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Richard Mauze Burr (born November 30, 1955) is an American businessman and politician who served as a United States senator from North Carolina from 2005 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Burr was previously a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2005.

Key Information

Born in Charlottesville, Virginia, Burr is a graduate of Wake Forest University. Before seeking elected office, he was a sales manager for a lawn equipment company.[1] In 1994, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for North Carolina's 5th congressional district as part of the Republican Revolution.

Burr was first elected to the United States Senate in 2004. From 2015 to 2020, he chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee. In 2016, he announced that he would not seek reelection in 2022.[2] Burr temporarily stepped down as chair of the Intelligence Committee on May 15, 2020, amid an FBI investigation into allegations of insider trading during the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] On January 19, 2021, the Department of Justice announced that the investigation had been closed, with no charges against Burr.[4]

Burr was one of seven Republican senators to vote to convict Donald Trump of incitement of insurrection in his second impeachment trial.[5]

Early life, education, and business career

[edit]

Burr was born on November 30, 1955, in Charlottesville, Virginia, the son of Martha (Gillum) and Rev. David Horace White Burr. In 1963, He moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina[6][7][8] He graduated from Richard J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1974 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Wake Forest University in 1978.[9] In college, Burr played defensive back for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team.[10] He is a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.[11]

Before running for Congress, Burr worked for 17 years as a sales manager for Carswell Distributing Company, a distributor of lawn equipment.[1]

U.S. House of Representatives

[edit]

In 1992, Burr ran against incumbent Representative Stephen L. Neal for the seat in the Winston-Salem-based 5th District and lost.[10] He ran again in 1994 after Neal chose not to seek reelection, and was elected in a landslide year for Republicans.[10]

In the House, Burr authored the FDA Modernization Act of 1997.[12] He also helped create the National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, he successfully sponsored amendments to improve defenses against bioterrorism.[12]

As a representative, Burr co-sponsored, with Senator Kit Bond, an amendment to the Energy Policy Act of 2003 relaxing restrictions on the export of specific types of enriched uranium that were first enacted in the Schumer Amendment to the Energy Policy Act of 1992.[13] The original Schumer amendment placed increased controls on U.S. civilian exports of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium (HEU) to encourage foreign users to switch to reactor-grade low-enriched uranium (LEU) for isotope production. HEU is attractive to terrorists because it can be used to create a simple nuclear weapon, while LEU cannot be used directly to make nuclear weapons. Burr's amendment allowed exports of HEU to five countries for creating medical isotopes.[14][15]

Burr was reelected four times with no substantial opposition.[12]

U.S. Senate

[edit]
Burr's U.S. Senate portrait, 2009

Elections

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2004

[edit]
Main article: 2004 United States Senate election in North Carolina

In July 2004, Burr won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by John Edwards, who chose to not seek reelection while running for vice president as Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's running mate in the 2004 presidential election.[16]

Burr faced Democratic nominee Erskine Bowles and Libertarian Tom Bailey; he won the election with 52% of the vote.[17] Burr was sworn in to the Senate on January 4, 2005.[18]

2010

[edit]
Main article: 2010 United States Senate election in North Carolina

Burr defeated the Democratic nominee, North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, 55% to 43%.[17] He was the first Republican since Jesse Helms to be reelected to the U.S. Senate from North Carolina and the first incumbent senator from North Carolina receive a double-digit margin of victory since Sam Ervin's 1968 reelection.[19][20] Burr's win also represented the first time that North Carolina reelected a senator to this seat since Ervin’s 1968 victory, leading Burr to declare "the curse has been broken" on election night; Democrats and Republicans swapped control of the seat five times between 1968 and 2010.[20]

2016

[edit]
Main article: 2016 United States Senate election in North Carolina

Burr defeated Democratic nominee Deborah K. Ross, 51% to 45%.[21] Burr was an advisor for Donald Trump's successful 2016 presidential campaign.[22]

2022

[edit]
Main article: 2022 United States Senate election in North Carolina

On July 20, 2016, while campaigning for a third Senate term, Burr announced that he would not seek a fourth term in 2022.[23] He did not seek reelection in 2022.[9]

Burr delivered a farewell address on the Senate floor on December 14, 2022, and his final term expired on January 3, 2023.[24][9] He was succeeded by Ted Budd.[25]

Tenure and political positions

[edit]
Burr with President George W. Bush, July 2004

In 2007, Burr ran for chair of the Senate Republican Conference, but lost to Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee by a vote of 31 to 16.[26][27] In 2009, Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona, the Senate Republican Whip, appointed Burr Chief Deputy Whip in the 111th Congress.[28] In 2007, Burr was named a deputy whip.[12] In 2011, he announced his intention to seek the post of minority whip, the number two Republican position in the Senate,[29] but he dropped out of the race in 2012.[30]

As of January 2021, Burr's votes aligned with President Trump's positions about 89% of the time.[31] He voted against the majority of his party in about 1.5% of votes.[32] The American Conservative Union's Center for Legislative Accountability gave Burr a lifetime rating of 84.22.[33]

Burr served as a member of the board of Brenner Children's Hospital and the West Point Board of Visitors.[34]

Campaign finance

[edit]

Burr opposed the DISCLOSE Act, which would have required political ads include information about who funded the ad. He supported the U.S. Supreme Court decision Citizens United, which allowed political action committees to spend an unlimited amount of money during elections so long as they were not in direct coordination with candidates.[35]

Economy

[edit]

During his time in office, Burr was critical of financial regulations; he strongly opposed, and voted against, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 and the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.[36] In 2018, he voted for legislation that partly repealed the Dodd–Frank reforms.[31]

In fall 2008, during the Great Recession, Burr said he was going to an ATM every day and taking out cash because he thought the financial system would soon collapse.[37][38] In 2009, in response to press about his experience, Burr said that he would do the same thing again next time.[39]

Burr was a signatory of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, vowing to oppose to tax increases for any reason.[40] He opposed raising taxes on businesses or high-income people to fund public services.[35]

