Google Ads


Site Stats

NC-Sen: Shuler Won't Challenge Burr

by: James L.

Mon Mar 09, 2009 at 10:44 PM EDT


The Associated Press:

North Carolina U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler said Monday he will not run for Senate in 2010, declining a chance to seek a seat in the upper chamber as Democrats try to expand their majority on Capitol Hill.

Shuler said he was flattered to have so many people ask him to challenge Republican Sen. Richard Burr.

"However, with our nation facing the most difficult economic times in generations, I feel my efforts are better utilized focusing on solutions to these challenges rather than campaigning across the state," Shuler said in a statement.

While Shuler definitely would have brought some strengths to the table as a general election candidate in North Carolina, he's certainly well to the right of most non-DINO Democrats in the Tar Heel state these days... and that could have given him some serious problems in a contested statewide primary. If this move frees up Attorney General Roy Cooper to take a closer look at the race -- who would probably be a stronger candidate in the general election anyway -- then this could be pretty good news. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
James L. :: NC-Sen: Shuler Won't Challenge Burr
Tags: , , , , (All Tags)
Print Friendly View Send As Email
NC-Sen: Shuler Won't Challenge Burr | 40 comments
Let's Say Cooper Turns It Down
Who else is there?
None of these jump out as uber-likely but
Gov. Bev Perdue, former Gov. Mike Easley, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, SOS Elaine Marshall, State Superintendent June Atkinson, Speaker of the State House Joe Hackney, State Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, etc. etc. there are plenty of other reasonable candidates.

Also I think Reps. Etheridge and Miller have passed but they may be convinced to reconsider.

We actually have a really good bench in NC, but none of those names jump out to me as likely candidates. Surely someone decent will take the plunge in a post-Liddy Dole NC.

22, Democrat, AZ-01
Peace. Love. Gabby.

[ Parent ]
Someone Will Step Up
It may not be a top tier candidate like Cooper or Easley, but there are plenty of second tier candidates out there.  If the field stays clear, someone will jump in.  Burr is just too vulnerable for everyone to pass.
[ Parent ]
Richard Moore
Former State Treasurer, lost in the gubernatorial primary to Bev Perdue. I don't know a whole lot about him, but he doesn't have anything to lose since he doesn't currently hold elected office, so he might be a good guy if Cooper decides not to run.
[ Parent ]
Has said he will not be on the ballot in 2010 already.

[ Parent ]
my bad then

[ Parent ]
Brad Miller for starters


Liberty Avenue Politics - a place for politics in Southern Queens
[ Parent ]
Miller
has already taken himself out of the running. With that said though, it wouldn't surprise me to see him change his mind, especially if the field is clear. I bet he's kicking himself for declining to run against Dole.
[ Parent ]
Actually, not ...
Miller really likes his growing power in the House.  As a junior senator, he'd actually have less than he has now.
[ Parent ]
How about Dan Blue?
He's been around NC for a long time, serving as Speaker of the house in the early 1990's.  He's relatively young (59 is young these days), and he might appeal to younger, independent minded voters.

Just thought I'd throw that name out.  I don't know if he has too much baggage, having lost in the Democratic primary in 2002.

40, male, Democrat, NC-04

[ Parent ]
Good
We have better candidates available than Shuler.  And we need Shuler to hold the 11th district.
That's true if true :)
One of the "better candidates" has to run.  Shuler would be fine if no one else ran, but there are better possibilities, specifically Cooper.  It would be nice if he at least gave a strong hint.
[ Parent ]
Are there any state senators willing to step up?
You know what I mean. :)

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01
lol Senator Hagan can name names


Liberty Avenue Politics - a place for politics in Southern Queens
[ Parent ]
NC
I don't know, I'm starting to get worried about NC.  Sure we had Hagan last cycle and people keep bringing that up, but It doesn't mean its going to happen again.  It just seems there are way too many complacent Democrats in NC.  I really hope Cooper runs, otherwise Easley is probably our best bet, but I doubt he runs.

