(ASHEVILLE) -- Asheville City council member Cecil Bothwell is throwing his hat into the ring for the 11th district congressional race.  Bothwell says he should have broad appeal across the political spectrum once people get to know him.  While many think of Bothwell as a hard line liberal for his stance on issues like what he calls a failed war on drugs and his pro choice stance, he says his opposition to the Patriot Act and the Department of Homeland Security will appeal to Tea Partiers.

Bothwell says he plans to unseat Congressman Heath Shuler by avoiding a direct confrontation in the democratic primary.  Bothwell says he'll run as an independent and use a well organized grass roots campaign to go after Shuler.

Bothwell is a former Shuler supporter who says he first became disillusioned with Shuler's initial vote against last year's healthcare reform law. He says he not only would have voted for the healthcare reform law, he would have insisted that it include a public option.

As an independant, Bothwell would need to get a petition signed by four percent of registered voters in the district to be on the ballot.