Shuler chosen as deputy-at-large whip". Hendersonville Times-News. 13 January 2007. http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20070113/NEWS/701130325. Retrieved 3 February 2012. 
  19. ^ Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Final Vote Results for Roll Call 674 September 29, 2008
  20. ^ Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Final Vote Results for Roll Call 681 October 3, 2008
  21. ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml#Y
  22. ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll884.xml
  23. ^ The Washington Post. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/112/house/1/votes/14/?hpid=artslot. 
  24. ^ Roll call vote on HR 2454 [1]>
  25. ^ a b Full text of House Resolution 3: No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
  26. ^ "What is 'forcible rape' exactly?". The Washington Post. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2011/02/what_is_forcible_rape_exactly.html. 
  27. ^ Berman, Russell (19 July 2011). "Five Blue Dogs join GOP in vote for 'cut, cap and balance' bill". The Hill. http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/172441-five-blue-dogs-join-gop-in-vote-for-cut-cap-and-balance-bill. Retrieved 21 July 2011. 
  28. ^ "Shuler says he'll challenge Pelosi for minority leadership". Asheville Citizen-Times. 2010-11-04. http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20101104/NEWS01/101104018/Shuler-to-challenge-Pelosi-for-minority-leadership-. Retrieved 2010-11-04. 
  29. ^ Motsinger, Carol (2010-11-15). "Heath Shuler: I'll challenge Nancy Pelosi if she continues to run for minority leader". Asheville Citizen-Times. http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20101115/NEWS/311150028/1009/news01. Retrieved 2010-11-23. 
  30. ^ Boyle, John (2010-11-18). "Heath Shuler challenge to Nancy Pelosi falls short". Asheville Citizen-Times. http://www.citizen-times.com/article/2010311180019. Retrieved 2010-11-23. 
  31. ^ News & Observer: Shuler falls short, way short
  32. ^ [2]

[edit] External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Charles H. Taylor		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from North Carolina's 11th congressional district
2007–present		 Incumbent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by
John Sarbanes
D-Maryland		 United States Representatives by seniority
284th		 Succeeded by
Adrian M. Smith
R-Nebraska
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