Cook: Senate race is about Dole

Charlie Cook says the race is about U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

In a luncheon with reporters at Elon University this afternoon, the editor of The Cook Political Report said that the race will turn on Dole's record and image.

He said Democratic rival Kay Hagan only has to meet a minimum qualification.

"It's not about her," he said. "It's a referendum up or down on Elizabeth Dole and to a lesser extent Republicans. Kay Hagan is a vessel."

He said that Republicans will try to "disqualify" Hagan or make her unacceptable to voters.

"When you say you can't beat somebody with nobody, I don't know that that's true," he said. "Not to call Kay Hagan a nobody, but I've seen a lot of nobodies get elected to Congress — and some get re-elected." 

He said the race will turn on whether voters think of Dole as an influential Washington politician or someone who lives in Washington and is out of touch. 

"It's going to be one or the other," he said.