Senate race in 2010 vs. Richard Burr

[Seen the light]

Who would you like to see run? I imagine we're going to have a heated primary since it looks like this race might be one of the easiest to pick up in 2010 in the nation.

I know I've read that Easley, Roy Cooper, and NC Rep. Grier Martin are considering running. I like all of them, but I especially like Martin. He's one of the most impressive people I've ever met, he could be a star nationwide soon after winning if he takes Burr's seat.

[tekisui]

1. Easley is not my favorite.

He had some funny business with State Healthcare, especially mental health, programs. And, then it looked like he was playing cover-up. Martin looks good to me, too.

[ccharles000]

2. Roy Cooper

[alison]

3. I'd like to see Martin run.

He was the only rep. to personally respond to me in regards to the gap funding bill.

[struggle4progress]

4. Dunno. I'm afraid there's a good chance Burr might keep the seat since NC

is so evenly divided

But Burr really is a zero, and things seem to be moving the right direction, so maybe we can pick it up

We'll need somebody who (1) has real personality and (2) is able to run a strong campaign: something like Bowles first campaign (1950 bowling alley clips with an "Erskine bowls" voice-over) won't cut it

[Seen the light]

5. If Liddy Dole gets her ass kicked by a relative unknown....

I don't think there's a good chance that Burr stays. Of course, this is still two years away, but he's a much weaker candidate than Dole and we have much stronger candidates we can run than Hagan.

[struggle4progress]

6. We should make an all-out effort to boot Burr. I agree he's a week candidate but

NC is pretty near split right down the middle -- as shown not only by the Congressional delegation, but by the fact that the tiny Libertarian vote this year may have cost McCain the state, and also by the recent history of the seat Burr occupies

That Senate seat has flipped party regularly since Morgan won it in 1974, a fact which proves nothing but suggests an enduring 6-year flip-flop tendency of voters:

1972 - R Helms
1974 - D Morgan
1978 - R Helms
1980 - R East
1984 - R Helms
1986 - D Sanford
1990 - R Helms
1992 - R Faircloth
1996 - R Helms
1998 - D Edwards
2002 - R Dole
2004 - R Burr
2008 - D Hagan

I'd expect R-wingnuts to mimic the first two years of the Clinton administration ("OMG! Did Hillary murder Vince Foster? OMG! The White House fired the travel director!") in an effort to create a typical midterm backlash, as in 1994. Voter enthusiasm may be down again and turn-out depressed, and the closeness of the 2008 NC election means NC is a top-of-the-list R target

Can we beat Burr? Sure -- if we get a good candidate & work our butts off. But it's no slam-dunk

[educatedidiocy]

7. .

Rep. Grier Martin definitely looks the best. I'm thinking Burr might seriously be an easy pickup, especially if things go well for the next 2 years.

[struggle4progress]

8. Heath Shuler mulls race for Senate seat (Henderson Times-News 13 Nov 08)

By James Shea
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, November 13, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, November 13, 2008 at 4:23 a.m.

... After he knocked off eight-term incumbent Charles Taylor in 2006, Shuler was approached about running against Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

“It was my first term, and we decided against it,” Shuler said in an interview Wednesday ...

Shuler acknowledged the talk about a Senate campaign and said he would “weigh options” in the future.

“I need time to breathe right now after the election,” Shuler said ...

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20081113/NEWS/811120188/1042?Title=Heath_Shuler_mulls_race_for_Senate_seat

[waiting for hope]

9. He's a Blue Dog - personally I like

Shuler but would like to see a darker blue candidate.