In 2013, Burr criticized Senator Ted Cruz and other Republican colleagues for filibustering the passage of the fiscal year 2014 federal budget (thereby precipitating a federal government shutdown) in an effort to defund the Affordable Care Act.[41][42] Burr called the approach of Cruz and allies "the height of hypocrisy" and the "dumbest idea I've ever heard."[41]

Burr opposed ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)[43] and supported the adoption of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement.[31]

In March 2015, Burr voted for an amendment to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to allow employees to earn paid sick time.[44] He opposed raising the federal minimum wage.[43]

In 2016, Burr supported the privatization of Social Security.[35]

Environment and climate change

[edit]
U.S. Senators Bob Corker, Richard Burr, Lamar Alexander, Kay Hagan, and Congressman John Duncan among others with Dolly Parton at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2009

Burr was one of 20 senators to vote against the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, a public land management and conservation bill.[45] He supported renewal of the 1965 Land and Water Conservation Fund.[46][47]

During his time in office, Burr did not accept the scientific consensus on climate change; he acknowledged that climate change is occurring, but expressed doubt that it is caused by human activity.[35][48][49] He opposed regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and opposed federal grants or subsidies to encourage the productions of renewable energy.[35] In 2015, he voted against a measure declaring that climate change is real and that human activity significantly contributes to it.[50][51] In 2013, Burr voted for a measure expressing opposition to a federal tax or fee on carbon emissions.[52] He voted in favor of the Keystone XL pipeline.[53]

In 2017, Burr voted to repeal the Stream Protection Rule as well as rules requiring energy companies to reduce waste, reduce emissions, and disclose payments from foreign governments.[31] In 2019, he voted to repeal an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule regarding emissions.[31] He supported lowering federal taxes on alternative fuels and the initiation of a hydropower project on the Yadkin River in Wilkes County, North Carolina.[46] In 2011, Burr voted to abolish the EPA and merge it with the U.S. Department of Energy.[54]

In 2019, Burr and nine Republican colleagues founded the Roosevelt Conservation Caucus, which advocates "market-based approaches" to environmental problems; the caucus is supported by the American Conservation Coalition.[55][56]

Education

[edit]

In 2017, Burr voted to confirm Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary; she was confirmed by vote of 51–50, with Vice President Mike Pence casting a tie-breaking vote after the Senate deadlocked.[57] DeVos's family donated $43,200 to Burr's 2016 reelection campaign.[58]

Burr typically voted against any increased funding for federal education projects,[59] and in 2016 said he opposed increasing Pell Grants and other forms of student financial aid, including new subsidies aimed at helping students refinance their loans.[35] He supported the goals of charter schools and supported legislation requiring public schools to allow school prayer.[59] He voted for the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.[59]

Foreign policy

[edit]

Burr has been described as a foreign policy hawk.[60] In 2002, he voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution, which authorized the U.S. invasion of Iraq.[61] Burr supported President Bush's troop surge in Iraq in January 2007, saying that the effort to counter the insurgency would increase "security and stability" in Iraq.[12] In February 2019, he voted for a measure disapproving of the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Afghanistan and Syria.[31] In February 2020, Burr voted against a measure restricting Trump from initiating military action against Iran without congressional approval.[31]

In 2017, Burr co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (s. 720), which would have made it a federal crime for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the West Bank to protest actions of the Israeli government.[62][63]

In 2018 and 2019, Burr opposed legislation to prohibit U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and to end U.S. military assistance to the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.[31][64]

Gun policy

[edit]

In 2016, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund gave Burr an "A+" grade and endorsed him for reelection for backing pro-gun legislation.[65][66] The NRA extensively supported Burr's election campaigns.[67] In the 2016 election, the NRA spent nearly $7 million to support Burr against his Democratic rival Deborah Ross; over his career, Burr received more monetary support from the NRA than almost any other member of Congress[67] Burr used the same media consultant as the NRA for his political ads.[68]

In 2013, Burr voted against gun control measures, including extended background checks to internet and gun show weapons purchases[69][70] and an assault weapons ban.[71] He sponsored legislation to stop the Department of Veterans Affairs from adding the names of veterans to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) if the department had assigned a financial fiduciary to take care of the veteran's finances due to mental incompetence, unless a judge or magistrate deemed them a danger. People added to the NICS system are normally barred from purchasing or owning a firearm.[72] Burr voted against Senator Dianne Feinstein's "no fly no buy" bill,[69][73][74] but supported a Republican alternative measure written by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) which proposed a 72-hour delay on gun sales to people whose names have been on a federal terror watch list within the past five years."[69]

Speaking privately on the topic of guns to a group of Republican volunteers in Mooresville, North Carolina, Burr joked that a magazine cover of Hillary Clinton ought to have had a bullseye on it.[75] He quickly apologized for the comment.[76]

In 2022, Burr was one of ten Republican senators to support a bipartisan agreement on gun control, which involved a red flag provision, a support for state crisis intervention orders, funding for school safety resources, stronger background checks for buyers under the age of 21, and penalties for straw purchases.[77]

Health policy

[edit]

Burr voted against the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in December 2009,[78] and against the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.[79] In 2014, Burr and Senator Orrin Hatch sponsored the Patient Choice, Affordability, Responsibility and Empowerment Act, which would have repealed and replaced the ACA.[80] In 2017, Burr voted for the Republican legislation to replace major parts of the ACA; the legislation failed in the Senate on a 50–49 vote.[31]

In 2012, Burr co-sponsored a plan to overhaul Medicare; his bill would have raised the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67 over time and shifted more seniors to private insurance.[81][82] The proposal would have begun "a transition to a system dominated by private insurance plans."[83]

Burr opposed legislation to allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate the tobacco industry, which is economically important in North Carolina,[84] and unsuccessfully tried to filibuster the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009.[60] In 2010, he introduced the National Uniformity for Food Act, a unsuccessful piece of legislation that would have banned states from forcing manufacturers to include labels other than those required by the FDA on consumables and health and beauty products.[85]

Social issues

[edit]

