Jeff Jackson: Running for (State) Senate

by | Jun 11, 2015 | 2016 Elections, Carolina Strategic Analysis, Features, NC Politics, US Senate | 5 comments

They’re dropping like flies. Yet another potential opponent for Sen. Richard Burr says they’re not going to run for U.S. Senate. Jeff Jackson, who got a lot of attention in February for his “snow day coup” is instead seeking reelection to his seat in the State Senate.

It’s probably a smart move for Jackson, who is only 32 and has plenty of time to seek higher office in the future if he wants to. He was only appointed to the State Senate last year and is probably a bit too inexperienced to mount a credible Senate bid, especially against an incumbent like Burr. If Jackson ran against Burr and lost, Democrats would probably lose one of their brightest up-and-coming stars way too early. Foregoing a bid allows Jackson to build up more experience in the legislature, making him a more formidable candidate for a future statewide run.

That’s probably Jackson’s thinking. The other way to look at this is that maybe Jackson wants to run in spite of those things, but is going to stay out because Kay Hagan has made it clear she’s planning to run against Burr after all.

I don’t think this is the case, though. Hagan is apparently still undecided and hasn’t set a time frame as to when she’s going to announce her plans. That means Richard Burr is still without an opponent, which at this point in the game isn’t that unusual, nor is necessarily cause for alarm for Democrats.

But for every day that passes without a declared opponent, Burr gets a little less vulnerable. National Democrats are frustrated because they have candidates in place mostly everywhere – mostly retreads who lost past bids – but there are a few exceptions. One of them is Pennsylvania; another is North Carolina. In Pennsylvania they have Joe Sestak, but he’s not the ideal candidate of the Democratic establishment. In North Carolina, of course, they have nobody at all.

Once again – it’s June. Early in the game. Back in the 2008 cycle, Kay Hagan didn’t declare against Elizabeth Dole until October 2007. Elaine Marshall and Cal Cunningham didn’t get started with their bids until November of 2009. It’s a bit frustrating for Democrats but it’s no time to panic. Now, what if it’s November and Burr still doesn’t have an opponent? Well, maybe then it’s time to hit the panic button.

5 Comments

  1. Russell Scott Day

    I announced my intention to run on my youtube channel, Transcendian last week. I must at the minimum raise a filing fee, for the US Senate job by February. I am working on my production values. I worked a bit on Charisma. I made this really strange musical instrument. All requirements are otherwise in place as I have a website, and did radio, and am doing radio on my youtube. I shaved today. I got a new Tee. The announcement is for real for I am a perfect Working Class Hero, and independent scholar of governance. Transcendia.org/wordpress is my site. I am calling myself the Intendor. Go to videos after finding the channel and then scroll to Senatorial Intention Announcement. It is dry post wherein I state my goals. Watch out for odd entertainments and little movies. Russell Scott Day is my name.
    I say things like Ethics trump morality as ethics are always moral, but morality isn’t always ethical. I support Engineers and Pilots and poets. Free Speech is one thing to love about the US left. Book: Poor Buzz & Stories from Warnings for my Daughter like Profiles in Courage, only different. I have tentative agreement for a Campaign Manager.

  2. TY Thompson

    Burr’s popularity with his Party rank-and-file isn’t improving and his support of the Pacific trade deal isn’t helping because local Republicans ironically oppose it as fiercely as the labor crowd. Dem’s are in danger of missing a serious pickup opportunity.

  3. Apply Liberally

    Only a partisan Republican would lead off a blog with “They are dropping like flies” when a junior inexperienced Dem state senator (who is only 32 years old) declines to run against an incumbent and experienced GOP opponent who’ll be seeking his third term in the US Senate.
    This is THE smart and THE ONLY move by Jackson.

  4. Mary Jones

    Still like your Dan Blue idea…great candidate…much experience… Might help ‘get out the vote’.

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