Eichenbaum bows out of congressional race

A hotly contested campaign for the Republican nomination in the 11th District congressional race came to an end last night, as Dan Eichenbaum conceded to Jeff Miller in an announcement to his supporters.

“Following the official ballot count, it is clear that there will not be a runoff,” Eichenbaum, a Murphy ophthamologist, wrote in the announcement on his Web site. “I am, therefore, conceding the race to Jeff Miller. The primary was very close do in large part to the small army of supporters and volunteers (many from the Asheville Tea Party and the Cherokee County 9-12) as well as the endorsement by the Asheville Tea PAC, Republican Liberty Caucus, and the Independence Caucus.  To these activists for Liberty I send my sincere and heartfelt thanks.”

Miller, a Henderson County businessman, ended election night, on May 4, with 40.17 percent of the vote — barely over the 40 percent required to avoid a run-off election between him and Eichenbaum — and as provisional ballots were counted, that grew to 40.25 percent, compared to Eichenbaum’s 34.21.

The Asheville Tea Party, which fervently supported Eichenbaum’s campaign, called for a run-off on Monday between the two candidates, citing “significant number of claims of occurrences of irregularities” in the primary.

Eichenbaum took Buncombe and seven other counties in the district, but higher Republican turnout in Henderson County (Miller’s base) along with the other six counties he took, ended up being enough for victory. The primary saw a crowded field as well, with six candidates vying for the nomination. For more information, read Xpress correspondent Michael Muller‘s analysis of the race.

Thanking his supporters in the announcement, Eichenbaum professed his hope that Miller would support his platform as he faces Democratic incumbent Rep. Heath Shuler in the general election.

“Although our goal was to win the primary, I do believe that the message of our campaign – limited government, individual freedom, personal responsibility, fiscal restraint, and a free market economy – resonated across a broad spectrum of the voters of our district, including Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, and even some Democrats,” Eichenbaum wrote. “It is my hope that Jeff Miller will stand firm on these issues in his campaign for victory in November.”

— David Forbes, senior reporter

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36 thoughts on “Eichenbaum bows out of congressional race

  1. UNaffiliated Voter

    Jeff Miller take note of the last paragraph…

    Its time for Jeff Miller to get animated and let people KNOW his positions FAST and DEEP, if he is a serious contender.

  2. nthatcher

    Wow! Really? He conceded?

    Was it the 2,000+ plus vote margin or the fact that in a six man race, Miller got 40.25% of the vote – .25% more than needed? Must have been a tough call…

    Just yesterday he said “In addition, because of the large field of candidates, a significant number of voters will have no say in choosing the Republican Party nominee.”

    That is funny, I think that they all had a say, its just that most of them said someone else!

    I agree with him, there were too many candidates. In hindsight, given his massive case of “not fair!”, he would have saved a lot of people some embarassment by volunteering to make it a 5 man field.

  3. Piffy!

    [b]Its time for Jeff Miller to get animated and let people KNOW his positions FAST and DEEP, if he is a serious contender. [/b]

    Or what?

  4. Don Yelton

    Dan made a great decision after a great race. I love all of the side line quarterbacks and the “experts” that are strickly for hire. They could give a crap only want money.

    Dan had some great issues and uncovered just like a lot of others about the election process that has be clouded by the long time one party control in NC.

    We can now sit back and see who is full of hot air or serious about making things better. I frankly think you will see more of Dr. Dan in the future and he took the wise road to help secure America for the lazy ones that just run their mouths and never get in the ring.

  5. Don Yelton

    I know for a fact you do not have to win the race to gain for people. Just think about the “one stop shopping for permits in Buncombe”, ability to pay for parking tickets over the computer and use credit card, extra court rooms by using the county commissioners chambers as a court room, stopping the leasing of buildings and buying office buildings, the stairs on the old court house to use the top floors, the millions saved by the city of Asheville by dumping in Fairview until they got their own beneficial landfill, cleaned up the air in the health department, and yes stopped the discharge of the raw sewer in the houses in East Asheville, and did away with the illegal mobile home review board.

    These items were accomplished by someone that Matt Mittan and Michael Muller make fun of for running for office. You can make a difference even when you lose.

  6. Piffy!

    Hey Don, can you try that again with sentence breaks (they are called ‘periods’) and some coherence?

  7. Carrie

    Don are you supporting someone? Your message is, once again, rambling and can you prove any of the things you said he’s done?

  8. Don Yelton

    pff and carrie if you were as knowledgeable as you think you are you would know what I was saying but frankly I will not waste my time because you have set in motion how closed minded you are and always say the same thing.

    I can prove all that was said but since a lot of people do not understand the big picture, it would take several months to get you guys up to speed.

    In simple English I am saying that Dan made a wise decision after a good fight. I then added the items that I have seen accomplished since I started running for office in 2000.

    You do not have to win to get things done and I have proved that. Will not waste my time to get any approval from the likes of you guys. Just stay where you are with you smart butt attitudes and I hope you understand plain English.

  9. Piffy!

    Don, you seem confused. I’m not challenging your premise, because /i can’t understand what it could possible be, due to your incredible poor language skills. What I’m asking is if you can compose your thoughts in a more comprehensible way.

