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 County results Precinct resultsBurr: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%Marshall: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2010 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on November 2, 2010. The filing deadline for the primaries was February 26; the primaries were held on May 4, with a Democratic primary runoff held on June 22. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Richard Burr won re-election to a second term. Burr is the first incumbent to win re-election for this seat since Sam Ervin's last re-election in 1968.
Burr was the first Republican re-elected to this seat. Burr's 54.8% also represented the highest vote share a North Carolina Republican received since the state began directly electing its senators.
Background
This Senate seat was unfavorable to incumbents over the past several decades. No person elected to this seat was re-elected since Sam Ervin in 1968. His successor, Democrat Robert Burren Morgan, was defeated for re-election in 1980, along with many other incumbents from his party. His Republican successor, John Porter East, committed suicide in 1986. East's appointed successor, Jim Broyhill, served for just four months, resigning upon his November 1986 election loss to former Democratic Governor Terry Sanford. In 1992, the seat changed hands yet again, as Sanford was defeated by wealthy GOP businessman Lauch Faircloth, who himself lost in his bid for a second term six years later by John Edwards. In 2004, no incumbent was defeated, as Edwards was running for vice president and was not allowed to be on the ballot in both races. However, that year the seat did change parties for the fifth time in a row, with Richard Burr defeating Bill Clinton's onetime Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles.
Republican primary
Candidates
- Eddie Burks, Asheboro City Councilman
- Richard Burr, incumbent U.S. Senator
- Brad Jones, businessman
- Larry Linney, former State Representative
Polling
| Poll source | Dates administered | Richard Burr |
Brad Jones |
Eddie Burks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | February 15, 2010 | 55% | 10% | 3% |
| Public Policy Polling | March 12–15, 2010 | 58% | 5% | 4% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 8–11, 2010 | 67% | 7% | 3% |
| Survey USA | April 26, 2010 | 59% | 6% | 3% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard Burr (incumbent) | 297,993 | 80.1% | |
| Republican | Brad Jones | 37,616 | 10.1% | |
| Republican | Eddie Burks | 22,111 | 5.9% | |
| Republican | Larry Linney | 14,248 | 3.8% | |
| Total votes | 371,968 | 100.0% | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
From the North Carolina State Board of Elections:
- Cal Cunningham, former State Senator
- Susan Harris, retired accountant
- Ken Lewis, attorney
- Elaine Marshall, North Carolina Secretary of State and candidate in 2002
- Marcus Williams, attorney
- Ann Worthy, former Gaston County Board of Education member
Polling
| Poll source | Dates administered | Elaine Marshall |
Cal Cunningham |
Kenneth Lewis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall | December 1, 2009 | 42% | 5% | 7% |
| Public Policy Polling | February 15, 2010 | 29% | 12% | 5% |
| Public Policy Polling | March 12–15, 2010 | 20% | 16% | 11% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 8–11, 2010 | 23% | 17% | 9% |
| WRAL-TV/SurveyUSA | April 25, 2010 | 23% | 19% | 10% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 27, 2010 | 26% | 23% | 7% |
| Public Policy Polling | May 1–2, 2010 | 28% | 21% | 9% |
| Rasmussen Reports | May 4, 2010 | 42% | 37% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | May 8–10, 2010 | 36% | 36% | –– |
Results
- 20–30%
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 20–30%
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 30–40%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Elaine Marshall | 154,605 | 36.4% | |
| Democratic | Cal Cunningham | 115,851 | 27.3% | |
| Democratic | Ken Lewis | 72,510 | 17.1% | |
| Democratic | Marcus W. Williams | 35,984 | 8.5% | |
| Democratic | Susan Harris | 29,738 | 7.0% | |
| Democratic | Ann Worthy | 16,655 | 3.9% | |
| Total votes | 425,343 | 100.0% | ||
* Note: Since no candidate received 40% of the vote on May 4, state law allowed a runoff (or "second primary") election if requested by the second-place finisher. Cunningham requested such a runoff.
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 80–90%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Elaine Marshall | 95,390 | 60.0% | |
| Democratic | Cal Cunningham | 63,691 | 40.0% | |
| Total votes | 159,081 | 100.0% | ||
General election
Candidates
- Michael Beitler (L), lecturer of Bryan School of Business and Economics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- Richard Burr (R), incumbent U.S. Senator
- Elaine Marshall (D), North Carolina Secretary of State
Campaign
Marshall was endorsed by The Charlotte Observer, The Wilmington Star-News, the Elizabeth City Daily Advance and The Southern Pines Pilot. Burr was endorsed by the Greensboro News & Record and the Asheville Citizen-Times.
