Cooper won’t run for Senate

Democrats have suffered a big blow in North Carolina, where top recruit and state Attorney General Roy Cooper (D) has decided not to run against Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) in 2010.

“While I am honored by the encouragement I’ve received, I don’t want to go to Washington and serve as a U.S. senator at this time,” Cooper said in a statement. “I am committed to public service and I want to serve here in North Carolina rather than in Washington.”

{mosads}Cooper has actually polled ahead of Burr in multiple recent surveys, which show Burr with lackluster approval numbers. He wasn’t expected to enter the race, by any means, but Democrats had hoped he would.

Burr could still be vulnerable to the right kind of challenger. Democrats fell back on state Sen. Kay Hagan (D) in the 2008 race against Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) and still unseated the incumbent with relative ease.

But Cooper could have been instantly competitive with Burr, and now Democrats will have to look to other options, which could include Rep. Mike McIntyre (N.C.) or state lawmakers.

North Carolina is newly competitive after going for President Obama and Hagan in 2010.