Ex-Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan
On Tuesday night,
Roll Call reported that former Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan will
not be challenging Republican incumbent Richard Burr next year. While Hagan has yet to say anything publicly, multiple media outlets confirm that she has been
contacting her old donors to let them know that she'll be sitting out the contest.
National Democrats made it no secret that they wanted Hagan back. Hagan proved to be a tough campaigner in 2014, and she only narrowly lost re-election to Thom Tillis in her light red state despite a GOP wave. However, polls have shown that the ugly campaign did real long-term damage to Hagan's image, and it's quite possible that Democrats would be better off with a fresh face.
Well, like it or not, they're going to need to search for that fresh face if they want to unseat Burr. However, while many alternative names have been mentioned, there's no one who sounds ready to step up to the plate. State Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue, who ran for the Senate back in 2002, didn't rule anything out before Hagan's decision became public, but he didn't sound particularly likely to go for it.
Tar Heel State Democrats have mentioning quite a few other names, but so far they all appear to be pretty uninterested. State Treasurer Janet Cowell announced back in April that she would seek re-election next year, but there's likely to be a renewed push to change her mind. State Senate Minority Whip Josh Stein has also been recently mentioned, but he would need to pull the plug on his plans to run for attorney general. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, a former Charlotte mayor, has also been mentioned, but he's already told Burr he won't go for it.
A few other Democrats have been mentioned, but they've said nothing about their intentions. Ex-Rep. Mike McIntyre is no stranger to tough campaigns, and Heath Shuler, another conservative former congressman, has also recently been name-dropped. We also haven't heard from outgoing University of North Carolina President Tom Ross, state Rep. Grier Martin, or ex-state Sen. and 2010 candidate Cal Cunningham.
Whoever eventually steps up to the plate won't have an easy time against Burr. Polls show the incumbent posting wide leads against his potential Democratic foes, though he's still below the 50 percent mark. The low-key Burr hasn't made much of an impression during his decade in the Senate, but he'll have incumbency and money on his side. And while North Carolina has become more competitive in recent cycles, it still remains friendly to national Republicans.
Team Blue was going to have a tough race here regardless of what Hagan did. Burr is beatable if the political climate is right, but Hagan's move means that the DSCC is going to need to keep searching for a formidable recruit.
11:45 AM PT: State Treasurer Janet Cowell quickly announced that she is "committed to running for re-election as Treasurer in North Carolina."
1:02 PM PT: Hagan has released a statement confirming she won't be on the ballot next year.