United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2010
Encyclopedia
The 2010 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on November 2, 2010. The filing deadline for the primaries was February 26; the primaries were held on May 4, with a Democratic
primary runoff held on June 22. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Richard Burr
won re-election to a second term. Burr is the first incumbent to win re-election for this seat since Sam Ervin's last re-election in 1968
.
in 1968. His successor, Democrat Robert Burren Morgan
, was defeated for re-election in 1980
, along with many other incumbents from his party. His Republican successor, John Porter East
, committed suicide in 1986. East's appointed replacement, Jim Broyhill
, served for just four months, resigning upon his November 1986
election loss to former Democratic Governor Terry Sanford
. In 1992
, the seat changed hands yet again, as Sanford was defeated by wealthy GOP businessman Lauch Faircloth
, who was denied a second term six years later by John Edwards
. In 2004
, no incumbent was defeated, as Edwards was running for vice president
and was not allowed to be on the ballot in both races. However, that year the seat did change parties for the fifth time in a row, with Richard Burr
defeating Bill Clinton's onetime Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles
.
(or "second primary") election if requested by the second-place finisher. Cunningham requested such a runoff.
, The Wilmington Star-News, the Elizabeth City Daily Advance
and The Southern Pines Pilot. Burr has been endorsed by Greensboro News & Record
, and the Asheville Citizen-Times
.
Debates
Official campaign sites
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
primary runoff held on June 22. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Richard Burr
Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
won re-election to a second term. Burr is the first incumbent to win re-election for this seat since Sam Ervin's last re-election in 1968
United States Senate election in North Carolina, 1968
The North Carolina United States Senate election of 1968 was held on 5 November 1968 as part of the nation-wide elections to the Senate. The general election was fought between the Democratic incumbent Sam Ervin and the Republican nominee Robert Somers...
.
Background
This Senate seat has been notoriously unfavorable to incumbents over the past several decades. No person elected to this seat has been re-elected since Sam ErvinSam Ervin
Samuel James "Sam" Ervin Jr. was a Democratic Senator from North Carolina from 1954 until 1974. A native of Morganton, Burke County, North Carolina, he liked to call himself a "country lawyer", and often told humorous stories in his Southern drawl...
in 1968. His successor, Democrat Robert Burren Morgan
Robert Burren Morgan
Robert Burren Morgan was a Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of North Carolina from 1975 until 1981. Born in Lillington, N.C., Morgan attended...
, was defeated for re-election in 1980
United States Senate elections, 1980
The 1980 U.S. Senate elections coincided with Ronald Reagan's election to the Presidency. Reagan's large margin of victory over incumbent Jimmy Carter pulled in many Democratic voters and gave a huge boost to Republican senate candidates....
, along with many other incumbents from his party. His Republican successor, John Porter East
John Porter East
John Porter East was a Republican U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina from 1981 until his suicide in 1986....
, committed suicide in 1986. East's appointed replacement, Jim Broyhill
Jim Broyhill
James Thomas "Jim" Broyhill is a Republican former U.S. Representative and Senator from the state of North Carolina. He represented much of the Foothills region of the state in the House from 1963 to 1986, and served in the Senate for four months in 1986.He was born in Lenoir, North Carolina, the...
, served for just four months, resigning upon his November 1986
United States Senate elections, 1986
The U.S. Senate election, 1986 was an election for the United States Senate in the middle of Ronald Reagan's second presidential term. As in most midterm elections, the opposition Democratic Party held the usual advantage...
election loss to former Democratic Governor Terry Sanford
Terry Sanford
James Terry Sanford was a United States politician and educator from North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, Sanford was the 65th Governor of North Carolina , a two-time U.S. Presidential candidate in the 1970s and a U.S. Senator...
. In 1992
United States Senate elections, 1992
The 1992 United States Senate election was an election for the United States Senate in which the victory of Bill Clinton in the presidential election was not accompanied by major Democratic gains in the Senate....