29/D/Male/NY-01
I don't see North Carolina
as anything more than a Tossup at this point...similar to Oregon and Minnesota last cycle.

This certainly isn't New Hampshire 2008 or Pennsylvania 2006.


Liberty Avenue Politics - a place for politics in Southern Queens

[ Parent ]
I agree with that
It is a tossup, it is just that this year, there are several races that rank above this one.

If we pick up NC in 2010, we probably have picked up 5-7 seats.

[ Parent ]
I couldn't disagree more.
Burr is toast.  I suspect Dems are sorting things out behind the scenes to avoid a rough primary.  But any legitimate Democrat will win this seat in 2010.
[ Parent ]
I hope this is a cue that the following, occured...
Schuler: I want to run for senate against Burr.

Cooper: ...I want to run for senate against Burr.

Schuler: Oh, ok.  

Cooper: Glad we cleared that up.

Cooper has more authority than Schuler
Can't be true with the DC folks trying to recruit someone and who see Schuler all the time but maybe Cooper is that popular in the state...

Where is Cooper from btw? Anybody got a brief bio link?

[ Parent ]
Here is his wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R...  
Born in Nash County, North Carolina
[ Parent ]
David Price (Congressman from the 4th District)
He turns 70 in 2010, but I would still support him if he's interested. According to his wikipedia page:
He was an early opponent of the Iraq War. He has had one sponsored bill enacted since 1997 and has sponsored a potential bill to bring conduct of private military companies working in Iraq under legal jurisdiction of the United States. He has also introduced legislation to prohibit contractors from performing interrogations of prisoners in the custody of intelligence agencies.
NC-04 is D+6 so don't worry about an open race there.

26, male, Dem, NJ-12
Price
Price represents the heart of the Research Triangle...so Im not sure how 'a Research Triangle Liberal' will play out in the rest of NC.  
[ Parent ]
Not Price...
I don't think Price will run...

He is chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and he was first elected in 1986. If he wanted to be in the Senate, he would have run by now.

[ Parent ]
Good
Go Coop!
Shuler
I dont remember the last time the Dems needed a Dem in the mold of Heath Shuler to get a Senate seat but i know it hasnt been anytime soon. John Edwards, though probably a moderate then, was a good example in 1998. If Shuler had moved back to Tennessee (where he went to college) and got a congressional seat there (though he couldnt have got one in Knoxville, where he went to school) then he might be what the TN Democratic Party needs in order to get a Senate seat. Actually Id say hes definitely what theyd need. But NC aint TN.
NC Dems
Referring to NC Dems when saying the last time the Dems needed a Dem in the mold of Shuler.  
[ Parent ]
North Carolina's electoral history is a strange one
Remember that Edwards originally beat this guy and I'd also mention that if Edwards had run for re-election in 2004, there's a good chance he would've lost (the problem with that seat is that both sides routinely nominate people who are not in sync with their state, that's Burr's problem, that would've been Edwards' problem, and that was Faircloth's problem)

Politics and Other Random Topics

24, Male, Democrat, NM-01, Chairman of the Atheist Caucus, and Majority Leader of the "Going to Hell" caucus!

[ Parent ]
I have read
that Roy Cooper and Richard Blumenthal (AG of Connecticut) are friends, both of them being high profile and long-term Attorney Generals, and have worked together on national cases.  This is pertinent because Blumenthal is rumored to be considering a challenge to Lieberman in 2012, and I'm sure he's talked to his friend about also getting into the Senate.

If not Cooper, we got to get a little more creative (as a few other first-tier candidates have said they're not running), but still practically anyone would have a shot against Burr.  Zero-accomplishment wingnut freshmen in a state that Obama won?  Good target, no matter who we run.

Got to be somebody
In the state legislative leadership or someone who holds a powerful local position (such as DA or Sheriff or whatever. And no...not that guy from Durham that everyone hates! Mike Nifong or whatever)
[ Parent ]
Hurray!
Much as I dislike Burr, I'd already decided to vote for him if Shuler were the nominee.  If we're going to elect a Senator who does nothing but obstruct the President, I'd rather that he be a Republican.  Shuler is fine for his district, the only kind of Democrat who could win there.  But he's much too conservative for this state, just as is Burr.

