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Coble files for 11th term in Congress
North Carolina's senior member of Congress filed for re-election Thursday.
Michele Abbott , Staff writer, High Point Enterprise

Rep. Howard Coble, R-6th, is seeking an 11th term in office. First elected in 1984, Coble said he still enjoys serving his district and has more that he wants to accomplish.

"I am proud of the record of achievement we have maintained throughout our tenure in serving the 6th District," Coble said, "but we are not resting on our laurels."

Coble recited a list of priorities that include, in no particular order: reducing excessive government spending and the federal deficit; enhancing national security and fighting the war on terrorism; improving and rebuilding highways and mass transit infrastructure; promoting fair trade practices and better enforcement of current trade agreements; and enacting legislation to aid the economy and create stable employment.

"My committee assignments in the House afford me the opportunity to be well positioned to work on those initiatives," Coble said.

The Greensboro native is the chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. In addition to serving on the Judiciary Committee, Coble also is a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Coble has had the good fortune to run without competition from the other major party in eight years, but that may not be the case this November. In late February, two possible candidates expressed an interest in running on the Democratic ticket.

Greensboro businessman Chris Meadows and attorney Will Jordan said in February that they would consider a campaign. Neither has since filed their candidacy, but local Democratic party leaders have vowed to field a nominee in any event.

In a statement last winter to party leaders, Meadows said that he believes Coble is vulnerable on economic issues. In the six counties that take in the 6th Congressional District, plant closings and layoffs eliminated 7,579 jobs last year, according to figures from the N.C. Employment Security Commission. The 6th District includes all of Randolph and Moore counties and parts of Alamance, Guilford, Davidson and Rowan counties.

Staff writer Paul Johnson contributed to this story.

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