Anonymous phone calls. A southern Republican advertising public praise from the AFL-CIO… and receiving praise from his party for voting against it. The National Republican Campaign Committee attacking a challenger for negative campaigning… before the challenger had run advertisements. Is this the textbook way to run a congressional campaign?

In a district that had lost thousands of textile jobs, Republican incumbent Robin Hayes cast a risky vote to support President Bush and fast track trade negotiating authority. Then, Democrats in the North Carolina legislature redrew his district to their favor. These factors made the district a target for both political parties and their interest group allies during the 2002 elections. This case study explores how Robin Hayes survived.