Jobs

Blue Dogs Cool To Obama Jobs Vision

Brian Beutler | September 14, 2011, 1:29PM

Rep. Heath Schuler (D-NC)

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly attributed remarks by Rep. Kurt Schrader to Rep. John Barrow. TPM regrets the error.

Blue Dog Democrats are pushing members of the joint deficit Super Committee to reduce the deficit significantly more than they've been tasked with. But they don't want to talk about President Obama's jobs plan. And beneath the surface its clear that there are major differences between the White House and conservative members of his party.

Leaders of the Blue Dog caucus held a press conference in the Capitol Visitor's Center Wednesday to push the Super Committee to "go big." But thanks to an explicit efforts by Democrats and the administration the deficit panel's work has become linked to the idea of job creation, and Obama's jobs bill. But the Blue Dogs didn't really want to talk about it.

After the press conference I asked Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC) whether he agreed with CBO chief Doug Elmendorf -- and by extension Obama -- that the wisest economic path involves near term stimulus followed by long-run fiscal restraint.

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Redistricting

North Carolina GOP Set To Solidify Gains with Redistricting

Jessica Kim | July 28, 2011, 11:30AM

Rep. Heath Schuler (D-NC)

Rep. Heath Schuler (D-NC), a three-term congressman, is no stranger to seeking re-election in a GOP-friendly district.

But this time around, if he runs, his fortunes may turn, as he faces the prospect of protecting his seat in the wake of redistricting in North Carolina, a process that was largely controlled by state Republicans for the first time in over a century. State Democrats stand to lose their 7-6 majority and more in the state Legislature.

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Blue Dogs

Senior Blue Dog Says House GOP 'Talked Down' To Them On Budget

Susan Crabtree | March 30, 2011, 5:03PM

Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN)

Any attempt -- real or imagined -- by House Republican leaders to court enough Blue Dog Democrats to their side on the budget talks to avoid a government shutdown, may have backfired.

Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), a founding member of the Blue Dogs, told TPM he didn't think the talks were "all that effective" because House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) had "talked down to them" during a recent meeting.

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Spending

Thirteen House Dems Vote With GOP To Defund Obama 'Czars'

Brian Beutler | February 17, 2011, 7:46PM

President Barack Obama

Thirteen Democrats bolstered the GOP's frame that several of President Obama's unconfirmed advisers are "czars" by voting for an amendment to the House spending bill that would defund their offices.

They are Reps. Dan Boren (D-OK), Ben Chandler (D-KY), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Pete DeFazio (D-OR), Gene Green (D-TX), Larry Kissell (D-NC), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Ed Pastor (D-AZ), Nick Rahall (D-WV), Mike Ross (D-AR), and Heath Shuler (D-NC).

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Jared Loughner

2 Reps. Say They'll Now Carry Guns In Their Home Districts

Eric Lach | January 10, 2011, 9:32AM

Reps. Heath Shuler (D-NC) and Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)

In the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and 19 others in Arizona this weekend, Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Heath Shuler (D-NC) say that they will carry firearms when in their home districts.

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Nancy Pelosi

Pelosi Prevails Over Uneasy Democratic Caucus

Brian Beutler | November 17, 2010, 6:19PM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

For hours Wednesday morning and afternoon, while House Republicans went through an almost perfunctory exercise of electing the next Speaker of the House, Democrats vented steam over the results of the November 2nd election. Dozens rebelled against the existing leadership team. Others simply were too shell-shocked to give Nancy Pelosi a vote of confidence so soon after their party lost over 60 seats.

When all was said and done, the leadership team will be the same as last last year's. Pelosi won her race against Blue Dog Heath Shuler (NC) -- a mostly symbolic opponent -- handily, and everybody else took one step down behind her. Steny Hoyer (MD) will become the minority whip. Jim Clyburn (SC) will settle into a new, and ill-defined role as assistant minority leader, and John Larson (CT) and Xavier Becerra (CA) will retain their roles as conference chair and vice-chair.

Getting there was a saga Democrats are eagerly working to put behind them.

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Heath Shuler

Here Comes Shuler: NC Dem Set To Make His Leadership Bid Official This Weekend

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 12, 2010, 4:10PM

Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC)

Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC) is setting the stage for an official challenge to Nancy Peolsi's bid to lead the Democratic minority in the next Congress. Shuler, a moderate from the North Carolina mountains, will make his intentions official on the national stage this weekend, The Hill reports.

Shuler pitched himself as a moderate alternative to Pelosi as leader of the House caucus before she officially announced her run for Minority Leader in the next Congress.

Now, with most observers thinking Pelosi has the position locked up, Shuler appears ready to make good on his promise to take her on.

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Nancy Pelosi

Shuler Now Says He'll Run Against Pelosi For Minority Leader

Brian Beutler | November 4, 2010, 4:10PM

Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi hasn't announced whether she'll retire, continue to serve in Congress, or even seek a leadership role in the next Congress, but already one of the House's most conservative members is trying to undercut her. Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC), who dodged the shellacking on Tuesday, says if Pelosi makes a play to be Minority Leader, he'll run against her.

"If there's not a viable alternative -- like I said all along -- I can go recruit moderate Members to run in swing districts," Shuler said. "In that situation, I could do it better than she could, and that's what it's going to take. It's going to take moderate candidates to win back those seats."

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