Dems hunt Web for Dole challenger

State leader trolls for names online

State Democratic Chairman Jerry Meek has turned to the Web to get names of someone who can beat Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole in 2008. The plea is part gesture to the power of political blogs and part acknowledgment that he has no strong candidate in sight.

"Who Should I Recruit to Defeat Dole?" Meek asked in a Saturday posting, which in three days has drawn almost 100 replies in a lively conversation with suggestions ranging from Gov. Mike Easley to former UNC-Chapel Hill basketball coach Dean Smith to Elizabeth Edwards.

Meek writes that Dole may not seek re-election because she is battered by her unsuccessful effort to keep the U.S. Senate in Republican hands.

"But even if she does run, we can beat her," Meek writes. "So, who should I recruit to take her on? Don't limit yourself to politicians. Are there good business people or community leaders out there who share our vision and can win?"

At the moment, Democrats are feeling good about themselves, having just come off a midterm election that was one of their best showings in years. But while Democrats have candidates elbowing each other to be governor, no challenger to Dole has yet emerged.

That may be because Dole has shown herself to be a strong candidate, having decisively defeated Democrat Erskine Bowles, a well-financed candidate who is now president of the UNC system, by a 54-45 percent margin in 2002. That she is the state's first female U.S. senator adds to her appeal.

Tar Heel Democrats have not won a Senate seat during a presidential election year since Sam Ervin was re-elected in 1968 -- before Meek, 36, was born.

Suggestions came rolling in.

The most frequently mentioned as of Tuesday were Easley and former four-term Gov. Jim Hunt. Neither has indicated any interest in running against Dole.

Others suggested that one of the two likely candidates for governor in 2008 -- Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue or State Treasurer Richard Moore -- should shift to the Senate race.

Several mentioned members of Congress such as Brad Miller of Raleigh, Bob Etheridge of Lillington, Mel Watt of Charlotte or David Price of Chapel Hill.

Former Lt. Gov. Dennis Wicker's name was mentioned. So were Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, state Rep. Deborah Ross of Raleigh, and state Sen. Ellie Kinnaird of Carrboro.

Some Democrats reached for golden oldies.

"Why not Dean Smith (even if I do bleed State Red)," one writer said.

"Is Bill Friday too old to run?" asked another.

Friday, the former UNC system president, is 86. Smith is 75.

Others liked the spouses of prominent Democrats, recommending first lady Mary Easley and Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former senator and likely presidential candidate John Edwards.

Meek said he has been talking to several Democrats, whom he declined to identify, about running.

Secretary of State Elaine Marshall said she has talked to Meek. She sought the Democratic nomination against Dole in 2002, losing to Bowles.

"I will be giving my thoughts to whoever is going to run [against Dole], but it won't be me," Marshall said. "I think we will have a legitimate serious candidate."

The Dole camp was bemused by it all.

"I think all those people should be in a primary, every one of them," said Mark Stephens, a Republican political consultant with close ties to Dole. "I hope all 20 of them, or however many of them there are.

"Regarding [Meek's] concern about whether Elizabeth Dole is going to run or not, she is going to run and never thought otherwise. She will take on all comers. America is a great country."