Incumbent U.S. Congressman Heath Shuler (D) and challenger Jeff Miller (R) have faced off in a heated election this year.

The race is for the U.S. House of Representatives 11th District, which represents most of Western North Carolina, including Polk County.

Shuler has representated North Carolina as U.S. Congressman since being elected in 2006, beating then eight-term Republican Charles Taylor.

He grew up in Western North Carolina and graduated from Swain County High School. Shuler played football with the University of Tennessee and was drafted in the NFL to the Washington Redskins and then the New Orleans Saints before an injury ended his career. Shuler returned to the University of Tennessee and graduated with a degree in psychology.

He began a real estate company in Knoxville, Tennessee before returning to North Carolina, where he currently lives in Waynesville.

A political newcomer, Miller was born and raised in Hendersonville. He graduated from Hendersonville High School and later Appalachian State University. He worked for his familys dry cleaning and laundry service when he was young and took over the business with his brother and ran it for the next 20 years.