Marshall: Cunningham is DC, not NC

The Senate campaign of Elaine Marshall quickly portrayed her new opponent, Cal Cunningham, as the candidate of "Washington power brokers."

"He's kind of the hokey pokey candidate -- he's in one minute and out the next," said Thomas Mills, consultant for Marshall, the secretary of state. "He's in the race because Washington wants to choose who North Carolina's nominee is going to be. Elaine Marshall is running because she believes that is the job of North Carolina voters. If he was really committed to North Carolina voters he would have gotten in without waiting for a nod from Washington."

Cunningham has been exploring the race since last spring but last month announced he would not run, Rob Christensen reports. But after Congressman Bob Etheridge announced he would not be a candidate, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee courted Cunningham urging him to get back into the race.

"Secretary Marshall is in the race to win," Mills said. "She has given no thought or indication that she is getting out. We got into the race in September. She is not scared of a primary. Cal Cunningham apparently is scared of a primary or he would have gotten in earlier. The only we he got in was with the suppport of the Washington power brokers."

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