Free Republic

Former U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan died Monday at age 66 — nearly three years after she was first hospitalized with what doctors later said was encephalitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes Powassan virus as an illness spread by the bite of infected ticks. Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain often caused by an infection like the Powassan virus, according to the Mayo Clinic. "The recovery process for viral encephalitis varies by case with differing impacts on the brain, speech, vision, memory and muscle control.."

Washington (CNN)Former US Sen. Kay Hagan of North Carolina died Monday, her family said in a statement. She was 66. "We are heartbroken to share that Kay left us unexpectedly this morning," the Hagan family said. "Kay meant everything to us, and we were honored to share her with the people of North Carolina whom she cared for and fought for so passionately as an elected official."

Kay Hagan, defeated senator from North Carolina, may be gearing up to make a run at Senior Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) in 2016. She narrowly defeated Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), and in turn was herself narrowly defeated by Thom Tillis (R) in 2014 in what wiki called “one of the toughest re-election bids in the country.” (2) The Hagan-Ruthven family combine of real estate development and solar energy projects in central Florida and NC, just keeps finding ways to feed at the public trough! After serving in the NC state senate, Hagan launched herself into the national political arena where...

Former North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan won’t run for Senate in 2016, disappointing Democrats counting on her to unseat Republican Richard Burr in what will be a major swing state race. Hagan was unseated by Republican Thom Tillis in 2014 after one term in the Senate, and has struggled in the polls since, but was the obvious pick to challenge Burr. She’s been calling donors and supporters to inform them she won’t run, reported Roll Call. Hagan performed relatively well in an election where Republicans secured big majorities in the House and Senate, and supporters figured she could unseat Burr...

Before we get into the meat of this story from the National Journal, let me just note that this – “One of the most underappreciated stories in recent years is the deterioration of the Democratic bench under President Obama’s tenure in office” – has always been properly appreciated by me. I noticed this issue a while back. Sorry, but I felt the need to establish that. Moving on… …less attention has been paid to how the shrinking number of Democratic officeholders in the House and in statewide offices is affecting the party’s Senate races. It’s awfully unusual to see how...

It took Republicans three tries to win control of the US Senate and consolidate Congress under their leadership. In the end, the landscape left by the 2008 Democratic triumph left them uniquely vulnerable in the sixth-year midterm of an unpopular presidency. The tables will turn in 2016, warns National Journal’s Charlie Cook, as the gains of 2010 will make Republicans highly vulnerable to losing control of the Senate once again: Today, The Cook Political Report puts two Republican-held seats in the “Toss Up” category—the open seat in Florida and Kirk in Illinois. That toss-up column will certainly grow as...

Republican Louisiana state Sen. Elbert Guillory was on “The Kelly File” tonight to discuss his controversial new ad, in which he calls on black voters to “send Kay Hagan home.” In the ad, he says, "You see, black people are just being used by limousine liberals who have become our new overseers. We've only traded one plantation for another. You are not Kay Hagan's cause and you're certainly not her charity. You are just a vote. She has stepped off your backs to fame and fortune and left you behind on food stamps, deprived of the American dream." Tonight, he...

A record number of rogue Christian pastors are endorsing candidates from the pulpit this election cycle, using Sunday sermons to defiantly flout tax rules. Their message to the IRS: Sue me. But the tax agency is doing anything but. Although the IRS was sued itself for not enforcing the law and admitted about 100 churches may be breaking the rules, the pastors and their critics alike say the agency is looking the other way. The agency refuses to say if it is acting. At the same time, the number of pastors endorsing candidates in what they call Pulpit Freedom Sunday...

The Senate narrowly rejected legislation to authorize the Keystone XL pipeline on Tuesday, handing a defeat to the oil industry and dealing a major blow to Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu, who staked her political career on the outcome. The Senate voted 59-41 for the legislation, falling one vote shy of the 60 needed for passage under the deal bringing it to the floor. But Keystone supporters insisted the defeat would be short-lived. Republican leaders are vowing to try again after they take over the chamber in January — when they will have more than enough votes to get a measure...

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Another question some of you may have had about Tuesday's election:What role did Libertarian candidate Sean Haugh play in the Senate race results? The answer may depend on who you ask. UNCG political science professor Thom Little said Haugh didn't make much of an impact. He told our Ben Briscoe the polls he looked at showed Haugh took more votes from Thom Tillis than he did Kay Hagan. But Elon university professor Kenneth Fernandez said the voters that supported Haugh did play a role in Hagan's loss. In a recent online experiment, researchers found two-thirds of Haugh's...

DIEBOLD!!! That old DUmmie excuse is back for them to explain the sad loss of Kay Hagan in the North Carolina senate LOSS. Why? Because exit polls MUST always be right. Just ask President John F. Kerry. You can see the DUmmies cry DIEBOLD in this very sad THREAD, "Hagan won the exit polls. How did she lose the race?" So let us now watch the DUmmies scream DIEBOLD in Bolshevik Red while the commentary of your humble correspondent, remember to make it THREE asterisks per F word on the Free Republic, is in the [brackets]: Hagan won the...