In 2018, Burr voted in favor of legislation to ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.[31] He supported parental notification laws and efforts to restrict federal funding of Planned Parenthood.[86] He voted to define a pregnancy as carrying an "unborn child" from the moment of conception.[87] He voted to prevent minors who have crossed state lines from getting an abortion, as well as to ensure parents are notified if their child does get an abortion.[88][89] He voted to extend the federal prohibition on tax dollars being used for abortions by preventing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from giving grants to any organization that performs abortions at any of its locations.[90]

Burr opposed the legalization of cannabis for both medical and recreational use. He stated that there should be greater enforcement of current anti-cannabis federal laws in all states, even when cannabis is legal as a matter of state law.[35][91]

Burr voted for the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, the only Southern Republican senator to do so.[92][93][94][95][96][97] The bill repealed the Defense Department's don't ask, don't tell policy of employment discrimination against openly gay individuals. Burr and John Ensign were the only senators who voted against cloture but for passage;[98] Burr said he opposed taking up the issue of DADT repeal amid wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but voted in favor of the bill anyway, becoming one of eight Republicans who backed the final repeal bill.[95]

Burr supported a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage,[99] but in 2013 said that he believed the law on same-sex marriage should be left to the states.[100] In 2013, he voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a bill to extend federal employment discrimination protections to LGBT persons.[99][101] In 2015, Burr was one of 11 Senate Republicans to vote in favor of allowing same-sex spouses to have access to federal Social Security and veterans' benefits.[102][103]

Burr supported policies to regulate bathroom access according to sex listed on birth certificates, but sought to distance himself from H.B. 2, North Carolina's controversial "bathroom legislation".[43][104][105]

Burr voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act in 2013.[106]

Burr voted against earmarking money for programs aimed at reducing teen pregnancy[107] He has stated he supports giving employers the right to restrict access to birth control coverage of employees if it is for moral reasons.[35]

In December 2018, Burr was one of 12 Republican senators to vote against the cloture motion on the First Step Act, a criminal justice reform measure altering federal sentencing laws,[108][109] but ultimately voted for the law.[31]

In 2022, Burr was one of 12 Republican senators to vote in support of the Respect for Marriage Act.[110]

Judiciary

[edit]

In 2016, Burr and other Republican senators opposed holding a nomination hearing for Judge Merrick Garland, whom President Obama nominated to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court of the United States; he also refused to have a customary meeting with Garland.[111] In 2016, Burr blocked consideration of Obama's nomination of Patricia Timmons-Goodson to fill an 11-year vacancy on U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.[112][111] He expressed pride that his actions preventing Timmons-Goodson's confirmation created the longest federal court bench vacancy in U.S. history.[75]

In 2016, Burr said he would attempt to block any future Supreme Court nominations made by then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton if she won the presidency in 2016, adding, "I am going to do everything I can do to make sure four years from now, we still got an opening on the Supreme Court."[75][113]

Burr voted to confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.[31] Two days before Christine Blasey Ford was scheduled to testify before the Senate, Burr issued a statement supporting Kavanaugh's nomination despite her testimony. Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were high-school students.[114][115]

Privacy and surveillance

[edit]

In 2015, as chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Burr proposed a five-year extension of the Patriot Act, which was set to expire in May 2015.[116] Though he originally supported legislation which would reauthorize Patriot Act programs without any reforms,[116] he later softened his position in light of House opposition.[117] Burr was a prominent advocate of retaining language in any reauthorizing legislation to allow the National Security Agency to continue bulk collection of metadata of private telephone records.[117] Ultimately, the Senate rejected controversial amendments in line with Burr's proposals introduced by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell,[118] and Congress passed the USA Freedom Act, signed into law in June 2015, which instead allowed the NSA to subpoena the data from telephone companies.[119][120][121]

In 2016, after the FBI–Apple encryption dispute, Burr and Senator Dianne Feinstein circulated a draft bill (which was subsequently leaked) that would create a "backdoor" mandate, requiring technology companies to design encryption so as to provide law enforcement with user data in an "intelligible format" when required to do so by court order.[122][123][124][125]

President Trump

[edit]

Burr was a national security adviser to the Trump campaign.[60] He stated that Trump "aligns perfectly" with the Republican Party. When asked on the campaign trail about Trump's offensive remarks about women, Burr said Trump should be forgiven a few mistakes and given time to change.[75]

In 2017, Burr said of Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey, "I have found Director Comey to be a public servant of the highest order."[126]

As chair of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Burr led that chamber's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.[60] In March 2017, Comey briefed congressional leaders and Intelligence Committee heads on the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the election. That briefing included "an identification of the principal U.S. subjects of the investigation." The Mueller report found that Burr had then corresponded with the Trump White House a week later about the Russia probes, with the White House Counsel's office, led by Don McGahn, apparently receiving "information about the status of the FBI investigation."[127]

In December 2019, amid an impeachment inquiry into Trump over the Trump–Ukraine scandal (Trump's request that Ukraine announce an investigation into his political rival Joe Biden), Burr pushed the debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine meddled in the 2016 election. Burr said, "There's no difference in the way Russia put their feet, early on, on the scale—being for one candidate and everybody called it meddling—and how the Ukrainian officials did it."[128] During Trump's first impeachment trial, Burr said he would oppose removing Trump from office even if a quid pro quo was confirmed.[129] He opposed calling Trump's former National Security Adviser John Bolton as a witness at the Senate trial; Bolton had written that Trump had tied U.S. security aid to Ukraine to the country's taking action against Biden.[129] Burr voted to acquit Trump on the two charges of obstruction of Congress and abuse of power.[31]

On February 9, 2021, Burr voted against the constitutionality of Trump's second impeachment trial.[130] Nevertheless, on February 13, Burr was one of seven Republicans to vote to convict. On February 16, the North Carolina Republican Party censured him for the vote.[131]

On August 13, 2024, despite having voted to impeach him, Burr said he plans to vote for Trump for president in November.[132]

