#NCSEN: Burr vs. Blue in ’16?
THAT is th
e spin that is making its way around our fair capital city these days. Sources in the know up that way tell me that operatives close to Hillary Clinton are encouraging former state House speaker, and current Senate Democrat leader, Dan Blue to file against incumbent US Senator Richard Burr (R).
Burr has really weak numbers for a two-term incumbent. He has problems with the party’s conservative base. But the Democrats are at a loss to find someone to throw up against him. National Democrats recognize the importance of North Carolina at the presidential level. Right now, there is nothing on the 2016 ballot to really drive blacks and other Democrat base voters to the polls. (Obama can’t run again.) And we all saw how unenthused black leaders were with Hillary in 2008.
Here is the deal reportedly being pitched: File against Burr, and achieve a win-win scenario regardless of the election results. A six-year stint in the Senate or a sweet job in the new Clinton administration.
If the elder Blue passes, his son — Dan Blue III — could also be an intriguing choice. The younger Blue is a Raleigh attorney, a former Wake County Democrat Party chairman, and a regular on NC Spin. He’s a player in the state Democrat Party, and has a respected, famous name to trade on. (Ask Justice Ervin how well that works.)
Let’s keep an eye on this one.
Hopefully, whoever the Democrats put up will be running against an exciting new conservative GOP nominee, not that useless Obama Republican, Tricky Dick Burr,
Maybe. I know conservatives in my County are quite disgusted with Burr and I suspect the local Party won’t bother to even put up Burr signs next year. But whether or not Republicans in other parts of the state feel the same is quite beyond me.
Having said that, the Democrats are in more of a purity trap than we are because while establishment Republicans routinely push moderate to liberal candidates under the theory that this is what wins elections, there’s no way ever that NC Democrats will give the nomination to someone like Mike McIntyre whom I suspect would hand Burr a pinkslip, given the opportunity.
Any speculation on a republican challenger to Burr in the primary?
How about Brannon?
of course this is not racist in any way…
There is not just speculation about a Republican challenger, but a real chance.
There is a new grassroots movement to draft Mark Meadows to run against Burr. He is more in line with NC voters and conservatives as a whole. http://www.runmeadows.org/petition
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Draft-Mark-Meadows-for-US-Senate/1013305542022257
Just a thought, I wonder if Meadows threatened to run against Burr if he didn’t get his Chairmanship back…it would have been an interesting card to play.
Pure speculation on may part.
Speculation, perhaps. But one thing that isn’t well known to the folks back home is that Boehner and Burr have a close relationship. Very close.
Indeed, they are buddies.
This would be a real quandry. I think if the NC democrap party would put up a somewhat conservative candidate they would win the race. I for one would probably violate my never vote for a dem pledge if they ran a candidate that would at least not toe the radical progressive line vs. Tricky Dick.
Mike McIntyre would crush Burr with probably half the Republicans voting for Mike. My guess is though that McIntyre will wait awhile and retire Tillis from office in four years.