United States Senate elections, 2012
Encyclopedia
Elections to the United States Senate are to be held on November 6, 2012, with 33 of the 100 seats in the Senate
being contested in regular elections whose winners will serve six-year terms from January 3, 2013 until January 3, 2019. Additionally, special elections may be held to fill vacancies that occur during the 112th United States Congress
. Currently, Democrats are expected to have 23 seats up for election, including 2 independents
who caucus with the Democrats, while Republicans are expected to have only 10 seats up for election.
The 2012 presidential election
, elections to the House of Representatives
, elections for governors in 13 states and territories
, and many state and local elections will also be held on this date.
If Senators in other classes die or resign between 2011 and 2012, there may be additional special elections between the beginning of the 112th Congress
(on January 3, 2011), and the 2012 election. The dates between which the death or resignation of a Senator would lead a special election during this time period vary from state to state.
*The Democrats include Independent Democrat
Joe Lieberman
, who ran and won as an independent in 2006 after losing the Connecticut Democratic primary, and Independent Bernie Sanders
of Vermont, both of whom caucus with the Democratic Party.
(an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats) will not seek reelection in 2012. Senator Lieberman sat as a Democrat until 2006, when he was defeated by Ned Lamont
in the Democratic primary. He won re-election with 49.7% of the vote in 2006 as an independent under the Connecticut for Lieberman
Party and has since caucused with the Democrats as an "Independent Democrat."
Former Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz
(D) and Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy
have announced their candidacies for the Democratic Primary. In addition, State Representative William Tong
, a self-identified fiscally conservative democrat, is also considering a US Senate Run.
Potential Republican candidates include 2010 Senate nominee Linda McMahon
, former Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele
, and former Congressmen Chris Shays and Rob Simmons
.
was re-elected in 2006 with 62% of the vote. Akaka has decided not to run for re-election in 2012.
Former Republican Governor Linda Lingle
may seek the seat.
Former Congressman Ed Case
, who challenged Akaka for the Democratic nomination in 2006, and Congresswoman Mazie Hirono
have both announced their candidacies for the seat. Other possible Democratic candidates include former Governor John D. Waihee III
, Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa
, Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz, and former Mayor of Honolulu Mufi Hannemann
.
was re-elected in 2006 with 70.6% of the vote. Bingaman has decided to not run for re-election in 2012.
Businessman Bill English has announced his candidacy as a Republican. On March 7, 2011, former U.S. Representative Heather Wilson
announced that she will seek the Republican nomination. Other Republican Candidates include Businessman Greg Sowards and Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez
. 2008 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate Steve Pearce
is also looking at another run.
Congressmen Martin Heinrich
and state Auditor Hector Balderas
have declared their candidacies.
was re-elected in 2006 with 69% of the vote. Conrad has decided to not run for re-election in 2012.
U.S. Representative Rick Berg
has announced his candidacy as a Republican. State public service commissioner Brian Kalk initially announced his candidacy as well, but has since dropped it to run for the at large congressional seat held by Berg.
On November 8, 2011, former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp
announced that she would be running for the Democratic nomination to face Rick Berg
in the general election.
was elected in 2006 by a margin of 0.6%, narrowly defeating then-incumbent George Allen
in the biggest upset of the 2006 elections. Announcing that he did not want spend his life in politics, Webb said he will not run for re-election.
The Republican Party of Virginia decided that the Republican nominee for this senate seat would be determined through a primary, as opposed to a state convention which had been used in more recent years. On January 24, 2011, George Allen announced that he will seek the Republican nomination.
Jamie Radtke
, head of the Virginia Tea Party Patriots
, has filed papers to run for the Republican nomination.
Also considering a run for the Republican nomination are state Del. Robert G. Marshall
(R-Manassas) and Corey Stewart
, the chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. Marshall ran for the U.S. Senate in 2008, narrowly losing the Republican nomination at the state convention to former Governor Jim Gilmore
by only 69 votes.
On the Democratic Side, former Governor and DNC
chairman Tim Kaine
as well as former CEO of the Brain Trauma Recovery & Policy Institute, Julien Modica. Other possible candidates include Congressman Bobby Scott and former Congressmen Rick Boucher
, Jaime Areizaga-Soto
and Tom Perriello
.
, owner of the NBA
's Milwaukee Bucks
and member of the founding family of the Kohl's
department store chain, announced he would not seek reelection in 2012. He was reelected in 2006 with 67% of the vote and will be 77 years old in 2012.
U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin
announced her intention to run for the seat on September 6. Other potential candidates for the Democrats include former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk
, and Madison biotechnology executive Kevin Conroy.
On the Republican side, Congressman and House Budget Committee
Chairman Paul Ryan
stated he would not have run against Kohl if he had sought re-election, but would contemplate a run if Kohl retired. However, he later stated that he was "95 percent sure" that he would not run. As of September 5, former Congressman Mark Neumann and the Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly Jeff Fitzgerald, and former Governor Tommy Thompson
have confirmed their candidacies for the seat.
was re-elected in 2006 with 59% of the vote. She will be 79 years old in 2012.
At a rally for Barbara Boxer
in October 2010, Feinstein hinted that she will be running for re-election.
Dirk Allen Konopik, an Evangelical Christian, Iraq War veteran, and former congressional aide has filed his Statement of Candidacy with the FEC to challenge incumbent Dianne Feinstein in 2012. Orly Taitz
, the GOP nominee for Secretary of State of California in 2010, has announced that she will challenge Dianne Feinstein in the Blanket Primary next year. Elizabeth Emken
, a prominent Children with Autism advocate and 2010 Republican congressional candidate has also announced that she will challenge Feinstein next year.
Other possible GOP Nominees include 2010 GOP Senate nominee Carly Fiorina
, state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore
, Congressman Darrell Issa
, senior trial lawyer and self-proclaimed "Ron Paul
Republican" Rick Williams, and Keith Holbrook. 2010 Republican Gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman
has ruled out a Senate Run.
was re-elected in 2006 with 64% of the vote. He will be 71 years old in 2012. Nelson has not decided if he will seek a third term.
Pundits and analysts have suggested Nelson will be one of the most vulnerable incumbents in 2012 after he secured deals
to exempt Nebraska from new Medicaid
payments, ease excise taxes on home state health insurance companies, and broker abortion deals in the Senate healthcare bill
.
State Treasurer Don Stenberg
, State Senator Deb Fischer
and State Attorney General
Jon Bruning have announced their candidacies along with Pat Flynn. A February 1, 2011 poll conducted by Public Policy Polling showed Bruning leading Nelson by a 50% to 39% margin, Stenberg leading Nelson by a 45% to 41% margin, and Nelson leading Fischer by a 42% to 35% margin.
Nebraska Governor
Dave Heineman
has announced he will not run.
Possible Republican candidates include political commentator and 2010 Republican U.S. Senate nominee Christine O'Donnell
, Businesswoman and 2010 Republican U.S. Congress primary nominee Michele Rollins
.
was reelected with 60% of the vote in 2006 against controversial former Secretary of State of Florida
Katherine Harris
. He will be 70 years old in 2012. Nelson will seek re-election. Plant City Republican Mike McCalister has announced his candidacy, as has former state House Majority Leader
Adam Hasner
and former U.S. Senator George LeMieux
.
Other potential Republican candidates include Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll
.
Polls conducted in September 2011 showed Nelson leading all his potential opponents by between 13 and 17 points.
Congressman Connie Mack IV announced his intention to seek his party nomination to oppose Nelson on October 26, 2011.
was elected in 2006 with 54% of the vote against former Maryland
Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele
. He will be 69 years old in 2012. According to a Public Policy Polling
survey conducted of 569 voters from July 10–12, 2010, in a potential rematch of 2006, Cardin leads Steele 58% to 28%. In a generic matchup, Cardin leads with 51%, to an unknown generic Republican at 33%.
After losing reelection for the RNC
chairmanship, Steele may seek a rematch with Cardin Former U.S. Secret Service agent Daniel Bongino has announced his candidacy.
was re-elected in 2006 with 57% of the vote to 41% for Oakland County
Sheriff and former State Senate Majority Leader
Michael Bouchard after narrowly defeating Republican incumbent Spencer Abraham
in 2000.
Republican Tea Party Activist
Chad Dewey announced his intent to run in the 2012 election while attending the Tax Day Tea Party event in Washington D.C. on April 15, 2010. Also libertarian activist Scotty Boman is considering a run as a Republican. On May 11, it was reported that Congressman Thad McCotter
was thinking of entering the race. Cardlologist Rob Steele, who ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, was thought to be a possible candidate, but has announced that he will not challenge Sen. Stabenow for her seat. Also in the race are Clark Durant and former Congressman Pete Hoekstra.
Recent polling shows Stabenow leading all potential opponents.
was elected in 2006 with 58% of the vote. Senator Klobuchar's approval ratings, last reported at., have steadily risen since her election in November 2006. Her quick response to the I-35 bridge collapse in her home city of Minneapolis and her travels around the state have solidified the senator's popularity with the citizens of Minnesota. On March 12, 2010, a Rasmussen poll
indicated 67% of Minnesotans approved of the job she was doing. Former state Representative and retired Navy pilot Dan Severson
has announced his candidacy.
Early polling has Klobuchar leading all potential and hypothetical Republican opponents.
was elected in 2006 with 49.6% of the vote, narrowly defeating then-incumbent Jim Talent
. McCaskill will seek re-election in 2012, so far with no prominent Democrat challenging her.
For now, the Republican contenders are Congressman Todd Akin
and former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman
. Businessman John Brunner is still considering a run. Jim Talent declined to run again, and Attorney Ed Martin and former Missouri GOP Chair Ann Wagner
are instead eyeing Missouri's 2nd Congressional District. Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer also declined, and will be running for re-election in the 3rd district.
A survey by PPP conducted April 28-May 1, 2011 showed McCaskill ahead of all declared and potential Republican candidates, but with Akin, Luetkemeyer and Steelman polling within the margin of error of ± 3.9%. In the same survey, Steelman and Akin lead the race for the Republican nomination, although 28% of voters were undecided.
was elected in 2006 by a 49.2% to 48.3% margin, narrowly defeating incumbent Conrad Burns
. Tester will seek re-election. Republican Congressman
Denny Rehberg
has announced his candidacy for the seat. A March 20, 2011 poll taken for Lee Newspapers shows Tester leading Rehberg by a statistically insignificant margin of 46% to 45%.
Former Republican Montana Governor Marc Racicot
is also looking at running.
appointed him to the office after having resigned to become Governor, following his election to said office in November 2005. Menendez comfortably defeated Republican state Senator Tom Kean, Jr., son of popular former Governor and 9/11 Commission
Chairman Tom Kean
and was comfortably elected in November 2006 to a full term. He will be 58 years old in 2012.
In November 2009, former CNN Anchor Lou Dobbs
was seriously considering a challenge to Menendez as either a Republican or Independent. Biotech executive John Crowley
has been rumored to be a potential candidate and Republicans believe that his wealth and appealing biography would make him an appealing candidate. However, Crowley decided not to run http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/republican_hopeful_john_crowle.html.