Insider trading allegations

[edit]
See also: 2020 congressional insider trading scandal

In early February 2020, just before the COVID-19 market crash, Burr sold more than $1.6 million of stock in 33 transactions during a period when, as head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, he was being briefed daily regarding potential health threats from COVID-19.[133][134][135] He sold 95% of the holdings in his Individual Retirement Account (IRA).[136] According to the FBI, Burr's sales six days before "a dramatic and substantial" downturn in the stock market allowed him to profit more than $164,000 and avoid $87,000 in losses.[136] The stocks sold included several considered vulnerable to economic downturns, such as hotel chains.[134] Burr's brother-in-law Gerald Fauth also subsequently sold stocks; according to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Burr had a 50-second phone conversation with Fauth in February 2020, immediately after which Fauth sold shares.[137][133]

On March 19, before Burr's stock trades were publicly known, NPR reported Burr had warned a private organization in North Carolina on February 27 about the dangers of the virus, likely containment steps, and their extreme economic impacts on stocks and businesses, just two weeks after the stock sale.[138] The advice contradicted his comments in a Fox News op-ed with Lamar Alexander on February 7. The organization he spoke to was Tar Heel Circle, a nonpartisan club of businesses and organizations that costs between $500 and $10,000 to join and assures members "enjoy interaction with top leaders and staff from Congress, the administration, and the private sector."[139]

Later on March 19, the nonprofit investigative organization ProPublica broke news of Burr's stock transactions.[140] When asked for comment, a spokesperson first "express[ed] displeasure with NPR's earlier characterizations” of the February 27 Tar Heel Circle event, and later added, "As the situation continues to evolve daily, he has been deeply concerned by the steep and sudden toll this pandemic is taking on our economy."[139] The Raleigh News & Observer editorial board criticized Burr's conduct: "Burr had a clear grasp of the danger ahead. Why did he only share it with a group whose member companies… contributed more than $100,000… to Burr’s last re-election campaign? Why didn’t Burr provide his assessment to all the constituents he is supposed to serve, as well as the national media?"[141] Fox News pundit Tucker Carlson called for Burr's resignation in the face of the allegations.[142]

The Department of Justice, in coordination with the Securities and Exchange Commission, launched a formal probe into the stock sales made during the early days of the coronavirus epidemic by several legislators, including Burr.[143] Burr was also sued by a shareholder for alleged STOCK Act violations.[144][145]

On May 13, the FBI served a search warrant on Burr at his Washington residence and seized his cellphone.[146] He temporarily stepped down as chair of the Intelligence Committee the next day, taking effect on May 15.[3][147]

On January 19, 2021, the last full day of the Trump administration,[4] the Justice Department informed Burr that it would not pursue charges against him.[4]

The FBI's search warrant affidavit was partially unsealed in September 2022, after litigation by the Los Angeles Times and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.[136]

Burr was one of only three senators to oppose the STOCK Act of 2012, which prohibits members of Congress and congressional staff from using nonpublic information in securities trading.[134]

2021 storming of the United States Capitol

[edit]

On May 28, 2021, Burr abstained from voting on the creation of an independent commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack.[148]

Committee assignments

[edit]

Caucus membership

[edit]

Post-Senate career

[edit]

In 2025, Burr introduced Tulsi Gabbard at her confirmation hearing to be Director of National Intelligence, his first visit to the Capitol since his term ended.[150]

Personal life

[edit]
Burr's iconic 1973 VW Thing, front
Rear, showing campaign bumper stickers of fellow Republicans

Burr's car, a 1973 Volkswagen Thing, is "something of a local celebrity" on Capitol Hill.[151] Burr has a known aversion to reporters, once even climbing out of his office window while carrying his dry cleaning to avoid them.[60] Burr is a member of the United Methodist Church.[152]

Burr has been married to Brooke Fauth Burr, a real estate agent, since 1984, and they have two sons, Tyler and William.[153][6] Both work for tobacco companies.[154] He is a distant relative of 19th century vice-president Aaron Burr, as a descendant of one of Aaron Burr's brothers.[155]

Post-Congressional career

Upon leaving Congress, Burr took a job at law firm DLA Piper as a principal policy advisor and chair of the Health Policy Strategic Consulting Practice.[156]

Electoral history

[edit]
North Carolina's 5th congressional district: Results 1992–2002[157]
Year Democratic Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd party Party Votes Pct 3rd party Party Votes Pct
1992 Stephen L. Neal 117,835 53% Richard Burr 102,086 46% Gary Albrecht Libertarian 3,758 2%
1994 A. P. "Sandy" Sands 63,194 43% Richard Burr 84,741 57%
1996 Neil Grist Cashion Jr. 74,320 35% Richard Burr 130,177 62% Barbara J. Howe Libertarian 4,193 2% Craig Berg Natural Law 1,008 <1%
1998 Mike Robinson 55,806 32% Richard Burr 119,103 68% Gene Paczelt Libertarian 1,382 1%
2000 (no candidate) Richard Burr 172,489 93% Steven Francis LeBoeuf Libertarian 13,366 7%
2002 David Crawford 58,558 30% Richard Burr 137,879 70%
North Carolina Senator (Class III): Results 2004–2016[157]
Year Democratic Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd party Party Votes Pct
2004 Erskine Bowles 1,632,527 47% Richard Burr 1,791,450 52% Tom Bailey Libertarian 47,743 1%
2010 Elaine Marshall 1,145,074 43% Richard Burr 1,458,046 55% Mike Beitler Libertarian 55,682 2%
2016 Deborah Ross 2,128,165 45% Richard Burr 2,395,376 51% Sean Haugh Libertarian 167,592 4%
2004 U.S. Senate Republican primary election in North Carolina
Party Candidate Votes % +%
Republican Richard Burr 302,319 88%
Republican John Ross Hendrix 25,971 8%
Republican Albert Lee Wiley Jr. 15,585 5%
2016 U.S. Senate Republican primary election in North Carolina
Party Candidate Votes % +%
Republican Richard Burr (inc.) 627,263 61%
Republican Greg Brannon 257,296 25%
Republican Paul Wright 86,933 9%
Republican Larry Holmquist 50,500 5%

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Richard Burr

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Richard M. Burr (born November 30, 1955) is an American politician and former senator from , serving from 2005 to 2023. A Republican, he previously represented in the from 1995 to 2005. Burr chaired the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, overseeing investigations into Russian election interference and other matters. He contributed to bipartisan legislation enhancing pandemic preparedness, including the PREVENT Pandemics Act, and advanced health policy reforms through the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. During the early outbreak in 2020, Burr sold between $628,000 and $1.7 million in stocks shortly after classified briefings, avoiding significant losses as markets declined. This prompted investigations by the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission into potential , but both concluded without charges or further action against him. Burr temporarily stepped down as Intelligence Committee chairman amid the probe but resumed his role until retiring in 2023 without seeking re-election.