, the seat changed hands yet again, as Sanford was defeated by wealthy GOP businessman Lauch Faircloth
Lauch Faircloth
Duncan McLauchlin "Lauch" Faircloth , served one term as a Republican U.S. Senator from North Carolina.Before his Senate service, Faircloth was a prominent and wealthy hog farmer...
, who was denied a second term six years later by John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
. In 2004
United States Senate elections, 2004
The United States Senate election, 2004 was an election for one-third of the seats in the United States Senate which coincided with the re-election of George W. Bush as president and the United States House election, as well as many state and local elections. Senators who were elected in 1998,...
, no incumbent was defeated, as Edwards was running for vice president
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
and was not allowed to be on the ballot in both races. However, that year the seat did change parties for the fifth time in a row, with Richard Burr
Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
defeating Bill Clinton's onetime Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles
Erskine Bowles
Erskine Boyce Bowles is an American businessman and political figure from North Carolina. He served from 2005 to 2010 as the President of the University of North Carolina system...
.
Candidates
From the North Carolina State Board of Elections:- Elaine MarshallElaine MarshallElaine F. Marshall is the current North Carolina Secretary of State; she is the first woman to be elected to that office and the first woman elected to statewide executive office in North Carolina. Marshall was the Democratic Party's nominee for the United States Senate seat currently held by...
, North Carolina Secretary of StateNorth Carolina Secretary of StateThe North Carolina Secretary of State is an elected official in the U.S. state of North Carolina, heading the Department of the Secretary of State, which oversees many of the economic and business-related operations of the state government... - Cal CunninghamCal CunninghamJames Calvin "Cal" Cunningham III is an attorney, captain in the United States Army Reserve, and a former member of the North Carolina Senate...
, former State SenatorNorth Carolina SenateThe North Carolina Senate is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly.Its prerogatives and powers are similar to those of the other house, the House of Representatives. Its members do, however, represent districts that are larger than those of their colleagues in the House. The... - Susan Harris, retired accountant
- Ken Lewis, attorney
- Marcus Williams, attorney
- Ann Worthy, former Gaston County Board of Education member
Polling
| Poll source | Dates administered | Elaine Marshall | Cal Cunningham | Kenneth Lewis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | May 8–10, 2010 | 36% | 36% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | May 4, 2010 | 42% | 37% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | May 1–2, 2010 | 28% | 21% | 9% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 27, 2010 | 26% | 23% | 7% |
| WRAL-TV/SurveyUSA | April 25, 2010 | 23% | 19% | 10% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 8–11, 2010 | 23% | 17% | 9% |
| Public Policy Polling | March 12–15, 2010 | 20% | 16% | 11% |
| Public Policy Polling | February 15, 2010 | 29% | 12% | 5% |
| Marshall | December 1, 2009 | 42% | 5% | 7% |
Results
* Note: Since no candidate received 40% of the vote on May 4, state law allowed a runoffTwo-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
(or "second primary") election if requested by the second-place finisher. Cunningham requested such a runoff.
Candidates
- Richard BurrRichard BurrRichard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
, incumbent U.S. Senator - Eddie Burks, AsheboroAsheboro, North CarolinaAsheboro is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 21,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County, and is the home of the state-owned North Carolina Zoo.-Geography:...
City Councilman - Brad Jones, businessman
- Larry Linney, former State RepresentativeNorth Carolina House of RepresentativesThe North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the state senate....
Polling
| Poll source | Dates administered | Richard Burr | Brad Jones | Eddie Burks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey USA | April 26, 2010 | 59% | 6% | 3% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 8–11, 2010 | 67% | 7% | 3% |
| Public Policy Polling | March 12–15, 2010 | 58% | 5% | 4% |
| Public Policy Polling | February 15, 2010 | 55% | 10% | 3% |
Results
Candidates
- Michael BeitlerMichael BeitlerMichael Beitler is an author, business professor, and Republican candidate for North Carolina Secretary of State in the 2012 election. He is married to spouse, Danielle, and has three children...