Gwen Diakos, a former defense contractor from Monmouth County, is running against Menendez as a Democrat in the June primary.
Two Republicans who say they're considering running are state Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos
and state Senator Michael J. Doherty
. In addition, state Senator Tom Kean, Menendez's 2006 opponent, hasn't ruled out running again http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/behind_the_scenes_kyrillos_doh.html.
was re-elected in 2006 with 67% of the vote. She narrowly lost the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination to Barack Obama
. She resigned on January 21, 2009 when the Senate confirmed her as Secretary of State
. On January 23, Governor David Paterson
appointed Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand
to the seat. Gillibrand won a special election in 2010
with 61.2% of the vote. Gillibrand will seek re-election
was elected in 2006 with 56% of the vote, defeating then-incumbent Mike DeWine
, whose popularity suffered due to scandals involving former Republican Governor Bob Taft
and ex-Congressman Bob Ney
. A poll conducted June 26–27 by Public Policy Polling
shows that 45% of voters would vote to re-elect Brown, while 41% would vote to replace him.
Brown will seek re-election in 2012 when he will be 60 years old.
State Treasurer Josh Mandel
, Eric LaMont Gregory, Congressman Jim Jordan
, Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor
, Congressman Steve LaTourette
have all been named as possible Republican contenders.
Dave Zanotti of the Ohio Roundtable has also been mentioned as a possible contender, running as an independent.
A Quinnipiac University survey from May showed Brown leading all potential opposition with former Ohio Secretary of State
Ken Blackwell
who has decided not to run performing the best. In the survey Brown led Blackwell 44% to 35%.
, the son of popular former Governor Bob Casey
, was elected in 2006 with 58.7% of the vote, defeating then-incumbent Rick Santorum
. He was the first Democrat elected to a full term in the U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania since 1962. Casey will seek re-election.
Former Senate staffer Marc Scaringi has announced his candidacy as a Republican. State Senator Jake Corman
is thinking of running but won't make a decision until after the state budget is passed
Early polling showed Casey leading all potential Republican contenders, including his predecessor, by double-digit percentage points.
was elected in 2006 with 53.5% of the vote, defeating then-incumbent Lincoln Chafee
by 6 percentage points. Whitehouse will seek reelection.
Potential Republican Candidates include Former Governor Donald Carcieri
, 2010 Republican nominee for Governor John Robitaille
, and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian.
is an independent
Senator (and self-described democratic socialist) who caucuses with the Democrats and won election with 65.4% of the vote in 2006 after Jim Jeffords
, also an independent, retired. Sanders will be 71 years old in 2012.
Former Republican Governor Jim Douglas
is looking at a possible run, and state Auditor Thomas Salmon, Jr. is seriously thinking of being a candidate.
was re-elected in 2006 with 57% of the vote over Republican Mike McGavick
. A poll conducted by Public Policy Polling
July 27-August 1, 2010 of 1,204 voters had Cantwell leading in two potential matchups. In a matchup with Republican Congressman Dave Reichert
, Cantwell led 47% to 41%. In a matchup with Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Cantwell led 49% to 37%. Susan Hutchison
, who was a 2009 candidate for King County Executive, has frequently been mentioned as a possible GOP opponent for Cantwell.
, the longest serving U.S. Senator in history, was re-elected in 2006 with 64.4% of the vote. On June 28, 2010, Senator Byrd died at the age of 92, leaving this seat vacant. A special election
to fill this seat was held in November 2010, which Democratic Governor Joe Manchin
won with 53.5% of the vote. Manchin will be 65 years old in 2012.
Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito
is the GOP favorite to run for the seat.
Republican Jon Kyl
was re-elected in 2006 with 53% of the vote. He has announced he will not seek a fourth term in 2012, when he will be 70 years old. Republican Representative Jeff Flake
(AZ-6) announced in February 2011 that he will seek his party's nomination.
It has been speculated that Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
may run for the Senate seat. This is, of course, contingent upon her full recovery following the January 8th shooting in Tucson
which saw her and 19 others wounded by gunfire, six of them fatally. Giffords has been seen as having the possibility of her attracting numerous moderate voters, both Republican and Democrat, and dominating the Democratic field in the event of a contentious primary. There has been no official campaign announcement by Giffords or her staff.
was re-elected in 2006 with 62% of the vote despite a poor overall climate for Republicans, who lost control of both chambers of Congress that year. In an interview with Texas Monthly
published in December 2007, Hutchison stated that she would not seek re-election and might also resign from the Senate as early as 2009 to run for governor. After losing the Republican gubernatorial primary to incumbent Governor Rick Perry
, Hutchison announced that she would serve out the remainder of her term and not run for re-election in 2012.
For the Republicans, former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz
, former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert
, and Texas Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones
are candidates. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst
and State Senator Dan Patrick have also been mentioned as possible contenders for the seat. Former Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael L. Williams
and former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams
, who both were originally running for the seat, have decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives instead.
John Sharp
, the former Democratic state comptroller, has said he will run whenever the seat comes up for an election. On May 11, retired U.S. Army General Ricardo Sanchez
announced that he would run as a Democrat.
, who criticizes Lugar for his willingness to vote with Democrats on key issues.
was re-elected in 2006 with 73% of the vote, the largest margin of any incumbent in 2006, other than Indiana Senator Richard Lugar (who ran without a Democratic opponent). She will be 65 years old in 2012.
A conservative challenger, Scott D'Amboise, is already running against Snowe in the Republican Primary. Tea Party candidate Andrew Ian Dodge is also challenging Snowe in the Republican Primary.
Former Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap
, a democrat, announced in early November 2011 that he was running in the democratic primary. Also in November Maine State Representative Jon Hinck
announced he would run in the democratic primary.
was re-elected in 2006
with 69% of the vote. However, he wasn't able to finish his term as he died just before midnight of August 25, 2009 at the age of 77, due to a malignant glioma, a form of brain cancer.
Paul G. Kirk was appointed as the interim Senator by Gov. Deval Patrick
and was sworn in on September 25, 2009 to serve until a permanent Senator was elected in the special election
on January 19, 2010.
Republican state legislator Scott Brown
won the special election in an upset that generated national publicity and was sworn in on February 4, 2010. He is running for reelection to a full term in 2012. He is the first Republican senator to be elected in Massachusetts since 1972. He won 52% of the vote in the special election.
Democrats who have announced their candidacies include State Representative Tom Conroy and Harvard Law School
professor Elizabeth Warren
.
was appointed after former Senate Majority Leader
Trent Lott
announced on November 26, 2007 that he was going to resign by the end of 2007. Wicker defeated former Governor Ronnie Musgrove
in the 2008 special election
and will be up for re-election in 2012.
was re-elected in 2006 with 55% of the vote against Jack Carter
, son of former Democratic President Jimmy Carter
.
In June 2009, Ensign admitted to an affair that he had with a campaign staffer. Sources also reported blackmail with the husband of the women involved apparently asking Ensign for a substantial amount of money. On July 14, 2009, Ensign announced that he was running for re-election He changed his mind and announced on March 7, 2011 that he would not seek re-election. Amid his continuing ethics investigation relating to his affair and the effect it was having on his family, Ensign announced he would resign effective May 3, 2011. Governor Brian Sandoval
was obligated to appoint his successor.
Republican Congressman Dean Heller
had announced he would run for the seat after Ensign announced he would retire and serve the remainder of the term. Governor Brian Sandoval
appointed Heller as successor to serve out the remainder of Ensign's term after he announced his resignation.
Democratic Congresswoman Shelley Berkley
has announced she will run for the seat.
was elected in 2006 with 50.7% of the vote. He narrowly defeated then-Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.
. Country music singer Hank Williams, Jr.
has expressed an interest in challenging Corker for the GOP nomination in 2012.
Corker set up "the Bob Corker for Senate 2012 committee" on November 8, 2006, or one day after winning a six-year term.
was re-elected in 2006 with 62% of the vote. He will be 78 years old in 2012, and has announced he will run for re-election. Hatch has no formally-announced opponents. Though Hatch remains popular with Utahns in general, he is viewed by many in the Utah Republican Party as too moderate, and many names are being floated as potential challengers.
The name most frequently mentioned was that of conservative Congressman Jason Chaffetz
, who had criticized Hatch, but Chaffetz announced on August 22, 2011, that he would not run against Hatch. http://www.politico.com/blogs/davidcatanese/0811/Chaffetz_wont_challenge_Hatch.html].
Also frequently mentioned is state Senator Dan Liljenquist
. http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2011/08/rep-chaffetz-launch-statewide-campaign-tour. Among Democrats, Congressman Jim Matheson
has been mentioned frequently and polls show him running competitively against both Hatch and Chaffetz http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2011/07/matheson-competitive-in-utah-senate.html.
was appointed to the Senate in 2007 after the death of Republican Craig L. Thomas and won a special election in 2008
to complete Thomas's term.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
being contested in regular elections whose winners will serve six-year terms from January 3, 2013 until January 3, 2019. Additionally, special elections may be held to fill vacancies that occur during the 112th United States Congress
112th United States Congress
The One Hundred Twelfth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2011, and will end on January...
. Currently, Democrats are expected to have 23 seats up for election, including 2 independents
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
who caucus with the Democrats, while Republicans are expected to have only 10 seats up for election.
The 2012 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2012
The United States presidential election of 2012 is the next United States presidential election, to be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. It will be the 57th quadrennial presidential election in which presidential electors, who will actually elect the President and the Vice President of the United...
, elections to the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives elections, 2012
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections will be held on November 6, 2012. Elections will be held for all 435 seats, representing the 50 U.S. states. Elections will also be held for the delegates from the District of Columbia and five major U.S. territories.The winners of this...
, elections for governors in 13 states and territories
United States gubernatorial elections, 2012
The United States gubernatorial elections of 2012 will be held in eleven states and two territories concurrent with other elections during the United States General election of 2012.- Predictions :...
, and many state and local elections will also be held on this date.
Composition
Among the Senate seats up for election in 2012, there are 21 Democrats, 10 Republicans and 2 Independents. The Independents include Joe Lieberman, who ran and won as an independent in 2006 after losing the Connecticut Democratic primary. Lieberman and Independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont both caucus with the Democratic Party.If Senators in other classes die or resign between 2011 and 2012, there may be additional special elections between the beginning of the 112th Congress
112th United States Congress
The One Hundred Twelfth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2011, and will end on January...
(on January 3, 2011), and the 2012 election. The dates between which the death or resignation of a Senator would lead a special election during this time period vary from state to state.
