Editorial: Can McHenry overcome his missteps?

Rep. Patrick McHenry will have no one to blame but himself if he stumbles in the May 6 Republican primary against Lance Sigmon.

While it seemed unlikely when the campaign filing period ended, very few people would be shocked if McHenry was ousted by Sigmon, an attorney and retired U.S. Air force officer. The incumbent 10th District representative has been skewered in print and on the Web recently — and deservedly so — for complaining about being stopped by a “two-bit security guard” in Iraq and for violating Pentagon rules by publishing a video from his trip to the war-torn nation on his congressional Web site.

McHenry has been trying to right his ship by doing what he does best: attacking Democrats. On Saturday, for example, the McHenry campaign issued a blistering assault on Democratic presidential frontrunner Sen. Barack Obama, saying that residents of Western North Carolina “don’t want know-it-all liberals telling us what to think or how to say it.”

While that tactic might work in the general election, we’re not sure it will help discerning voters in the GOP primary decide that McHenry is their best candidate this time around. He has consistently supported an administration that has over-extended our military, run up the national debt to record levels and done little to stave off economic recession other than sign off on a stimulus package funded by money the U.S. Treasury doesn’t have.

And while the majority of voters in the 10th District are registered Republicans, the winner of the GOP primary isn’t necessarily a lock to win in November. McHenry or Sigmon will face the survivor of the Democratic primary, Daniel Johnson or Steve Ivester, in the general election.Despite his troubles, McHenry has plenty of heavy-hitters in his corner.

In Iredell County, he has enlisted the likes of county commissioners Marvin Norman, Steve Johnson, Ken Robertson, Sara Haire Tice, Godfrey Williams and Sheriff Phil Redmond to serve on his official steering committee.This is an all-star line-up. If they can’t help the congressman win Iredell in next month’s primary, no one can.We suspect their assistance will help his campaign much more than being aligned with McHenry will help any of them in their current or future campaigns.