CHARLOTTE (AP) — Retiring U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler is staying in Washington, but he will have a new job as a lobbyist for the country’s largest electric company.
Shuler said Monday he’ll work on federal issues for Charlotte-based Duke Energy immediately after completing his current term in the U.S. House next month. Duke Energy has 7 million customers in the Carolinas, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.
The Democrat decided not to run for a fourth term this year after Republican state lawmakers redrew his western North Carolina congressional district to add likely GOP voters.
The North Carolina native previously had a large real estate company in eastern Tennessee, where he played college football at the University of Tennessee. He also played quarterback for the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins.