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Line through state means both Senate seats were up for election.
Harry Reid Democratic
Mitch McConnell Republican
Elections to the United States Senate were a part of the elections held in the United States on November 4, 2014 (and in some areas for a period of time ending November 4, 2014). Thirty-three Class 2 seats in the 100-member United States Senate were up for election as well as a few seats that were vacated early. The candidates winning these elections will serve six-year terms from January 3, 2015, to January 3, 2021 except for some special seats that are for part of the term. Additionally, special elections were held to fill three vacancies in other classes that occurred during the 113th United States Congress. The elections marked 100 years of direct elections of U.S. Senators. Twenty-one of the open seats were held by the Democratic Party, while fifteen were held by the Republican Party.
As a result, the Republicans will regain the majority of the Senate in the next Congress, starting in January 2015 for the first time since losing it January 2007. They had needed a net gain of at least six seats to obtain a majority. In fact, they successfully held all of their seats, and gained nine more Democratic-held seats. Polls and other factors had led forecasters to predict that the Republicans would win several seats, with most predicting that the party was likely but not certain to win at least the six seats necessary to take control of the Senate.
This election marked the second consecutive election held in a president's sixth year where control of the Senate changed hands. This was also the first time that the Democrats lost control of the Senate in a sixth-year midterm since 1918. With a total net gain of 9 seats, the Republicans made the largest Senate gain by any party since 1980, and the largest Senate gain in a midterm election since 1958. This is also the first election since 1980 in which more than two incumbent Democratic Senators were defeated by their Republican challengers.
In order to have a majority, the Republicans were required to attain at least 51 seats in the Senate. The Democrats would have been able to retain a majority with 48 seats (assuming the two Independents continued to caucus with them) because, in event of a tie vote, Vice President Joe Biden becomes the tie-breaker. From 1914 to 2012, control of the U.S. Senate flipped in 10 of 50 cycles, or 20% of the time.[1]
The Republican Party had lost ground in the 2012 elections, leading to an internal fight among the Republican leadership over the best strategies and tactics for the 2014 Senate races.[2] By December 2013, eight of the twelve incumbent Republicans running for re-election saw Tea Party challenges.[3] However, Republican incumbents won every primary challenge.[4] Although Democrats saw some opportunities for pickups, the combination of Democratic retirements and numerous Democratic seats up for election in swing states and red states gave Republicans hopes of taking control of the Senate.[5] 7 of the 21 states with Democratic seats up for election in 2014 had voted for Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election. Democrats also faced the lower voter turnout that accompanies mid-term elections.[6] Days after the election, the United States Election Project estimated that 36.6% of eligible voters voted, 4% lower than the 2010 elections, and possibly the lowest turnout rate since the 1942 election.[7][8]
run-off election if no candidate takes a majority of the vote. Additionally, two independent candidates, Greg Orman in Kansas and Larry Pressler[12] in South Dakota, refused to commit to caucusing with either party.[11] In the final months of the race, polls showed the two independent candidates with viable chances of winning seats in the Senate, leading some analysts to speculate on the possibility of an "independent caucus" that could also include Maine Senator Angus King and possibly Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.[13][14] However, no independent won a Senate race in 2014, and King and Sanders continue to caucus with the Democratic Party following the 2014 election.
By midnight 1980 election.[15] Five of the seven confirmed pickups were in states that voted for Mitt Romney in 2012, but two of the seats that Republicans won represent states that voted for Barack Obama in 2012 (Colorado and Iowa). Of the three races that were not called by the end of election night, Alaska and Virginia were still too close to call, while Louisiana will hold a December 6 run-off election. Virginia declared Mark Warner the winner of his race by a narrow margin over Ed Gillespie on November 7, and Alaska declared Dan Sullivan the winner against Democratic incumbent Mark Begich a week later, on November 12. Republican Bill Cassidy defeated Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu in the Louisiana runoff on December 6.
Going into the elections, there were 53 Democratic, 45 Republican and 2 independent senators (both of whom caucus with the Democrats). In all, there were 36 elections: 33 senators were up for election this year as class 2 Senators, and 3 faced special elections (all from Class 3). Of all these seats, 21 were held by Democrats and 15 were held by Republicans.
