This year, NC voters were confronted witha Republican ticket headed up by a 72 year old white man running for President and a 72 year old white woman running for the US Senate. I guess they call that diversity but it was pretty indicative of the seven incumbents (plus McCain)
Republicans running for Federal office in North Carolina (I’m excluding Sarah Pallin as she was essentially a tag a long).
The Congressional loser for the Republicans was 63 year old Robin Hayes. Hayes was bested by 57 year old Democrat Larry Kissell. That’s part of the story as 47 year old Barack Obama and 55 year old Kay Hagan whipped the aging Dole and McCain, each 72.
The Congressional winners for NC Republicans included 77 year old Howard Coble, 67 year old Sue Myrick, and two 65 year olds in Walter Jones and Virginia Foxx. Foxx looks a good deal older than her age having the traditional old grandma look. Only Patrick McHenry, 33, is younger than the traditional retirement age and even he got an age “Schock.” McHenry is no longer the youngest House member being badly overtaken by 26 year old wunderkid/brat Aaron Schock of Illinois.
By contrast, two North Carolina Democrats are also clearly agingin 68 year old David Price and 67 year old Bob Etheridge. GK Butterfield is getting there at 61. and so is Mel Watt at 63. Larry Kissell (57), Brad Miller, Mike McIntyre (52) and Kay Hagan (55) are in what would seem prime age for a legislator. Heath Shuler at 36 is still young and hardly has the ambitious brat reputation of McHenry.
Makes one think of the two curmudgeons from Alaska (Don Young (73?) and Ted Stevens (84).
I wonder which states have the oldest and youngest delegations.
Interesting info.
BTW: I doubt Watt is actually 653. 🙂
Below are the stats for registered voters by CD as of the end of 2007. NC has added a net of 668,000 more registered voters in 2008, so these numbers are a bit dated. However, districts 4 (Price-D), 9 (Myrick-R), and 11 (Shuler-D) had the largest number of registered voters a year ago, which should also roughly correspond to overall population.
Whether or not NC gains an additional seat after the 2010 census, these 3 districts would likely be the ‘donors’ that would need to give up some voters to adjoining districts to maintiain balance within the delegation.
It will be interesting to see if the NC legislature can figure out a way to make the new map unfriendly to any of our 5 GOP incumbents. Myrick will lose a large number of voters from District 9, and Walter Jones Jr already has a DEM majority in District 3. Dist 3 was previously held for many years by his father, who was a Democrat – a Blue Dog, but a DEM.
http://www.app.sboe.state.nc.u…
NORTH CAROLINA CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
STATISTICS REPORT 2007
Total Voters.. Dem….. Rep….. Una
Congressional Dist. : 01.. 369,060.. 251,898.. 66,795.. 50,367
Congressional Dist. : 02.. 387,945.. 197,341.. 117,457.. 73,147..
Congressional Dist. : 03.. 409,560.. 173,523.. 148,881.. 87,156
Congressional Dist. : 04.. 512,874.. 231,277.. 151,010.. 130,587..
Congressional Dist. : 05.. 421,847.. 145,258.. 194,361.. 82,228
Congressional Dist. : 06.. 438,486.. 144,385.. 204,074.. 90,027
Congressional Dist. : 07.. 425,521.. 214,329.. 127,860.. 83,332..
Congressional Dist. : 08.. 388,705.. 190,227.. 117,671.. 80,807
Congressional Dist. : 09.. 515,034.. 167,099.. 221,573.. 126,362..
Congressional Dist. : 10.. 411,425.. 147,701.. 178,085.. 85,639
Congressional Dist. : 11.. 472,465.. 190,260.. 166,427.. 115,778..
Congressional Dist. : 12.. 400,219.. 227,283.. 98,901.. 74,035
Congressional Dist. : 13.. 429,273.. 216,474.. 121,759.. 91,040
Total.. 5,604,420.. 2,511,446.. 1,919,575.. 1,173,399