BlueNC has been expending a lot of speculative energy trying to figure out who'll run against Elizabeth Dole in 2008. Now a report from mountain cultural and political superhero, Ashvegas, gives us a possible candidate.

Ashvegas: "David Young for U.S. Senate. Sources tell us that Young is considering launching a statewide bid for Senate. There's nothing anywhere near official yet, and Young's not talking. But he's said to be mulling it over.

{silence.}

Yeah. We know. Who is David Young, you ask? A few basics:

Young is a 47-old who has long been on the scene of mountain Democratic politics. He's serving his fourth four-year term as a county commissioner. Young is a businessman. He co-owns an Asheville travel agency with his wife. He's a family man. Leigh Young is his better half, and the couple has three daughters.

He is a Democrat. Young's molded himself a bit on the conservative side, especially with his interest in boosting business in general, and in economic development. But he's no Heath Shuler.

Young ran for the 11th Congressional District seat against U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor back in 1998 and took his thumpin', like all the Democrats who ran against Taylor until last year. So what makes this guy think he can run a statewide race and win in two years? We know that Young has connections. He's serving on the UNC Board of Governors, a political plumb that's difficult to land. He's working his way up the seating chart on the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, and will be president of that statewide group in a year."

Ashvegas has his ear to the ground, and I trust that his sources aren't just whistling Dixie. I hope Young runs and that he declares soon. This might get other fence-sitters motivated to begin organizing their own runs.