Former U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat, has announced she does not intend to challenge Republican incumbent Sen. Richard Burr in the 2016 election.• Quotes: "The Democratic ticket in North Carolina does not want to see a big blow-out victory for Burr in the Senate race. So both the Roy Cooper and Hillary Clinton campaigns have a strong interest in having a competitive Democratic Senate candidate who can raise an adequate amount of money," says Pope "Mac" McCorkle, an associate professor of the practice in public policy at Duke University.• "Former Sen. Hagan was the obvious logical choice to fill that role. Finding someone else who can be competitive may turn out to be a major challenge for the Democrats," says McCorkle, who has worked as an issues consultant to political candidates and state governments, including former North Carolina Democratic Govs. Mike Easley and Bev Perdue.• Bio:Pope “Mac” McCorkle has served as an issues consultant to political candidates, state governments, and various organizations for the last two decades. Since starting McCorkle Policy Consulting in 1994, he has worked for state and federal candidates in North Carolina as well as 28 other states.http://sanford.duke.edu/people/faculty/mccorkle-iii-pope• Archive video interview (different subject): (1:43 mark)http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/n-c-voters-consider-clashing-messages-hig...• For additional comment, contact McCorkle at:mac.mccorkle@duke.edu
