With the exception of John Edwards in 1998, Democrats have lost every U.S. Senate race in North Carolina since 1986. That’s one win, five losses. Not very encouraging.

But the climate may be changing. Especially if you pay attention to Public Policy Polling of Raleigh, which I do. You should pay them a visit: http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/.

It’s not just that their latest poll shows Governor Easley would beat Senator Dole 44-41.

It’s the approval/disapproval ratings of the Republican incumbents:

• Dole approval 36/disapproval 36
  
• Burr approval 32/disapproval 34

Those are very weak ratings. Especially compared to Easley’s 50 percent approval rating, against 33 disapproval.

Burr’s and Dole’s ratings probably won’t improve much, given their support for Bush’s Iraq policy.

Maybe that’s why more names of possible Democratic candidates are floating around (and not just Mike and Mary Easley):

• Senator Kay Hagan
  
• Representative Grier Martin (whose dad D.G. ran in 1998)
  
• Representative Bill Faison
  
• Congressman Brad Miller

North Carolina politics is changing. Witness Congressman Heath Shuler and should-be Congressman Larry Kissell. We could be trending Democratic in national races, as well as state-level.

John Edwards took a chance in 1998, and look where it got him. Fortune favors the bold.

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