U. S. Senate and U. S. House races in North Carolina: only one seat changes hands in 2010
The prediction for this mid-term election was that voters would vote to “throw the bums out.” On Tuesday North Carolina voters sent a message to Washington saying they want change again in 2010--just not the change that Congress has given them since 2008.
Although NC voters supported Democrats in 2006 and 2008, and the state went for a Democrat for President in 2008, the political map of North Carolina was painted bright red on Tuesday. The US Congress will be divided between the major political parties beginning in 2011, and so will the NC Congressional delegation.
Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) successfully defended his US Senate seat, and as expected, defeated two challengers with ease. The polls had been trending in his favor in the past week, and the Republican won with over 55% of the state’s votes yesterday.
It is the first time since the time of Senator Sam Ervin of NC, who was re-elected in 1968 that a NC Senator has won re-election to the seat that Burr holds. It is only the second re-election ever by a member of the US Senate by a member from North Carolina. The only other NC Republican Senator ever to be re-elected is the late Senator Jesse Helms.
Sec. Elaine Marshall (D) was unable to get NC voters’ attention or to gain traction with her grassroots campaign. Marshall lacked the funds to respond to the heavy paid political advertising of the Burr campaign. She ran a distant second in the three-way race that included Libertarian candidate Dr. Mike Beitler.
Wake County voters, who voted heavily Democratic in 2008 for Obama and other Democrats, gave the edge in voting on Tuesday to Sen. Burr. According to the unofficial results from the Wake Board of Elections, Burr won Wake County’s vote by over 3, 000 votes.
With all of 198 Wake County precincts in, Sen. Burr had 49% of Wake’s votes. He received 135,411 votes to Sec. Marshall’s 132,182 from Wake’s voters.
In the US House of Representatives races in NC, all but one of the 13 incumbent Congressmen and Congresswomen were re-elected. Out of the 13 Districts only the 2nd District seat held by Democrat Bob Etheridge of Harnett County appears to have changed hands this year.
This hardly supports the constant predictions by the pundits of the “wave election” for Republicans in 2010. It also does not resemble the game-changing election of 1994, when Republicans gained a majority of the 12 Congressional seats in NC.
In the 2nd District Etheridge’s challenger, tea party Republican candidate Renee Ellmers, claimed victory on television late Tuesday night based on a narrow vote lead. Etheridge has not conceded the election yet, saying in a statement that he is not ready to give up, given the closeness of the race.
According to the Raleigh News and Observer’s report on the 1st District election today,
Ellmers, 46, runs the clinic of her doctor husband. She became politically active in 2009 when she joined Americans for Prosperity on a bus tour across the state to protest the health reform law. She considered herself a tea party candidate and was endorsed by conservative activist Sarah Palin.
Ellmers campaigned on a repeal of the health care law. She said she wants to cut spending, but didn’t offer specifics beyond those related to Medicare fraud.
Etheridge easily defeated Ellmers in the District’s Wake County precincts. 70% of Wake's 2nd District voters cast their ballot for Rep. Etheridge yesterday. However, the rural areas of the large district, which includes Johnston and Franklin Counties, and other less urban areas, went for Ellmers.
A canvass of votes in the Ellmers-Etheridge Congessional election will follow. It remains to be seen, if Etheridge will ask for a recount of the ballots. In any case, it will be days before an official decision in the District is made by the State Board of Election
Comments
"This hardly supports the constant predictions by the pundits of the “wave election” for Republicans in 2010. It also does not resemble the game-changing election of 1994, when Republicans gained a majority of the 12 Congressional seats in NC."
One state had inconsistent results from the rest of the country and you say that this doesn't support the predictions of a landslide victory for Republicans? The time for propaganda is over. The fact is this year the GOP will have picked up somewhere around 65 seats when the counting is finished. In 1994 the GOP picked up 54. NC results were highly unusal. This may show a need for redistricting as a majority of Republican voters have been lumped into a few districts with little Democrat opposition while other districts snake in and out of inner cities capturing just enough Democrat voters to nullify the Republican vote. Take that for a spin.
Anonymous: I agree with you. I wrote this as many seats were still up for grabs. I based it on erroneous information and not an intent to spread propaganda.
I often write stories in advance to publish at deadline.
There has been enough propaganda from all parties, consultants, and even voters this election.
As i have said before, too much is being presented as "fact' in the media by pundits (aka consultants in many cases) that is indeed merely propaganda.
Dear Ms. Brock,
I do not know you from Adam's house cat but happened upon your article dated 11/03/10 in the Examiner. As I read it I became as increasingly indignant as your Anonymous commentator apparently was (reference per above). Then I read your response. Just wanted to thank you for owning up to fueling the flame of media propaganda. I hope as you imply, it was indeed unintentional; equally important is that you gave your guilty admission as much exposure as the initial article had. If this is the case, I congratulate you, thank you again and hope fervently that your attitude catches on across your profession. If however, this is not the case, then you are continuing to practice "deception and distortion" in your reporting and ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Pat, I am not a professional, as hardly any writers for Examiner.com are indeed "professionals." I am a freelance writer with little journalism training, I just rely on street smarts and the ability to research to write my articles.
I appreciate your comment greatly, however, as I went to bed thinking the Dems had lost, but not in a bloodbath as many had predicted. The bloodbath did indeed occur. I was wrong, in part because I was viewing the National Scene through the eyes of someone in NC where the National election had little impact. Suggest you read my article written this morning that is an update on the Congressional races.
Again, thank you for reading and thank you for your comment.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!