A seismic event in NCGOP congressional primaries?

 

 

Political insiders suggest that there is a VERY good chance that Virginia Foxx could be the ONLY incumbent Republican Member of Congress from North Carolina to survive the May 8th primaries.

Renee Ellmers in the 2nd, Walter Jones in the 3rd, and Patrick McHenry in the 10th are all facing spirited primary challenges.  Sue Myrick in the 9th is retiring, so her seat will have a new occupant following the 2012 vote.  Now comes word — from even close confidants of the incumbent — that Howard Coble, the dean of the congressional delegation, is in the fight of his political life.

Coble is facing two primary challengers — Guilford County Commissioner Billy Yow and longtime Greensboro-area radio personality Bill Flynn.     According to my insider sources, Team Coble is most worried about Flynn, who is a well-respected community figure with a well-financed, well-run campaign.  The Flynn camp is championing a 20 point straw poll  win over Coble at the recent 6th district convention.    The Coble campaign dismisses the convention straw poll and points to a poll conducted by a SuperPAC showing Coble with 64% of the vote, Yow with 11% and Flynn with 5%.

Coble is running in what is basically a brand new district filled with voters who have no experience with him.  With 28 years in DC under his belt, the calls for Coble to come home have been intensifying in recent years.