North Carolina Democrats hope that Andrew Whalen can do in the flatlands what he did in the mountains.

Whalen has been named executive of the state Democratic Party and will lead the party as it goes after Republican Sen. Richard Burr's seat next year, Rob Christensen reports.

Whalen, 28, managed the last two campaigns of Democrat Health Shuler who captured the mountain congressional seat in 2006 from Republican incumbent Charles Taylor and then held on to the seat last fall against Ashevillle City Councilman Carl Mumpower. Most recently he was Whalen's Senate communications director.

He replaces Caroline Valand, who is now chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton.

David Young, the state party chairman from Asheville, hired Whalen after watching him up close.

Shuler is one of several people being courted by the national Democratic Party to challenge Burr next year.

Before working for Shuler, Whalen managed two state House races in Virginia.

Also hired was C. Payne Lucas Jr., who will be director of party affairs and development. He will focus on organizing and training. He worked last year for the election of Barack Obama, working as Franklin County Field director for the Campaign for Change in 2008.

He worked the previous 13 years in business and job recruitment.