Ex-NC state rep joins Senate race to unseat Burr

Former state Rep. Deborah Ross (D) has jumped into the North Carolina Senate primary, as Democrats look to coalesce around a candidate with the chops to take down incumbent Sen. Richard Burr (R).

Democrats see Burr’s relatively low favorability score as indicative of an opening — a poll by left-leaning Public Policy Polling found him with a 29 percent approval rating and a 40 percent disapproval rating. But a majority of voter don’t know enough about any of his potential Democratic challengers to form an opinion.

{mosads}Ross announced her intentions Wednesday in an online video that highlighted healthcare, veterans care, social safety net programs and lowering college debt as key issues facing those in the Tar Heel state today.

“I was raised to believe that you can do anything, be anything, but too many people in North Carolina today feel that’s becoming harder and harder,” she said.

“We all want a government that puts people first. That’s why I’m running for United States Senate.”

Ross served 10 years in the Statehouse, stepping down in 2013. Before that, she served in the leadership for the state’s branch of the ACLU.

“After 20 years in Washington, Richard Burr is vulnerable after voting to end Medicare as we know it, keep women from earning equal pay and make college more expensive,” said Sadie Weiner, the spokeswoman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

“There are a number of talented Democratic candidates who can beat him, including Deborah Ross.”

Ross joins Chris Ray, the mayor of Spring Lake, in the race to topple Burr, who has both fundraising and name-recognition advantages.

Scott Falmlen, a former state Democratic Party executive director, told The Hill that Ross was a “workhorse, not a show horse” while in the legislature and respected on both sides of the aisle.

In his mind, she’s currently the party front-runner.

“From her ability to raise money, her geographic political base, she’s clearly the favorite, but we’ll see what kind of campaign takes shape,” Falmlen said.

He also expressed confidence that the party would coalesce around a candidate who can mount a strong challenge to Burr, noting that the incumbent’s favorability is close to where former Sen. Kay Hagan (D) at this point in last cycle, before she lost her race to now-Sen. Thom Tillis (R).

Alleigh Marre, a spokeswoman with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, used the opportunity to bash Democrats for what the group sees as a “recruitment failure.” She noted that both former Hagan and Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx decided against running.

“The Democrats’ recruitment failure has left them desperate in North Carolina. Deborah Ross’ candidacy underscores that desperation,” she said in a statement.

“Senator Richard Burr’s record of fighting for commonsense solutions contrasts perfectly with a former lobbyist deemed the ‘most liberal NC Democratic nominee in history,’ ” she added, noting a characterization from the local politics blog PoliticsNC.

—Updated at 12:07 p.m.