Despite the New York Time's prediction that Tillis will lose, Pundit Press projects that Thom Tillis will be the next Senator of North Carolina! With 94% of the vote in, Tillis holds a 48,000 vote lead over Hagan. Hagan's problem is that Wake County and Cumberland County, two heavily populated and heavily pro-Hagan counties, are 100% in. Hagan simply cannot make up that margin. On top of that, pro-Tillis counties, such as Cleveland and Davidson are under-reporting thus far. Hagan may gain a few votes, but Tillis should win by 20,000 votes or more.

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- After a grueling months-long campaign that saw the candidates and outside groups spend over a $100 million on advertising, Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan and Republican challenger Thom Tillis were waiting for the final results after the polls closed Tuesday evening. The race seesawed back and forth through the evening with just a couple of percentage points separating the main contestants.

This started as a top ten list.Let's face it, with President Obama's awful approval ratings and the unfortunate consequences of Obamacare felt like a sting around the country, Democrats were already vulnerable in this year's midterm elections. These gaffes certainly won't help. Let's take a look at some of the worst mistakes Dems have made on the campaign trail so far:1.) That awful/insensitive/shameful and now infamous ad from the Wendy Davis (D-TX) gubernatorial campaign. 2.) Those colorful campaign memos from Michelle Nunn’s (D-GA) campaign, in which her own campaign referred to her as a “lightweight.” 3.) Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) saying he was...

"Bill Clinton Plugs Kay Hagan in N.C.." If you have not already burst out laughing or at least smiled then you must be sorely lacking in the humor department. That was the actual title of a Politico article. To make matters worse, or funnier, the story was accompanied by a photo of Bill Clinton and Kay Hagan with the latter wearing a blue dress. So was this an example of Politico showing a sly sense of humor? Probably not since their bias leans left and would not want to set Kay Hagan (or Bill Clinton) up for mockery at this...

As you may have heard, we’re now only four days away from the 2014 midterms and gubernatorial races mercifully coming to an end, save for a likely runoff in Louisiana. And as you’ve also heard lately, race–for all the wrong reasons–has become a central theme for the party in blue. Speaking of the Bayou State, its likely-to-be-unemployed-after-said-runoff and current senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) had this to say to Chuck Todd (a good get via hustle by the new MTP moderator, by the way) regarding the reason behind her not inviting President Obama for help on the campaign trail: “The South...

Charlotte Was Born at 24 Weeks When Abortion’s Legal For Any Reason, Look at Her Now by Sarah Zagorski | LifeNews.com | 10/22/14 3:32 PMEarlier this year, the Women Speak Out PAC, partner of the Susan B. Anthony List, (SBA) launched an ad exposing Sen. Kay Hagan’s (D-North Carolina) support for late-term abortion. SBA works to elect pro-life candidates and in November, North Carolina will decide if they are going to elect pro-abortion Sen. Kay Hagan or pro-life Thom Tillis to Congress.The ad features Ned and Rebecca Ryun who open up about their daughter’s premature birth. Their daughter was...

Clinton Decries Outside Spending In Pricey N.C. Senate Race By Dan Merica, CNN October 25, 2014 Charlotte, North Carolina (CNN) -- Negative, expensive campaigns is something Sen. Kay Hagan is getting an education in this year. And something Hillary Clinton knows very well. Clinton campaigned Saturday for her fellow Democrat at a Charlotte rally of about 1,800 supporter. The former U.S. senator and secretary of state -- and widely presumed 2016 presidential contender -- used her appearance for Hagan to decry Thom Tillis, the Republican looking to unseat Hagan in November, as someone who will answer to big business, not...

A new television commercial has a message for voters in North Carolina: they can thank pro-abortion Senator Kay Hagan for funding abortions with their tax dollars. Faith Family Freedom Fund, the super fund connected with Family Research Council Action (FRC Action), announced today the launch of a TV and radio ad campaign in the North Carolina Senate race. kayhagan2The TV ad targets Senator Kay Hagan for supporting Obamacare, which forces every American taxpayer to pay for elective abortions. Last month, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report confirming that Obamacare subsidizes elective abortions with taxpayer funds and lacks transparency...

A debate in North Carolina that was supposed to feature incumbent Senator Kay Hagan and her Republican challenger state senator Thom Tillis ended up with Tillis sitting next to an empty chair because Hagan declined to participate. From Fox News: The program initially billed as a debate between Tillis and other candidates turned into a one-hour conversation with him and two reporters, as well as responses to emailed or recorded questions from the public. Hagan announced over the summer her decision not to participate, while Libertarian Sean Haugh didn't meet a 15 percent polling threshold to join Tillis. An empty...