Howard Coble

Run off by some goofballs in tri-corner hats?New Jersey's third congressional district, a swath of the south-central part of the state starting between Toms River and Asbury Park and crossing clear to the Philadelphia suburbs through the Pine Barrens, really is a Democratic congressional district-- despite having a Republican congressman, Jon Runyan.

Howard Coble first won his North Carolina congressional seat in 1984, narrowly beating a freshman Democrat by riding Ronald Reagan's formidable coattails. The rematch in '86 was even tighter but Coble won, 72,329 to 72,250... 79 votes! Coble, a pretty mainstream conservative has never had a close call again. The longest-serving congressmember in North Carolina history, no opponent has ever reached 40% against him.