The office space was small, cluttered and confusing but profoundly 'real.' Within a few moments of arriving, I felt like we had been invited into something very special, as if we we had become part of the Shuler family-- between campaign stickers and posters were doggie-beds and black lab puppies. Heath's arrival wasn't trumpeted by a lot of pomp and circumstance, but rather a simple hand shake and a 'Hello, please call me Heath.'

At 34 years of age, Heath has certainly accomplished a lot-- playing in front of 100,000+ people in Neyland Stadium as the starting QB for UT Football in the early 1990's, being chosen third overall in the 1994 NFL Draft and playing for three NFL franchises before starting a real estate company that is a dominant brand in Eastern Tennessee. Now, Heath Shuler has the halls of congress in his sights... and today's election results could very well be the start of a long and storied political career.

By all standards-- Heath is not your typical Democrat, it is for this reason that the national media has focused so much attention on him and his race against Republican Incumbent Charles Taylor. Heath has lived a life that has kept him in the spotlight since he was 16 years old when he played QB at Swain County High School. The route that we see all too often is that of the great and gifted athelte 'gone wrong', this in most certainly not the case with Heath Shuler. He is accomplished but humble, he is kind but firm in conviction and, as far as I can tell, genuine...

He values the things he learned from football-- teamwork, compassion and dedication, to name a few... but he strongly insists that football was 'just entertainment' and it is this next phase of his life that is his opportunity to have a positive impact on the way the men and women in the western regions of North Carolina and across America live their lives. Regardless of one's individual political ideologies and affiliations -- you can't help but feel that win or lose, Heath Shuler was born to lead and inspire, whether on the football field or on the house floor.

Shuler's race looks to be a close one -- we will keep an eye on exit polls and ballot counting as the day progresses... the clock is winding down in the Fourth Quarter in NC's eleventh district and Heath Shuler is on the move...