NC-08

[Meeker]

Kissel lost here by less than 400 votes in 2006. The district is also 28% black. With Obama driving up black turnout, is there really any way Kissel can lose? Barring some massive scandal or something of course.

[Mr.Phips]

I would be surprised if Kissell didnt win it this year.  This is a district that I actually think Obama will carry and this will help Kissell greatly. 

[MarkWarner08]

Interestingly enough, Tom Davis, the GOP's House guru, didn't mention this as one of the fifty most vulnerable Republican House seats in his now-famous 21 page memo about the declining fortunes of the House GOP.

I think most political handicappers are underrating this  race because Kissell has just over 100k COH, which is the lowest amount of any Democrat the DCCC's Red to Blue list. Kissell is struggling with fundraising because unlike most of these other challengers, he's not a lawyer, doesn't have many wealthy friends, and resides in one of the poorest Congressional districts in the South. He's also a former textile worker turned middle school geography teacher. Even Republicans should acknowlegde that Congress would be enriched by adding someone who isn't another self-funding businessman or avaricious lawyer.

[cannonia]

Well, that's the problem with campaign finance "reforms."