Republican Richard Burr has been many things during his more than 12 years in the U.S. Senate — a policy wonk who likes to get into the weeds, a reliable conservative and a preppy prone to going sockless.
But he has rarely sought the limelight — infrequently appearing on the Sunday talk shows and preferring to quietly tour local businesses rather than holding news conferences back home.
As a result, Burr — while politically successful — has never achieved the fame or devoted following of such Tar Heel senators as Jesse Helms, Elizabeth Dole, John Edwards or Terry Sanford.
But Burr is now on the biggest stage of his career.
As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Burr has been thrust into the middle of the investigation of Russian meddling in the last presidential election and whether…