In these special elections, the winner was seated before January 3, 2015. In one exception a successor would be seated on January 3, 2015, the effective date of the predecessor's resignation.
In these general elections, the races are for the class 2 seats whose terms begin January 3, 2015.
A day after the election, the results of three elections were not yet clear. Mark Warner led in Virginia by one point, while Dan Sullivan led in Alaska by 4 points; the opponents of both candidates have yet to concede.[147] Louisiana will hold a run-off election on December 6, 2014 between incumbent Mary Landrieu and Bill Cassidy.
Out of these 11 competitive seats, Republicans needed to win at least six in order to gain a majority of 51 seats and Democrats needed to win at least five in order to hold a majority of 50 seats (including the two independents who currently caucus with the Democrats and the tie-breaking vote vote of Vice President Joe Biden.
Three-term incumbent Republican Jeff Sessions had been re-elected with 63% of the vote in 2008. Sessions sought re-election. No Democrat filed to run against him, and the election was uncontested.[162]
One-term incumbent Democrat Mark Begich had been first elected with 48% of the vote in 2008, defeating six-term Senator Ted Stevens by 3,953 votes (a margin of 1.25%).[163] Begich will be 52 years old in 2014 and is seeking re-election to a second term.[27] Stevens, who would have been almost 91 years old at the time of the election, had already filed for a rematch back in 2009,[27] but was killed in a plane crash the following year.
Republican Lieutenant Governor Mead Treadwell,[164] 2010 nominee Joe Miller,[165] State Natural Resources Commissioner Daniel S. Sullivan,[166] and Air Force veteran John Jaramillo ran for the GOP nomination. In the August 19 primary, Sullivan won the Republican nomination with 40% and faced Begich in the general election.[167]
Two-term incumbent Democrat Mark Pryor had been re-elected with 80% of the vote without Republican opposition in 2008.[168] Pryor is running for a third term.[31]
Freshman Representative Tom Cotton of Arkansas's 4th congressional district was the Republican nominee.[169]
One-term incumbent Democrat Mark Udall had been elected with 53% of the vote in 2008. Udall was running for re-election.[170]
Congressman Cory Gardner of Colorado's 4th congressional district was the Republican nominee; his late entry into the race caused numerous Republicans to withdraw their candidacies.[171] Gaylon Kent was the Libertarian Party nominee. Unity Party of America founder and National Chairman Bill Hammons was the Unity Party nominee.
Democrat Chris Coons won in the 2010 special election caused by Joe Biden's election as Vice President, winning by a 57% to 41% margin. Coons sought re-election. His Republican opponent is engineer Kevin Wade.[172]
Two-term incumbent Republican
Three-term incumbent Republican Mike Enzi had been re-elected with 76% of the vote in 2008. Enzi sought re-election. Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, briefly entered the race for the Republican nomination, but dropped her bid in January 2014.[284] On August 19, Enzi won the Republican primary election with 82% of the vote, and Democrat Charlie Hardy, a former Catholic priest, won his party's primary election with 48% of the vote.[285]
On November 26, 2012, Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito announced her plans to run for the seat, in hopes of becoming the first Republican Senator elected from West Virginia since 1956.[283] Moore Capito won the Republican nomination and the general election, the first woman to serve as United States Senator from West Virginia.
Five-term incumbent Democrat Jay Rockefeller had been re-elected with 64% of the vote in 2008. He announced on January 11, 2013 that he would not seek re-election to a sixth term. Secretary of State Natalie Tennant won the Democratic nomination.[282]
One-term incumbent Democrat Mark Warner had been elected with 65% of the vote in 2008; he sought re-election. Ed Gillespie, former RNC Chairman and presidential adviser, ran for the Republican nomination. Robert Sarvis, the Libertarian nominee for Governor in 2013, also ran.[281]
Two-term incumbent Republican John Cornyn, the Senate Minority Whip, had been re-elected with 55% of the vote in 2008. Cornyn sought re-election, and won the 2014 Republican primary with 59% of the vote. David Alameel, a dentist, and Kesha Rogers, a volunteer for The Lyndon LaRouche Policy Institute, faced each other in a run-off election for the Democratic nomination.[279] Alameel won the run-off and was the Democratic nominee.[280]
On November 4, 2014, Alexander faced Democratic nominee Gordon Ball, Libertarian Party nominee Joshua James,[278] Constitution Party nominee Joe Wilmothm, and independent Danny Page[278] also ran in the general election.
Two-term incumbent Republican Lamar Alexander had been re-elected with 65% of the vote in 2008. Alexander sought re-election to a third term.[127] On August 7, 2014, Alexander won the Republican nomination over six challengers, including State Representative Joe Carr.[277]
Former Republican U.S. Senator Larry Pressler and Republican State Senator Gordon Howie ran as independents.[273][274] Pressler did not commit to caucusing with either party, while Howie said he would caucus with the Senate Republicans.[275][276]
Among Republicans, former two-term Governor Mike Rounds announced his candidacy for the GOP nomination on November 29, 2012.[271] Rounds won the Republican nomination over state senator Larry Rhoden, state representative Stace Nelson, and physician Annette Bosworth.[272]
Three-term incumbent Democrat Tim Johnson had been re-elected with 63% of the vote in 2008. Johnson announced on March 26, 2013 that he would not run for re-election.[269] Former Congressional aide Rick Weiland is the Democratic nominee.[270]
Jim DeMint had been elected to a second term in 2010, but resigned from the Senate in January 2013 to become president of The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank. Governor Nikki Haley appointed Congressman Tim Scott as DeMint's replacement.[267] Scott, an African-American, was the Republican nominee to serve out the remainder of DeMint's term. Scott is the first African-American Republican since shortly after Reconstruction to represent a Southern state. Richland County counsel member Joyce Dickerson won the Democratic nomination.[268]
Two-term incumbent Republican Lindsey Graham had been re-elected with 58% of the vote in 2008. Graham won the Republican nomination over a field that included state senator Lee Bright. State Senator Brad Hutto won the Democratic nomination.[266]
Three-term incumbent Democrat Jack Reed had been re-elected with 73% of the vote in 2008.[265] Mark Zaccaria was the Republican nominee.
One-term incumbent Democrat Jeff Merkley was narrowly elected with 49% of the vote in 2008. Merkley was running for a second term. State representative Jason Conger, attorney Tim Crawley, IT consultant Mark Callahan, neurosurgeon Dr. Monica Wehby, and former Linn County Republican Chair Jo Rae Perkins all ran for the Republican nomination,[263] with Wehby ultimately winning the nomination in the May 20 primary.[264]
Two-term incumbent Republican Tom Coburn had been re-elected with 71% of the vote in 2010, and was not scheduled to be up for election again until 2016. However, Coburn announced his intention to resign at the end of the 113th Congress. A special election to fill his seat will take place in November 2014, concurrent with the other Senate elections.[259] Congressman James Lankford was the Republican nominee.[260][261] State Senator Connie Johnson was the Democratic nominee.[262]
Three-term incumbent Republican Jim Inhofe had been re-elected with 57% of the vote in 2008. Inhofe sought re-election. Matt Silverstein, an insurance agency owner, ran for the Democratic nomination.[258]
State House Speaker Thom Tillis was the Republican nominee.[257] Sean Haugh won the Libertarian nomination.[255]
One-term incumbent Democrat Kay Hagan had been elected with 53% of the vote against incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole in 2008. Hagan was seeking re-election.[254][255][256]
One-term incumbent Democrat Tom Udall had been elected with 61% of the vote in 2008. Former Doña Ana County Republican Party Chairman David Clements and former New Mexico Republican Party Chairman Allen Weh sought the Republican nomination.[253] Weh won the June 3 primary but lost to Udall in the general election.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker, a Democrat, defeated Republican nominee Steve Lonegan by 55%-to-45% in a 2013 special election to replace interim Republican appointee Jeffrey Chiesa.[251] Booker ran for re-election in 2014. 1978 and 1982 Republican candidate and political operative Jeff Bell is the Republican nominee.[252]
Incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg had been re-elected with 56% of the vote in 2008. After announcing he would not seek re-election, Lautenberg died in June 2013, aged 89, after a long period of ill health.[249][250]
Scott Brown, who represented neighboring Massachusetts in the Senate from 2010 to 2012, was the Republican nominee.[248]
One-term incumbent Democrat Jeanne Shaheen had been elected with 52% of the vote in 2008. Shaheen ran for re-election.[98]
Trial lawyer David Domina was the Democratic nominee.[247]
One-term incumbent Republican Mike Johanns had been elected with 58% of the vote in 2008. He is not seeking second term.[242] Term limited Republican Governor Dave Heineman considered running for the Republican nomination, but ultimately decided not to do so.[243] Former state Treasurer Shane Osborn,[244] attorney Bart McLeay, banker Sid Dinsdale, and Midland University President Ben Sasse ran for the Republican nomination.[245][246] In the May 13 primary, Sasse won the Republican nomination.
Congressman Steve Daines won the Republican nomination[241] over state Representative Champ Edmunds of Missoula and David Leaser of Kalispell.
Following Baucus's confirmation as ambassador, Governor Steve Bullock appointed the Lieutenant Governor John Walsh to fill the vacant senate seat.[238] Former Lieutenant Governor John Bohlinger was defeated by Walsh in the Democratic primary. Amid controversy over alleged plagiarism in a 2007 research paper, Walsh pulled out of the race.[239] The Montana Democratic Party held a special nominating convention on August 16 to choose a replacement for Walsh. First-term State Representative Amanda Curtis won the nomination, thereby becoming the new Democratic nominee.[240]
Six-term incumbent Democrat Max Baucus, the longest serving Senator in Montana's history, had been re-elected with 73% of the vote in 2008. Baucus announced on April 23, 2013 that he would retire in 2014, rather than seek re-election to a seventh term.[236] Baucus was appointed as the United States Ambassador to China, leading him to resign from the Senate in February 2014.[237]
Former Congressman Travis Childers was the Democratic nominee.[89]
Six-term incumbent Republican Thad Cochran, re-elected with 62% of the vote in 2008, is running for re-election.[88] Cochran was the last incumbent Senator to declare his plans, leading to widespread speculation that he might announce his retirement.[230][231] Tea Party candidate Chris McDaniel, a conservative Mississippi state senator, ran against Cochran in the Republican primary.[232] Neither McDaniel nor Cochran was able to get 50% of the vote in the first round of the primary, so a runoff election was held June 24.[233] Cochran won the runoff election by 51% to 49%, with the help of Democratic voters eligible to vote in the state's open primaries who chose Cochran as the more preferable Republican.[234] McDaniel filed a lawsuit to challenge the results of the run-off, but the challenge was rejected on appeal by the Supreme Court of Mississippi.[235]
Hannah Nicollet of the Independence Party of Minnesota also ran.[229]
One-term incumbent Democrat Al Franken unseated one-term Republican Norm Coleman by 312 votes in a contested three-way race with 42% of the vote in 2008; the third candidate in the race, Dean Barkley of the Independence Party of Minnesota, won 15% of the vote.[221] Franken is seeking re-election.[222] State Representative Jim Abeler,[223] St. Louis County Commissioner Chris Dahlberg,[224] co-CEO of Lazard Middle Market Mike McFadden,[86] bison farmer and former hair salon owner Monti Moreno,[225] state Senator Julianne Ortman,[226] and U.S. Navy reservist Phillip Parrish[227] ran for the Republican nomination. McFadden won the Republican primary and is the Republican nominee in the general election.[228]
Three term Democratic Representative Gary Peters of MI-14 was the Democratic nominee.[219] He defeated Republican former Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land who was unopposed for the Republican nomination.[220]
Six-term incumbent Senator and Chairman of the Armed Services Committee Democrat Carl Levin, the longest serving Senator in Michigan's history, had been re-elected with 63% of the vote in 2008. Levin announced on March 7, 2013 that he would not seek re-election.[78]
Five-term incumbent and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry had been re-elected with 66% of the vote in 2008. Kerry resigned in early 2013 to become U.S. Secretary of State.[216] Governor Deval Patrick appointed Democrat Mo Cowan to the seat.[217] Democratic Congressman Ed Markey beat Republican Gabriel E. Gomez in the June 25, 2013 special election by a 55% to 45% margin.[218] Markey will serve the remainder of Kerry's term, and is running for re-election in 2014.[76] Hopkinton City Selectman Brian Herr was the Republican nominee.