Early life, education, and early career

Upbringing and family background

Richard Mauze Burr was born on November 30, 1955, in , to David Burr, a Presbyterian minister, and his wife Martha Gillum Burr. The family relocated to , during Burr's early childhood, where he grew up in a household shaped by his father's clerical profession. Burr is an indirect relative of , the third vice president of the whose role in the 1804 duel with marked a pivotal moment in early American politics.

Education and early influences

Burr graduated from in , in 1974. He subsequently attended in Winston-Salem, where he played football as a letterman and received a scholarship for the sport. In 1978, he earned a degree in communications from the university. Burr has identified his father, who served as a , as the predominant early influence in his life, shaping his values from childhood through adulthood due to the demands and responsibilities of pastoral work. This familial guidance emphasized service and perseverance, though Burr did not pursue a religious himself. No specific mentors from his educational years are prominently documented in his public accounts, with his formative experiences centering on athletic discipline and family principles rather than overt political .

Pre-political business experience

Prior to his entry into elective office, Burr spent 17 years employed at Carswell Distributing Company, a wholesaler of commercial products that included and equipment. He joined the firm shortly after earning his degree from in 1978 and began his tenure as a salesman. Over time, he progressed through the ranks to become a sales manager, overseeing distribution operations in . This role involved managing teams and handling wholesale transactions for equipment used in landscaping and maintenance sectors. Burr's business experience emphasized practical and skills in a competitive regional market, with no of notable entrepreneurial ventures or executive beyond Carswell prior to his 1992 congressional bid.

U.S. House of Representatives (1995–2005)

1994 election and entry into Congress

In 1994, incumbent Democratic Representative , who had held seat since 1975, announced his retirement and did not seek re-election. The district, encompassing parts of northwestern including Winston-Salem, became an open seat amid a national backlash against Democratic control of following two years of unified government under President . Richard Burr, a Republican businessman and marketing executive from Winston-Salem who had previously challenged Neal unsuccessfully in 1992, secured the Republican nomination and campaigned on themes of , term limits, and reducing federal overreach, aligning with the broader Republican "" platform advanced by House Minority Whip . On November 8, , Burr won the general against Democratic nominee Harry Taylor, a local attorney and former state representative, capturing 115,537 votes (64.9 percent) to Taylor's 62,411 (35.1 percent). This margin reflected the district's shifting dynamics, as the 5th had been a competitive area but leaned Republican in the prevailing anti-incumbent wave; Republicans nationwide flipped 54 seats, securing a for the first time since and enabling Gingrich to become Speaker. Burr's victory contributed to North Carolina's net Republican gain of two seats that cycle, underscoring voter dissatisfaction with Clinton-era policies on issues like , healthcare reform, and . Burr was sworn into office on January 3, 1995, as part of the , representing the 5th until 2005./) As a Republican, he joined the influx of 73 new GOP members focused on implementing the Contract's provisions, including , requirements, and congressional accountability measures, though many faced vetoes or procedural hurdles in the . Burr initially served on the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, where he scrutinized federal spending and bureaucracy, establishing an early record of advocating for and tax cuts.

Key House legislative activities and votes

Burr served on the House Committee on Commerce, including its Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, where he focused on regulatory reform and health policy issues, and on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, addressing veterans' health care needs. As one of the Republican freshmen elected in the 1994 wave, Burr signed the Contract with America, committing to enact 10 major bills within the first 100 days of the 104th Congress; he voted in favor of associated measures, including the Contract with America Tax Relief Act of 1995 (H.R. 1215), which extended tax credits and deductions, and the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (H.R. 3734), which replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children with block grants to states, imposed work requirements on recipients, and limited lifetime benefits to five years. He also supported the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (H.R. 2015), which projected a balanced federal budget by 2002 through $127 billion in Medicare spending restraints over five years and other cuts. In the Commerce Committee, Burr contributed to health-related legislation, co-authoring a measure with Rep. Tom Bliley that established the Office of the National Coordinator for to promote electronic health records and . He opposed expansive federal regulation of the , voting in April 2000 (224-198) to overturn an FDA rule asserting jurisdiction over tobacco products as medical devices, arguing it exceeded the agency's statutory authority and would harm North Carolina's economy. Burr backed tribal recognition efforts for North Carolina's people, cosponsoring and voting for H.R. 898 in the 108th to grant federal acknowledgment without full rights or benefits, which passed the but stalled in the . His voting record aligned with conservative priorities, earning high ratings from groups like the U.S. for supporting and free-market policies.

U.S. Senate (2005–2023)

