[krb]

It’s been 40 years since someone was reelected to it.

I never knew that.

Well, Dole lost a seat that hadn't changed parties since the 1972 race. Maybe the baton changed hands.

[fieldmarshaldj]

It's remarkable that particular line has such a record. At one time, NC had a very stable delegation in both lines (such as it did from around 1903 to 1930, when it had just one member in each seat). Then in 1945 up through 1958, with the retirement of a member, it had the highest turnover/most unstable Senate delegation in the U.S., having no fewer than eleven members ! Of those 11, 5 had died in office in just 12 years (1946-58).

The 10th and 11th members were Sam Ervin and Everett Jordan, and with Jordan's election in '58, the delegation remained stable for the next 14 years. That was the first time since 1916-30 they had just the two members. Jordan retired in '72 and was replaced by Jesse Helms (who became the first Republican popularly elected in NC to the Senate, and the first Republican (prior to the popular vote) elected since the Mountain Republican Jeter Prichard served a partial and full term from 1895-1903).

When Sam Ervin retired in '74, it started the weird cycle. He was succeded by the state Attorney General Robert Morgan, a moderate Democrat. Thanks to Jesse's footsoldiers and an incredibly aggressive campaign, Morgan lost in an upset to the wheelchair-bound Helms protege, John East in '80. East was pondering reelection when he learned he had cancer, withdrew his reelection bid, and committed suicide.

The leading Republican in the primary, Jim Broyhill, a long-time Congressman, was then appointed by Gov. Jim Martin, but Broyhill was running in a terrible GOP year in '86 against ex-Gov. Terry Sanford, making a political comeback after 2 decades. Sanford beat Sen. Broyhill. And, in '92, Sanford (who was clearly past his prime in his mid 70s) lost in an upset to ex-Democrat Lauch Faircloth (Faircloth had beaten Sue Myrick in the primary, and she probably would've been a better choice to hold the seat).

Faircloth, who played the part of Sanford in '98 as the "old man", then lost to our favorite Breck Girl. And Johnnie Edwards, more than likely realizing he'd lose reelection in '04, hitched his wagon to Lurch's star instead, and then Richard Burr beat ole Irksome Bowels to put the seat back in the GOP column. We shall see if Burr breaks the curse, but history doesn't favor him, especially if Roy Cooper runs. What could benefit Burr, however, is a national anti-Dem climate that our new False Messiah is more than likely to engender...