Three-term incumbent Republican Susan Collins is seeking a fourth term.[213][214] Shenna Bellows, former Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, was the Democratic nominee.[215]
Louisiana uses a unique jungle primary system that eschews primaries in favor of run-off elections between the top two candidates; this run-off can be avoided if the winning candidate receives over 50% of the vote. Democrats Wayne Ables, Vallian Senegal, and William Waymire ran against Landrieu in the election, as did Republicans Bill Cassidy (representative of Louisiana's 6th congressional district), Thomas Clements (small business owner), and retired Air Force Colonel Rob Maness.[211][212] Electrical Engineer Brannon McMorris ran as a Libertarian.[68]
Three-term incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu had been re-elected with 52% of the vote in 2008. Landrieu ran for a fourth term.[67][210]
Ed Marksberry pursued an independent bid after dropping out of the Democratic field in September 2013.[208][209]
Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, with support from much of Kentucky's Democratic leadership, won the Democratic primary.[204][205] Actress Ashley Judd publicly claimed to be considering a run for the Democratic nomination, but ultimately decided against it.[206][207]
Five-term Republican incumbent and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had been re-elected with 53% of the vote in 2008. McConnell is seeking re-election to a sixth term.[63] McConnell defeated businessman Matt Bevin in the Republican primary on May 20.[204]
On September 3, Taylor announced he was dropping out of the election, leading to speculation that Democrats would support Orman's candidacy.[202] On September 18, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that Taylor's name had to be removed from the ballot.[203]
Three-term incumbent Republican Pat Roberts had been re-elected with 60% of the vote in 2008. Roberts sought a fourth term.[61] He faced a primary challenge from radiologist Milton Wolf, a conservative Tea Party supporter.[197] Roberts defeated Wolf in the Republican primary by 48% to 41%.[198] Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor won the Democratic nomination.[199] Randall Batson from Wichita was on the general election ballot as a Libertarian.[200] Also, Greg Orman qualified for the ballot as an independent.[201]
Doug Butzier, who was the Libertarian Party's nominee, died in a plane crash on October 13, 2014, but still appeared on the ballot.[196]
State Senator Joni Ernst was the Republican nominee.[195]
Five-term incumbent Democrat Tom Harkin had been re-elected with 63% of the vote in 2008. Harkin announced on January 26, 2013 that he would not seek a sixth term.[192] Congressman Bruce Braley is the Democratic nominee.[193][194]
State Senator Jim Oberweis was the Republican nominee.[191] He defeated primary challenger Doug Truax with 56% of the vote.
Three-term incumbent and Senate Majority Whip Democrat Dick Durbin had been re-elected with 68% of the vote in 2008. Durbin ran for a fourth term.[190]
Boise attorney Nels Mitchell was the Democratic nominee.[189]
One-term incumbent Republican Jim Risch had been elected with 58% of the vote in 2008. Risch sought a second term.[49]
Campbell Cavasso, former State Representative and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2004 and 2010, was the Republican nominee.[188]
Daniel Inouye, the second longest serving United States Senator in U.S. history, died on December 17, 2012, after respiratory complications.[182] Hawaii law allows the Governor of Hawaii, to appoint an interim Senator "who serves until the next regularly-scheduled general election, chosen from a list of three prospective appointees that the prior incumbent's political party submits". Governor Neil Abercrombie did so,[183] selecting Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz to fill the Senate seat.[184] Inouye had been re-elected in 2010 with 72% of the vote.[185] Schatz was challenged in the Democratic primary by Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa of Hawaii's 1st congressional district, who Inouye had hoped would be his successor.[186] Schatz defeated Hanabusa in the primary with 48.5% to 47.8%.[187]
Libertarian Party of Georgia nomination.
[179] In the May 20 primary, no candidate received a majority of votes, so the top two candidates faced each other in a runoff; Perdue won against Kingston in the runoff primary election on July 22 with 50.9% of the vote.[178].Sonny Perdue, cousin of former Governor David Perdue and wealthy businessman [177]Karen Handel all declared their candidacy for the Republican nomination, as did former Secretary of State [176] Representatives [173] Political activist Derrick Grayson,
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