Richard Burr’s Senate campaign strategy always consists of three elements. They are:

1. No controversy. Burr is not a “wacko bird” by any means. He’s seldom caught saying something stupid on camera. If he does make waves, it’s always before or after the election cycle, not during. This strategy has served Burr well throughout the years. Consider it the Jesse Helms strategy in reverse: unlike Jesse, who was either loved or hated, Burr is fairly anonymous. Yet both strategies have proven electorally successful in North Carolina. If Burr does something uncharacteristically reckless or polarizing in the campaign, it means he could be in trouble.

2. Raise money. A lot of it. Even though his campaign kitty is pretty empty right now, Burr has proven to be an adept fundraiser in the past. That’s important not only for promoting the Burr brand during the election year, but also for scaring away potential opponents. Keep an eye on Burr’s fundraising in the next quarter. A large number might make would-be adversaries gulp and make them stay away.

3. Mid-September, drop the bomb. Burr’s campaign has a tendency for making Republicans everywhere anxious about what they’re doing until very late in the game. Back in 2004, he trailed his Democratic opponent Erskine Bowles by double-digits as late as August. In 2010, some polls showed him with a narrow lead on Elaine Marshall. During both of those campaigns, September marked the month where the Burr camp declared war on their opponents and buried them in millions of dollars in advertising spending. In 2004, the ads helped Burr go from unknown to a figure whom North Carolinians viewed positively. Six years later … same thing.
History may repeat itself once again, especially if Burr winds up with an opponent who’s not a stellar fundraiser. In the meantime, his lagging poll numbers throughout the campaign will be sure to make Republicans a little nervous. If Burr’s campaign seems unimpressive at times, and you start to think “what the hell are they doing?” just remember they’ve been there before … and know what they’re doing.

That’s the three-pronged strategy for the general. For the primary, the strategy is similar, except this time make sure the Senator’s voting record is solidly conservative to fend off any potential challenge from the Right. In the weeks before the primary, regardless of the caliber of his opponents, start running ads, both to increase his percentage in a primary (he got 80% in 2010) and to reintroduce himself to the broader electorate.

The above is the plan, at least the preliminary one. As circumstances change, some elements might need to be tweaked. But don’t expect a complete overhaul. Burr’s strategy has worked well in the past and there’s no indication it can’t work this time around either. The wildcard: political campaigns in a post-Citizens United world. The lay of the landscape has changed and Burr’s campaign strategy might have to change to accommodate that.

11 Comments

  1. Apply Liberally

    Yessir, Mike, we have 2 empty suits as SU senators now. Doing everything to support corporations, banks, the rich, and the status quo, and nothing to help the middle economic class or the truly hurting. Believers in and boosters of trickledown economics (which has proven, since the early 1980s, to be a myth). Hard to believe that NC has such do-nothing-for-the-people creepy suits in office.

    And RedHotPoker, catch up, will you? There won’t be any payback from offshore drilling for a decade at least, and not a dime if the wells come up dry or short (50:50 chance). And if there are drill rigs out that blow (remember that Gulf of Mexico blowout a few years ago), the very valuable tourism industry on the coast will be hurt.

  2. Mike Leonard

    Burr is the very definition of an “empty suit”. His favorite thing is to appear before business groups to speak about lowering taxes on corporations and the wealthy, because that will magically result in more jobs for serfs. A couple of years ago I recall he took the very brave stance of sponsoring some sort of concert honoring Vietnam vets. We’ve lived in NC for seven years and can’t name one important thing that Burr ever did. Nice work if you can get it. Now we have another empty suit in the form of Thom Tillis.

    • RedHotPoker

      Thom hit the ground running for our economy by aligning with obongo and offshore drilling!
      It’s a $4 BILLION payback for the state, duh.

  3. Duncan Heron

    I read that he is a climate change denier. No controversy! Well maybe stupid.

  4. J Sykes

    He is the worst person in the world to oversee the CIA, instead of pursuing strict oversight he has caved and will keep the torture report a secret, not exactly a profile in courage.

  5. Apply Liberally

    One of Burr’s three elements-for-election is a somewhat shaky even before electioneering starts. “No controversy”?

    There’s his dismally uninformed inquisition at a health care hearing that lily outlined. There’s his recent attempts to try to kid-glove the CIA report on torture as the new chair of the Senate Intelligence subcommittee. And then there’s his politically-motivated stalling of the Senate’s approval of a federal judge nominee THAT HE HIMSELF ORIGINAL OFFERED UP and ENDORSED (Why? Well, all because THIS particular president agreed with him on the nomination). So, in effect, Burr was part of the partisan cabal that left this federal judge seat for eastern NC going unfilled for some 5 years. See:
    http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/01/15/3164541/senator-richard-burr-blocks-judge-senator-richard-burr-told-obama-nominate/

    Just three examples of Burr’s harsh partisanship, lack of smarts, and poor judgment. His opponent come 2016 should be able to find dozens more…….

  6. Mike L

    Does Burr even have an official Democratic challenger for 2016 yet?

    • RedHotPoker

      the ‘crackkks are hoping beyond hope that Kay Hagan will run again…they probably don’t have anyone else viable…maybe Alma Adams.

      • Progressive Wing

        Don’t worry, RedHotJoker. The Dems will find and rally around their candidate to face Burr. It won’t be Hagan. And if even if that candidate doesn’t beat the incumbent, she or he will force Burr to sweat, to look as silly and as unimaginative and as backward as he really is, and to spend multi-millions.

      • larry

        Speaking as a “crackks” I can assure you few are hoping for a Hagan repeat. As for Rep Adams I suspect she will be in the House for as long as she wants to hold the seat so why would she make the run. .

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