As Republican Sen. Richard Burr prepares to seek re-election to a second term next year, it is unclear whether he will get a truly competitive race. It is certain, though, that Democrats want to build upon the gains they made in the state in 2008 and are determined to recruit a very strong challenger to the incumbent. With the election just about a year away, this may be the last GOP-held seat on Democrats’ recruiting “to do” list.
Before winning a seat in Congress in 1994, Burr spent 16 years in the private sector at Carswell Distributing, a national wholesaler, where he was the company’s national sales manager. In 1992, he made his first bid for office, mounting an unsuccessful challenge to Democratic Rep. Steve Neal. When Neal decided to retire in 1994, Burr ran again, winning the 5th congressional district with 57 percent. He did not fall below 62 percent in any of his re-election bids. In the House, Burr had a seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee where he focused his efforts on health care. Specifically, he
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