WASHINGTON — Heath Shuler played football for years under towering rows of bright lights, but now he intentionally leaves off half the lights in his congressional quarters.

Seated in his fifth-floor office, across the street from the U.S. Capitol, the new Democratic House member says he also is looking into ways to reduce power consumption at his family's western North Carolina home — maybe solar panels.



"I think it goes back to personal responsibility," he said. "I think we all have to conserve energy as much as we possibly can. I think it's going to be all of us together coming up with creative ways to lessen our dependence on petroleum (and) on the Middle East."

Alternative energy was just one of many proposals that Shuler, 35, campaigned on in his surprise victory over a long-time incumbent, Charles Taylor, R-N.C.

Nearly three months into office, the former University of Tennessee quarterback is aiding centrists in Congress and winning points for it. Colleagues say Shuler is speaking out — and reaching out — early on the right issues, from air pollution in his district bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the war in Iraq.

East Tennessee's Lincoln Davis, D-Pall Mall, recalled legislative planning meetings several weeks ago when Shuler urged that the House give as much attention to supporting the troops in Iraq as it did to disapproving of President Bush's decision to send more troops there.

The final bill did that.

"Heath's involvement ... brought about the language that said we support the troops and probably toned down some of the other rhetoric" that was proposed, Davis said. "I think he's a great addition to Congress."

SATURDAYS WITH HEATH

Life generally has been good for Joseph Heath Shuler, though he has a permanent foot injury from his NFL job that he said causes pain when he jogs. A leg brace supports his left foot when he exercises.

He was born the last day of 1971 in Swain County, N.C. Each day he had a close-up view of the grandeur of the Great Smoky Mountains. By fifth grade, he was athletic and determined some day to play pro football. He became a star quarterback on his high school team, helped win three state championships and graduated with honors.

Weighing many college offers, he chose UT because of its football reputation and location close to home.

In three seasons, he set records that stand today: Most consecutive games (18) of throwing a touchdown pass, most rushing touchdowns (11) by a quarterback in one season, most career passing yards by a three-year player (4,088). He's tied with others for most touchdown passes in one game (five against Florida in 1993), according to UT records.

He was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1993, one of just four UT players with that distinction since 1951.

National player ratings in 1993 suggested that Shuler would be a very high draft pick if he turned pro in 1994. After much soul searching, he skipped his senior year at UT and was the third pick overall and the first pick by the Washington Redskins, which signed him to an eight-year, $19.2-million deal. He played three years in Washington and two seasons in New Orleans before suffering a career-ending foot injury in 1997.

The good news at that point? He could finish his bachelor's degree at UT, majoring in psychology. So he did it.

FROM QB TO CANDIDATE

After investing in Heath Shuler Real Estate in Knoxville and greatly expanding it, he also put money into various property developments. He'd earned millions in pro football and from investments. His last public financial report shows stock holdings in several dozen large companies.

His next career move was to run for Congress.

"This was a way to give back," he said of his decision to seek public office in 2006. "My high school and college gave to me. It was time for me to give back as much as I possibly could and serve my country."

U.S. Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn., is a friend of former Vols coach Johnny Majors. He didn't know Shuler. Majors introduced them.

Tanner attended fundraisers for Shuler in Nashville, Jackson and at a barn in western North Carolina.

Many others in Tennessee helped. Tennesseans together gave the second-largest total to his campaign: $313,000. Only residents of North Carolina gave more: $447,000. His campaign raised and spent nearly $2 million.

"I think he's doing good," Tanner said of Shuler. "He's a business-oriented guy ... who understands the dynamics of the economy. Plus he's a very personable, nice individual."

NEW CONGRESS, NEW MEMBER

Anthony Nownes, a UT political scientist, said Shuler is part of a group of Democrats who are trying through popular views to attract new voters — especially Southern white men — to the party.

"This is what Shuler and other Southern Democrats did during the last election" in helping the party regain majority control of both the House and the Senate, Nownes said. In the long term, the Democratic Party will have trouble in the South if it continues to be known as champions for gay rights, abortion rights and gun control, Nownes said.

Economic issues are strong arguments for Democrats, he said. Shuler talks often about economic issues.

His first speech on the House floor, televised nationally Jan. 5 on the C-Span cable channel, was about cutting federal spending (especially on wasteful projects), reducing borrowing from foreign governments and balancing the federal budget.

The new Democratic majority in the House started the year with votes to pass mostly popular bills: Raise the minimum wage, require budget cuts to offset any increased spending, improve transparency on the merits and proponents of new projects. Shuler voted for them.

One he didn't support was expanding stem-cell research to embryos that were discarded, such as by women who did not need extras for fertility treatment. An opponent of abortion, he and Lincoln Davis were among only 16 Democrats voting "no," while 216 Democrats and 37 Republicans voted "yes."

"I believe life begins at conception," Shuler, a Baptist, said. "I don't think we should destroy a life just for medicine's sake. They can be adopted" by women wanting to become pregnant, he said.

Tanner, Shuler and Lincoln Davis share many goals, including cutting spending, balancing the budget, achieving energy independence, ending the war in Iraq, creating more U.S. jobs and advocating for better education and health care, cleaner water and air.

"His faith, his views on government will be very valuable in years to come for North Carolina and America," Davis said.

Shuler's district is affected by the Tennessee Valley Authority's economic development programs and coal power plants' air pollution, so he's made quick connections with Tennessee members of Congress that he didn't already know.

Another of his campaign issues was pledging to stop congressional plans to spend perhaps $500 million to build a road in an environmentally sensitive area of the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The road was a federal promise in the 1940s after the flooding from Fontana Dam covered an existing road.

Taylor, the incumbent, had kept pressure on the National Park Service to complete the road.

Shuler in his first days in Congress sought out key Republicans and Democrats to convince them the road project was wrong in many ways. Instead, he and Swain County residents have favored a federal financial settlement of perhaps $52 million.

"It doesn't make good sense to build that road," he said. Now, the consensus in Congress is that the road won't be built.

FOCUSING ON THE JOB

Has he looked back at whether he should have played his senior year at UT?

"Yeah, I think it would be crazy not to think what would it have been like," he said, "after injuries and things not going like I planned in the NFL. I don't regret (his NFL decision), but I certainly look back and would wonder, 'Wow, that would have been pretty good, especially with the great offensive line: Bubba Miller, Jason Layman, Kevin Mays and others.' "

Shuler played for Majors and then Phillip Fulmer. He said he also became close to offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, who taught him more than football plays.

"He taught the game of life," Shuler said. "Part of it pertains to football, but you can certainly use it in everyday life."

Cutcliffe, in an interview, called Shuler "a very special young man" who was very disciplined, focused, conditioned well and health conscious. Once, on his own, Shuler gave up soft drinks for health and discipline reasons.

The coach talks often to his players about their priorities and life's challenges, inspirations and adversities.

Training as a quarterback can be great preparation for serving in Congress or many other jobs, Cutcliffe said. "You learn toughness, courage, focus, what we call your 'eye fix.' Where is your eye fix — your focus?

"It takes toughness and courage, which Heath has plenty, plenty, plenty of, believe me."

Richard Powelson may be contacted at 202-408-2727.