2004 Senate election and initial term

Incumbent Democratic Senator John Edwards opted not to seek re-election in 2004 to serve as the vice presidential running mate for John Kerry, leaving North Carolina's Senate seat open. Richard Burr, a Republican who had represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the U.S. House since 1995, announced his candidacy for the Senate. Burr secured the Republican nomination after defeating Robert C. Anderson and Bill Graham in the primary election on July 20, 2004. His Democratic opponent was Erskine Bowles, a former White House chief of staff under President Bill Clinton and previous unsuccessful Senate candidate in 1996. The campaign emphasized in the post-9/11 environment, economic issues, and North Carolina-specific concerns such as farming and bases. Burr positioned himself as a fiscal conservative supportive of President George W. Bush's policies, including tax cuts and the , while criticizing Bowles for his ties to Clinton-era administration. campaigned for Burr in May 2004, highlighting his House record on defense and issues. On November 2, 2004, Burr won the general with 1,791,450 votes (51.60%) against Bowles' 1,632,527 votes (47.02%), flipping the seat to Republican control amid Bush's statewide presidential victory. was high, influenced by the concurrent presidential contest. Burr was sworn into the on January 3, 2005, as part of the 109th . He received committee assignments including the Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Committee on , the Committee on and , and the Committee on Indian Affairs. On , Burr focused on improving benefits and for , drawing from North Carolina's significant population and military installations. During his initial term (2005–2010), Burr maintained a relatively low public profile but advanced targeted . In 2005, he contributed to preparedness measures incorporated into the defense appropriations bill, enhancing detection and response capabilities for biological threats. Burr sponsored S. 518, the National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act of 2005, aimed at combating prescription drug abuse through interstate on controlled substances. He supported Republican priorities such as Social Security reform proposals involving private accounts, voting against non-binding resolutions opposing benefit cuts in privatization plans, and opposed expansive expansions of programs. Burr's voting record aligned with conservative stances on taxes, gun rights, and intervention, while collaborating on bipartisan efforts for veterans and disaster relief following . By 2006, he had co-sponsored bills addressing tribal recognition and adjustments from his House tenure.

Re-elections in 2010, 2016, and decision not to run in 2022

Burr won re-election to a second Senate term on November 2, 2010, defeating Democratic nominee , the incumbent , by a margin of 1,458,046 votes (54.81%) to 1,145,074 (43.05%). Marshall had prevailed in a June 2010 Democratic runoff against former state Senator after a contested May primary. Burr faced no significant opposition in the Republican primary held on May 4, 2010, securing the nomination with over 77% in sampled counties. The victory aligned with Republican gains in the 2010 midterm wave, though Burr's margin reflected North Carolina's competitive political landscape at the time. Burr secured a third term on November 8, , narrowly defeating Democratic state Representative Deborah Ross 2,128,786 votes (51.02%) to 1,969,843 (47.24%), with Libertarian Scott Haugh receiving 83,030 (1.99%). Ross, a former ACLU lobbyist, mounted a well-funded challenge emphasizing Burr's legislative record on issues like and oversight. Burr won the March 15, , Republican primary outright against token opposition, while Ross prevailed in a crowded Democratic primary. The contest remained tight through , buoyed by coattails from Donald Trump's narrow presidential win in the state, though Burr underperformed Trump by about 3 points statewide. In July 2016, amid his re-election campaign, Burr announced that a third term would be his last, adhering to a self-imposed limit of three terms to avoid career entrenchment in Washington. He reaffirmed this stance in early , declining to seek re-election in after the Department closed its investigation into his 2020 stock sales without charges. The decision preceded subsequent partisan pressures, including a censure in February over his vote to convict Trump in the second impeachment . Burr's opened the seat to a competitive Republican primary won by , who defeated Democrat Cheri in the general .

Committee assignments and leadership roles

Upon entering the Senate in January 2005, Burr was assigned to the on , where he served continuously until his retirement and advanced to —the top Republican position—on , 2007, holding it through 2015. In that role, he focused on veterans' access and oversight of Department of operations, contributing to legislation addressing wait times and benefits expansion. Burr joined the Select Committee on Intelligence early in his Senate career, becoming Chairman on January 3, 2015, following the Republican majority shift in the 114th Congress. He led the committee through its multipart investigation into Russian election interference in 2016, overseeing bipartisan reports released between 2019 and 2020, and emphasized threats from emerging technologies like 5G. Burr temporarily relinquished the chairmanship on May 14, 2020, amid a federal probe into his stock transactions, resuming as senior Republican member thereafter until the end of his term. In the 117th Congress (2021–2023), Burr was named of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) on February 9, 2021, leveraging his prior experience in to address issues like programs and declines post-pandemic. He also served on the Committee on Finance, influencing tax and trade matters, and the Special Committee on Aging, though without formal leadership there. These assignments reflected Burr's priorities in , veterans' services, and .

Domestic policy positions and legislative achievements

Burr consistently opposed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), voting against its passage in 2010 and subsequent efforts to expand subsidies, such as criticizing the IRS's unilateral attempt to broaden Obamacare eligibility in 2022. As an alternative, he co-sponsored the Patient CARE Act in 2017, which aimed to repeal ACA mandates, promote market-based competition, lower premiums through high-risk pools, and save an estimated $1.5 trillion over ten years compared to existing law. Earlier, during his House tenure, Burr sponsored the FDA Modernization Act of 1997, which reduced drug approval review times from an average of 30 months to 10 months for priority drugs by streamlining user fees and clinical trial processes. In 2006, he authored the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, establishing a framework for stockpiling medical countermeasures and coordinating federal responses to public health emergencies, reauthorized multiple times thereafter. On veterans' affairs, Burr prioritized expanding choice and access to care, sponsoring the Veterans Choice Improvement Act of 2016 (S.2646), which codified and made permanent the Veterans Choice Program, allowing eligible veterans to seek care from non-VA providers if wait times exceeded 30 days or travel distances were over 40 miles, addressing systemic VA delays exposed in 2014 scandals. He offered successful amendments in 2010 to provide VA health care to veterans and family members exposed to or other hazards, and supported the 2022 PACT Act, which expanded benefits for over 3.5 million post-9/11 veterans affected by burn pits and toxins, presuming service-related illnesses for faster claims processing. Burr supported tax relief measures aligned with Republican fiscal conservatism, voting in favor of the on December 2, 2017 (51-49 vote), which reduced the rate from 35% to 21%, doubled the , and eliminated the ACA's penalty. He advocated ending the medical device tax under the ACA, a policy opposed by industry groups for increasing costs on manufacturers. In energy and environmental policy, Burr backed domestic production alongside conservation, signing a 2014 letter urging federal facilitation of offshore and gas development to enhance . He led bipartisan efforts to pass the in 2020, providing full, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually through 2024, supporting national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges without new taxes by redirecting revenues. Regarding Second Amendment rights, Burr received endorsements from the NRA for his consistent opposition to federal expansions, voting against universal background and assault weapons bans in prior sessions, though he supported advancing a bipartisan framework in June 2022 addressing , enhanced for buyers under 21, and funding for red-flag laws following mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde. On immigration, Burr opposed comprehensive reform bills granting amnesty, voting no on the 2007 Senate measure estimated to cost $79 billion in taxpayer funds and allow residency for millions of undocumented immigrants, prioritizing enforcement and border security over pathways to citizenship.