That said, Cooper's been my top choice for quite some time now, and I really think he'll run in the end.  But if not, Marshall would be a good pick.  She's very popular, and we North Carolinians love voting for women.

Still,

"Run, Roy, Run!"

nice
If you guys vote in a woman and Missouri does too with Carnahan, you'd to be would be joining California and Washington as the states with two women Democrat Senators.  Ha, NC and MO of all states to join those two.  Bravo!

Now I wonder what percentage of each state has their delegation as women...  No time though!

[ Parent ]
Maine's the highest
I did that about a month ago.

Maine has two women Senators and one of two House members for 75%.  NH would have tied had Gregg left to become Secretary of Commerce.

California tops the big population states.  The problem there is that only one of nineteen Republicans is a woman.

Incidentally, should NH, PA, and NC all flip Democrats would control all Senate seats south of Maine all the way through North Carolina.  Throw in West Virginia, possibly Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota and it is a huge block of territory.

[ Parent ]
The southeast
It's about all they have left in the Senate.  Of the 41 republican Senators left 15 of them are from the 11 Ex-Confederate states.

If you take away those 11 states the Democrats have a 52-26 Senate advantage.  That's incredible really.  We could have zero Senators from the south and still have a Senate majority.

[ Parent ]
I now define the Old South
as the 11 Confed states plus Kentucky and Oklahoma, minus the states that Obama won (VA, NC, FL).  In those 10 states, the Repubs have a 17-3 edge in the Senate, taking away those states, Dems have a 56-24 edge in the Senate.

If everything goes right in 2010 (I know, very very big if) and the Dems pick up MO, NH, PA, OH, FL, NC, and KY, the Repubs would have a 16-4 edge in the Old South, while the Dems would have a 66-34 edge in the Senate.  That would give the Dems an astounding 62-18 edge outside the old South, and even more incredibly, the Repubs would have almost as many seats in the Old South (16) as outside it (18).

[ Parent ]
I'd say that's right
Though Arkansas is an outlier in that it's still as solidly Democratic in everything except for Presidential elections as it's ever been.
[ Parent ]
If You're Redefining the Old South,
Wouldn't it then be the New South?  Just saying.
[ Parent ]
Tis true...
That there are alot of Dems on that statewide level who could run. Marshall is one.
[ Parent ]
Family concerns?
I don't know exactly what Roy Cooper is thinking, but I may have some personal insight...

I go to a high school in NC, and the girl who sits next to me in French class goes to his church and is friends with one of Roy Cooper's daughters. Apparently he is reluctant to run because several of his children are still school-age and he is concerned about having to live in DC or move the rest of his family away from NC.

I think he is a great candidate though and he would be my first choice. In 2008 he got more votes than anyone else in the entire state, and percentage wise it was about 60%.

We'll see what happens...

Family
Wow so he could be one of those rare politicians who actually mean it when they say they wont run for an office because of family reasons.
[ Parent ]
NC-Sen: Shuler Won't Challenge Burr | 40 comments

Copyright 2003-2010 Swing State Project LLC

Primary Sponsor

You're not running for second place. Is your website? See why Campaign Engine is ranked #1 in software and support among Progressive-only Internet firms. http://www.mediamezcla.com/

Menu

Make a New Account

Username:

Password:



Forget your username or password?

About the Site

Publisher: DavidNYC

Senior Editor: James L.

Senior Editor: Crisitunity

Contributing Editor: Jeffmd

Search the SSP archives:

Sign up to receive a daily e-mail whenever the SSP is updated:

SSP Resources

Presidential Vote by CD

SSP Document Collection

Race Tracker Wiki

Dave's Redistricting App

Blogroll

Daily Kos Elections
DemConWatch
Five Thirty Eight
Governing
Hotline On Call
Political Wire
Pollster.com
Prop*50
Public Policy Polling
The Thicket
Powered by: SoapBlox