Miller Falls To Shuler, Says He's Back to Being a Drycleaner
By Leigh Wills
Jeff Miller stands beside his wife, Tamara, and their son, Beck, prior to his concession speech Tuesday night.
Leigh Wills
A disappointed but gracious Jeff Miller thanked his backers and offered his support to Congressman Heath Shuler late Tuesday after the Hendersonville businessman came up short in his bid to unseat Shuler.
Miller, who operates Miller’s Fine Drycleaning and is the founder of HonorAir, easily took Henderson County in the 11th Congressional District race, capturing 64.82 percent of the vote in his home county to Shuler’s 35.18 percent. But Shuler made enough gains in the district’s remaining 14 counties to defeat Miller. Shuler had 129,750 votes, or 54.29 percent, to Miller’s 109,243 votes, 45.71 percent.
Miller called his first run for political office one of the greatest experiences of his life. “I think we made a difference,” he said during his concession speech at the Mountain Inn and Suites in Flat Rock.
Miller accepted that his run for Congress had ended, saying the numbers aren’t there, leading the crowd to begin chanting “2012.” Miller quickly added that he will now go back to doing what his family has done for generations.
“I look around this room right now, and I see a lot of dry clean only, so that’s a good thing,” he said, drawing laughter from a room filled with supporters. “Tomorrow I am a drycleaner. They told me I was either going to be a congressman and a drycleaner or just a drycleaner tomorrow, and tomorrow I’m a drycleaner. Actually I’m going to take the day off.”
Miller called his battle with Shuler a daunting task and referred to his campaign against the better-funded Shuler as a battle of David versus Goliath. Miller told the crowd he spoke with Shuler and offered to support the former NFL quarterback during his third term. He said he urged Shuler to remember the nation’s young people and to work to give them a brighter future.
“I spoke with Congressman Shuler just a few minutes ago and congratulated him and told him to remember our son and all the other kids who could become a lost generation, and he gave me his word that he would do so,” Miller said. “Congressman Shuler and I have agreed, and we have disagreed on a few things. It is our duty to give Congressman Shuler our support now. His job will not be easy, but he has heard the clear message of what we need, and I believe he will answer to that.”
Miller also thanked his wife, Tamara, and his son, Beck, for their love and support. He said his wife has gone out and spoken on his behalf during the campaign, leading him to joke that maybe she should have been the candidate.
“I had more than one person tell me that,” he said. “She’s been wonderful.”
Miller also extended words of thanks to his staff, volunteers and the military veterans who supported his campaign.
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