Unless The Democrats Screw It Up, We're Soon Likely To See A Much Deserved End To Richard Burr's Shameful Political Career

Last November North Carolina awarded its 15 electoral votes to Obama, an early evening death knell to the absurd pretentions of the GOP request for another 4 years of misrule. At the same time, North Carolina voters elected another Democratic governor, Bev Perdue, kicked out an entrenched multimillionaire GOP congressional incumbent, Robin Hayes, and replaced him with a high school civics teacher, Larry Kissell, and handed a stunning defeat, 53-44%, to the state's senior senator, Elizabeth Dole.

At this time in that election cycle Dole's approval rating was 43%, a number virtually impossible to ride to victory. She was doomed. A brand new poll from Public Policy Polling will come as no comfort to the current North Carolina senior senator, Richard Burr. His own job approval rating is worse than Dole's! Only 35% of North Carolina voters think he's doing a good job. All that remains is for the state's Democrats, who have often been poorly-led, to pick a decent candidate, something that started looking increasingly feasible a few weeks ago when reactionary Know Nothing Heath Shuler backed out of the race, much to the relief of everyone who understands that being a Democrat involves a set of values and principles.

Burr's own strategy for re-election was to join with the most hardcore fanatics and wingers in the Senate to form an Obstructionist Caucus and oppose everything President Obama tries to accomplish, at the same time praying he fails and America suffers so that voters turn back towards the Republicans (who, like Burr and Dole) were complicit in the catastrophes that marked the 8 years of Bush-Republican misrule. This year Burr has the exact same legislative voting score as the leader of the obstructionist caucus, Jim DeMint (R-SC), an abysmal 2.52 (out of 100)! Of the incumbent senators due to face the voters in 2010, only Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Jim Bunning (R-KY) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) have worse scores, and only fractionally worse at that.

Right now the front-runners in the minds of North Carolina Democats to go up against Burr are Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, Attorney General Roy Cooper, who pulled more votes in November than anyone else on the ballot-- from either party-- retired basketball coach Dean Smith, and much-admired state Rep. Martin Grier. Unless the concerted media campaign (see video below) to sabotage President Obama works, one of these people will be the next senator from North Carolina.