Debates
- October 11: Sponsored by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation and moderated by the Carl Kasell. It was televised by UNC-TV in Raleigh.
- October 14: In Raleigh
- October 21: Sponsored by N.C. Association of Broadcasters and moderated by Judy Woodruff in Durham.
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Cook Political Report | Likely R | October 26, 2010 |
| Rothenberg | Likely R | October 22, 2010 |
| RealClearPolitics | Likely R | October 26, 2010 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Likely R | October 21, 2010 |
| CQ Politics | Likely R | October 26, 2010 |
Polling
| Poll source | Dates administered | MoE | Richard Burr (R) |
Elaine Marshall (D) |
Michael Beitler (L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | March 12–15, 2009 | ± 3.1% | 43% | 35% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | August 4–10, 2009 | ± 3.6% | 43% | 31% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | September 2–8, 2009 | ± 4.0% | 42% | 31% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 15, 2009 | ± 4.5% | 48% | 38% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | October 2–4, 2009 | ± 3.8% | 44% | 32% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | November 9–11, 2009 | ± 3.7% | 45% | 34% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | December 11–13, 2009 | ± 4.0% | 42% | 37% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | January 15–18, 2010 | ± 3.8% | 44% | 37% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | January 27, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 47% | 37% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | February 12–15, 2010 | ± 3.5% | 43% | 33% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | February 23, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 50% | 34% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | March 22, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 51% | 35% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | April 19, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 50% | 32% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | May 5, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 48% | 40% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | May 8–10, 2010 | ± 3.9% | 43% | 42% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | June 3, 2010 | ± 3.0% | 50% | 36% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | June 4–6, 2010 | ± 3.9% | 46% | 39% | –– |
| Rasmussen Reports | June 23, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 44% | 43% | –– |
| SurveyUSA | June 23–24, 2010 | ± 4.0% | 50% | 40% | 6% |
| Public Policy Polling | June 26–27, 2010 | ± 4.4% | 38% | 33% | 10% |
| Rasmussen Reports | July 6, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 52% | 37% | –– |
| Survey USA | July 8–11, 2010 | ± 4.2% | 46% | 36% | 6% |
| Lake Research | July 15–19, 2010 | ± 4.0% | 35% | 37% | 5% |
| Public Policy Polling | July 27–31, 2010 | ± 3.9% | 39% | 37% | 7% |
| Rasmussen Reports | August 3, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 49% | 40% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | August 27–29, 2010 | ± 3.6% | 43% | 38% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 8, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 54% | 38% | –– |
| SurveyUSA | September 14, 2010 | ± 4.1% | 58% | 32% | 6% |
| Civitas | September 15–17, 2010 | ± 4.0% | 49% | 29% | 3% |
| Public Polling Policy | September 23–26, 2010 | ± 3.8% | 49% | 36% | 4% |
| High Point University | September 25–30, 2010 | ± 5.0% | 45% | 31% | 4% |
| Rasmussen Reports | October 12, 2010 | ± 4.5% | 52% | 38% | –– |
| Public Policy Polling | October 15–17, 2010 | ± 4.0% | 48% | 40% | 3% |
| SurveyUSA | October 22–25, 2010 | ± 4.1% | 53% | 38% | 5% |
| Public Policy Polling | October 29–31, 2010 | ± 3.4% | 52% | 40% | 2% |
Fundraising
| Candidate (party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on hand | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Burr (R) | $8,444,115 | $8,735,725 | $1,600,695 | $0 |
| Elaine Marshall (D) | $2,561,900 | $2,229,840 | $329,886 | $71,500 |
| Michael Beitler (L) | $16,302 | $9,951 | $6,350 | $11,906 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission | ||||
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard Burr (incumbent) | 1,458,046 | 54.81% | +3.21% | |
| Democratic | Elaine Marshall | 1,145,074 | 43.05% | −3.97% | |
| Libertarian | Mike Beitler | 55,682 | 2.09% | +0.72% | |
| Write-in | 1,272 | 0.05% | +0.04% | ||
| Total votes | 2,660,079 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Caswell (largest city: Yanceyville)
- Columbus (largest municipality: Whiteville)
- Yancey (largest municipality: Burnsville)
- Perquimans (largest city: Hertford)
- Camden (largest city: Camden)
- Tyrrell (largest municipality: Columbia)
- Guilford (largest city: Greensboro)
- Swain (largest municipality: Cherokee)
- Granville (largest city: Oxford)
- Hyde (largest community: Ocracoke)
- Jackson (largest town: Cullowhee)
- Wake (largest town: Raleigh)
See also
- 2010 North Carolina elections
- 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina
References
- "State Board of Elections Calendar". Sboe.state.nc.us. Archived from the original on June 18, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- Election 2010: North Carolina Senate, Rasmussen Reports, March 24, 2010.
