National Democrats’ Ongoing Recruiting Efforts Create Schism With Their Leading Candidate In North Carolina

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 16:02

NRSC Documents

WASHINGTON – The endless recruiting efforts of national Democrats in North Carolina have angered one of the Party’s leading candidates, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, who is reportedly no longer on speaking terms with the official group responsible for her campaign should she receive the Democrat nomination.

Marshall, the first woman to win a statewide election for an executive office in the Tar Heel state, officially launched her Senate bid several months ago, but failed to win the support of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), who continued to “heavily court” their prized recruit, U.S. Representative Bob Etheridge (D-NC).

Last week Etheridge formally announced for the second time this year that he is not running for the Senate. But instead of embracing Marshall, the DSCC is still “talking to folks not yet in the race,” according to the Greensboro News-Record today.

The DSCC’s ongoing recruiting efforts have not gone over well with Marshall, as a strategist for her campaign recently told Politico “they weren’t on speaking terms with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee after it became clear they weren’t satisfied with her as the nominee.”

“Judging by their current recruiting efforts, it’s clear that the official Democrat establishment has turned its back on Elaine Marshall,” National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Colin Reed said today.

As Rob Christensen noted recently in the News & Observer, the full support of the DSCC will be critical for whoever receives the Democrat nomination as “the DSCC has become a kingmaker in Senate politics. Their decision to get behind state Sen. Kay Hagan last year, spending $11.5 million on her behalf, was critical in her defeat of Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole.”

“By continuing to search for an alternative to Elaine Marshall, national Democrats have not only created a major schism with their Party’s leading candidate, but also risk alienating her supporters, who make up a key voting constituency in both the primary and general elections,” Reed continued. “Neither development bodes well for the Democrats’ chances next year, especially as Senator Burr continues to receive praise from his 2004 opponent for his ‘truly unbelievable’ focus on North Carolina issues.”

Over the weekend, Christensen wrote in the News & Observer, “The national party faces a delicate decision. If it should decide to throw its support behind an attractive newcomer such as Cunningham, it could anger active Democratic women, many of whom have long seen Marshall as a favorite.”