U.S. Senate Races 2014

   Overview  |  Governors  |  U.S. Senate  |  U.S. House  |  State                                                                  this page corrected Nov. 13, 2021

Balance before Nov. 4: 53 Democrats, 2 Independents, 45 Republicans.
36 seats at stake: 21 held by Democrats, 15 by Republicans.

8 open seats due to retirements: 5 held by Republicans, 3 by Democrats. 
0
incumbents defeated in primaries

28 U.S. Senators seeking re-election/election on Nov. 4: 18 Democrats, 10 Republicans.
5 incumbent U.S. Senators defeated: all Democrats. 
Mark Begich (AK), Mark Pryor (AR), Mark Udall (CO), Kay Hagan (NC) and Mary Landrieu (LA).
13 new U.S. Senators elected: 12 Republicans, 1 Democrat. 
Dan Sullivan (AK), Tom Cotton (AR), Cory Gardner (CO), David Perdue (GA), Joni Ernst (IA), Bill Cassidy (LA), Steve Daines (MT), Ben Sasse (NE), Thom Tillis (NC), James Lankford (OK), Mike Rounds (SD) and Shelley Moore Capito (WV).  Gary Peters (MI) was the lone new Democrat.
Of the 36 seats at stake: Republicans won 24, Democrats won 12.
Balance after Nov. 4/Dec. 6: 54 Republicans, 44 Democrats and 2 Independents.
See also: Campaign Literature  |  Campaign Websites  |  Organization: NRSC, DSCC  ||  Links: DSCC  |  NRSC.  
2014
The battle for control of the U.S. Senate was the most closely watched aspect of the 2014 midterm elections.  Republicans needed a net gain of six seats to gain control of the Senate. 

The map favored Republicans.  Democrats were defending six seats in states Romney won by large margins in 2012: Alaska (54.8 to 40.8), Arkansas (60.6 to 36.9), Louisiana (57.8 to 40.6), Montana (55.4 to 41.7), South Dakota (58.0 to 39.9) and West Virginia (62.3 to 35.5); Romney also narrowly won
North Carolina (50.4 to 48.4).  Recognizing that turnout would be a challenge the DSCC developed the Bannock Street Project, a "4,000-person, $60-million, data-driven field and voter contact program that will register, turn out, and persuade voters for the midterms." (+)

Nonetheless as Election Day approached it appeared increasingly likely Republicans would achieve their goal. In many races, undecideds broke to the GOP candidates. 
Observers termed this a "wave election" and noted that "waves break late."

Of the competitive Democratic seats, Democrats managed to hold on only to New Hampshire (Louisiana is still tbd).  Democrats had a number of disappointments.  In Iowa, Rep. Bruce Braley (D)'s campaign was on the ropes from March 2014, when the conservative America Rising released a video of him at a January fundraiser slighting Sen. Chuck Grassley as "a farmer from Iowa who never went to law school."  In Montana, the interim Sen. John Walsh was caught up in a plaigarism imbroglio and withdrew. 

Republicans held all their seats, and picked up nine seats.   The closest races were in North Carolina and Colorado.  One of the biggest surprises was Virginia, where Sen. Mark Warner (D) came within a hair of losing to Ed Gillespie (R).  The NRSC pointed to "recruiting quality candidates" as well as candidate training as two keys to Republicans' success (+).

Democrats had hopes for upsets in a few states, but none of them worked out.  In Kansas, after the Democratic nominee withdrew, Sen. Pat Roberts (R) faced independent Greg Orman.  Georgia looked close to the end, but David Perdue prevailed over Michelle Nunn and avoided a runoff, which would have occurred on Jan. 6.  In Kentucky Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell fended off a strong challenge from Alison Lundergan Grimes on his way to becoming Majority Leader. 


According to OpenSecrets.org (>), the most expensive Senate race occurred in North Carolina, where the campaigns spent $34.7 million and outside groups spent $80.5 million for a total of $115.2 million.  Eight other campaigns tallied more than $50 million in total spending: Colorado ($101.8 million), Iowa ($85.3 million), Kentucky ($81.7 million), Arkansas ($66.3 million), Louisiana ($59.6 million, Alaska ($57.6 million), New Hampshire ($55.5 million), and Michigan ($51.4 million).


