#NC-09: Primary challenge or a HINT from the establishment?
A guy named George Rouco is turning heads and being heralded as a “primary challenger” to incumbent Charlotte-area congressman Robert Pittenger (R). But my sources in that part of the state tell me that Rouco is (1) a guy Pittenger’s cronies were grooming to succeed Pittenger when he decides to step down, and (2) being pushed into the race by a lot of establishment types that have been close to the campaigns of Thom Tillis, Richard Burr, George Holding, Renee Ellmers, and Pat McCrory.
Is this a signal that Pittenger is planning to step down amid an FBI probe of his business interests? Or is he being given a strooooooong hint by the Charlotte mafia to go ahead and step down before the FBI affair blows up and drags them all down?
I’ve been warned by my Charlotte area friends to not accept this guy as a Tea Party warrior ready to smite Pittenger. He would actually be a sequel to the Pittenger era, I’m told. 
From afar, I’ve been quite impressed with Mecklenburg County commissioners Jim Puckett and Bill James.. Either of those two guys could be great conservative champions in the 9th district race.
I have much respect for Bill James and Jim Puckett both should set their sights on higher office we have many in NC that they would be great for
Pittenger has never been all that popular in Mecklenburg. He won district 9 based on support in the adjoining counties from people that “didn’t know him”.
From his picture I hate to say it but he does not look very “Congressional.” His collar is bowed and that hair.
We need someone who looks really good. How about a good looking woman. We need more good looking women in Congress because even when they succumb to the allures of Washington they are still pleasant to look at. Getting stabbed in the back by a good looking woman makes it hurt a little less.
Government needs more of a young feminine touch.
If I were one of those two conservative county commissioners, I think I would rather quickly form an exploratory committee for Congress, say that the fact that some of Pittenger’s former supporters were trying to push him out of the race created a possibility of either an open seat race or a hotly contested race, and that if an open seat race developed I would probably be in, while I would look at the situation further and make a decision if it were a hotly contested primary. I would announce specific concerns about policy as my reason for considering the race. Pittenger leaves a lot to be desired in a number of policy areas, and Rouco seems to largely ignore policy.
It is obvious that Rouco is a front man for Pittenger should he become unelectable. In any event, conservatives need to settle on one of their own and go after this seat. RINOs are ruining the GOP and the country. This is no time to sit back and let have Rouco have this seat.
I would like to clarify Leftist / Socialists are ruining this country and Rino’s in office are hurting the Conservative Republicans attempts to fight back
Allegations of corruption against Pittenger have followed him since 2003 when he was In the state senate. His whole political career has been about propping up his real estate business. I think he will finally end up in prison. As for Bill James. I like him, but he has been public about the fact that his health no longer allows him the ability to campaign. The district needs someone like Jim Puckett, Vince Coakley or John Rhodes to step up and run.
What about former U.S. Attorney, Tom Ashcraft for Congress? He is a brilliant conservative and once worked in Washington for Senator Helms.
Ashcraft would be an excellent choice. He has also served as General Counsel of the NCGOP and as a NC Commissioner to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform States Laws by appointment of Governor Martin.
Jim Puckett for Governor. Yes, he really is that good.