After the election, people would ask me: “Aren’t you glad the campaign is over?”

Hell, no. I miss it. I miss the wall-to-wall attack ads. I miss the overheated blogs. I miss the sound and fury.

Now all we have to talk about is policy and personnel. Yawn.

So let’s get on with the 2010 races!

Public Polling Policy says Roy Cooper leads Senator Richard Burr 39-34. Will Burr continue the string – dating back to Jesse Helms in 1996 – of no Senator from North Carolina winning reelection?

Why is Burr’s approval rating so low? Two reasons: He’s a Republican in a bad time for Republicans. And he has kept a low profile.

Cooper makes sense as a Senate candidate. His consultants are talking him up, as consultants will. He was the top vote-getter in 2008. And he can run without stepping down as AG.

I also hear Richard Moore. He and Cooper are jockeying. But did Moore hurt himself with his Confederate-flag attacks on Bev Perdue? Even Governor Hunt called down Moore, who served in Hunt’s Cabinet.

The Great Mentioner has also mentioned Congressman Heath Shuler. Other Congressmen – David Price, Bob Etheridge and Brad Miller – also get mentioned. But they’d be giving up all-but-guaranteed lifetime passes to Congress.

What’s missing, so far, are any female candidates. If I was looking for the perfect Democratic challenger – given what happened this year – my first priority would be a woman.

Say, Elaine Marshall. Or the next Kay Hagan in the legislature.

History would say the calendar favors Burr. It will be Obama’s first off-year election. But the Obama Boom may be kicking in then.

There. Doesn’t feel good to get back to some real fun?

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