Primary
DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS [21]
REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS THIRD PARTY/INDEP.
AK Aug. 19
Mark Begich
Dan Sullivan                  
Mark S. Fish (L)
Ted Gianoutsos (I)
AR May 20
Mark Pryor
Tom Cotton
Nathan LaFrance (L)
Mark Swaney (G)
CO
June 24
Mark Udall
Cory Gardner
Gaylon Kent (L)
Bill Hammons (Unity)
Steve Shogan (unaff.)
Raśl Acosta (unaff.)
DE
Sept. 9
Chris Coons
Kevin Wade
Andrew Groff (G)
HI Aug. 9
Brian Schatz [appointed]
Cam Cavasso
Michael Kokoski (L)
IL March 18
Dick Durbin
Jim Oberweis
Sharon Hansen (L)
IA June 3
Tom Harkin ...annc'd Jan. 26, 2013 retiring
Bruce Braley

Joni Ernst
Doug Butzier (L)
Bob Quast (BQTL)
Ruth Smith
Rick Stewart (I)
LA
Nov. 4
Mary Landrieu  |  W.Ables  |  R.Brown  |  V.Senegal  |  W.WaymireJr.
Bill Cassidy          Dec. 6 runoff     
Rob Maness
Brannon Lee McMorris (L)
MA Sept. 9
Ed Markey
Brian Herr
none
MI
Aug. 5
Carl Levin ...annc'd Mar. 7, 2013 retiring
Gary Peters
Terri Lynn Land
Jim Fulner (L)
Chris Wahmhoff (G)
Richard Matkin (USTP)
MN Aug. 12
Al Franken
Mike McFadden
Steve Carlson (Indep.)
Heather Johnson (L)
MT
June 3
(Max Baucus)  John Walsh  special nominating convention on Aug. 16 selected Amanda Curtis ...retirement (see note)
Steve Daines
Roger Roots (L)
NH Sept. 9
Jeanne Shaheen
Scott Brown
none
NJ
June 3
Cory Booker
Jeff Bell
Joe Baratelli (L)  |  Jeff Boss (I)  |
Eugene Martin LaVergne (D-RP) Antonio Sabas (I)  |  Hank Schroeder (EG)
NM
June 3
Tom Udall
Allen Weh
none
NC
May 6
Kay Hagan
Thom Tillis
Sean Haugh (L)
OR
May 20
Jeff Merkley
Monica Wehby
Mike Montchalin (L)
Christina Lugo (PGP)
RI Sept. 9
Jack Reed
Mark Zaccaria
none
SD June 3
Tim Johnson ...annc'd Mar. 26, 2013 retiring
Rick Weiland
Mike Rounds
Larry Pressler (I)
Gordon Howie (I)
VA
June 10
Mark Warner
Ed Gillespie                 
Rob Sarvis (L)
WV
May 13
Jay Rockefeller ...annc'd Jan. 11, 2013 retiring
Natalie Tennant
Shelley Moore Capito
John Buckley (L)
Phil Hudok (Const.)
Bob Henry Baber (Mtn.)


Primary
DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGERS REPUBLICAN INCUMBENTS [15]
THIRD PARTY/INDEP.
AL
June 3
*no challenger*
Jeff Sessions
none
GA May 20
Michelle Nunn Saxby Chambliss ...annc'd Jan. 25, 2013 retiring
July 22 runoff:
David Perdue defeated Jack Kingston

