RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Little-known former Democratic state legislator Deborah Ross is counting on public anger over the GOP political takeover of North Carolina to help her upset two-term U.S. Senator Richard Burr, a victory that could also help hand control of the U.S. Senate back to Democrats. [...] Ross' strategy of attacking Burr's record and criticizing state GOP policies such as the law limiting protections for LGBT people seems to be working with the traditional Democratic and moderate independent voters she is courting. Earlier this week, both his campaign and the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC supporting Republican senate candidates, released attack ads accusing Ross of opposing the creation of the state's sex-offender registry when she was working for the American Civil Liberties Union. Ross is emerging as a sharp and canny campaigner, energetically traveling the state talking about jobs and needling the Senate intelligence committee chairman for absenteeism. [...] recently, North Carolina was seen as a second-tier Senate race in an election season where Democrats need to net five seats to retake control of the Senate — or four if they hang onto the White House, since the vice president casts tie-breaking votes.