My must read of the day is "Dems pin hopes for Senate majority on North Carolina race," in the Hill:
Sen. Kay Hagan (D., N.C.) is showing a surprising resiliency in the polls unmatched by her other red-state colleagues. And just over a month from Election Day, Republicans are increasingly worried that state House Speaker Thom Tillis (R) may blow a prime pick-up opportunity.
"Every time we try to tie her to Obama and ObamaCare and the 24 times she said you could keep your doctor, none of that seems to be sticking very well," North Carolina GOP Chairman Claude Pope admitted to the Hill. "We need to make the issue more about her and Obama and national policy issues and foreign policy issues." […]
National Republicans quietly admit they’re worried about the lack of a focus from the Tillis campaign in the final stretch. The clearest sign yet they’re trying to right the ship: the GOP is dispatching House Speaker John Boehner’s (R., Ohio) top spokesman Michael Steel to the state to help, where he’ll be officially based with the state party.
I never thought that the North Carolina Senate race was boring, per se, but I always thought it was less interesting than toss ups such as Louisiana or Arkansas. Part of that was perhaps because Hagan seemed so vulnerable. North Carolina was the easier flip, and Tillis should be ahead right now—but Hagan is holding on strongly, and has increased her lead over the past few weeks.
I’m not the only one confused by it—I spoke to RNC and NRSC staffers about it just the other day and when I asked about North Carolina, off the record, they spoke about Tillis like the embarrassing child who isn’t completely shaming the family, but elicits an eye roll because they’re definitely not living up to expectations.
The Affordable Care Act should be causing problems for Hagan. Most Americans still disapprove of the law, and North Carolina is a state that is expected to see double-digit premium increases. Republicans have not run a particularly effective campaign in North Carolina; the question is can they change that and switch the momentum within the next thirty days.