Carl Mumpower

Republican congressional candidate Carl Mumpower reinstated his campaign on July 18 after receiving assurances of a recommitment to Republican principles, he says, from the party leadership in eight counties.

Mumpower, an Asheville city councilman who is challenging U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, in the November election, announced on July 14 that he was suspending his campaign.

He had demanded that Republican leaders in at least eight of the 15 counties in the 11th Congressional District commit to core party principles, such as small government, fiscal restraint and stricter immigration enforcement, before he would resume his campaign.

Mumpower also demanded that they hold Republican leaders accountable for their actions.

He insisted that the hiatus had nothing to do with his campaign coffers. He raised only about $22,000 in the second quarter, according to a Federal Election Commission record filed July 14.

Mumpower also lent himself $19,000 and had about $900 in cash on hand as of June 30.

By comparison, Shuler had $736,000 in cash on hand, as of April 16, his last full financial-disclosure statement on file showed.

In a July 21 press release, Mumpower said he has the commitment needed to resume his campaign, confident in his party’s support of conservative values.

Now he “will be setting his sights on the false claims made by Heath Shuler, the man he views as a ‘liberal in a conservative costume.’”

Mumpower also praised the 11th District GOP leaders for “their courageous action (which) has restored voter credibility for all of our candidates.”

He added, “Now that 11th District Republicans have a message that people can count on, I would like to see other districts in North Carolina join with us in putting principles first.

“When that job is done we will take this movement across the country. America needs to know that the Republican Party is truly back and on the right track and that we have the system in place to ensure we do not betray our principles or our promises.”