Foreign policy, national security, and intelligence oversight

Burr served as and then vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) from 2013 to 2017 before ascending to chairman in January 2017, a position he held until May 2020. In this role, he exercised oversight over the U.S. intelligence community's budget, operations, and nominations, including advancing Gina Haspel's confirmation as CIA director despite controversies over her involvement in enhanced interrogation. Under his leadership, the SSCI passed annual Intelligence Authorization Acts on unanimous bipartisan votes, such as the FY2019 bill that enhanced and cybersecurity capabilities. A cornerstone of Burr's tenure was the bipartisan investigation into Russian intelligence activities surrounding the 2016 U.S. presidential election, launched in January 2017, which produced seven volumes of declassified reports by 2020. These affirmed the intelligence community's January 2017 assessment that , conducted a multifaceted influence campaign to harm and aid , including hacking Democratic emails and using for . The probe scrutinized over 200 interviews and millions of documents, identifying extensive contacts between Trump associates and Russian operatives or intermediaries, but Burr publicly stated there was "no reason to dispute" the interference findings while emphasizing that evidence of did not materialize in the committee's work. Additional reports critiqued the Obama administration's delayed response to detected Russian intrusions and highlighted Moscow's exploitation of U.S. platforms to exacerbate divisions. On interrogation policy, Burr, as SSCI in , spearheaded the Republican minority's response to the Democratic-majority report on the CIA's post-9/11 detention and program. The 500-page rebuttal contested the majority's claims that enhanced techniques like yielded no unique intelligence, arguing instead that they disrupted plots, captured senior figures, and contributed to locating , while accusing the report of selective evidence and politicization. He opposed full of the majority study, viewing it as damaging to without context from dissenting views. In broader foreign policy, Burr maintained a hawkish posture, consistently supporting National Defense Authorization Acts and cybersecurity measures, including the 2015 to counter foreign hackers targeting U.S. networks. He criticized the 2015 with as inadequate, predicting it would empower Tehran's nuclear ambitions and sponsorship without verifiable constraints, and endorsed its 2018 withdrawal. Burr co-signed a 2015 open letter to Iranian leaders warning of the deal's legal vulnerabilities and, in 2020, voted against curbing presidential military options against . Regarding , he highlighted its biosecurity risks and theft as strategic threats, co-requesting a 2021 GAO assessment on global vulnerabilities. His approach prioritized deterrence against authoritarian rivals through -driven sanctions and alliances. Richard Burr initially supported Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, serving as a senior advisor. As chairman of the Select on Intelligence from 2017 to 2020, Burr oversaw a bipartisan investigation into Russian interference in the , concluding in early 2019 that there was no evidence of between the Trump campaign and , a finding that aligned with Trump's public defenses against such allegations. The committee's final reports, released through 2020, affirmed Russian efforts to interfere but highlighted risks from Trump campaign contacts with Russian-linked individuals without establishing coordinated conspiracy. Burr voted to acquit Trump in his first Senate impeachment trial in February 2020, rejecting charges related to the Ukraine aid withholding as insufficient for removal from office. However, in the second impeachment trial following the , 2021, Capitol riot, Burr joined six other Republicans in voting to convict Trump on the charge of of insurrection, stating that the was "compelling" and that Trump bore responsibility for the events. This vote drew immediate backlash from Trump supporters, culminating in a unanimous by the on February 15, 2021, which accused Burr of prioritizing personal judgment over party loyalty and enabling Democratic efforts to undermine Trump. Burr responded by criticizing the as of the state party's shift toward "loyalty to an individual" over Republican principles. The impeachment vote strained Burr's standing within the Trump-aligned Republican base, contributing to his decision not to seek re-election in 2022 amid primary challenges from Trump-endorsed candidates. Despite this, Burr announced in August his intention to vote for Trump in the November , framing the prior conviction vote as accountability for specific actions rather than a rejection of Trump's broader leadership. This stance reflects Burr's institutionalist approach, prioritizing evidence-based oversight—evident in his Russia probe handling—over unwavering allegiance, even as it invited accusations of inconsistency from both Trump critics and loyalists.

Insider trading allegations and investigations

In February 2020, as chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Richard Burr received classified briefings on the emerging , including assessments of its potential severity that were more alarming than public statements from U.S. officials at the time. On , 2020, Burr publicly downplayed the threat during an interview, stating that the U.S. response was "pretty close to what we saw with " and expressing confidence in federal preparedness. The following day, February 13, 2020, Burr authorized 33 stock sales on behalf of himself and his wife, Brooke Burr, totaling between $628,000 and $1.72 million across various holdings, including shares in hotel, resort, and energy companies. These transactions occurred just before a sharp market downturn triggered by the , allowing the Burrs to avoid approximately $87,000 in potential losses. The timing of the sales, juxtaposed against Burr's access to non-public intelligence and his reassuring public comments, prompted allegations of under the of 2012, which prohibits members of from using confidential information for personal financial gain. Critics, including ethics watchdogs and media reports, highlighted that Burr's brother-in-law also executed stock sales shortly after phone calls with Burr, raising questions about whether sensitive information was shared. Burr defended the trades as routine, initiated by a financial advisor based solely on publicly available news reports, and denied any use of classified briefings; he voluntarily referred the matter to the Senate Ethics Committee on March 19, 2020, and temporarily relinquished his committee chairmanship on March 23 amid the scrutiny. The U.S. Department of Justice opened a in March 2020, obtaining a for Burr's phone records as part of a probe into potential violations of laws. On January 19, 2021, the DOJ closed the inquiry without filing charges, citing insufficient evidence to establish criminal intent or illegality. Separately, the Securities and Exchange Commission launched its own civil investigation into Burr and his brother-in-law, which concluded on January 6, 2023, with no enforcement action taken. The Ethics Committee reviewed the transactions but did not pursue formal sanctions, effectively clearing Burr of wrongdoing in that forum. No other allegations against Burr have led to sustained investigations or charges during his tenure.