Amanda Swafford (L)
ID May 20
Nels Mitchell
Jim Risch
none
KS
Aug. 5
(Chad Taylor)
Pat Roberts
Greg Orman (I)
Randall Batson (L)
KY
May 20
Alison Lundergan Grimes Mitch McConnell
David Patterson (L)
ME
June 10
Sheena Bellows
Susan Collins
none
MS
June 3
Travis Childers
Thad Cochran
June 24 runoff defeated Chris McDaniel
Shawn O'Hara (Ref.)
NE
May 13
Dave Domina
Mike Johanns ...annc'd Feb. 18, 2013 retiring
Ben Sasse
Jim Jenkins (I)
Todd Watson (I)
OK June 24
Matt Silverstein
Jim Inhofe
Aaron DeLozier (I)
Joan Farr (I)
Ray Woods (I)
+OK
June 24
Aug. 26 runoff:
Connie Johnson defeated Jim Rogers
Tom Coburn ...annc'd Jan. 16, 2014 retiring early
James Lankford

Mark Beard (I)
SC
June 10
Brad Hutto Lindsey Graham
Thomas Ravenel (pet.)
Victor Kocher (L)
SC
June 10
Joyce Dickerson
Tim Scott [appointed]
Jill Bossi (Am.)
Brandon Armstrong (pet.)
TN Aug. 7
Gordon Ball
Lamar Alexander



Martin Pleasant (G)
Joe Wilmoth (C)
Joshua James (I) [L]
Tom Emerson (I/Tea)
E.Gauthier, D.Page. B.Phillips, C.Salekin, E.Schechter, R.Tyler
TX March 4
May 27 runoff:
David Alameel defeated Kesha Rogers
John Cornyn
Rebecca Paddock (L)
Emily "Spicybrown" Sanchez (G)
WY Aug. 19
Charlie Hardy
Mike Enzi
Joe Porambo (L)
Curt Gottshall (I)

Retiring (5D, 3R): Tom Harkin (D-IA), Carl Levin (D-MI), Max Baucus/John Walsh (D-MT), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV); Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Mike Johanns (R-NE), and Tom Coburn (R-OK) special election. 

Notes:
KS: Democratic nominee Shawnee County prosecutor Chad Taylor withdrew on Sept. 3, 2014.  Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) ruled Taylor's name should remain on the ballot, but on Sept. 18 the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that Taylor had complied with state law and properly withdrawn.  A subsequent case brought by a voter from Kansas City and supported by Kobach sought to compel Democrats to appoint a replacement, but the Kansas Supreme Court ordered that case to a lower court and the clock ran out as ballots had to be printed.


MS: Tea Party backed-Chris McDaniel finished ahead of Sen. Cochran in the June 3 Republican primary by 157,733 to 156,315 votes, but lost to Cochran in the June 24 runoff by 194,972 to 187,249 votes.  McDaniel challenged the outcome, citing irregularities.  A judge dismissed McDaniel's lawsuit on Aug. 29.  On Sept. 5 McDaniel appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court, but on Oct. 25 that Court ruled that McDaniel had "failed to file his election contest timely" (within 20 days).

MT: Sen. Baucus announced on Apr. 23, 2013 that he was retiring.  On Dec. 20, Pres. Obama announced his intent to nominate Baucus as Ambassador to China; the Senate confirmed him on Feb. 6, 2014.  On Feb. 7 Gov. Steve Bullock appointed Lt. Gov. John Walsh as the interim Senator; he was sworn in on Feb. 11.  On June 3 Walsh won the Dem. primary, but on July 23 the New York Times reported he had plagiarized his master's thesis, and on Aug. 7 Walsh withdrew.  A special nominating convention on Aug. 16 selected Amanda Curtis.

OK: Sen. Coburn's term runs through 2016; the special election to fill his seat was June 24 primary, Aug. 28 runoff, and Nov. 4 general election. 


2013


DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLICAN

MA
April 30
June 25
Ed Markey
seat held by John Kerry (resigned Feb. 1)
[William Cowan (D) interim sworn in Feb. 7]
Gabriel Gomez
note: 2014 election as well
NJ
Aug. 13
Oct. 16
Cory Booker
seat held by Frank Lautenberg (died June 3)
[Jeff Chiesa (R) interim sworn in June 10]
Steve Lonegan
a number of independent candidates >
note: 2014 election as well





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