NC: Shuler Won't Run Against Burr

Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC) has said that he will not run against incumbent Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) in 2010, according the Associated Press.

Shuler is considered to be a conservative Democrat, and is a member of the Blue Dog coalition in the House. His center-right political leanings would have been appealing in a statewide Senate race, and he has good name recognition across the state and "broad support in his western North Carolina district," which is very conservative.

His choice to stay in the House must be a sigh of relief to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee because Shuler's district would almost undoubtedly elect a Republican in his absence. He won re-election in 2008 year by a margin of 62% to 36%.

This move appears to free up a run for state Attorney General Roy Cooper (D), and it appears at this point that he would face no serious primary challengers if he jumped in the race. His only other potentially competitive primary opponents were former state Treasurer Richard Moore (who has said he has no interest in the race) and Shuler.

But so far Cooper has stayed mum on the subject--but even if he passes on the race, the Democrats have a deep bench in the state, and they will certainly put up a strong candidate against the vulnerable Burr next year.