Race summary
| State | Incumbent | Party | Status | Announced Candidates | Previous Election Results | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incumbent Party | Opposing Party | Independent/ 3rd Party | |||||
| Arizona | Jon Kyl Jon Kyl Jon Llewellyn Kyl is the junior U.S. Senator from Arizona and the Senate Minority Whip, the second-highest position in the Republican Senate leadership. In 2010 he was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for his persuasive role in the Senate.The son... |
Republican | Retiring | Will Cardon (R) Jeff Flake Jeff Flake Jeffrey Lane "Jeff" Flake is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was featured in the documentary series How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories.... (R) Bryan Hackbarth (R) Doug McKee (R) Claire Van Steenwyk (R) |
Don Bivens Don Bivens Donald W. "Don" Bivens is an American attorney, former member of the ABA Board of Governors, and former Chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party. Bivens is running for the United States Senate seat currently held by Jon Kyl- Personal life :Bivens was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the son of Dr.... (D) Richard Carmona Richard Carmona Richard Henry Carmona is an American physician, public health administrator, and politician. He was a vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and served as the seventeenth Surgeon General of the United States. Appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002, Carmona left office... (D) |
Ian Gilyeat (I) | Jon Kyl Jon Kyl Jon Llewellyn Kyl is the junior U.S. Senator from Arizona and the Senate Minority Whip, the second-highest position in the Republican Senate leadership. In 2010 he was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for his persuasive role in the Senate.The son... (R) 53% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Jim Pederson Jim Pederson James "Jim" Pederson , is an American businessman, co-founder of the commercial development firm The Pederson Group, and was the Chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party from 2001 to 2005... (D) 44%, Other 3% |
| California | Dianne Feinstein Dianne Feinstein Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988.... |
Democratic | TBA | Elizabeth Emken Elizabeth Emken Elizabeth Emken is the mother of a special needs child and the former Vice President for Government Relations at Autism Speaks. In 2010, she ran for Congress in California's 11th Congressional District to replace Democrat representative Jerry McNerney. On November 28th, 2011, Emken announced via... (R) Don Grundmann (R) Keith Holbrook (R) Tim Kalemkarian (R) Dirk Allen Konopik (R) Michael Stollaire (R) Orly Taitz Orly Taitz Orly Taitz is an American dentist, lawyer, former real estate agent, and leading figure in the "birther" movement, which challenges whether Barack Obama is a natural-born citizen eligible to serve as President of the United States... (R) |
Don Grundmann (AIP) | Dianne Feinstein Dianne Feinstein Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988.... (D) 59% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Dick Mountjoy Dick Mountjoy Richard L. "Dick" Mountjoy is a Republican politician from Monrovia, California.-Personal life:Mountjoy was born in Los Angeles and graduated from Monrovia-Arcadia-Duarte High School. He was married to Earline Winnett until her death in 2009. He has two sons, Michael and Dennis Lee, and one... (R) 35%, Other 6% |
|
| Connecticut | Joe Lieberman Joe Lieberman Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,... |
Independent | Retiring | Susan Bysiewicz Susan Bysiewicz Susan Bysiewicz served as Secretary of the State of Connecticut from 1999 to 2011. She was briefly a candidate for Governor of Connecticut in 2010, before dropping out to run for Connecticut Attorney General. She was disqualified from running for the office by the Connecticut Supreme Court and... (D) Chris Murphy Chris Murphy (politician) Christopher Scott "Chris" Murphy is the U. S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.Murphy previously served in the Connecticut House of Representatives and the Connecticut Senate.... (D) William Tong William Tong William Tong serves as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives. First elected in November 2006, he represents the 147th district, which includes parts of Stamford and New Canaan... (D) Lee Whitnum Lee Whitnum Lee Whitnum is an American writer and politician. She is an outspoken critic of the Israeli lobby and gained notoriety on that issue in the 2010 Connecticut U.S. Senate race as a Democrat. She also takes a hard stand against illegal and legal "white collar" immigration as a way to curtail... (D) |
Brian Hill (R) Peter Lumaj (R) Jason McCoy (R) Linda McMahon Linda McMahon Linda Marie McMahon is an American professional wrestling magnate and politician. She is notable for her career developing WWE with her husband Vince McMahon. She was in the company from 1980 to 2009. During this time, WWE grew from a small regional business in New York to a large multinational... (R) Chris Shays (R) |
Paul Passarelli (L) | Joe Lieberman Joe Lieberman Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,... (I Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) 50% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Ned Lamont Ned Lamont Edward Miner "Ned" Lamont, Jr. is a businessman and heir and most recently an unsuccessful candidate for the 2010 Democratic nomination for Governor of Connecticut. On May 22, 2010, Lamont received more than fifteen percent of the vote at the state Democratic convention, and appeared on the... (D) 40%, Alan Schlesinger Alan Schlesinger Alan Schlesinger is an attorney, former Derby, Connecticut mayor, former Connecticut State Representative, and three-time unsuccessful Congressional candidate who received the Republican nomination for the seat representing Connecticut that is currently held by U.S... (R) 10% |
| Delaware | Tom Carper | Democratic | Running | Tom Carper (D) 70% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Jan Ting (R) 29%, Other 1% |
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| Florida | Bill Nelson Bill Nelson Clarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former U.S. Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida... |
Democratic | Running | Bill Fisher Jr. (R) Alexander George (R) Adam Hasner Adam Hasner Adam Hasner , served as a State Representative for District 87 in the Florida House of Representatives until 2010. District 87 includes the coastal communities in the southern portion of Palm Beach County and the northern part of Broward County, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach... (R) George LeMieux George LeMieux George Stephen LeMieux is a former United States Senator from Florida. He was Chairman of the Florida-based law firm of Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. and served as Chief of Staff to Governor Charlie Crist, was former Deputy Florida Attorney General, and is credited with spearheading Crist's... (R) Connie Mack IV Connie Mack IV Cornelius Harvey McGillicuddy IV popularly known as Connie Mack IV is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes Fort Myers and Naples.... (R) Mike McCalister (R) Ron McNeil (R) Craig Miller (R) Ron Rushing (R) Marielena Stuart (R) |
Bill Nelson Bill Nelson Clarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former U.S. Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida... (D) 60% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Katherine Harris Katherine Harris Katherine Harris is an American Republican politician, former Secretary of State of Florida, and former member of the United States House of Representatives. Harris won the 2002 election to represent Florida's 13th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She held that post... (R) 38%, Other 2% |
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| Hawaii | Daniel Akaka Daniel Akaka Daniel Kahikina Akaka is the junior U.S. Senator from Hawaii and a member of the Democratic Party. He is the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and is currently the only member of the Senate who has Chinese ancestry.... |
Democratic | Retiring | Ed Case Ed Case Edward Espenett "Ed" Case is a Democratic politician and a former member of the United States House of Representatives. Case, a Blue Dog Democrat, first came to prominence in Hawaii as majority leader of the Hawaii State Legislature and for his campaign for Governor of Hawaii in 2002... (D) Mazie Hirono Mazie Hirono is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United... (D) |
John Carroll John Carroll -People:*John Carroll , American actor*John Carroll , Australian neoconservative writer*Sir John Carroll , British scientist*John Carroll -People:*John Carroll (actor) (1906–1979), American actor*John Carroll (author) (born 1944), Australian neoconservative writer*Sir John Carroll (astronomer)... (R) Linda Lingle Linda Lingle Linda Lingle was the sixth Governor of Hawaii. Lingle holds a number of distinctions: first Republican elected governor of Hawaii since the departure of William F... (R) |
Daniel Akaka Daniel Akaka Daniel Kahikina Akaka is the junior U.S. Senator from Hawaii and a member of the Democratic Party. He is the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and is currently the only member of the Senate who has Chinese ancestry.... (D) 61% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Cynthia Thielen Cynthia Thielen Cynthia Thielen, is a Republican member of the Hawaii House of Representatives and was the Republican nominee for United States Senate in 2006, challenging incumbent Democrat Daniel Akaka. She lost to Akaka, 62% to 38%, in the general election.... (R) 37%, Other 2% |
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| Indiana | Richard Lugar | Republican | Running | Richard Mourdock Richard Mourdock -External links:********... (R) |
Joe Donnelly Joe Donnelly Joseph Simon "Joe" Donnelly, Sr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Donnelly announced Monday May 9 that he would run for the United States Senate seat that is held by Republican Richard Lugar.-Early life, education and career:Joe Donnelly... (D) |
Jack Rooney (I) | Richard Lugar (R) 87% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Steve Osborn (Libertarian Libertarian Party (United States) The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration... ) 13% |
| Maine | Olympia Snowe Olympia Snowe Olympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,... |
Republican | Running | Scott D'Amboise (R) Andrew Ian Dodge (R) |
Matthew Dunlap Matthew Dunlap Matthew Dunlap is an American Democratic politician from Maine. He is the former Secretary of State of Maine, taking office on January 7, 2005. Leaving office in January 2011, he assumed the role of Executive Director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine... (D) Jon Hinck Jon Hinck Jon Hinck is an American environmentalist, lawyer and politician. Since 2006 he has served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives, representing House District 118, part of Portland, Maine. The non-partisan research group Maine Conservation Voters gives Hinck a score of "100%" on their... (D) |
Olympia Snowe Olympia Snowe Olympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,... (R) 74% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Jean Hay Bright Jean Hay Bright Jean Hay Bright is an American politician from Maine. Originally a member of the Maine Democratic Party, Hay Bright re-registered as "unenrolled" in December 2009 following the announcement of the Afghanistan War troop surge of 2009... (D) 21%, Bill Slavick Bill Slavick Bill Slavick is a peace activist who ran for the U.S. Senate in Maine as an independent in the 2006 election. He came in third place, receiving 5.2% of the vote.-Background:... (I Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) 5% |
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| Maryland | Ben Cardin Ben Cardin Benjamin Louis "Ben" Cardin is the junior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the Senate, Cardin was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1987 to 2007.Cardin was elected to succeed Paul Sarbanes in... |
Democratic | Running | Raymond Blagmon (D) | Dan Bongino (R) William Capps (R) Rick Hoover (R) Eric Wargotz (R) |
Ben Cardin Ben Cardin Benjamin Louis "Ben" Cardin is the junior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the Senate, Cardin was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1987 to 2007.Cardin was elected to succeed Paul Sarbanes in... (D) 54%, Michael Steele (R) 44%, Other 2% |
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| Massachusetts | Scott Brown Scott Brown Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State... |
Republican | Running | Tom Conroy (D) Marisa DeFranco (D) Jim King (D) Herb Robinson (D) Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Warren is an American bankruptcy expert, policy advocate, Harvard Law School professor, and Democratic Party candidate in the 2012 United States Senate election in Massachusetts. She has written several academic and popular books concerning the American economy and personal finance. She... (D) |
2006 Election Ted Kennedy Ted Kennedy Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history... (D) 69% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Kenneth Chase (R) 31% 2010 Special Election United States Senate special election in Massachusetts, 2010 The 2010 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts was a special election held on January 19, 2010, in order to fill the Massachusetts Class I United States Senate seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2013... Scott Brown Scott Brown Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State... (R) 52%, Martha Coakley Martha Coakley Martha Mary Coakley is the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Prior to serving as Attorney General, she was District Attorney of Middlesex County, Massachusetts from 1999 to 2007.... (D) 47% |
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| Michigan | Debbie Stabenow Debbie Stabenow Deborah Ann Greer "Debbie" Stabenow is the junior United States Senator from Michigan and a member of the Democratic Party. Before her election to the U.S. Senate, she was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2001... |
Democratic | Running | Scott Boman (R) Chad Dewey (R) Clark Durant (R) Gary Glenn (R) Randy Hekman (R) Pete Hoekstra Pete Hoekstra Peter "Pete" Hoekstra is a former Republican U.S. Representative for who served in the House from 1993 until 2011. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Michigan in 2010 and is expected to run for the United States Senate against Debbie Stabenow in 2012.-Early life and education:Born... (R) Peter Konetchy (R) Chuck Marino (R) Rick Wilson (R) |
