While Democrats may be counting the days until U.S. Attorney George Holding leaves, the Republicans are urging President Barack Obama to keep him on the job.

Holding, a Republican appointee, has prosecuted a series of Democrats and his office is now investigating allegations involving former Sen. John Edwards and former Gov. Mike Easley, both Democrats, Rob Christensen reports.

"Now is not the right time for a change in leadership at the U.S Attorney's office," said state GOP chair Linda Daves. "George Holding has shown himself to be competent, fair and evenhanded in rooting out and prosecuting corruption in state government."

U.S. attorneys are political patronage appointments that usually change hands when the White House changes parties. Holding, a protege of the late Sen. Jesse Helms, got his job after Bill Clinton left office and George W. Bush came in. (Frank Whitney preceded Holding as U.S attorney under Bush. He's now a federal district judge in Charlotte.)

Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan has appointed a panel, headed by former Chief Justice Burley Mitchell, to recommend federal prosecutors for the three districts in North Carolina. Hagan will recommended her choices to Obama.

But the state Republican Party argues that Holding doesn’t just go after Democrats. They note that he also prosecuted such Republicans as former U.S. Attorney Sam Currin and former state Sen. John Carrington.