North Carolina, U.S. Senate
Race Forecast: Leans Democratic
2008:
Vote for winner in 2002: 54 percent
Dole faces a tough challenge to win a second term against well-known state Sen. Kay Hagan, who has held her own in fundraising. The Hagan campaign has taken a hard tack against Dole for what Democrats charge has been her absenteeism and ties to the Bush administration. Democrats also are obliquely targeting Dole on her age -- she is 72 and Hagan is 55 – in ads that ask whether Dole is “ 92 or 93 ” , in reference to the percentage of time she has voted with Bush and her effectiveness rating in the Senate according to one nonpartisan organization.
Race Information
- Incumbent: Kay Hagan, D
- First Elected: 2008 (1st term)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Challengers: Elizabeth Dole, R; Christopher Cole, LIBERT
- Race Forecast: Leans Democratic
State Information
- U.S. Senate Delegation: 1 Democrat, 2 Republicans
- U.S. House Delegation: 8 Democrats, 5 Republicans
- North Carolina's Other Senator
- Sen. Elizabeth Dole-R
- First Elected: 2002 (1st term)
- Last Elected: 2002 (53.56%)
- State Offices
- Governor: Gov. Michael F. Easley, D
- First Elected: 2000 (2nd term)
- State House Control: Democratic
- State Senate Control: Democratic
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population (2005):8,683,242
- Under 18:24.4%
- Over 65:12.0%
- Non-Hispanic White:70.2%
- Black:21.4%
- Hispanic:4.7%
- Asian:1.4%
- American Indian:1.2%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander:0.0%
- Median Household Income: 39,184
- Median Household Income Rank: 32
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Kay Hagan (D) | 2,225,961 | 52.7% |
| Elizabeth Dole (R) | 1,867,269 | 44.2% | ||
| Christopher Cole (LIBERT) | 131,590 | 3.1% | ||
| 2002 | general | Elizabeth Dole (R) | 1,248,664 | 53.6% |
| Erskine Bowles (D) | 1,047,983 | 45% | ||
| Sean Haugh (LIBERT) | 33,807 | 1.4% | ||
| Paul DeLaney (Write-In) | 727 | 0% | ||
| 1996 | general | Jesse Helms (R) | 1,345,833 | 52.6% |
| Harvey B. Gantt (D) | 1,173,875 | 45.9% | ||
| Ray Ubinger (LIBERT) | 25,396 | 1% | ||
| J. Victor Pardo (NL) | 11,209 | 0.4% | ||
| Karen Kopperud (Write-In) | 143 | |||
| 1990 | general | Jesse Helms (R) | 1,088,331 | 52.5% |
| Harvey B. Gantt (D) | 981,573 | 47.4% | ||
| 1984 | general | Jesse Helms (R) | 1,156,768 | 51.7% |
| James B. Hunt Jr. (D) | 1,070,488 | 47.8% | ||
| Bobby Emory (LIBERT) | 9,302 | 0.4% | ||
| Kate Daher (SW) | 2,493 | 0.1% | ||
| 1978 | general | Jesse Helms (R) | 619,151 | 54.5% |
| 1972 | general | Jesse Helms (R) | 795,248 | 54% |
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 44% | George W. Bush: 56% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 43% | George W. Bush: 56% | |
| 1996 | Bill Clinton: 44% | Robert Dole: 49% | |
| 1992 | Bill Clinton: 43% | George H. W. Bush: 43% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOLE, ELIZABETH (R) | November 24, 2008 | $17,210,208.00 | $17,327,137.00 | $347,315.00 | $11,301,742.00 | $128,085.00 | $640,944.00 |
| EDWARDS, JOHN R (D) | September 30, 2008 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| BURR, RICHARD M (R) | September 30, 2008 | $1,001,972.00 | $506,670.00 | $6,000.00 | $587,168.00 | $979,349.00 | $0 |
| BLUE, DANIEL JR (D) | September 30, 2008 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $779.00 | $165,500.00 |
| NEAL, JIM (D) | September 30, 2008 | $409,435.00 | $406,006.00 | $0 | $287,806.00 | $128.00 | $120,000.00 |
| HAGAN, KAY R (D) | October 15, 2008 | $6,668,394.00 | $6,064,978.00 | $246,300.00 | $5,589,019.00 | $603,414.00 | $50,000.00 |
| LASSITER, DUSKIN C (D) | March 31, 2008 | $1,235.00 | $1,080.00 | $0 | $35.00 | $14.00 | $0 |
| HENDRIX, JOHN ROSS (D) | December 31, 2007 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| STALEY, HOWARD ANTHONY (D) | September 30, 2008 | $1,948.00 | $1,711.00 | $0 | $520.00 | $251.00 | $1,324.00 |
