Former Sen. Kay Hagan was interviewed by NPR the other day. She talked about why she lost, what she would do right now if she were still in Washington, and a little about her future. She blamed President Obama for her loss and said he failed to make effective use of the bully pulpit and was especially absent when it came to discussing the recovering economy. She said that money was ultimately the reason why she lost, and put the blame squarely on two people: the Koch Brothers. If Hagan runs again, be prepared to hear a lot more about those two, especially in fundraising e-mails if you’re a Democrat.

Hagan’s comments on Obama illustrate the tricky situation she’ll be in if she runs for Senate in 2016. She can’t criticize the President too much or she’ll lose the support of the base. And she can’t be seen as too close to him or else the Obama connection will sink her once again.

Hagan had harsh words for the Republican-controlled Senate, saying the controversial letter to Iran was disrespectful to the United States. (Note that she didn’t say Obama.) The question as to whether Hagan wanted Obama to have played a larger role in her last campaign provoked a sharp reaction: “That’s not what I said.” Who knows if she was actually angry or if it was said with a knowing smile. The interviewer also asked her what grade she would give the President. She refused to take the bait, but said history would be kind to him, that America should be proud about electing the first African American President, and something about Selma.

The critique of the Koch Brothers and of money in politics is interesting considering Hagan substantially outspent her opponent, Thom Tillis. From the interview, one can glean that the former senator is a real political animal, with an acute knowledge of campaign strategy. She noted that turnout is higher in presidential elections, especially among Democrats, and blasted the legislature’s voter ID laws, which she says is designed to disenfranchise voters.

Will she run again next year? “I’m not saying yes and I’m not saying no.” Which means she’ll still in wait-and-see mode. But the DSCC, which is staffed by many of the folks who worked on her last campaign, are courting her heavily. In the words of one anonymous Democratic operative based in North Carolina: “They are not going to get anybody that is a more qualified, more battle-tested candidate, that you know is going to be able to raise the money, that you know is experienced communicating with voters in the state than Kay Hagan.” The DSCC clearly shares this sentiment and want her for this upcoming race against Richard Burr, badly.

But just in case she declines, national Democrats are setting up a contingency plan. While I wrote the other day that in the presidential race Hillary Clinton is Democrats’ Plan A and there’s not really a Plan B, a Plan B does exist in the Senate race, and her name is Janet Cowell. A twice-elected State Treasurer, with roots in vote-rich Wake County and ties to the business community, she’s the one they would turn to next. Just the other day, her office set up a Twitter handle. Interested?

Beyond Hagan and Cowell, Democrats are looking at a handful of state legislators to run, but their ability to raise money and mount a credible bid against Senator Burr is in question. In the meantime, Hagan has the fundraising ability, a loyal following with national Democrats, and the name recognition. Does she have the desire? We’ll find out soon.

18 Comments

  1. Dwight Willis

    Had Kay Hagan embraced the accomplishments of our President she would be serving her second term in the U.S. Senate today instead of whining about why she did not win. She should have conducted major rallies across the state with President Obama and the First Lady leading the charge. She had her chance and FAILED. Let’s move on.

  2. Ron Rabatsky

    Just calling out the Koch brothers does not accomplish anything. When you are running against someone tell them WHY you oppose what they are doing. Moral Monday missed the same point. If you are going to demonize the Kochs–an easy matter–do it! Tell folks what they are doing and why you oppose them.

  3. Kipp Hollingsworth

    Don’t get me wrong, I hate the Koch brothers and think they are the embodiment of everything that is wrong in the country; however, Hagan lost because she was afraid to stand up and be a progressive Democrat. She ran from the fights and goals that would have brought Progressives to vote for her. The money and the gerrymandering didn’t help, but she was as much or more to blame than anything or anybody else.

    • Mooser

      I agree, except for one little thing: not only did she refuse to run as a Progressive Democrat, she refused to run as a Democrat, period. Her constant bashing of Obama alienated many who would have otherwise voted for her. The Republicans’ message in 2014 was “We’re not Obama” and the Democrats’ message was “Neither are we.” Democrats will never win elections by masquerading as Republicans – a message they never seem to learn.

  4. Jay Rogers

    One week before the election, the Hagan campaign stopped at Henderson County Democratic Party HQ in Hendersonville. There were about 150 people there, presumably all Democrats. The County Dem Party had nothing to do with the arrangements, other than keeping out of the way. Hagan’s team informed us they would do the whole thing and so they did. The first thing the senator’s set up team did was to remove our full size cardboard cutouts of the President and the First Lady. They were put in the back, face to wall. The Mayor of Hendersonville, a democrat, introduced the Senator with “Kay Hagan is a Conservative”. During Hagan’s 10 minute speech she never mentioned – not once – the word “Obama”. Hagan lost the election. If she runs against Burr I would not vote for her. I wouldn’t vote for Burr either.

  5. Ron Rabatsky

    Ron Rabatsky, aka Dis Gust when I inhabited facebook

    Hagan has learned nothing from her loss in the election–still blaming Obama rather than taking credit for all that has been accomplished despite legislative interference in NC and the U.S. Congress. If she is not intelligent enough to come to that understanding along with every other dem who blew it in 2014, she is not intelligent enough to be in the Senate.

