United States Senate election in Maine, 2014

United States Senate election in Maine, 2014
Maine
November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04)
 
Nominee Susan Collins Shenna Bellows
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 413,495 190,244
Percentage 68.46% 31.50%

County Results
U.S. Senator before election

Susan Collins
Republican

 Elected U.S. Senator

Susan Collins
Republican

The 2014 United States Senate election in Maine took place on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, who has served in the position since 1997, ran for re-election to a fourth term in office.[1][2] The primary elections were held on June 10, 2014.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Write-in candidates

Declined

Campaign

Maine Republican Party Chairman Rick Bennett was critical of Erick Bennett's campaign, stating that he did not believe Erick would get the necessary signatures to get on the ballot. After making it clear the two men are not related, Rick felt that this would be due to Erick's views as expressed on his Facebook page. These included referring to U.S. Representative Mike Michaud as a "closet homo" and criticism of Nelson Mandela, comparing him to Stalin and Karl Marx.[10] Furthermore, Erick Bennett was convicted in 2003 of assaulting his wife, which was upheld by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, though he maintains his innocence.[11] Rick Bennett stated that Erick's views "do not represent the views of the Republican Party".[10]

Erick Bennett announced before the primary filing deadline on March 17 that he had left the Republican Party and would run as an independent.[5] Maine law, however, requires that an independent candidate must have not been in a political party by March 1 of the election year in order to run as an independent, meaning Bennett cannot legally run as such.[12] The Kennebec Journal has reported that Bennett is a write-in candidate for the Republican nomination.[7]

On April 3, 2014, Collins' campaign announced the joint endorsement of Bath Iron Works' labor unions, which the campaign claimed was the first time the unions issued a joint endorsement as well as the first time they endorsed a Republican candidate for federal office.[13]

Polling

Results

Republican primary results[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Susan Collins (Incumbent) 59,767 100
Total votes 59,767 100

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Results

Democratic primary results[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shenna Bellows 65,085 100
Total votes 65,085 100

Independents

To qualify as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maine, a candidate needs to submit at least 4,000 valid signatures to the Secretary of State by June 1. Any independent candidate must not have been enrolled in a political party after March 1 of the year the election occurs.[19]

Former Republican candidate Erick Bennett announced just before the March 17 primary filing deadline that he had left the Republican Party and would run as an independent, but Maine law requires him to have unenrolled as a Republican by March 1 to do so. Therefore, he cannot legally run as an independent.[5][12]

Candidates

Declared

Declined

General election

Background

Heading into the 2014 cycle, only 12 U.S. Senate elections had involved two major party female nominees in U.S. history.[21]

Candidates

Endorsements

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Susan
Collins (R)		 Shenna
Bellows (D)		 Other Undecided
Maine People's Resource Center October 31–November 2, 2014 906 ± 3.25% 57.4% 37.3% — 5.3%
Bangor Daily News/Ipsos October 23–29, 2014 488 ± 5.1% 64% 32% 2% 3%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov October 16–23, 2014 1,177 ± 5% 54% 35% 0% 10%
Pan Atlantic SMS October 15–21, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 66.6% 27% — 6.5%
University of New Hampshire October 15–21, 2014 667 ± 3.8% 65% 30% — 4%
Bangor Daily News/Ipsos October 6–12, 2014 540 LV ± 4.8% 56% 31% 5%[43] 7%
903 RV ± 3.7% 53% 31% 7%[44] 10%
Pan Atlantic SMS September 23–29, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 68.1% 24.8% — 7.3%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov September 20–October 1, 2014 1,531 ± 3% 57% 33% 1% 9%
University of New Hampshire September 18–25, 2014 482 ± 4.4% 59% 29% — 11%
Rasmussen Reports September 3–4, 2014 750 ± 4% 59% 31% 2% 7%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov August 18–September 2, 2014 1,202 ± 4% 58% 26% 3% 12%
Public Policy Polling* August 16–18, 2014 679 ± 3.8% 57% 33% — 10%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov July 5–24, 2014 1,356 ± 2.7% 63% 28% 2% 6%
University of New Hampshire June 12–18, 2014 527 ± 4.3% 72% 17% — 10%
Rasmussen Reports April 23–25, 2014 830 ± 3% 60% 24% 6% 9%
Public Policy Polling November 8–11, 2013 964 ± 3.2% 59% 20% — 22%

Results

Maine's US Senate Election, 2014[45]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Susan Collins (Incumbent) 413,495 68.46
Democratic Shenna Bellows 190,244 31.50
Others 269 0.04
Total votes 604,008 100
Republican hold