Debbie Stabenow Debbie Stabenow Deborah Ann Greer "Debbie" Stabenow is the junior United States Senator from Michigan and a member of the Democratic Party. Before her election to the U.S. Senate, she was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2001... (D) 57% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Mike Bouchard Mike Bouchard Michael J."Mike" Bouchard was a Republican candidate for governor of Michigan and is the sheriff of Oakland County... (R) 41%, Other 2% |
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| Minnesota | Amy Klobuchar Amy Klobuchar Amy Jean Klobuchar is the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party... |
Democratic | Running | Dick Franson (D) Jack Shepard (D) |
Joe Arwood (R) Anthony Hernandez (R) Dan Severson Dan Severson Daniel Mark "Dan" Severson is an American politician. He is a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented District 14A, which includes portions of Benton and Stearns counties in the north central part of the state. He was also a candidate for Minnesota Secretary of... (R) |
Amy Klobuchar Amy Klobuchar Amy Jean Klobuchar is the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party... (DFL Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party... ) 58%, Mark Kennedy (R) 38%, Other 4% |
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| Mississippi | Roger Wicker Roger Wicker Roger Frederick Wicker is the junior U.S. Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served... |
Republican | Running | 2006 Election Trent Lott Trent Lott Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate.... (R) 64% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Erik Fleming (D) 35%, Other 1% 2008 Special Election United States Senate special election in Mississippi, 2008 The 2008 United States Senate special election in Mississippi was held on November 4, 2008. This election is held on the same day of Thad Cochran's re-election bid in the United States Senate election in Mississippi, 2008. The rules of this special election is that the winner will serve rest of... Roger Wicker Roger Wicker Roger Frederick Wicker is the junior U.S. Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served... (R) 55%, Ronnie Musgrove Ronnie Musgrove David Ronald "Ronnie" Musgrove is an American politician who was the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from January 16, 1996 to January 11, 2000 and the 62nd Governor of Mississippi from January 11, 2000 to January 13, 2004 of the U.S. state of Mississippi. He was recently defeated by... (D) 45% |
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| Missouri | Claire McCaskill Claire McCaskill Claire Conner McCaskill is the senior United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. She defeated Republican incumbent Jim Talent in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, by a margin of 49.6% to 47.3%. She is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri in her own... |
Democratic | Running | Samuel Lipari (D) | Todd Akin Todd Akin William Todd Akin is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district includes the western St. Louis suburbs of Ballwin, Kirkwood, Chesterfield, Wildwood, Town and Country, and Des Peres located along Interstate 270 in West County and the... (R) John Brunner Sarah Steelman Sarah Steelman Sarah Steelman is an American politician from Missouri, serving as State Treasurer from 2005 to 2009. She did not run for re-election as State Treasurer in 2008, having run for Governor, and was succeeded in office by Democrat Clint Zweifel on January 12, 2009... (R) |
Jim Talent Jim Talent James Matthes "Jim" Talent is an American politician and former senator from Missouri. He is a Republican and resided in the St. Louis area while serving in elected office. He identifies with the conservative wing of the Republican party, being particularly outspoken on judicial appointments,... (R) 47% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Claire McCaskill Claire McCaskill Claire Conner McCaskill is the senior United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. She defeated Republican incumbent Jim Talent in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, by a margin of 49.6% to 47.3%. She is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri in her own... (D) 50%, Other 3% |
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| Montana | Jon Tester Jon Tester Jon Tester is the junior U.S. Senator for Montana, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as President of the Montana Senate.-Early life, education, and farming career:... |
Democratic | Running | Denny Rehberg Denny Rehberg Dennis R. "Denny" Rehberg is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:... (R) |
Conrad Burns Conrad Burns Conrad Ray Burns is a former United States Senator from Montana. He is only the second Republican to represent Montana in the Senate since the passage in 1913 of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and is the longest-serving Republican senator in Montana history.While in... (R) 48% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Jon Tester Jon Tester Jon Tester is the junior U.S. Senator for Montana, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as President of the Montana Senate.-Early life, education, and farming career:... (D) 49%, Other 3% |
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| Nebraska | Ben Nelson Ben Nelson Earl Benjamin "Ben" Nelson is the senior U.S. Senator from Nebraska. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000.... |
Democratic | TBA | Jon Bruning (R) Deb Fischer Deb Fischer Deb Fischer is a member of the Nebraska Legislature, representing a district in the north-central portion of the state.... (R) Pat Flynn (R) Don Stenberg Don Stenberg Don Stenberg is a Republican politician and attorney from Nebraska. He served as Attorney General of Nebraska from 1991 to 2003 and currently serves as State Treasurer of Nebraska to which he took office in 2011. He also served as legal counsel to Governor Charles Thone from 1979 to 1983.-Stenberg v... (R) Spencer Zimmerman (R) |
Russell Anderson (I) | Ben Nelson Ben Nelson Earl Benjamin "Ben" Nelson is the senior U.S. Senator from Nebraska. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000.... (D) 64% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Pete Ricketts Pete Ricketts John Peter "Pete" Ricketts is the former Chief Operating Officer of Ameritrade. He was the Republican nominee for the 2006 U.S. Senate race in Nebraska which he lost to incumbent Ben Nelson.-Biography:... (R) 36% |
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| Nevada | Dean Heller Dean Heller Dean A. Heller is the junior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Republican Party. Heller was appointed by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval to a vacant seat created by the resignation of John Ensign. He was previously a member of the United States House of Representatives,... |
Republican | Running | Edward Hamilton (R) | Shelley Berkley Shelley Berkley Rochelle "Shelley" Berkley is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999, and a candidate for U.S. Senate. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education, and legal career:... (D) |
John Ensign John Ensign John Eric Ensign is a former United States Senator from Nevada, serving from January 2001 until he resigned amid an investigation of an ethics violation in May 2011... (R) 55% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Jack Carter Jack Carter (politician) John William "Jack" Carter, , is an American businessman and politician who unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate in Nevada in 2006. Carter is the eldest child of former President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.... (D) 41%, Other 4% |
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| New Jersey | Bob Menendez | Democratic | Running | Gwen Diakos (D) Jeff Boss (D) |
Joe Kyrillos (R) Ian Linker (R) Joe Rullo (R) |
Larry Donahue (I) | Bob Menendez (D) 53% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Thomas Kean Jr. Thomas Kean Jr. Thomas Howard "Tom" Kean Jr. is an American Republican politician, serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2003. He represents the 21st Legislative District, which covers parts of Union, Morris, Somerset and Essex Counties... (R) 45%, Other 2% |
| New Mexico | Jeff Bingaman Jeff Bingaman Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman, Jr. , is the senior U.S. Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party... |
Democratic | Retiring | Hector Balderas Hector Balderas Hector H. Balderas Jr. is an American attorney and politician who is currently serving as the New Mexico State Auditor . Balderas became the youngest statewide Hispanic elected official in the nation in 2006 when he won his first race for State Auditor at the age of 33... (D) Martin Heinrich Martin Heinrich Martin T. Heinrich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the central area of the state, in and around Albuquerque.- Early life, education and career :... (D) Andres Valdez (D) |
Bill English (R) John Sanchez John Sanchez John A. Sanchez is an American politician and, as of January 1, 2011, the 31st Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico by winning the primary election on June 1, 2010, and the general election on November 2, 2010.-Biography:... (R) Greg Sowards (R) Heather Wilson Heather Wilson Heather A. Wilson , is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing from 1998 to 2009... (R) |
Jeff Bingaman Jeff Bingaman Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman, Jr. , is the senior U.S. Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party... (D) 71% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Allen McCulloch (R) 29% |
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| New York | Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party... |
Democratic | Running | Scott Noren (D) | George Maragos (R) | 2006 Election Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the... (D) 67% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), John Spencer John Spencer (politician) John Spencer is the former Mayor of Yonkers, New York . He was the 2006 Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from New York and lost to incumbent Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton.-Early life, military service and education:... (R) 31%, Other 2% 2010 Special Election United States Senate special election in New York, 2010 The 2010 United States Senate special election in New York took place on November 2, 2010, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections... Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party... (D) 63%, Joseph DioGuardi (R) 35%, Other 2% |
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| North Dakota | Kent Conrad Kent Conrad Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party... |
Democratic | Retiring | Heidi Heitkamp Heidi Heitkamp Heidi Heitkamp is a lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of North Dakota. She served as the 28th attorney general of the state from 1993 to 2001. She ran on the Democratic-NPL ticket for governor in 2000, losing to John Hoeven. She was considering a bid for the Democratic nomination for the... (D) Tom Potter (D) |
Rick Berg Rick Berg Richard Alan Berg is the U.S. Representative for . Berg serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. He is a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the state House of Representatives. He served as Majority Leader and Speaker.-Early life, education, and pre-political career:Berg... (R) Duane Sand Duane Sand Duane Sand is a North Dakota politician, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and a U.S. Navy officer during the Iraq War. Sand ran for the United States Senate in North Dakota on the Republican ticket in 2000 against incumbent Kent Conrad of the Democratic-Nonpartisan League, and was... (R) |
Kent Conrad Kent Conrad Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party... (D-NPL) 69% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Dwight Grotberg Dwight Grotberg Dwight Grotberg is a North Dakota politician and a former Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in North Dakota. He ran against the Democratic-NPL incumbent, Kent Conrad, on November 7, 2006, but did not defeat him... (R) 29%, Other 2% |
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| Ohio | Sherrod Brown Sherrod Brown Sherrod Campbell Brown is the senior United States Senator from Ohio and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the U.S. Senate, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 13th congressional district from 1993 to 2007... |
Democratic | Running | Rusty Bliss (R) Donna Glisman (R) Eric LaMont Gregory (R) Michael Pryce (R) |
Mike DeWine Mike DeWine Richard Michael "Mike" DeWine is the Attorney General for the state of Ohio. He has held numerous offices on the state and federal level, including Ohio State Senator, four terms as a U.S. Congressman, Ohio Lt. Governor, and was a two-term U.S. Senator, serving from 1995 to 2007.- Biography :Born... (R) 44% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Sherrod Brown Sherrod Brown Sherrod Campbell Brown is the senior United States Senator from Ohio and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the U.S. Senate, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 13th congressional district from 1993 to 2007... (D) 56% |
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| Pennsylvania | Bob Casey, Jr. Bob Casey, Jr. Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Jr. is the senior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as Pennsylvania Treasurer, and Pennsylvania Auditor General. He is the son of former Governor Bob Casey, Sr..He is the first Democrat elected to a full term in... |
Democratic | Running | Tim Burns Tim Burns (Pennsylvania businessman) Tim Burns is a Pennsylvania businessman who ran as a Republican in the 2010 special election to represent Western Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Burns won the party nomination but lost the November general election to Democratic incumbent Mark Critz... (R) Laureen Cummings (R) John Kensinger (R) John Marc Scaringi (R) Tom Smith (R) John Vernon (R) David Christian (R) Steve Welch (R) |
Rick Santorum Rick Santorum Richard John "Rick" Santorum is a lawyer and a former United States Senator from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Santorum was the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference -making him the third-ranking Senate Republican from 2001 until his leave in 2007. Santorum is considered both a social... (R) 41% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Bob Casey, Jr. Bob Casey, Jr. Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Jr. is the senior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as Pennsylvania Treasurer, and Pennsylvania Auditor General. He is the son of former Governor Bob Casey, Sr..He is the first Democrat elected to a full term in... (D) 59% |
