2014 United States Senate elections
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| 2014 United States Senate elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election name | 2014 United States Senate elections |
| Country | United States |
| Type | legislative |
| Previous election | 2012 United States Senate elections |
| Previous year | 2012 |
| Next election | 2016 United States Senate elections |
| Next year | 2016 |
| Seats for election | 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate |
| Majority seats | 51 |
| Election date | November 4, 2014 |
| Leader1 | Mitch McConnell |
| Party1 | Republican Party (United States) |
| Leaders seat1 | Kentucky |
| Last election1 | 45 seats |
| Seats1 | 54 |
| Seat change1 | ▲ 9 |
| Popular vote1 | 24,944,195 |
| Percentage1 | 51.5% |
| Swing | ▲ 5.6% |
| Leader2 | Harry Reid |
| Party2 | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Leaders seat2 | Nevada |
| Last election2 | 53 seats |
| Seats2 | 44 |
| Seat change2 | ▼ 9 |
| Popular vote2 | 20,815,411 |
| Percentage2 | 43.0% |
| Swing | ▼ 4.8% |
| Title | Majority Leader |
| Before election | Harry Reid |
| Before party | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After election | Mitch McConnell |
| After party | Republican Party (United States) |
2014 United States Senate elections were held on November 4, 2014, as part of the midterm elections during the presidency of Barack Obama. Thirty-three of the one hundred seats in the United States Senate were contested, with Republicans achieving a decisive net gain of nine seats to reclaim control of the chamber for the first time since the 2006 United States Senate elections. The outcome was widely characterized as a wave election, with significant consequences for the legislative agenda in Washington, D.C..
Background
The elections occurred in the second term of President Barack Obama, whose approval ratings had declined following the contentious rollout of the Affordable Care Act and amid persistent economic anxieties. The Democratic Party was defending a disproportionate number of seats, many in states carried by Mitt Romney in the 2012 United States presidential election, such as Arkansas, Louisiana, and North Carolina. This structural disadvantage was exacerbated by a national political environment favoring the Republican Party. Key retirements, including those of Senators Tom Harkin of Iowa and Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, created open seats in challenging states for Democrats.
Election results
Republicans won 24 of the 33 contested seats, expanding their caucus from 45 to 54 seats. Democrats won only 9 seats, reducing their numbers from 53 to 44 seats; two independents who caucused with Democrats, Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, retained their seats. Notable gains for Republicans included victories in Colorado (Cory Gardner), Iowa (Joni Ernst), and North Carolina (Thom Tillis). The popular vote for Senate races nationwide favored Republicans by approximately 8.5 percentage points. The results gave the Republican Party unified control of the United States Congress alongside its existing majority in the United States House of Representatives.
Major races
Several contests were exceptionally expensive and highly publicized. In Kentucky, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell defeated Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes by a significant margin. The open seat in Georgia saw Republican David Perdue win a close race against Democrat Michelle Nunn. In a major upset, Republican Bill Cassidy unseated three-term Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu in a Louisiana runoff election held in December. The race in Virginia between incumbent Democrat Mark Warner and former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie was unexpectedly close, with Warner winning by less than one percent.
Campaign issues
Nationalized themes dominated most campaigns, with Republicans focusing criticism on the Affordable Care Act, the management of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the foreign policy of the Obama administration, including the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Democrats attempted to localize races and highlight issues like the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and proposals to increase the federal minimum wage. The role of outside spending groups, such as the Senate Leadership Fund and Senate Majority PAC, was immense, with record-breaking sums spent on television advertising, particularly in battleground states like New Hampshire and Colorado.
Aftermath and impact
The Republican victory resulted in Mitch McConnell becoming Majority Leader, replacing Democrat Harry Reid. This shift dramatically altered the legislative landscape, leading to protracted battles over government funding, the confirmation of presidential appointees, and the federal judiciary. The new majority facilitated the passage of bills like the Keystone Pipeline approval, which was subsequently vetoed by President Obama. The elections were seen as a repudiation of the Obama administration and set the stage for the policy debates and political dynamics of the 2016 United States presidential election.
Category:2014 United States Senate elections Category:2014 elections in the United States Category:United States Senate elections