Mark Walker (R-NC)-- More Likely To Land In Prison Than Back In Congress

Bribee Mark Walker (R-NC) and briber Greg Lindberg

Right-wing ideologue Mark Walker (R-NC) isn't ready to retire, despite now representing an un-gerrymandered Greensboro-based district that will never be won by a Republican again-- unless the GOP gerrymanders it again in 2021. This week, when a panel of state judges ruled to accept the new, less gerrymandered electoral map, it was a signal that two Republicans, George Holding (NC-02) and Mark Walker (NC-06). Obama lost the gerrymandered NC-06 both times he ran-- with around 40%. In 2016 Trump beat Hillary there 59.4% to 37.9%. Under the new boundaries Hillary would have beaten Trump by around 20 points!

In the last election the north-central district included all or part of Person, Caswell, Rockingham, Guilford, Alamance, Chatham, Lee and Randolph counties. The city of Greensboro in Guilford County was split between Walker's 6th district and Ted Budd's 13th. Guilford County itself is very blue and countywide, Hillary beat Trump there 147,949 (58.7%) to 97,461 (38.7%). In 2018 Guilford was one of the keys to now Governor Roy Cooper (D) beating then-Governor Pat McCrory (R). Cooper took 154,386 (60.9%) to McCrory's 93,893 (37.0%). Democratic Senate candidate Deborah Ross (R) also won in Guilford-- 56.4% to 40.6% for incumbent Richard Burr (R).

Guilford county has provided the most voters in both the 6th and the 13th and has been a nightmare for both Walker and Budd. It was obvious neither could win in a district that included the whole county. In 2018 the performance in the Guilford portion on NC-06 was D+9 and the partisan performance in the Guilford portion on NC-13 was D+26. Now the county is reunited in NC-06 (along with some of Forsyth County). Worthless Blue Dog millionaire Kathy Manning, a pathetic establishment shill who will do nothing in office but waste air and a seat, is running in NC-06 and unless a good African-American candidate steps in to challenge her, she'll soon be in Congress. Last cycle she spent $4,182,467, almost $600,000 of which came from her own pocket. The DCCC and related PACs spent around $1.8 million trying to help her, to no avail.

So... what about Walker? He's polling to see if he could beat Budd in the considerably redder 13th and he's polling to see if he could take on incumbent Senator Thom Tillis (now that rich crackpot Garland Tucker has just dropped out of the race). About half of Walker's constituents, primarily white Republicans, now live in NC-13 and the polling shows he could beat Budd in a primary.

Walker has a developing major problem with a serious corruption scandal in which he took at least $150,000 in bribes from big-time GOP campaign donor Greg Lindberg in return for helping Lindberg in a matter being decided by North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey. Lindberg and the former head of the North Carolina Republican Party, Robin Hayes, another ex-congressman, have been indicted and Walker is likely to be next. If Walker pushes a primary challenge against Tillis the details around the scandal will be front and center and he is more likely to wind up in prison than in the Senate. Filing closes December 20 and Walker won't have to decide until then.