(L), lecturer of Bryan School of Business and Economics at the University of North Carolina at GreensboroUniversity of North Carolina at GreensboroThe University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26... - Richard BurrRichard BurrRichard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
(R), incumbent U.S. Senator - Elaine MarshallElaine MarshallElaine F. Marshall is the current North Carolina Secretary of State; she is the first woman to be elected to that office and the first woman elected to statewide executive office in North Carolina. Marshall was the Democratic Party's nominee for the United States Senate seat currently held by...
(D), North Carolina Secretary of StateNorth Carolina Secretary of StateThe North Carolina Secretary of State is an elected official in the U.S. state of North Carolina, heading the Department of the Secretary of State, which oversees many of the economic and business-related operations of the state government...
Campaign
Marshall has been endorsed by The Charlotte ObserverThe Charlotte Observer
The Charlotte Observer, serving Charlotte, North Carolina and its metro area, is the largest newspaper, in terms of circulation, in North Carolina and South Carolina...
, The Wilmington Star-News, the Elizabeth City Daily Advance
Elizabeth City Daily Advance
Elizabeth City Daily Advance is a daily newspaper based in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The newspaper is owned by Cooke Communications.-Sale to Cooke Communications:Cox Enterprises sold The Daily Advance to Cooke Communications on July 31, 2009....
and The Southern Pines Pilot. Burr has been endorsed by Greensboro News & Record
Greensboro News & Record
The News & Record is the largest newspaper serving Guilford County and the surrounding region. It is based in Greensboro, NC, and produces local sections for Greensboro and Rockingham County, NC. As of April, 2011, it had an average weekday circulation of 60,993 and an average Sunday circulation...
, and the Asheville Citizen-Times
Asheville Citizen-Times
The Asheville Citizen-Times is the major daily newspaper of Asheville, North Carolina. It was formed in 1991 as a result of a merger of the morning Asheville Citizen and the afternoon Asheville Times. It is owned by Gannett.-History:...
.
Debates
- October 11: Sponsored by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation and moderated by the Carl KasellCarl KasellCarl Kasell is an American radio personality, most widely known as a newscaster for National Public Radio and as the official judge and scorekeeper of the weekly news quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!.-Early life:...
. It was televised by UNC-TVUNC-TVUniversity of North Carolina Television, known on-air as UNC-TV, is a public television network in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is operated by the University of North Carolina, with studios located at the UNC Center for Public Television at Research Triangle Park...
in RaleighRaleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. - October 14: In RaleighRaleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
- October 21: Sponsored by N.C. Association of Broadcasters and was moderated by Judy WoodruffJudy WoodruffJudy Woodruff is an American television news anchor and journalist.Woodruff is a Board Member at the IWMF .-Broadcast journalism career:...
in DurhamDurham, North CarolinaDurham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
.
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Cook Political Report Cook Political Report The Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan online newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, Governor's offices and the American Presidency. The Cook Political Report is led by a staff of five... |
Likely R | October 23, 2010 |
| Rothenberg Stuart Rothenberg Stuart Rothenberg is an American editor, publisher, and political analyst best known for his Washington-based, biweekly, self-proclaimed non-partisan political newsletter The Rothenberg Political Report... |
R favored | October 22, 2010 |
| Swing State Project | Likely R | |
| RealClearPolitics RealClearPolitics RealClearPolitics is a political news and polling data aggregator based in Chicago, Illinois. The site's founders say their goal is to give readers "ideological diversity." They have described themselves as frustrated with what they perceive as anti-conservative, anti-Christian media bias, and... |
Likely R | October 23, 2010 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball Sabato's Crystal Ball Sabato’s Crystal Ball is a free, nonpartisan weekly online newsletter and comprehensive website in the United States that analyzes the current American political scene and predicts electoral outcomes for U.S House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, governors, and U.S. president races... |
Likely R | October 21, 2010 |
| CQ Politics Congressional Quarterly Congressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress... |
Likely R | October 23, 2010 |
Polling
| Poll source | Dates administered | MoE | Richard Burr (R) | Elaine Marshall (D) | Michael Beitler (L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | October 29–31, 2010 | ± 3.4% | 52% | 40% | 2% |
