Coble Will Run for 15th Term

As of Sunday, January 29, 2012

Congressman Howard Coble said Friday that he will seek re-election to a 15th term — but he will no longer represent Moore County should he win.

The 80-year-old Republican held a news conference at his Greensboro office to announce that he would run in the newly drawn 6th Congressional District. The new district will be significantly different for him — just two of his current six counties are in the eight-county district. Moore County will now be a part of the 2nd District, represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers.

“People have been asking me for several months if I was going to run again, and my answer was that I was waiting to see if the new congressional maps would remain in place,” Coble said in a news release. “When the court ruled last Friday that a temporary injunction would not be granted, that was my signal to make a final decision about seeking another term.”

Coble said he “will take a back seat to no one when it comes to providing constituent services to the people” he represents, as well as being accessible and visible throughout the district.

“I have been blessed with a veteran and experienced team of staffers in Washington and North Carolina who have assisted countless thousands of individuals and businesses with issues before the federal government,” he said.

Coble’s announcement came just weeks after he was released from a prolonged hospital stay. He spent two weeks in December in hospitals in Washington and Greensboro, where he was treated for an upper respiratory illness.

“I know people will wonder if I am up to the task of running for another two years,” he said in the release. “None of us knows what the future holds, but I feel I am a better representative today than when I first assumed this office. The medical professionals tell me that I am recovering well from the upper respiratory infection that was combined with a depletion of my sodium levels. The doctors saw no reason why I shouldn’t continue in office if I felt up to the task.”

Coble, who was born in Greensboro, received a bachelor’s degree in history from Guilford College and earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He served in the U.S. Coast Guard for more than five years and another 18 years in the Coast Guard Reserve.

Coble served as assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina from 1969 to 1973 and as secretary of the N.C. Department of Revenue from 1973-1977 during Gov. Jim Holshouser’s adminstration.

He also served several terms in the N.C. House of Representatives before winning election to Congress in 1984.

He is a member of the Judiciary Com-mittee, chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Ter-rorism and Homeland Security, and a member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-ture

Coble said he is prepared to run on his record and that his age is not an issue.

“Yes, I may be old, but I am also old-fashioned, too, where I feel you should judge a man by his record and his word,” he said. “Without sounding too immodest, I feel that I have crafted a record of solid legislative achievement along with outstanding constituent service.”

Contact David Sinclair at dsinclair@thepilot.com.

More like this story

native 1 year, 3 months ago

Term Limits ................Please

Toda 1 year, 3 months ago

Ditto ~ native...too many zombies in Washington now living on special interest money.

Easygoing 1 year, 3 months ago

Thanks for your service, time to go and let a younger generation decide on their future.

DaveyNC 1 year, 3 months ago

Coble has provided service the right way, in my opinion. I think all members of Congress should emulate him. His focus has always been on his constituents, not on advancing his career.

But Mr. Coble, it is time to step down.

cantstandya 1 year, 3 months ago

You can't blame him,someone keeps getting him elected,good or bad it's time to take himself out of the game.

RD28327 1 year, 3 months ago

Dude gets around pretty good for someone who looks like he's 150.

MikeNC 1 year, 3 months ago

Only 80 years old? Only 15 Terms? It must be a politician's goal to see if they can out do Senator Byrd's Guinness book of re elections ! Over Half the guys in Congress could be on the Road Side Antique Show. Diane

cantstandya 1 year, 3 months ago

Maximum two terms for President should also be the same for all elected officials,state and federal,this choice for changing that should also be put on the ballot for the voters to decide not those who are in office, left to them terms will be endless and so will the lucrative benfits.

justmyopinion 1 year, 3 months ago

For you haters, I thought this was a free country. Its his decision to run. Its the voters decision to vote him in or out. I think some of you just like to bit*h !

davidlambert87 1 year, 3 months ago

I had the pleasure of attending his press conference where he announced his re-election. He looked as good as ever and I think that he is wanting to help transition of solidifying the new district. He has done a fantastic job as our representative.

While I see the merit in term limits, I can not fault Mr. Coble from running again. Had he not been the outstanding representative that he has been I would think differently. The fact is....he represents the voters of the (former) 6th district well. It doesn't matter if he was in there 2 years or 20 years.... he is voting the way the majority of this district feels is the right way. What his long tenure does bring is seniority which, for better or worse, means something in the House. Thank you Mr. Coble for your service!

mcg2010 1 year, 3 months ago

We have term limits for Congressional Representatives. They are called elections. Don't like it? Better vote and encourage others to do the same.

RD28327 1 year, 3 months ago

I think Lincoln was president when Howweird Coble was born.

Arestorer 1 year, 3 months ago

He still has to make it thru this term !!!!! RD28327 ; That was mean,,,He wasnt that young...He probably voted for Lincoln..

SH59 1 year, 3 months ago

How sad Mr Coble is still going to run. At least he won't be representing Moore County any more. I'm not disrespecting his record but having had a chance to speak to him last year I was shocked at how feeble he was and non-responsive. Our legislatures should have term limits or something in place to give younger and more current people a chance.

davidlambert87 1 year, 3 months ago

While it may be ironic for me to say this but since when have young people been celebrated as better representatives? There are positives to young and older elected officials but getting someone young in here is hardly a valid argument for wanting Coble out.

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