NC-Sen: Statewide Recruitment Thread

GOP Sen. Richard Burr holds North Carolina’s supposedly “cursed” Senate seat — one that has switched parties every time its been up for election starting from 1974 onward. That’s no guarantee that Burr won’t break the curse in 2010, but he certainly starts the cycle with a big target on his back. Who would you like to see run against him?

UPDATE by Crisitunity:

PPP (12/8-9, registered voters)

Roy Cooper (D): 39

Richard Burr (R-inc): 34

(MoE: ±3.9%)

Speak of the devil: PPP shows up with a poll of one of the likeliest matchups: Burr vs. Attorney General Roy Cooper. The news is very good, with Cooper holding a five-point lead (albeit with huge undecideds). Burr also sports a downright awful approve/disapprove at 32/31, while Cooper clocks in at 44/23.

30 thoughts on “NC-Sen: Statewide Recruitment Thread”

  1. I think the best candidate would be AG Roy Cooper. Beyond that, I think former Treasurer Richard Moore, Congressmen Shuler and Miller are all candidates that can win. And obviously if outgoing Gov. Richard Easley wants this race, he’d probably eviscerate Burr.

  2. But if AG Cooper gets into it I doubt Miller runs.  Schuler I would hope stays in the House, he’s decent on economic issues and his social conservatism plays well in his district, but the state itself is blue now and can do better.

  3. Easly would be most effective at defeating Burr but he may be happy in Southport. Dem runner up for Governor and former Treasurer Richard Moore would be a great candidate should Heath Schuler decide not to run. I don’t think Schuler would do it. He was a reluctant candidate for his congressional seat. Rahm Emanuel practically had to beg him to run. Someone from Wake county where Dems have changed NC politics for a long time would do very well.  

  4. PPP

    If Attorney General Roy Cooper decides to run for the Senate in 2010, you can put Richard Burr’s name right to the top of the list of endangered incumbents nationally.

    Cooper leads Burr by five points in a hypothetical pairing. He also has a similarly high profile to Burr, with only 34% of voters in the state having no opinion about his job performance, compared to 37% who are ambivalent about Burr. It is quite unusual for a lower ranking state official to start out with similar name recognition to a US Senator.

    Cooper is also much more popular with a 21 point net positive approval rating, compared to Burr for whom it is only a single point.

    Cooper has considerably more appeal across party lines than the incumbent. While Burr’s approval among Democrats is – 30, Cooper’s with Republicans is only -6.

    To put into perspective just how good this early standing is for Cooper, keep in mind that when PPP first tested Senator-elect Kay Hagan against Elizabeth Dole during the summer of 2007, Dole led Hagan by 16 points. Of course that number can also serve as a warning to any Democrat who runs against Burr- things can change fast in politics.

  5. Cooper has better name recognition within the state, having served as AG since 2001.  Miller is known fairly well in the RTP area, but his name recognition is not as well known in the Western part of the state.  However, Miller’s personality should resonate fairly well with NC.  I think Miller may be more liberal than Cooper, but in NC, the Democratic party is not as liberal as the National Democratic party, so I doubt if Miller would have of an advantage based on ideology.

    I love Richard Moore–he should have been our governor.  He’s burned bridges with Perdue’s camp, and I just don’t believe he will rebound in time to win the Democratic Primary.  Moore’s advantage is that he does have good name recognition.

  6. AG Roy Cooper would clearly be a strong candidate.  He has solid credentials and is pro-environment.  As a bonus, he would not have to give up his current seat as AG to run.

    Along the same lines, Sec. of State Elaine Marshall has now won 4 statewide elections and could run without leaving her current position.

    Both Gov. Easley and Richard Moore would also be good candidates, and would be available since they are ‘retired’.

    Rep. Miller would be a great senator, but would have to give up his House seat to run. Miller ran the NC House redistricting in 2001 that drew that district – I am not sure how willing he would be to give it up.  He also seems to be pretty happy on the House side.

    I hope Heath Shuler stays where he is in NC-11.  He can probably hold it for as long as he wants, but that seat could easily fall back into nutjob GOP hands (see McHenry, Patrick) without him.  We can also elect a more progressive Dem. than Shuler statewide.

    I hope incoming Gov. Bev Perdue and Lt. Gov. Dalton don’t even think about running.  

  7. Attorney General Roy Cooper

    former State Treasurer Richard Moore

    Congressman Brad Miller

    Congressman Heath Shuler

    former Governor Mike Easley

    Any chance on Secretary of State Elaine Marshall?  

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