Will Breazeale

If you think the slate of Republican crazies running in the 8th District is bad, you ain't looked at the 7th District yet. The pickings there are so slim that Pat McCrory has endorsed two out of three Republican contenders in hopes that one of the sad sacks might somehow get some traction. It's been a lesson in screw-up from the get-go, that could qualify as a clinical trial for narcissistic personality disorder.

With one Republican congressional candidate out to punish Girl Scouts and another physically threatening a colleague, it looks like the NCGOP definitely has the corner on crazy this year. But it's too bad the focus is only on Republican challengers. You can be sure incumbents like little ol' Pat McHenry, pictured here, are loving guys like Tim D'Annunzio, ready-made distractions for the over-extended fourth estate.

I like a good boycott as much as anyone, but this week's rant by Will Breazeale, candidate for the US House in the 7th district, pretty much takes the cake ... or should I say the cookie.

UPDATE from a reader reminding me that Breazeale's letter to the editor was written years ago, not this week. I hope the candidate will let us know if he still supports boycotting the Girl Scouts.

It's hard to know what to make of a man who hates government as much as Will Breazeale, especially since he has spent so much of his career drawing a government paycheck. But that's another story.

What's weirder still is Breazeale's relationship with his own integrity. Though he promises he would serve only six years in Congress if elected, he can't simply stand on the strength of his word. He's joined up with the Teabaggers at Americans for the Prosperous by signing a pledge that when he does break his word, he can stay in Congress for the chump-change price of $250,000. Chris Fitzsimon at NC Policy Watch dissects the irony.

In a bizarre twist on matters of personal integrity, a challenger to Blue Dog Mike McIntyre this week showed what always matters most to Republicans: money.

Breazeale, who is making his second challenge against 7th District Democratic Rep. Mike McIntyre, announced this week that he is guaranteeing his pledge to serve no more than six years in Congress with a $250,000 check secured by personal assets written in a promissory note, Rob Christensen reports.

I know I shouldn't be surprised by stunts like this, but somehow I can't get past the moral squishiness behind Breazeale promissory note. To put it simply, we now have a candidate for federal office telling us in no uncertain terms that we the people can't trust him to keep his word unless there's money on the line. Of course, Breazeale is in good company. He knows that voters don't trust Republican liars like Sue Myrick, who made a similar solemn promise as part of her Contract on America, a promise that she wouldn't serve more than 12 years in Congress.

Mike McIntyre is going to face at least one challenger in the upcoming 2008 elections, Republican Will Breazeale. Breazeale is not new to campaigning, so in the conservative 7th, this executive officer of the 2nd Battalion, 323rd Regiment in the Army Reserves might give McIntyre a strong fight for the seat.....but I doubt it.

Yes, the district votes Republican, but so does Mike! It's going to take more than a military background to beat the entrenched Blue Dog.