- "Asheboro council member to challenge Burr". News & Record. January 21, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
- "Western NC businessman files for Senate race". The Sun News. February 16, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
- ^ "State Board of Elections: Candidate Filing List". Sboe.state.nc.us. February 26, 2010. Archived from the original on June 18, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- "He's at it again: Larry Linney files for U.S. Senate run". Asheville Citizen-Times. March 2, 2010. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ Public Policy Polling
- ^ Public Policy Polling
- ^ Public Policy Polling
- Survey USA
- ^ "The 2010 Results Maps". Politico.Com. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- "NC-Sen: Democrats get Cunningham". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 20, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
- McArdle, John. "Good News, Bad Timing on N.C. Senate Race". CQ Politics. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- Christensen, Rob. "News & Observer: 2nd-tier Senate hopefuls soldier on". Newsobserver.com. Archived from the original on April 29, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- "News & Observer: Durham lawyer eyes Burr seat". Projects.newsobserver.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- "Democrats expand their search for Burr challenger". March 10, 2009. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
- "News & Observer blog: Marshall running for U.S. Senate". Projects.newsobserver.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- Marshall
- WRAL-TV/SurveyUSA
- Public Policy Polling
- Public Policy Polling
- Rasmussen Reports
- Public Policy Polling
- "News & Observer: Cunningham wants a runoff". Projects.newsobserver.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- "Bryan School directory". Archived from the original on May 15, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
- "Marshall Nabs Key Newspaper Endorsements | Elaine Marshall for U.S. Senate". Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- "Editorial: Burr for Senate : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis". Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - "Tar Heels need a senator who can say yes | The Asheville Citizen-Times | citizen-times.com". Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- "News". The Asheville Citizen-Times. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- NC Senate Candidates Burr and Marshall Miami Herald. 14 October 2010
- Testy debate
- "Senate". Cook Political Report. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- "Senate Ratings". Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- "Battle for the Senate". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- "2010 Senate Ratings". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- "Race Ratings Chart: Senate". CQ Politics. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- Public Policy Polling
- Public Policy Polling
- Public Policy Polling
- Rasmussen Reports
- Public Policy Polling
- Public Policy Polling
- Public Policy Polling
- Public Policy Polling
- Rasmussen Reports
- Public Policy Polling
- Rasmussen Reports
- Rasmussen Reports
- Rasmussen Reports
- Rasmussen Reports
- Public Policy Polling
- Rasmussen Reports
- Public Policy Polling
- Rasmussen Reports
- SurveyUSA
- Public Policy Polling
- ^ Rasmussen Reports
- Survey USA
- Lake Research
- Public Policy Polling
- Rasmussen Reports
- Public Policy Polling
- SurveyUSA
- Civitas
- Public Polling Policy
- High Point University Archived November 11, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- Public Policy Polling
- SurveyUSA
- Public Policy Polling
- "2010 House and Senate Campaign Finance for North Carolina". fec.gov. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
- "NC – Election Results". Retrieved December 20, 2022.
External links
- North Carolina State Board of Elections
- U.S. Congress candidates for North Carolina Archived September 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine at Project Vote Smart
- North Carolina U.S. Senate 2010 from OurCampaigns.com
- Campaign contributions from Open Secrets
- 2010 North Carolina Senate General Election: All Head-to-Head Matchups graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
- Election 2010: North Carolina Senate from Rasmussen Reports
- 2010 North Carolina Senate Race from Real Clear Politics
- 2010 North Carolina Senate Race from CQ Politics
- Race profile from The New York Times
Debates
- North Carolina Democratic Senate Primary Runoff Debate, C-SPAN, June 15, 2010
Official campaign sites (archived)
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