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| Rhode Island | Sheldon Whitehouse Sheldon Whitehouse Sheldon Whitehouse is the junior U.S. Senator from Rhode Island, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party... |
Democratic | Running | Barry Hinckley (R) | Lincoln Chafee Lincoln Chafee Lincoln Davenport Chafee is an American politician who has been the 74th Governor of Rhode Island since January 2011. Prior to his election as governor, Chafee served in the United States Senate as a Republican from 1999 until losing his Senate re-election bid in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon... (R) 47% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Sheldon Whitehouse Sheldon Whitehouse Sheldon Whitehouse is the junior U.S. Senator from Rhode Island, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party... (D) 53% |
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| Tennessee | Bob Corker Bob Corker Robert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.-Early life and family:Born in Orangeburg, South... |
Republican | Running | James Durkan (R) Zach Poskevich (R) |
Bob Corker Bob Corker Robert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.-Early life and family:Born in Orangeburg, South... (R) 51%, Harold Ford, Jr. Harold Ford, Jr. Harold Eugene Ford, Jr. is an American politician and was the last chairman of the now-defunct Democratic Leadership Council . He was a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives from , centered in Memphis, from 1997 to 2007... (D) 48%, Other 1% |
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| Texas | Kay Bailey Hutchison Kay Bailey Hutchison Kathryn Ann Bailey Hutchison, known as Kay Bailey Hutchison , is the senior United States Senator from Texas.She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S.... |
Republican | Retiring | Glenn Addison (R) Andrew Castanuela (R) Curt Cleaver (R) Ted Cruz Ted Cruz Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz is the former Solicitor General of Texas, a position he held from 2003 to May 2008. Cruz was appointed by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. He was the first Hispanic Solicitor General in Texas, the youngest Solicitor General in America and the longest to hold the... (R) David Dewhurst David Dewhurst David Dewhurst is the 41st and current Lieutenant Governor of Texas, serving under Governor Rick Perry since January 21, 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Texas Land Commissioner from 1999 to 2003. Dewhurst announced on July 18, 2011, that he was running for the... (R) Nick Latham (R) Tom Leppert Tom Leppert Tom Leppert is an American politician who served as mayor of Dallas, Texas from 2007 to 2011, and who worked as CEO of the Turner Corporation... (R) Lela Pittenger (R) David Smith (R) |
Stanley Garza (D) Sean Hubbard (D) Ricardo Sanchez Ricardo Sanchez Ricardo Sanchez is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General and a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for the Senate election in 2012 for the seat of retiring Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.-Early life and education:... (D) |
Chris Tina Foxx Bruce (I) Jon Roland (L) |
Kay Bailey Hutchison Kay Bailey Hutchison Kathryn Ann Bailey Hutchison, known as Kay Bailey Hutchison , is the senior United States Senator from Texas.She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S.... (R) 62% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Barbara Ann Radnofsky Barbara Ann Radnofsky Barbara Ann Radnofsky is a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Texas. She is the first woman to have won the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas.-Early life and career:... (D) 36%, Other 2% |
| Utah | Orrin Hatch Orrin Hatch Orrin Grant Hatch is the senior United States Senator for Utah and is a member of the Republican Party. Hatch served as the chairman or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1993 to 2005... |
Republican | Running | Kevin Fisk (R) | Christopher Stout (D) Pete Ashdown Pete Ashdown Peter Lynn "Pete" Ashdown is the founder and CEO of Utah's first independent and oldest Internet service provider, XMission. In 2006 he challenged and lost to incumbent U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, running as the Democratic candidate.... (D) |
Orrin Hatch Orrin Hatch Orrin Grant Hatch is the senior United States Senator for Utah and is a member of the Republican Party. Hatch served as the chairman or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1993 to 2005... (R) 62% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Pete Ashdown (D) 31%, Other 7% |
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| Vermont | Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders Bernard "Bernie" Sanders is the junior United States Senator from Vermont. He previously represented Vermont's at-large district in the United States House of Representatives... |
Independent | Running | Cris Ericson (MJP) | Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders Bernard "Bernie" Sanders is the junior United States Senator from Vermont. He previously represented Vermont's at-large district in the United States House of Representatives... (I Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) 65%, Richard Tarrant Richard Tarrant Richard Edward Tarrant, is an American businessman, and politician. Most recently, he was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from the state of Vermont in 2006, but lost the election to Representative Bernie Sanders... (R) 32%, Other 3% |
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| Virginia | Jim Webb Jim Webb James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party.... |
Democratic | Retiring | Tim Kaine Tim Kaine Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011... (D) Courtney Lynch (D) Julien Modica (D) |
George Allen George Allen (U.S. politician) George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000... (R) Tim Donner (R) Bishop E.W. Jackson Sr. Bishop E.W. Jackson Sr. Bishop Earl Walker Jackson Sr. is a businessman, pastor, speaker, author, and political activist. He is a Candidate for U. S. Senate in Virginia for the 2012 election. He is the founder and current president of S.T.A.N.D. , a conservative non-profit organization dedicated to restoring America's... (R) David McCormick David H. McCormick David H. McCormick is the former Under Secretary for International Affairs within the United States Department of the Treasury and one of the Chief Executive Officer's at Bridgewater Associates. -Education:... (R) Jamie Radtke Jamie Radtke -Personal background:Radtke is a resident of Chesterfield County, Virginia. She graduated from Liberty University in 1995 and was awarded a Master of Public Policy from The College of William & Mary in 1998.... (R) |
Kevin Chisholm (I) | George Allen George Allen (U.S. politician) George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000... (R) 49% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Jim Webb Jim Webb James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party.... (D) 50%, Other 1% |
| Washington | Maria Cantwell Maria Cantwell Maria E. Cantwell is the junior United States Senator from the state of Washington and a member of the Democratic Party.... |
Democratic | Running | Michael Baumgartner (R) | Maria Cantwell Maria Cantwell Maria E. Cantwell is the junior United States Senator from the state of Washington and a member of the Democratic Party.... (D) 57% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Mike McGavick Mike McGavick Michael S. "Mike" McGavick is an American business executive and a graduate of the University of Washington.... (R) 40%, Other 3% |
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| West Virginia | Joe Manchin Joe Manchin Joseph "Joe" Manchin III is the junior United States Senator representing West Virginia. Manchin, a Democrat, was Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010... |
Democratic | Running | 2006 Election Robert Byrd Robert Byrd Robert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010... (D) 64% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), John Raese John Raese John R. Raese is an American business owner and politician. He has lost campaigns to represent West Virginia in the U.S. Senate in 1984, 2006 and 2010, and a campaign for Governor of West Virginia in 1988.... (R) 34%, Other 2% 2010 Special Election United States Senate special election in West Virginia, 2010 The 2010 United States Senate special election in West Virginia was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd died in office on June 28, 2010. Democrat Governor Joe Manchin appointed Carte Goodwin to temporarily fill the vacancy. Goodwin pledged to not run for... Joe Manchin Joe Manchin Joseph "Joe" Manchin III is the junior United States Senator representing West Virginia. Manchin, a Democrat, was Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010... (D) 54%, John Raese John Raese John R. Raese is an American business owner and politician. He has lost campaigns to represent West Virginia in the U.S. Senate in 1984, 2006 and 2010, and a campaign for Governor of West Virginia in 1988.... (R) 43%, Other 3% |
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| Wisconsin | Herb Kohl Herb Kohl Herbert H. "Herb" Kohl is the senior U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and a member of the Democratic Party. He is also a philanthropist and the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks National Basketball Association team... |
Democratic | Retiring | Tammy Baldwin Tammy Baldwin Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin is the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In September 2011, Baldwin announced she would be a candidate in the 2012 U.S... (D) Gregory Paules (D) |
Frank Lasee (R) Mark Neumann Mark Neumann Mark W. Neumann is a businessman and politician. He represented from 1995 to 1999. In 2010, Neumann lost a bid to become the Republican nominee for Governor of Wisconsin. Neumann is currently a candidate for U.S... (R) John Schiess (R) Tommy Thompson Tommy Thompson Thomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls... (R) |
Herb Kohl Herb Kohl Herbert H. "Herb" Kohl is the senior U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and a member of the Democratic Party. He is also a philanthropist and the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks National Basketball Association team... (D) 67% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Robert Lorge (R) 30%, Other 3% |
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| Wyoming | John Barrasso John Barrasso John Anthony Barrasso is the junior U.S. Senator from Wyoming and a member of the Republican Party. He was appointed to the Senate following Craig L. Thomas's death and won a special election in 2008 to fill the remaining four years of Thomas's term.... |
Republican | Running | 2006 Election Craig Thomas (R) 70% (Inc. Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ), Dale Groutage Dale Groutage Dale Groutage is an engineer who unsuccessfully ran in 2006 as the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in Wyoming against incumbent Senator Craig Thomas... (D) 30% 2008 Special Election United States Senate special election in Wyoming, 2008 The 2008 United States Senate special election in Wyoming took place on November 4, 2008, at the same time as the regular election to the United States Senate in Wyoming. There was a special election to fill the remainder of the unexpired senate term of the late Craig L. Thomas, who recently died... John Barrasso John Barrasso John Anthony Barrasso is the junior U.S. Senator from Wyoming and a member of the Republican Party. He was appointed to the Senate following Craig L. Thomas's death and won a special election in 2008 to fill the remaining four years of Thomas's term.... (R) 73%, Nick Carter (D) 27% |
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Predictions
| Source | Safe Democratic* | Likely Democratic* | Leans Democratic* | Tossup | Leans Republican | Likely Republican | Safe Republican |
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| Consensus among all predictions |
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| Roll Call Roll Call Roll Call is a newspaper published in Washington, D.C., United States, from Monday to Thursday when the United States Congress is in session and on Mondays only during recess. Roll Call reports news of legislative and political maneuverings on Capitol Hill, as well as political coverage of... as of November 10, 2011 (updates) |
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| Sabato's Crystal Ball Sabato's Crystal Ball Sabato’s Crystal Ball is a free, nonpartisan weekly online newsletter and comprehensive website in the United States that analyzes the current American political scene and predicts electoral outcomes for U.S House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, governors, and U.S. president races... as of November 29, 2011 (updates) |
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| Cook Political Report Cook Political Report The Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan online newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, Governor's offices and the American Presidency. The Cook Political Report is led by a staff of five... as of November 8, 2011 (updates) |
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| Rothenberg Political Report Stuart Rothenberg Stuart Rothenberg is an American editor, publisher, and political analyst best known for his Washington-based, biweekly, self-proclaimed non-partisan political newsletter The Rothenberg Political Report... as of November 18, 2011 (updates) |
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| RealClearPolitics RealClearPolitics RealClearPolitics is a political news and polling data aggregator based in Chicago, Illinois. The site's founders say their goal is to give readers "ideological diversity." They have described themselves as frustrated with what they perceive as anti-conservative, anti-Christian media bias, and... (updates) |
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*The Democrats include Independent Democrat
Independent Democrat
Independent Democrat is a term occasionally adopted by American politicians to refer to their party affiliation. Several elected officials, including members of Congress, have identified as " Independent Democrats."...