    Which, it would appear, you can not.

    Seriously, before you start a new thought, see if you can finish the preceding one.

    [b]In simple English I am saying that Dan made a wise decision after a good fight.[/b]

    Indeed, it is very Simple English.

  10. Don Yelton

    Like i said if you were up to speed you could understand what was said without having to get down to a third grade level.

  11. Piffy!

    Don, I think even third graders could compose a more coherent sentence than you. I’m asking you to raise it UP to a third grade level. Or is that the way your constituency of 7 speaks?

  12. Carrie

    Don: “pff and carrie if you were as knowledgeable as you think you are you would know what I was saying but frankly I will not waste my time because you have set in motion how closed minded you are and always say the same thing.”

    I am smarter than you. I am more knowledgeable than you. You are a retarded person. (Look up the word “retarded”) If you understand the words I have used we can talk.

  13. shadmarsh

    I am just awaiting the announcement of what Don plans on running for next. I am hoping it is Pope.

  14. Bugg

    Poor Don. He knows as much about politics as a one legged man winning an ass kicking contest and yet he continues to open his mouth. He might be insane.

  15. Piffy!

    Just dont make a crappy video of him with boss hogs voice dubbed over it or bobby coggins will get all copyrighty on you. Don Yelton and Bobby Coggins hate Free Speech and the Creative Commons.

  16. @pff ??:

    I’ll repeat what I posted on the other webpages you’ve posted your ignorant diatribe…

    A Creative Commons License is a type of copyright.

    A Creative Commons license allows creators to? place conditions on their copyrights. Traditionally, copyrights restrict the rights of others from modifying or distributing copywritten works. Creative Commons licenses offer flexibility by allowing the creator (copyright holder) the ability to choose what limitations they want in place with respect to specific copywritten works.

    Follow the basic rules of identifying your work as derivative, identifying the location of original source (that’s called attribution) and I can’t stop you from doing it. I can, however, laugh at your serious lack of video skilz. ROTFLMAO at you.

    I’ll make the assertion that you don’t have a clue what the Creative Commons is, despite my frequent explanation of it to you, and even providing links to the license information page.

    Links are usually indicated by underlined blue text on a page, and your cursor will turn into a hand when you move your mouse over it. You click on that to see the page being referenced. /s

  17. Piffy!

    [b]I can, however, laugh at your serious lack of video skilz[/b]

    Indeed. I made it in about 5 minutes. and yet you were so scared of it you had to resort to some sneaky, whiny, underhanded nonsense to silence me from showing the world that don yelton is boss hog.. Pitiful.

    [b]I’ll make the assertion that you don’t have a clue what the Creative Commons is, despite my frequent explanation of it to you, and even providing links to the license information page.[/b]

    Actually, this is the first i have seen you respond to said complaint.

    It has been discussed HERE:

    http://www.mountainx.com/forums/viewthread/3332/P45/

    and you just ignored it.

    Why do you hate the dukes of hazzard!!?? Why are you scared of people knowing you hate the dukes of hazzard?!?

  18. @Betty:

    LOL. Testosterone is what makes the Universe go.

    @pff ??:

    I can think of a dozen different (and better ways) to make fun of Don using that video. That’s the difference between us, I suppose.

  19. Betty Cloer Wallace

    LOL. Testosterone is what makes the Universe go.

    Ah, well, no. It’s estrogen that is the basis of creation in this universe.

  20. Piffy!

    So, thunder, you are saying you pulled it because it wasnt funny, or because you hate my liberty?

  21. @pff ??:

    I had it pulled because there was no attribution. You violated the terms of sharing as set out by the Creative Commons License.

    Of course, anarchists don’t believe in following rules they don’t like, so I shouldn’t be surprised. ;)

  22. Piffy!

    so you wouldnt have pulled it if i had added 4 more seconds to the video? I doubt it.

    DON YELTON IS GONNA GET THEM DUKE BOYS!

    [B]anarchists don’t believe in following rules they don’t like[/B]

    we earned it from the Bush Administration.

  23. don yelton

    pff, puff and putt or the gas that comes from too many boiled eggs. I just love the way you retards show your level of intolerence.

    Keep it up but please spray some air freshener before it smells like what it is.

  24. @Jason:

    I’ve always hated Anarchists. The rest of the world is finally catching up with me.

    In this particular case, what pff ?? seems to be advocating for is anarchy. She, He or It (with Asheville, you never know) seems unable to even follow a simple guideline established by the Creative Commons License.

    @pff ??:

    Non sequitur.

  25. Piffy!

    Making a poorly edited video makes me an anarchist. Great logic. And you having a blog makes you a satanist.

  26. Bugg

    @Thunderpig

    If you have a longstanding hatred towards anarchists, why haven’t you called anyone here that before a few weeks ago?

    It’s the newest ad hominem attack.

  27. @Jason:

    I’ve called Tim Peck and his fellow libertarians anarchists many times. Perhaps you were drunk or off attending some satanically inspired rock concert and didn’t see it.

    If a tree falls in a forest and Jason Bugg doesn’t see or hear it, then does it make a sound?

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