Post-Senate career (2023–present)

Immediate post-retirement engagements

Following his retirement from the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2023, Richard Burr transitioned into advisory and academic roles leveraging his legislative experience. On February 7, 2023, he joined the global law firm as a principal policy advisor and chair of its newly established Strategic Consulting practice within the Regulatory and Affairs group, focusing on guidance for clients. Concurrently, Burr served as a Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics during the Spring 2023 semester, engaging with students and participating in policy discussions. In this capacity, he spoke at an IOP forum on April 19, 2023, addressing policy challenges and reforms drawn from his tenure on the , Labor, and Pensions Committee.

Lobbying, consulting, and public speaking roles

Following his retirement from the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2023, Richard Burr joined the international law and firm in February 2023 as a principal policy advisor and chair of the firm's Strategic Consulting practice, part of its Regulatory and Government Affairs group. In this consulting role, Burr advises clients on matters, drawing on his prior Senate experience as of the , Labor, and Pensions Committee, and he relocated a team of former congressional policy advisors to the firm to support these efforts. Subject to the two-year cooling-off period under federal ethics rules prohibiting former senators from or executive branch officials on whom they had lobbied, Burr initially focused on non-lobbying consulting activities at . Upon expiration of the ban in January 2025, he registered as a lobbyist in March 2025, representing clients including and the on higher education issues, as well as artificial intelligence policy matters amid federal funding uncertainties. By July 2025, his lobbying portfolio had expanded to include multiple pharmaceutical companies, leveraging his expertise. In addition to his DLA Piper position, Burr assumed advisory and public engagement roles tied to consulting and speaking. In August 2024, he became a Polis Distinguished Fellow at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, where he participates in events, lectures, and policy discussions on topics such as bipartisanship, public service, and national challenges. This fellowship complements his firm work by facilitating public speaking appearances, including a September 2024 conversation at Duke on bridging political divides and a February 2025 award presentation from the Capitol Hill Steering Committee on Health Security recognizing his contributions to health policy. He has also engaged in similar advisory speaking capacities, such as at Harvard University's Institute of Politics, focusing on intelligence oversight and finance policy insights from his Senate tenure.

Personal life

Family and residences

Burr married Brooke Fauth, a broker, in 1984. The couple has two sons, Tyler and William. William Fauth Burr married Virginia Tyler Hetzer on August 1, 2020, at the bride's family home in . Burr's primary residence is in , his longtime hometown. During his Senate tenure, he maintained a in , which federal agents searched in May 2020 amid an investigation into his stock trades. He sold the D.C. property in a private transaction in 2017 for $1.89 million and subsequently purchased a home in Nags Head, a coastal town on North Carolina's . Burr has identified as a Nags Head resident in local zoning discussions as recently as 2022.

Health issues and personal interests

In September 2022, Burr underwent elective , leading to a brief absence from sessions as he recovered; his office confirmed he would miss votes that week following the procedure. Burr maintains frugal personal habits, such as buying dress shirts in bulk from and seeking discounted deals at out-of-the-way retail outlets across .

Electoral history

U.S. House elections

Richard Burr was first elected to represent in the on November 8, 1994, capturing the open seat vacated by retiring Democratic incumbent amid the national Republican wave that delivered the majority. The district, encompassing parts of the region including Forsyth and Guilford counties, had shifted toward Republicans after earlier in the decade, favoring Burr's campaign focused on and opposition to the administration's policies. Burr faced minimal opposition in subsequent reelection bids, consistently securing large margins in the safely Republican district. His primary challengers were Democrats Mike Robinson in 1996, 1998, and 2000, and David Crawford in 2002, none of whom mounted competitive threats. These victories underscored Burr's strong local support and the district's conservative demographics, with and vote shares reflecting limited Democratic viability.
YearElection DateOpponentBurr's Vote ShareTotal VotesSource
1994November 8Neil Cashion (D)~62%N/AClerk of the House
1996November 5Mike Robinson (D)67.56%N/ALegiStorm; CNN
1998November 3Mike Robinson (D)68%116,939 (Burr)CNN
2000November 7Mike Robinson (D)64.49%N/ALegiStorm
2002November 5David Crawford (D)70.19%N/ALegiStorm

U.S. Senate elections

Richard Burr first won election to the U.S. Senate from on November 2, 2004, defeating former Erskine after incumbent Democrat John retired to pursue the vice presidency. As a five-term U.S. Representative, Burr secured the Republican nomination unopposed and prevailed in the general election by emphasizing his House record on and tobacco policy, amid a national Republican wave.
CandidatePartyVotesPercentage
Richard BurrRepublican1,791,45051.60%
Erskine BowlesDemocratic1,632,52747.02%
Other-74,5191.38%
Total3,498,496100%
Burr won reelection on November 2, 2010, defeating Democratic Secretary of State during the midterm Republican gains following the and passage of the . Burr, facing a from businessman Jim Synder that he won with 78% of the vote, campaigned on and opposition to Democratic reforms, while Marshall emphasized her experience in state government.
CandidatePartyVotesPercentage
Richard BurrRepublican1,458,04654.81%
Elaine MarshallDemocratic1,145,07443.05%
Other-74,5192.14%
Total2,677,639100%
Burr secured a third term on November 8, , narrowly defeating former state Representative Deborah Ross in a contest rated competitive amid Donald Trump's presidential win in the state. Burr advanced from the Republican primary with 61% against pastor Mark Harris and others, while Ross won the Democratic nomination with 55% against former Mike Causey; the race focused on national issues like and , with Burr benefiting from higher turnout in rural areas. He received 51.1% of the vote, holding the seat despite polls showing a tighter margin earlier in the cycle.
CandidatePartyVotesPercentage
Richard BurrRepublican2,395,37651.06%
Deborah RossDemocratic2,128,16545.37%
Sean BellLibertarian183,4293.91%
Other-5,0010.11%
Total4,712,971100%

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