Joe Lieberman
Joe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
, who ran and won as an independent in 2006 after losing the Connecticut Democratic primary, and Independent Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders
Bernard "Bernie" Sanders is the junior United States Senator from Vermont. He previously represented Vermont's at-large district in the United States House of Representatives...
of Vermont, both of whom caucus with the Democratic Party.
Joe Lieberman of Connecticut (Independent)
Four-term incumbent Independent Joe LiebermanJoe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
(an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats) will not seek reelection in 2012. Senator Lieberman sat as a Democrat until 2006, when he was defeated by Ned Lamont
Ned Lamont
Edward Miner "Ned" Lamont, Jr. is a businessman and heir and most recently an unsuccessful candidate for the 2010 Democratic nomination for Governor of Connecticut. On May 22, 2010, Lamont received more than fifteen percent of the vote at the state Democratic convention, and appeared on the...
in the Democratic primary. He won re-election with 49.7% of the vote in 2006 as an independent under the Connecticut for Lieberman
Connecticut for Lieberman
Connecticut for Lieberman is a Connecticut political party created by twenty-five supporters of Senator Joe Lieberman. The party was created to enable Lieberman to run for re-election following his defeat in the 2006 Connecticut Democratic primary...
Party and has since caucused with the Democrats as an "Independent Democrat."
Former Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz
Susan Bysiewicz
Susan Bysiewicz served as Secretary of the State of Connecticut from 1999 to 2011. She was briefly a candidate for Governor of Connecticut in 2010, before dropping out to run for Connecticut Attorney General. She was disqualified from running for the office by the Connecticut Supreme Court and...
(D) and Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy
Chris Murphy (politician)
Christopher Scott "Chris" Murphy is the U. S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.Murphy previously served in the Connecticut House of Representatives and the Connecticut Senate....
have announced their candidacies for the Democratic Primary. In addition, State Representative William Tong
William Tong
William Tong serves as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives. First elected in November 2006, he represents the 147th district, which includes parts of Stamford and New Canaan...
, a self-identified fiscally conservative democrat, is also considering a US Senate Run.
Potential Republican candidates include 2010 Senate nominee Linda McMahon
Linda McMahon
Linda Marie McMahon is an American professional wrestling magnate and politician. She is notable for her career developing WWE with her husband Vince McMahon. She was in the company from 1980 to 2009. During this time, WWE grew from a small regional business in New York to a large multinational...
, former Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele
Michael Fedele
Michael Fedele is an Italian-American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 107thThe State of Connecticut recognizes Michael Fedele as the 107th Lieutenant Governor, using a standard that had counted Colonial period lieutenants as well as counting lieutenants who had...
, and former Congressmen Chris Shays and Rob Simmons
Rob Simmons
Robert Ruhl "Rob" Simmons is a retired U.S. Army Colonel and former U.S. Congressman from Connecticut. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007, representing Connecticut's Second Congressional District as a Republican.Simmons ran as a candidate for the...
.
Daniel Akaka of Hawaii
Four-term incumbent Democrat Daniel AkakaDaniel Akaka
Daniel Kahikina Akaka is the junior U.S. Senator from Hawaii and a member of the Democratic Party. He is the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and is currently the only member of the Senate who has Chinese ancestry....
was re-elected in 2006 with 62% of the vote. Akaka has decided not to run for re-election in 2012.
Former Republican Governor Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle was the sixth Governor of Hawaii. Lingle holds a number of distinctions: first Republican elected governor of Hawaii since the departure of William F...
may seek the seat.
Former Congressman Ed Case
Ed Case
Edward Espenett "Ed" Case is a Democratic politician and a former member of the United States House of Representatives. Case, a Blue Dog Democrat, first came to prominence in Hawaii as majority leader of the Hawaii State Legislature and for his campaign for Governor of Hawaii in 2002...
, who challenged Akaka for the Democratic nomination in 2006, and Congresswoman Mazie Hirono
Mazie Hirono
is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United...
have both announced their candidacies for the seat. Other possible Democratic candidates include former Governor John D. Waihee III
John D. Waihee III
John David Waihee III served as the fourth Governor of Hawaii from 1986 to 1994. He was the first American of Native Hawaiian descent to be elected to the office from any state of the United States. After his tenure in the governor's office, Waihee became a nationally prominent attorney and...
, Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa
Colleen Hanabusa
Colleen Wakako Hanabusa is the U.S. Representative for . She is a member of the Democratic Party. She was formerly a member of the Hawaii Senate, representing the 21st District since 1998...
, Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz, and former Mayor of Honolulu Mufi Hannemann
Mufi Hannemann
Muliufi Francis "Mufi" Hannemann is an American politician. He is the former Mayor of Honolulu. Hannemann has served as a special assistant in Washington, D.C., with the Department of the Interior, where he was selected for a White House fellowship in the Reagan administration under Vice President...
.
Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico
Five-term incumbent Democrat Jeff BingamanJeff Bingaman
Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman, Jr. , is the senior U.S. Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party...
was re-elected in 2006 with 70.6% of the vote. Bingaman has decided to not run for re-election in 2012.
Businessman Bill English has announced his candidacy as a Republican. On March 7, 2011, former U.S. Representative Heather Wilson
Heather Wilson
Heather A. Wilson , is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing from 1998 to 2009...
announced that she will seek the Republican nomination. Other Republican Candidates include Businessman Greg Sowards and Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez
John Sanchez
John A. Sanchez is an American politician and, as of January 1, 2011, the 31st Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico by winning the primary election on June 1, 2010, and the general election on November 2, 2010.-Biography:...
. 2008 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate Steve Pearce
Steve Pearce
Stevan Edward "Steve" Pearce is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously held the seat from 2003 to 2009 and was an Assistant Minority Whip.-Early life, education and career:...
is also looking at another run.
Congressmen Martin Heinrich
Martin Heinrich
Martin T. Heinrich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the central area of the state, in and around Albuquerque.- Early life, education and career :...
and state Auditor Hector Balderas
Hector Balderas
Hector H. Balderas Jr. is an American attorney and politician who is currently serving as the New Mexico State Auditor . Balderas became the youngest statewide Hispanic elected official in the nation in 2006 when he won his first race for State Auditor at the age of 33...
have declared their candidacies.
Kent Conrad of North Dakota
Four-term incumbent Democrat Kent ConradKent Conrad
Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party...
was re-elected in 2006 with 69% of the vote. Conrad has decided to not run for re-election in 2012.
U.S. Representative Rick Berg
Rick Berg
Richard Alan Berg is the U.S. Representative for . Berg serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. He is a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the state House of Representatives. He served as Majority Leader and Speaker.-Early life, education, and pre-political career:Berg...
has announced his candidacy as a Republican. State public service commissioner Brian Kalk initially announced his candidacy as well, but has since dropped it to run for the at large congressional seat held by Berg.
On November 8, 2011, former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp
Heidi Heitkamp
Heidi Heitkamp is a lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of North Dakota. She served as the 28th attorney general of the state from 1993 to 2001. She ran on the Democratic-NPL ticket for governor in 2000, losing to John Hoeven. She was considering a bid for the Democratic nomination for the...
announced that she would be running for the Democratic nomination to face Rick Berg
Rick Berg
Richard Alan Berg is the U.S. Representative for . Berg serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. He is a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the state House of Representatives. He served as Majority Leader and Speaker.-Early life, education, and pre-political career:Berg...
in the general election.
Jim Webb of Virginia
One-term incumbent Democrat Jim WebbJim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
was elected in 2006 by a margin of 0.6%, narrowly defeating then-incumbent George Allen
George Allen (U.S. politician)
George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000...
in the biggest upset of the 2006 elections. Announcing that he did not want spend his life in politics, Webb said he will not run for re-election.
The Republican Party of Virginia decided that the Republican nominee for this senate seat would be determined through a primary, as opposed to a state convention which had been used in more recent years. On January 24, 2011, George Allen announced that he will seek the Republican nomination.
Jamie Radtke
Jamie Radtke
-Personal background:Radtke is a resident of Chesterfield County, Virginia. She graduated from Liberty University in 1995 and was awarded a Master of Public Policy from The College of William & Mary in 1998....
, head of the Virginia Tea Party Patriots
Tea Party Patriots
Tea Party Patriots is an American political organization that promotes "fiscally responsible" activism as part of the Tea Party movement. It claims to have over 1,000 local chapters...
, has filed papers to run for the Republican nomination.
Also considering a run for the Republican nomination are state Del. Robert G. Marshall
Robert G. Marshall
Robert G. "Bob" Marshall is a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 13th District, currently serving his 7th term. His district includes portions of Prince William and Loudoun counties.In 2008, Marshall was a candidate for the United States Senate seat being...
(R-Manassas) and Corey Stewart
Corey Stewart (politician)
Corey Stewart is the current chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, having first been elected as chairman in 2006. He was first elected to the board in 2003, representing the Occoquan district.-External links:*...
, the chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. Marshall ran for the U.S. Senate in 2008, narrowly losing the Republican nomination at the state convention to former Governor Jim Gilmore
Jim Gilmore
James Stuart "Jim" Gilmore III is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia, former 68th Governor of Virginia, and a member of the Republican Party. A native Virginian, Gilmore studied at the University of Virginia, and then served in the U.S. Army as a counterintelligence agent...
by only 69 votes.
On the Democratic Side, former Governor and DNC
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
chairman Tim Kaine
Tim Kaine
Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011...
as well as former CEO of the Brain Trauma Recovery & Policy Institute, Julien Modica. Other possible candidates include Congressman Bobby Scott and former Congressmen Rick Boucher
Rick Boucher
Frederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, Jaime Areizaga-Soto
Jaime Areizaga-Soto
Jaime Ariel Areizaga-Soto is a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination to the 31st District of the Senate of Virginia.-Biography:His mother was an elementary school teacher, and his father is a Korean War veteran. After growing up in Puerto Rico, Areizaga-Soto obtained his B.S...
and Tom Perriello
Tom Perriello
Thomas Stuart Price "Tom" Perriello is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of Southside Virginia and stretches north to Charlottesville....
