Republican Sen. Richard Burr is no stranger to competitive races and it seems that his bid for a third term will be no exception. North Carolina is no longer a lock for Republicans and GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump is causing problems for some Senate incumbents. The passage of H.B. 2, the so-called bathroom bill, and GOP Gov. Pat McCrory’s difficult re-election race have added more uncertainty into the political landscape for Republicans. Finally, some of Burr’s problems are of his own making. The combination of all these factors moves the contest to the Toss Up column. Early in the cycle, it appeared as if Burr might not get a credible race at all. Former U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, state Treasurer Janet Cowell, Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and former UNC President Tom Ross, among others, all took a pass on the race, leaving Democrats scrambling for a challenger. They finally settled on former state Rep. Deborah Ross. Ross faced nominal opposition in the primary, defeating three other candidates with 62 percent. Ross, 53, grew up in Connecticut. She earned
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