See also

References

  1. ↑ Camia, Catalina (March 20, 2013). "Moderate GOP Sen. Collins intends to run again; USA Today". usatoday.com. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Sen. Susan Collins has become a key player in Congress | The Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME". Kjonline.com. August 29, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ Abby Livingston; Joshua Miller; Shira Toeplitz & Kyle Trygstad (November 28, 2012). "Inside the 2014 Senate Races". Roll Call. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Inside the 2014 Senate Races". Roll Call. Associated Press. November 28, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Mario Moretto (December 2, 2013). "Erick Bennett will challenge Collins from the right in Republican primary". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  6. ↑ David Carkhuff (March 12, 2014). "Maine Senate Passes Mainecare Expansion". Portland Daily Sun. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  7. 1 2 "King on Collins: 'We've got a model senator here'". Kennebec Journal. May 16, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Is Collins vulnerable to a conservative primary? | Agree to Disagree". Agreetodisagree.bangordailynews.com. 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  9. ↑ Ethan Strimling (August 25, 2013). "Update: Poliquin enters race for Congress". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
  10. 1 2 Mario Moretto (December 16, 2013). "State GOP rebukes Collins' primary challenger for Facebook comments about Michaud, Mandela". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
  11. ↑ 01/03/2014 7:51 pm EST (January 3, 2014). "Sen. Susan Collins Challenger Says His Wife-Beating Conviction Proves 'Guts And Integrity'". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  12. 1 2 Rebekah Metzler (March 17, 2014). "Maine's Susan Collins Avoids Tea Party Challenge". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Collins endorsed by BIW unions". Susan Collins for US Senate. April 3, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  14. 1 2 "Tabulations for Elections held in 2014". Maine Secretary of State. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Shenna Bellows to launch U.S. Senate campaign on Oct. 23". Kennebec Journal. October 8, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Expanding Medicaid would be 'sinful,' LePage says". Kennebec Journal. March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Sen. Emily Cain launches bid for Michaud's congressional seat". Maine Sun Journal. June 14, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Mike Michaud Exploring Bid for Governor in Maine #MEGOV #ME02". Roll Call. June 13, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Maine". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Independent opts out of U.S. Senate race". Portland Press Herald. January 21, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  21. ↑ Ostermeier, Eric (September 17, 2013). "West Virginia 2014 US Senate Race to Feature Rare Matchup". Smart Politics.
  22. ↑ Sullivan, Sean (May 16, 2014). "King endorsement". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  23. ↑ Burgess Everett & Manu Raju (April 15, 2014). "GOP Senate may run purple". Politico. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  24. ↑ Michael Shepherd (April 26, 2014). "Rand Paul Q&A: Republicans must be more united, inclusive". Kennebec Journal. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Washington Post predicts Poliquin victory; Collins picks up another labor union endorsement". Bangor Daily News. August 7, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Gabrielle Giffords' gun-control group to back Susan Collins". Kennebec Journal. June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Susan Collins should return to the Senate: Maine needs experience". Bangor Daily News. October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Here's why HRC's endorsement of Collins won't hurt Bellows much". Bangor Daily News. June 25, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Endorsements for Shenna Bellows". Sheena Bellows for US Senate. April 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  30. 1 2 3 4 "Shenna Bellows embraces D.C. cash". Bangor Daily News. February 20, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  31. ↑ "For this lifetime Mainer, Bellows is the clear choice". Bangor Daily News. May 30, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  32. ↑ "ME, OR & IA-Sen: Michael Douglas Fundraises For Bellows (D), Merkley (D) & Braley (D)". Daily-Kos. June 9, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  33. ↑ "AFL-CIO endorses Cain, Bellows; Mike Tipping's new book on his favorite governor". Bangor Daily News. June 25, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Labor Stands Strong with Bellows as Collins Trails Far Behind in Union Endorsements". Shenna Bellows for US Senate. April 24, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  35. ↑ "Democracy For America endorses Bellows for U.S. Senate". Shenna Bellows for Senate. March 11, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  36. ↑ Metzler, Rebekah (2014-04-16). "Shenna Bellows makes the (EMILY's) list | Downeast to DC". Downeasttodc.bangordailynews.com. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  37. ↑ http://freethoughtequality.org/candidate-endorsements/
  38. 1 2 "Bellows Endorsed By Major Marijuana Advocacy Groups". Shenna Bellows for Senate. February 19, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Bellows receives endorsement from national progressive group, compared to Elizabeth Warren". Bangor Daily News. February 4, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  40. ↑ "SNAP, Nation's Largest Student-Run Political Action Committee Endorses Shenna Bellows". Shenna Bellows for Senate. May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  41. ↑ "OUR OPINION: Who do we endorse? Nobody — and here's why". MaineToday Media/Kennebec Journal. August 31, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  42. ↑ "Sportsman's Alliance of Maine won't endorse candidates in gubernatorial, federal races". Bangor Daily News. August 21, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  43. ↑ Erick Bennett 4%, Other 1%
  44. ↑ Erick Bennett 5%, other 2%
  45. ↑ "Maine General Election 2014". Maine Secretary of State. 2014-11-04. Retrieved 2014-12-19.

External links

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