.
Herb Kohl of Wisconsin
Four-term incumbent Democrat Herb KohlHerb Kohl
Herbert H. "Herb" Kohl is the senior U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and a member of the Democratic Party. He is also a philanthropist and the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks National Basketball Association team...
, owner of the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
and member of the founding family of the Kohl's
Kohl's
Kohl's Corporation is an American department store chain headquartered in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, operating , 1,089 stores in 49 states. In 1998, it entered the S&P 500 list, and is also listed in the Fortune 500...
department store chain, announced he would not seek reelection in 2012. He was reelected in 2006 with 67% of the vote and will be 77 years old in 2012.
U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin is the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In September 2011, Baldwin announced she would be a candidate in the 2012 U.S...
announced her intention to run for the seat on September 6. Other potential candidates for the Democrats include former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk
Kathleen Falk
Kathleen Falk is an American politician who was the County Executive of Dane County, Wisconsin, serving from 1997 until 2011. In 2006, she was the Democratic Party nominee for the office of Attorney General of Wisconsin. She was an Assistant Attorney General and Public Intervenor in the Wisconsin...
, and Madison biotechnology executive Kevin Conroy.
On the Republican side, Congressman and House Budget Committee
United States House Committee on the Budget
The U.S. House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress...
Chairman Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan may refer to:* Paul Ryan , member of the U.S. House of Representatives* Paul Ryan , music agent for The Agency, former Cradle of Filth guitarist* Paul Ryan , comics artist...
stated he would not have run against Kohl if he had sought re-election, but would contemplate a run if Kohl retired. However, he later stated that he was "95 percent sure" that he would not run. As of September 5, former Congressman Mark Neumann and the Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly Jeff Fitzgerald, and former Governor Tommy Thompson
Tommy Thompson
Thomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls...
have confirmed their candidacies for the seat.
Dianne Feinstein of California
Four-term incumbent Democrat Dianne FeinsteinDianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
was re-elected in 2006 with 59% of the vote. She will be 79 years old in 2012.
At a rally for Barbara Boxer
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....
in October 2010, Feinstein hinted that she will be running for re-election.
Dirk Allen Konopik, an Evangelical Christian, Iraq War veteran, and former congressional aide has filed his Statement of Candidacy with the FEC to challenge incumbent Dianne Feinstein in 2012. Orly Taitz
Orly Taitz
Orly Taitz is an American dentist, lawyer, former real estate agent, and leading figure in the "birther" movement, which challenges whether Barack Obama is a natural-born citizen eligible to serve as President of the United States...
, the GOP nominee for Secretary of State of California in 2010, has announced that she will challenge Dianne Feinstein in the Blanket Primary next year. Elizabeth Emken
Elizabeth Emken
Elizabeth Emken is the mother of a special needs child and the former Vice President for Government Relations at Autism Speaks. In 2010, she ran for Congress in California's 11th Congressional District to replace Democrat representative Jerry McNerney. On November 28th, 2011, Emken announced via...
, a prominent Children with Autism advocate and 2010 Republican congressional candidate has also announced that she will challenge Feinstein next year.
Other possible GOP Nominees include 2010 GOP Senate nominee Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina is an American business executive and a former Republican candidate for the United States Senate representing California. Fiorina served as chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005 and previously was an executive at AT&T and its equipment and technology spinoff,...
, state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore
Chuck DeVore
Charles S. "Chuck" DeVore is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2010 and represented the 70th District, which includes portions of Orange County...
, Congressman Darrell Issa
Darrell Issa
Darrell Edward Issa is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 48th, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was formerly a CEO of Directed Electronics, the Vista, California-based manufacturer of automobile security and convenience products...
, senior trial lawyer and self-proclaimed "Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
Republican" Rick Williams, and Keith Holbrook. 2010 Republican Gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman
Meg Whitman
Margaret Cushing "Meg" Whitman is an American business executive. She is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hewlett-Packard. A native of Long Island, New York, she is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Business School...
has ruled out a Senate Run.
Ben Nelson of Nebraska
Two-term incumbent and former Governor Democrat Ben NelsonBen Nelson
Earl Benjamin "Ben" Nelson is the senior U.S. Senator from Nebraska. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000....
was re-elected in 2006 with 64% of the vote. He will be 71 years old in 2012. Nelson has not decided if he will seek a third term.
Pundits and analysts have suggested Nelson will be one of the most vulnerable incumbents in 2012 after he secured deals
Nebraska Compromise
The Nebraska Compromise or Cornhusker Kickback refers to a deal made in December 2009 by United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to Nebraska’s Democratic Senator Ben Nelson, allegedly in order to secure his vote as the last Democratic hold-out for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care...
to exempt Nebraska from new Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
payments, ease excise taxes on home state health insurance companies, and broker abortion deals in the Senate healthcare bill
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
.
State Treasurer Don Stenberg
Don Stenberg
Don Stenberg is a Republican politician and attorney from Nebraska. He served as Attorney General of Nebraska from 1991 to 2003 and currently serves as State Treasurer of Nebraska to which he took office in 2011. He also served as legal counsel to Governor Charles Thone from 1979 to 1983.-Stenberg v...
, State Senator Deb Fischer
Deb Fischer
Deb Fischer is a member of the Nebraska Legislature, representing a district in the north-central portion of the state....
and State Attorney General
Nebraska Attorney General
The Nebraska Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer and lawyer for the U.S. state of Nebraska.-List of Attorneys General:-Notes:Term began February 21, 1867.Joint Populist-Democratic ticket.Resigned....
Jon Bruning have announced their candidacies along with Pat Flynn. A February 1, 2011 poll conducted by Public Policy Polling showed Bruning leading Nelson by a 50% to 39% margin, Stenberg leading Nelson by a 45% to 41% margin, and Nelson leading Fischer by a 42% to 35% margin.
Nebraska Governor
Governor of Nebraska
The Governor of Nebraska holds the "supreme executive power" of the State of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Nebraska Constitution. The current Governor is Dave Heineman, a Republican, who assumed office on January 20, 2005 upon the resignation of Mike Johanns . He won a full...
Dave Heineman
Dave Heineman
David Eugene "Dave" Heineman is the 39th and current Governor of Nebraska. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
has announced he will not run.
Tom Carper of Delaware
Two-term incumbent Democrat Tom Carper was reelected with 70% of the vote in 2006. He will be 65 years old in 2012. Carper will seek re-election.Possible Republican candidates include political commentator and 2010 Republican U.S. Senate nominee Christine O'Donnell
Christine O'Donnell
Christine Therese O'Donnell is an American Republican Party politician who founded two advocacy organizations. She has been an advocate for nonprofit clients and nonprofit causes for nearly 20 years. A Tea Party favorite, and with strong financial support from the Tea Party movement, she defeated...
, Businesswoman and 2010 Republican U.S. Congress primary nominee Michele Rollins
Michele Rollins
Michele Rollins was a candidate for the Republican Party nomination for the United States House of Representatives election in 2010, in Delaware's At-large congressional district, a race she narrowly lost to Glen Urquhart...
.
Bill Nelson of Florida
Two-term incumbent Democrat Bill NelsonBill Nelson
Clarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former U.S. Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida...
was reelected with 60% of the vote in 2006 against controversial former Secretary of State of Florida
Secretary of State of Florida
The Secretary of State of Florida is a constitutional officer of the state government of the U.S. state of Florida, established by the original 1838 state constitution....
Katherine Harris
Katherine Harris
Katherine Harris is an American Republican politician, former Secretary of State of Florida, and former member of the United States House of Representatives. Harris won the 2002 election to represent Florida's 13th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She held that post...
. He will be 70 years old in 2012. Nelson will seek re-election. Plant City Republican Mike McCalister has announced his candidacy, as has former state House Majority Leader
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
Adam Hasner
Adam Hasner
Adam Hasner , served as a State Representative for District 87 in the Florida House of Representatives until 2010. District 87 includes the coastal communities in the southern portion of Palm Beach County and the northern part of Broward County, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach...
and former U.S. Senator George LeMieux
George LeMieux
George Stephen LeMieux is a former United States Senator from Florida. He was Chairman of the Florida-based law firm of Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. and served as Chief of Staff to Governor Charlie Crist, was former Deputy Florida Attorney General, and is credited with spearheading Crist's...
.
Other potential Republican candidates include Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll
Jennifer Carroll
Jennifer Carroll is a Trinidadian-born American politician who is the 18th and current Lieutenant Governor of the U.S. state of Florida. The first African American and the first woman elected to the position, she assumed the office on January 4, 2011...
.
Polls conducted in September 2011 showed Nelson leading all his potential opponents by between 13 and 17 points.
Congressman Connie Mack IV announced his intention to seek his party nomination to oppose Nelson on October 26, 2011.
Ben Cardin of Maryland
First-term incumbent Democrat Ben CardinBen Cardin
Benjamin Louis "Ben" Cardin is the junior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the Senate, Cardin was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1987 to 2007.Cardin was elected to succeed Paul Sarbanes in...
was elected in 2006 with 54% of the vote against former Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele
Michael S. Steele
Michael Stephen Steele is an American politician who served as the first African-American chairman of the Republican National Committee from January 2009 until January 2011. From 2003 to 2007, he was the seventh Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, the first African American elected to statewide...
. He will be 69 years old in 2012. According to a Public Policy Polling
Public Policy Polling
Public Policy Polling is an American Democratic Party-affiliated polling firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina. PPP was founded in 2001 by businessman and Democratic pollster Dean Debnam, the firm's current president and chief executive officer...
survey conducted of 569 voters from July 10–12, 2010, in a potential rematch of 2006, Cardin leads Steele 58% to 28%. In a generic matchup, Cardin leads with 51%, to an unknown generic Republican at 33%.
After losing reelection for the RNC
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
chairmanship, Steele may seek a rematch with Cardin Former U.S. Secret Service agent Daniel Bongino has announced his candidacy.
Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
Two-term incumbent Democrat Debbie StabenowDebbie Stabenow
Deborah Ann Greer "Debbie" Stabenow is the junior United States Senator from Michigan and a member of the Democratic Party. Before her election to the U.S. Senate, she was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2001...
was re-elected in 2006 with 57% of the vote to 41% for Oakland County
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
Sheriff and former State Senate Majority Leader
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
Michael Bouchard after narrowly defeating Republican incumbent Spencer Abraham
Spencer Abraham
Edmund Spencer Abraham is a former United States Senator from Michigan. He served as the tenth United States Secretary of Energy, serving under President George W. Bush. Abraham is one of the founders of the Federalist Society....
in 2000.