| SurveyUSA | October 22–25, 2010 | ± 4.1% | 53% | 38% | 5% |
| Public Policy Polling | October 15–17, 2010 | ± 4.0% | 48% | 40% | 3% |
| Rasmussen Reports | October 12, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 52% | 38% | –– |
| High Point University | September 25–30, 2010 | ± 5.0% | 45% | 31% | 4% |
| Public Polling Policy | September 23–26, 2010 | ± 3.8% | 49% | 36% | 4% |
| Civitas | September 15–17, 2010 | ± 4.0% | 49% | 29% | 3% |
| SurveyUSA | September 14, 2010 | ± 4.1% | 58% | 32% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 8, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 54% | 38% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | August 27–29, 2010 | ± 3.6% | 43% | 38% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports | August 3, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 49% | 40% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | July 27–31, 2010 | ± 3.9% | 39% | 37% | 7% |
| Lake Research | July 15–19, 2010 | ± 4.0% | 35% | 37% | 5% |
| Survey USA | July 8–11, 2010 | ± 4.2% | 46% | 36% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports | July 6, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 52% | 37% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | June 26–27, 2010 | ± 4.4% | 38% | 33% | 10% |
| SurveyUSA | June 23–24, 2010 | ± 4.0% | 50% | 40% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports | June 23, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 44% | 43% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | June 4–6, 2010 | ± 3.9% | 46% | 39% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | June 3, 2010 | ± 3.0% | 50% | 36% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | May 8–10, 2010 | ± 3.9% | 43% | 42% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | May 5, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 48% | 40% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | April 19, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 50% | 32% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | March 22, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 51% | 35% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | February 23, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 50% | 34% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | February 12–15, 2010 | ± 3.5% | 43% | 33% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | January 27, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 47% | 37% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | January 15–18, 2010 | ± 3.8% | 44% | 37% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | December 11–13, 2009 | ± 4.0% | 42% | 37% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | November 9–11, 2009 | ± 3.7% | 45% | 34% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | October 2–4, 2009 | ± 3.8% | 44% | 32% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 15, 2009 | ± 4.5% | 48% | 38% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | September 2–8, 2009 | ± 4.0% | 42% | 31% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | August 4–10, 2009 | ± 3.6% | 43% | 31% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | March 12–15, 2009 | ± 3.1% | 43% | 35% | –– |
Fundraising
| Candidate (party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on hand | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Burr (R) | $8,444,115 | $8,735,725 | $1,600,695 | $0 |
| Elaine Marshall (D) | $2,561,900 | $2,229,840 | $329,886 | $71,500 |
| Michael Beitler (L) | $16,302 | $9,951 | $6,350 | $11,906 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission | ||||
Results
See also
- North Carolina elections, 2010
- United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2010United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2010The 2010 congressional elections in North Carolina were held on November 2, 2010, to determine who would represent the state of North Carolina in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections, where needed, were held on May 4, and the second primaries, where needed, followed on June...
External links
- North Carolina State Board of Elections
- U.S. Congress candidates for North Carolina at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- North Carolina U.S. Senate 2010 from OurCampaigns.com
- Campaign contributions from Open SecretsOpen SecretsOpen Secrets is a book of short stories by Alice Munro published by McClelland and Stewart in 1994. It was nominated for the 1994 Governor General's Award for English Fiction.-Stories:* "Carried Away"* "A Real Life"...
- 2010 North Carolina Senate General Election: All Head-to-Head Matchups graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
- Election 2010: North Carolina Senate from Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
- 2010 North Carolina Senate Race from Real Clear Politics
- 2010 North Carolina Senate Race from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Race profile from The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
Debates
- North Carolina Democratic Senate Primary Runoff Debate, C-SPANC-SPANC-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
, June 15, 2010
Official campaign sites