North Carolina’s close Senate race is a puzzling election in a purple state

At the beginning of North Carolina’s Senate race many commentators were quick to discount the incumbent Democrat Senator, Kay Hagan’s chance of victory. Christopher Cooper writes that while the policies coming out of the Tar Heel state have been moving to the right, it still remains a purple state. He argues that Hagan’s Republican challenger, Thom Tillis’, connections with the state’s unpopular legislature may be holding him back and that Hagan’s aggressive fundraising and spending are likely to mean her reelection in November.