Political becomes a factor in North Carolina, western Pennsylvania

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If incumbent US Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) has one thing going for him in his bid for re-election this year, it is the fact that North Carolina voters as yet seem to know very little about his possible Democratic opponents. One is trying to change that. Meanwhile, the NRCC is making a play for the US House seat of the late John Murtha (D-PA).


According to CQ Politics, former State Sen. Cal Cunningham is the Democrat taking to the airwaves to generate some name recognition. A local Republican campaign watchdog believes he’s spending about $45K exclusively in the capital Raleigh-Durham market, but Cunningham’s staff says the ad will eventually go statewide.

In Pennsylvania’s 12th District, a special election is being held for Murtha’s former seat, coincident with the state primary. The National Republican Congressional Committee has spent $273K on television there, according to Politico, attacking Democratic candidate Mark Critz, formerly a senior aide to Murtha. Republican candidate Tim Burns is the beneficiary of the campaign.