Here's the press release from the Meadows campaign:

MARK MEADOWS ENDORSED BY FORMER US NC 11TH DISTRICT GOP NOMINEE JEFF MILLER

Newly drawn US NC 11th Congressional District favors Republican nominee

HENDERSONVILLE, NC – The 2010 Republican nominee for US NC 11 – Jeff Miller --- endorsed Mark Meadows today in his 2012 bid to unseat Congressman Heath Shuler (D).

Speaking to a packed room of supporters at the Mark Meadows Henderson County headquarters, Jeff Miller said he believes Meadows is the right candidate to represent Western North Carolina in the US Congress.

“Mark started and has operated successful small businesses right here in Western North Carolina, and he knows first-hand how politicians in Washington can make it harder for small employers to meet a payroll and create jobs.” said Miller. “Mark is a pro-family conservative businessman, who understands from experience what it means to sign the front of payroll check just as well the back of one.”

Meadows is one of several Republican candidates vying for the nomination to unseat incumbent democrat Heath Shuler. The new districts recently approved by the NC Legislature makes US NC 11 one of the most republican leaning districts in the state (in 2008 voters located in the newly drawn district cast their ballots for John McCain by an overwhelming 58.17%).

The City of Asheville, a liberal stronghold, is no longer in the eleventh district. The new US NC 11th district now also includes three new Republican strongholds: Mitchell, Avery and Caldwell counties, along with more moderate leaning Burke County.

Shuler won the seat in 2006 over eight-term incumbent Charles Taylor, R-Transylvania County and won re-election again in 2008. Jeff Miller gave Shuler a run for his money in 2010 forcing him to deplete most of his war chest. Shuler’s latest Federal Election Commission filing shows that his cash on hand has fallen to only $233,108, compared to the $1,106,037 he had available during the same period in 2010.