A real race in NC's 9th district

For years I've maintained that if I could run one of my cats for Congress as a Republican in North Carolina's 9th District, s/he'd win in a landslide. No matter how inept or feckless the Republican candidate, s/he's been assured of victory. (And either of my cats would be an improvement over Sue Myrick, who's currently keeping the seat warm -- and paying her own otherwise-defunct ad agency to place her campaign advertising.)

Last week, I heard Myrick's Democratic challenger deliver a stemwinder of a speech -- and I came away convinced that this time, Sue's facing serious opposition. Jack Flynn is a small-business owner and retired military officer. He made a terrific, extemporaneous speech about the kitchen-table issues that matter to voters (healthcare and jobs, to name a couple), and he made a believer out of me.

Now if Flynn can just get the local newspapers to pay attention...