Seven candidates eye Ballance's House seat

[Freddie Stubbs]

By JOE MILLER, Rocky Mount Telegram

Now that U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance, D-1st District, is not running for re-election, seven people want his job.

Ballance, 62, withdrew from the race Friday citing health reasons.

"I wanted to run, and I tried to convince myself that I had the energy and strength to do it," he said. "I wanted so badly to run and to continue serving this term and serving the 109th Congress also."

A news release from Ballance's office said he was diagnosed in February with myasthenia gravis, a disease of faulty nerve conduction that can lead to muscular weakness in the face or neck.

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