    Personally, I’m leaving this third world state as it is going to get a lot worse rather than better. My taxes were up this year, and will be up again next year as my medical deductions will be taxed. Students are not being prepared for life in the real world. Enough is enough already. Maybe by the mid 2020’s – depending on the 2020 census results – NC will start improving, but with the likes of Kay Hagan representing democrats and a way forward–I am doubting that.

  6. Martin Dyckman

    I supported Senator Hagan, but I think she made a mistake in trying to distance herself from the president. Al Gore did the same thing in 2000, and it cost him the election. Hagan’s response to the Obama broadsides from Typhoid Tom should have been something like this: I criticized Elizabeth Dole for voting most of the time with a president who was wrong most of the time. I support President Obama most of the time because he is right most of the time. That’s what she should have said, and should say in 2016 if the issue comes up again.

  7. Mooser

    I can’t believe that she blamed Obama, when all she could do during her campaign was to run away from him and claimed that she wasn’t like him. She didn’t want his help, and now she blames her loss on the fact that he didn’t help her?? She did all she could to alienate Democrats, so she has no one but herself to blame. If her campaign had worked harder in Mecklenburg County she would be sitting in the Senate today! I hope she disappears from public view!

  8. Eilene

    true, but he is green, green, green…. he’s a first term state legislator who only got he seat because he ran unopposed. I like him, quite a bit… but can it translate to name-brand popularity? I’d work for his campaign if he decided to try… sometimes a fresh new face can unhinge the standard political narrative… I mean, holy cow, Obama beat the mainstream democratic nominees, including Hillary, and he was not very well known.

    It would take a social media campaign of epic proportions…. but he’s got quite the following on Twitter now, so who knows?

  9. River Rat Dem

    I honestly don’t get why they keep pushing Hagan. She’s got AWFUL approval ratings that have not recovered since the election–and frankly, there’s a reason for that. Why anybody’d want to nominate such an unpopular, recently failed candidate is something I just don’t understand.

  10. larry

    Funny Hagan takes a whack at Obama taking into consideration she would never have gotten into the Senate in 2008 had it not been for the Obama campaign effort in NC. She immediately slapped the Obama coalition in the face with some of her votes. So I for voted against Tillis not for Hagan. Should she somehow make another run in 2016 I will vote for Hillary but will simply skip on past the Senate line…well once I produce my ID to vote of course. Simple fact…Hagan and Tillis ran crap and insulting campaigns. We deserve better on both counts.

  11. TY Thompson

    Cowell would be a better pick. There are people who are looking for an excuse to vote against Burr but absolutely can’t stand Hagan. Cowell hasn’t offended anyone and is something of a fresh face.

  12. Richard Pigossi

    Excuses, excuses. I worked for Kay Hagen, but with little enthusiasm, because a Tillis victory was (as we now see) unpalatable for North Carolina and the nation, not because she was a strong candidate. She wasn’t, pandering to every constituency and satisfying none. That’s why she lost, notwithstanding the Koch money. Now to blame President Obama is unconscionable and evidence enough that we need to find a better candidate to oppose Burr.

    • David Parry

      I agree wholeheartedly with you. To blame the President for her poorly run campaign tells me she needs to find other work. We need strong Democrats running for office, not appeasers and blame throwers.

      • Barbara Dantonio

        I agree.

    • Pamela Espinosa

      Richard, I have to agree with you. Wonder if Kay Hagen remembers she was elected on the coat tails of President Obama’s campaign? Democratic leaders should have embraced and owned the successes of our President. There are many! Democrats lost because of their own lack of courage and their fear. They didn’t deserve to win. Unfortunately the citizens of North Carolina deserve the current “winners” even less.

    • Barbara Dantonio

      I agree. I did my part but when you don’t even have signs for the Primary and are late in getting them out in the fall, I had questions. I know signs don’t vote but it encourages people in ways many do not understand. She came to Wilson County and visited a farm with few voters. She needed to come into town and talk to the voters, the volunteers and undecideds. She only came for fundraising for a select group. She needed to reach out more. Her staff in Wilson did an outstanding job but it was hard to garner support due to her seemingly lack of interest in the “little people, the workers, the volunteers”. You have to show up everywhere, not just where the money is. It is the votes that county. Caroline Spencer, who ran the Wilson County office, did an awesome job. If anyone needs an enthusiastic, hardworking and capable campaign worker, Caroline Spencer is the person to call on. She also needed to talk about Obama’s successes. It seemed to me that she was the one who was veering away from our President. She must take responsibility for her own actions. I kept saying when is she going to talk about the good things our President has done. The list is long.

  13. Eilene

    I agree, disgusted. She outspent Tillis in the campaign, but what was the tally for PACs that were not under their direct control? I don’t think we could watch 5 minutes of TV for almost a year leading up to the election without a commercial for one of them, and I think the Tillis commercials were more frequent, especially at the end. Tillis had some serious big-business, polished billionaires pulling his strings. And they’ll be pulling his strings for at least 6 more years. Great.

    We’ll be moving out of NC soon in droves, when the environment really starts to show the frayed edges, and what we love about this state is already starting to fade. DENR is understaffed and overwhelmed, and policy is to not bother to fine those who violate environmental regulations. The governor appoints someone to head the agency that doesn’t care about the environment, and the legislature makes stupid rules about municipalities and counties not being able to make any regulation more strict than the federal guidelines. Those guidelines were meant to be the skeleton of an environmental policy, to be added to. This is going to be a real problem very soon. I wonder where I will go next?

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