[3] In 2014, Blue was elected Senate minority leader by his Democratic colleagues when Sen. Martin L. Nesbitt had to step down abruptly due to health issues.

Blue remained in the House until he ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in 2002, in which he came in second place behind nominee Erskine Bowles and ahead of Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.

[6] He was selected by his local Democratic Party to return to what was essentially his former seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives, after his successor, Bernard Allen, died while running unopposed in the November 2006 election.

[8] Governor Mike Easley, obligated to accept the nomination of the party, appointed Blue to the legislature on November 2, 2006.

[10] After leaving the North Carolina House of Representatives, Blue returned to his private law practice and was hired as a lobbyist for cities on energy issues.