Heath Shuler, the Democratic rookie from the 11th District of North Carolina, is going to have a much easier race this November than previously predicted. His opponent, Dr. Carl Mumpower, has suspended his campaign. This has been reported in some Washington DC outlets like Politico, The Hill, and CQPolitics, but the story is told best from the 11th District and the Ashville Citizen-Times:

“I am grateful for this strong signal of unity from the District leaders and honored that my home county and the people who know me best were the first to officially get on board,” Mumpower said. “When we get at least seven more county commitments out of the fifteen, then the people of WNC will know that our Republican Party organization stands for something they can count on. The campaign remains on hold until that foundation is firmly in place, and I will not yield.”

In a Saturday letter to the 11th Congressional District Chair, Stephen Duncan, Mumpower announced his campaign was on hold until his party formally committed to its core principles and developed a process for holding Republican elected representatives to those principles.

Mumpower faces an uphill battle in unseating incumbent Congressman Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, who was elected in 2006. But he said Monday he felt he must take this step before proceeding with his campaign.

“I’m not going to be doing any fundraising or advertising — there won’t be any active campaigning for the Republican Party,” Mumpower said Monday. “I’ll put things on hold until I get party officials to commit to the principles and to the process of holding elected officials accountable.”

Mumpower, an Asheville City Councilman, said he was particularly troubled by a recent vote in Congress to override President Bush’s veto of the Farm Bill. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., and Shuler, a Waynesville Democrat, both voted to override a bill that Mumpower says is laden with “pork and special interests.”

Citing core principles of small government, fiscal restraint and stricter immigration enforcement, Mumpower said his party has strayed from what the American people want.

Oh, this could very well be a “tactic,” but the reasons behind Mumpower’s decision are telling. He’s saying that Republicans in this country are not living up to their principles. In short, he is acknowledging that the Republican Brand is broken. Given Republicans and their hesitancy in recognizing that they’ve spoiled their reputation, it is also surprising that other Republicans agree with Mumpower that the Republican brand is broken:

Timothy F. Johnson, chairman of the Buncombe County Republican Party, agrees that his party and its leaders need to show a recommitment to core principles.

“I can go along with him asking for a recommitment to those principles, but I don’t know if I go along with him suspending his campaign.”

Robert Danos, chairman of the Henderson County Republican Party, termed the suspension “a good idea” and a chance for the party to unite and refocus.

“It shouldn’t tick anybody off, because these are the principles of the party,” Danos said.

John McCain is often seen as a maverick, and while such a label is no longer deserving, even in the old days McCain couldn’t beat Mumpower for straight talk. This guy knows the Republican brand is broken, and he’s put his campaign on the line by pointing that out. I suspect few in the GOP will listen.