This Senate seat was unfavorable to incumbents over the past several decades. No person elected to this seat was re-elected since
Sam Ervin in
1968. His successor, Democrat
Robert Burren Morgan, was defeated for re-election in
1980, along with many other incumbents from his party. His Republican successor,
John Porter East, committed suicide in 1986. East's appointed successor,
Jim Broyhill, served for just four months, resigning upon his November
1986 election loss to former Democratic Governor
Terry Sanford. In
1992, the seat changed hands yet again, as Sanford was defeated by wealthy GOP businessman
Lauch Faircloth, who himself lost in his bid for a second term six years later by
John Edwards. In
2004, no incumbent was defeated, as Edwards was
running for vice president and was not allowed to be on the ballot in both races. However, that year the seat did change parties for the fifth time in a row, with
Richard Burr defeating Bill Clinton's onetime Chief of Staff
Erskine Bowles. == Republican primary ==