The good news for Republicans in general and Elizabeth Dole in particular is that North Carolina Governor Mike Easley is not interested in running for Dole’s seat in the U.S. Senate next year. The incumbent Senator is potentially vulnerable, but Democrats have been unable to recruit a top-tier challenger for the campaign.

A Rasmussen Reports telephone survey found that if he was running, Easley would be ahead of Dole by eight percentage points, 50% to 42%.

Forty-seven percent (47%) of the state’s voters say Easley is doing a good or excellent job as Governor. Just 19% say he is doing a poor job. Thirty-three percent (33%) of the state’s voters are in the middle and say that the Governor is doing a fair job.

Those ratings are far better than President Bush enjoys in North Carolina. Just 38% of the state’s voters give the President good or excellent marks while 46% say he is doing a poor job. Just three years ago, Bush won 56% of the vote in the Tar Heel State.

Declining ratings for the President and a difficult environment nationally for Republicans has even made North Carolina competitive in the early phase of the 2008 Presidential race.

But, while Dole is potentially vulnerable, no major Democratic names have stepped forward to challenge her. Easley’s term will be coming to an end two top Democrats are competing to succeed him. That takes Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and State Treasurer Richard Moore out of the running for the Senate seat. State Attorney General Roy Cooper has opted to seek re-election to his current job. Several other Democrats have declined to take on this challenge as well citing personal reasons or satisfaction with their current job.

At the moment, only Chapel Hill financial adviser Jim Neal has entered the fray. Neal has never run for office before.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of the state’s voters have a favorable opinion of Easley while 53% say the same about Dole.

The poll was conducted in partnership with Fox Television Stations, Inc.

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