(Blue) Dog-ged

Rep. Heath Shuler defied national trends last year when, as a Democrat in a Republican-leaning district in a year that saw major GOP gains, he defeated Hendersonville businessman Jeff Miller by a 9 percent margin. While Shuler's caucus, the conservative Blue Dogs, lost more than half its membership, he not only survived but went on […]

Shuler on health care, Patriot Act vote, anti-abortion bill and more

Rep. Heath Shuler bucked national trends when he won re-election last year. In the new Congress, the conservative Democrat voted against the repeal of healthcare reform, voted to extend the Patriot Act, co-sponsored anti-abortion legislation that originally sought to redefine rape, and has had high-profile disagreements with the Democratic leadership. Shuler talks about all these issues — and more — with Xpress.