HIGH POINT — U.S. Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC) was in good spirits Friday afternoon after being released from High Point Regional Hospital a little more than 24 hours after North Carolina’s longest serving republican congressman fainted at a local luncheon and hit his head. Coble, 78, was rushed to the hospital Thursday when he fainted at a High Point Rotary Club meeting. He was held overnight for observation.

“You all have had me as the number one story for the past couple of days,” Coble said to reporters. “Tiger Woods bumped me off from number one, and I was really moved by his ‘presentation,’ tongue in cheek. With all the media around with my health issue it must be a slow news day.”

Coble told reporters he was speaking at the High Point Rotary Club for about 30 minutes before the meeting went into a short adjournment. While talking with two real estate lawyers, Coble said he started feeling a little dizzy.

“I recall being foggy,” said Coble. “I was told my eyes bulged and I fell and hit my head. They say I was out for less than a minute. I was alert when I came to, but the hit on the head is what concerned people. My preacher just joined me and I told him I hoped he wasn’t here to confirm last rites. He assured me that was not the purpose of his call.”

Coble thanked the staff of HPRH and said he feels fine after his first ever fainting episode. He called the ordeal a “very uneasy and helpless feeling.” Doctors did several tests on Coble but were unable to determine what caused him to faint.

“This is a case of first impression for me because I’ve never fainted before,” Coble said. “I guess I am hard-headed because there was no damage to my head. Doctors are at a loss too. This could be an isolated event, but on the other hand it could happen next month. They felt very comfortable releasing me.”

Coble said he had a light breakfast Thursday morning but ate a hearty lunch with the High Point Rotary Club. Cardiologist Dr. Zav Tyson told Coble he thought the congressman had a long morning and was standing in one place without moving for an extended period of time.

Coble will turn 79 in March and has represented North Carolina’s 6th district, which includes parts of Davidson, Guilford, Randolph, Rowan, Moore and Alamance counties, since 1985. Coble said he planned to spend Friday night at a nephew’s house in High Point and will be taking the next couple of days off.

News of Coble fainting comes in the same week Guilford County Commissioner Billy Yow announced his plan to run against the congressman in the May primary. Coble already has filed for re-election and has been in the Piedmont all week while Congress is in recess for the President’s Day holiday.

Ed McDonald, Coble’s chief of staff, said he expects opponents to politicize the health scare in an effort to win the upcoming election.

“That’s’ part of the political system,” said McDonald. “The way he battles it is by doing what he’s done for the past 26 years, and that’s being visible, being active and performing his duties both in Washington and here in North Carolina.

“We were already hearing from our would-be opponents that we’re looking for somebody energetic to bring youthful energy to the job. I’ll challenge any of them to spend a day doing his schedule and we’ll see how they feel at the end of the day.”

Staff Writer Eliot Duke can be reached at 888-3578, or duke@tvilletimes.com.