Sen. Richard Burr (left) is counting on his breadth of legislative and policy experience and his bipartisan relationships in the Senate to help him in his race for Senate Republican Whip.
Burr, 55, acknowledged that his 2010 re-election victory liberated him to more aggressively pursue policy and political goals. His immediate goals are legislative, and they include a few bipartisan initiatives, including bills with Sens. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), to reauthorize a program that protects against biological and chemical weapons attacks, and an energy reform package with Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). He also has his Medicare reform plan, developed jointly with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.).
Burr serves as ranking member on Veterans' Affairs and earlier this year snagged a coveted spot on the Finance Committee when Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) resigned. Burr happily relinquished a more senior position on Energy and Natural Resources to accept the appointment to Finance, a panel with broad jurisdiction and a prime spot from which to raise campaign funds.
One Republican lobbyist who closely monitors the Senate said Burr has the potential to move up in leadership, suggesting that he would make a good NRSC chairman and that that could be another way for him to ascend. "Burr is well-respected in the Conference as a serious policy guy. He is a highly personable guy," the lobbyist said. "He has also been working with Conference members for years as Kyl's chief deputy, so he is a known commodity."
Burr gives the Republican leadership team high marks for navigating a series of political minefields this year — among them the spring battle over a continuing resolution that was needed to prevent a government shutdown, the summer debate over the debt ceiling that went to the brink, and this fall's fight over jobs-related legislation. The Senator also credited the tea-party-inspired freshman class of 2010 for making the GOP Conference a more cohesive bunch.
The North Carolinian sees this group of conservative upstarts as his natural allies. But Burr additionally believes that his penchant for legislating and broad policy experience could make his brand of leadership attractive to veteran Republicans and those who veer more toward the party's establishment. Burr said the Whip position requires particular skills for which he's suited, citing his decade in the House as critical to his experience.
"The communication between leadership and our Members is absolutely crucial," Burr said. "Leadership has to reflect that generational makeup of the Members ... The friendships and associations that I have on both sides of the aisle, it's understanding that younger group — we're really driven by the same things, we're after the same things."
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