Republican Tea Party Activist
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
Chad Dewey announced his intent to run in the 2012 election while attending the Tax Day Tea Party event in Washington D.C. on April 15, 2010. Also libertarian activist Scotty Boman is considering a run as a Republican. On May 11, it was reported that Congressman Thad McCotter
Thad McCotter
Thaddeus George "Thad" McCotter is the U.S. Representative to , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party...
was thinking of entering the race. Cardlologist Rob Steele, who ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, was thought to be a possible candidate, but has announced that he will not challenge Sen. Stabenow for her seat. Also in the race are Clark Durant and former Congressman Pete Hoekstra.
Recent polling shows Stabenow leading all potential opponents.
Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
One-term incumbent Democrat Amy KlobucharAmy Klobuchar
Amy Jean Klobuchar is the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party...
was elected in 2006 with 58% of the vote. Senator Klobuchar's approval ratings, last reported at., have steadily risen since her election in November 2006. Her quick response to the I-35 bridge collapse in her home city of Minneapolis and her travels around the state have solidified the senator's popularity with the citizens of Minnesota. On March 12, 2010, a Rasmussen poll
Rasmussen Reports
Rasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
indicated 67% of Minnesotans approved of the job she was doing. Former state Representative and retired Navy pilot Dan Severson
Dan Severson
Daniel Mark "Dan" Severson is an American politician. He is a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented District 14A, which includes portions of Benton and Stearns counties in the north central part of the state. He was also a candidate for Minnesota Secretary of...
has announced his candidacy.
Early polling has Klobuchar leading all potential and hypothetical Republican opponents.
Claire McCaskill of Missouri
In this bellwether state, one-term incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskillClaire McCaskill
Claire Conner McCaskill is the senior United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. She defeated Republican incumbent Jim Talent in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, by a margin of 49.6% to 47.3%. She is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri in her own...
was elected in 2006 with 49.6% of the vote, narrowly defeating then-incumbent Jim Talent
Jim Talent
James Matthes "Jim" Talent is an American politician and former senator from Missouri. He is a Republican and resided in the St. Louis area while serving in elected office. He identifies with the conservative wing of the Republican party, being particularly outspoken on judicial appointments,...
. McCaskill will seek re-election in 2012, so far with no prominent Democrat challenging her.
For now, the Republican contenders are Congressman Todd Akin
Todd Akin
William Todd Akin is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district includes the western St. Louis suburbs of Ballwin, Kirkwood, Chesterfield, Wildwood, Town and Country, and Des Peres located along Interstate 270 in West County and the...
and former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman
Sarah Steelman
Sarah Steelman is an American politician from Missouri, serving as State Treasurer from 2005 to 2009. She did not run for re-election as State Treasurer in 2008, having run for Governor, and was succeeded in office by Democrat Clint Zweifel on January 12, 2009...
. Businessman John Brunner is still considering a run. Jim Talent declined to run again, and Attorney Ed Martin and former Missouri GOP Chair Ann Wagner
Ann Wagner
Ann Wagner is an American politician who served as the United States Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg from 2005 to 2009. She was also Chair of the Missouri Republican Party for six years, from 1999 until 2005, and Co-chair of the Republican National Committee for four years.- Early life...
are instead eyeing Missouri's 2nd Congressional District. Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer also declined, and will be running for re-election in the 3rd district.
A survey by PPP conducted April 28-May 1, 2011 showed McCaskill ahead of all declared and potential Republican candidates, but with Akin, Luetkemeyer and Steelman polling within the margin of error of ± 3.9%. In the same survey, Steelman and Akin lead the race for the Republican nomination, although 28% of voters were undecided.
Jon Tester of Montana
One-term incumbent Democrat Jon TesterJon Tester
Jon Tester is the junior U.S. Senator for Montana, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as President of the Montana Senate.-Early life, education, and farming career:...
was elected in 2006 by a 49.2% to 48.3% margin, narrowly defeating incumbent Conrad Burns
Conrad Burns
Conrad Ray Burns is a former United States Senator from Montana. He is only the second Republican to represent Montana in the Senate since the passage in 1913 of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and is the longest-serving Republican senator in Montana history.While in...
. Tester will seek re-election. Republican Congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Denny Rehberg
Denny Rehberg
Dennis R. "Denny" Rehberg is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
has announced his candidacy for the seat. A March 20, 2011 poll taken for Lee Newspapers shows Tester leading Rehberg by a statistically insignificant margin of 46% to 45%.
Former Republican Montana Governor Marc Racicot
Marc Racicot
Marc F. Racicot is a U.S. politician and lobbyist and member of the Republican Party. He was the governor of Montana from 1993 until 2001. After leaving office, Racicot worked as a lobbyist for the law firm Bracewell & Giuliani. His notable clients included Enron, Burlington Northern Santa Fe,...
is also looking at running.
Bob Menendez of New Jersey
One-term incumbent Democrat Bob Menendez became the first Hispanic Senator to represent New Jersey in January 2006 when Former Senator Jon CorzineJon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
appointed him to the office after having resigned to become Governor, following his election to said office in November 2005. Menendez comfortably defeated Republican state Senator Tom Kean, Jr., son of popular former Governor and 9/11 Commission
9/11 Commission
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, "to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks", including preparedness for and the immediate response to...
Chairman Tom Kean
Thomas Kean
Thomas Howard Kean is an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Kean is best known globally, however, for his 2002 appointment as Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, widely known as the...
and was comfortably elected in November 2006 to a full term. He will be 58 years old in 2012.
In November 2009, former CNN Anchor Lou Dobbs
Lou Dobbs
Louis Carl "Lou" Dobbs is an American journalist, radio host, television host on the Fox Business Network, and author. He anchored CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight until November 2009 when he announced on the air that he would leave the 24-hour cable news television network.He was born in Texas and lived...
was seriously considering a challenge to Menendez as either a Republican or Independent. Biotech executive John Crowley
John Crowley (biotech executive)
John Francis Crowley is an American biotechnology executive and entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder of several biotech companies devoted to curing genetic diseases.-Life and career:...
has been rumored to be a potential candidate and Republicans believe that his wealth and appealing biography would make him an appealing candidate. However, Crowley decided not to run http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/republican_hopeful_john_crowle.html.
Gwen Diakos, a former defense contractor from Monmouth County, is running against Menendez as a Democrat in the June primary.
Two Republicans who say they're considering running are state Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos
Joseph M. Kyrillos
Joseph M. Kyrillos Jr. is an American Republican Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1992, where he represents the 13th Legislative District. Before entering the Senate, Kyrillos served in the General Assembly, the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature,...
and state Senator Michael J. Doherty
Michael J. Doherty
Michael J. Doherty is an American Republican Party politician who serves in the New Jersey Senate representing the 23rd legislative district. He won the seat held by Marcia A. Karrow, who had earlier been selected by a party convention to succeed Leonard Lance after his election to the United...
. In addition, state Senator Tom Kean, Menendez's 2006 opponent, hasn't ruled out running again http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/behind_the_scenes_kyrillos_doh.html.
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
Two-term former Democrat Hillary Rodham ClintonHillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
was re-elected in 2006 with 67% of the vote. She narrowly lost the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination to Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. She resigned on January 21, 2009 when the Senate confirmed her as Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
. On January 23, Governor David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
appointed Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party...
to the seat. Gillibrand won a special election in 2010
United States Senate special election in New York, 2010
The 2010 United States Senate special election in New York took place on November 2, 2010, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections...
with 61.2% of the vote. Gillibrand will seek re-election
Sherrod Brown of Ohio
One-term incumbent Democrat Sherrod BrownSherrod Brown
Sherrod Campbell Brown is the senior United States Senator from Ohio and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the U.S. Senate, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 13th congressional district from 1993 to 2007...
was elected in 2006 with 56% of the vote, defeating then-incumbent Mike DeWine
Mike DeWine
Richard Michael "Mike" DeWine is the Attorney General for the state of Ohio. He has held numerous offices on the state and federal level, including Ohio State Senator, four terms as a U.S. Congressman, Ohio Lt. Governor, and was a two-term U.S. Senator, serving from 1995 to 2007.- Biography :Born...
, whose popularity suffered due to scandals involving former Republican Governor Bob Taft
Bob Taft
Robert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
and ex-Congressman Bob Ney
Bob Ney
Robert William Ney is an American politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. A Republican, Ney represented Ohio's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 until November 3, 2006, when he resigned...
. A poll conducted June 26–27 by Public Policy Polling
Public Policy Polling
Public Policy Polling is an American Democratic Party-affiliated polling firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina. PPP was founded in 2001 by businessman and Democratic pollster Dean Debnam, the firm's current president and chief executive officer...
shows that 45% of voters would vote to re-elect Brown, while 41% would vote to replace him.
Brown will seek re-election in 2012 when he will be 60 years old.
State Treasurer Josh Mandel
Josh Mandel (politician)
Josh Mandel is the current Ohio State Treasurer. Mandel previously served as a Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives. He has set up a U.S...
, Eric LaMont Gregory, Congressman Jim Jordan
Jim Jordan (Ohio politician)
James Daniel "Jim" Jordan is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party...
, Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor
Mary Taylor (Ohio politician)
Mary Taylor is the 65th and current Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.-Early life and business career:Taylor was born in 1961. She attended the Springfield Township school system. She attended the University of Akron, obtaining a Bachelor degree in Accounting and Master's degree in Taxation...
, Congressman Steve LaTourette
Steve LaTourette
Steven C. "Steve" LaTourette is the U.S. House of Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
have all been named as possible Republican contenders.
Dave Zanotti of the Ohio Roundtable has also been mentioned as a possible contender, running as an independent.
A Quinnipiac University survey from May showed Brown leading all potential opposition with former Ohio Secretary of State
Ohio Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of State also is responsible for registering business entities and granting them the authority to do business within the state, registering secured transactions, and granting access to public...
Ken Blackwell
Ken Blackwell
John Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
who has decided not to run performing the best. In the survey Brown led Blackwell 44% to 35%.
Bob Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania
One-term incumbent Democrat Bob Casey, Jr.Bob Casey, Jr.
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Jr. is the senior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as Pennsylvania Treasurer, and Pennsylvania Auditor General. He is the son of former Governor Bob Casey, Sr..He is the first Democrat elected to a full term in...
, the son of popular former Governor Bob Casey
Robert P. Casey
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Sr. was an American politician from Pennsylvania. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 42nd Governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995...
, was elected in 2006 with 58.7% of the vote, defeating then-incumbent Rick Santorum
Rick Santorum
Richard John "Rick" Santorum is a lawyer and a former United States Senator from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Santorum was the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference -making him the third-ranking Senate Republican from 2001 until his leave in 2007. Santorum is considered both a social...
. He was the first Democrat elected to a full term in the U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania since 1962. Casey will seek re-election.
Former Senate staffer Marc Scaringi has announced his candidacy as a Republican. State Senator Jake Corman
Jake Corman
Jacob Doyle "Jake" Corman III is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who has represented the 34th Senatorial District since 1999. The district includes portions of Centre, Mifflin and Union Counties and all of Juniata and Perry Counties...
is thinking of running but won't make a decision until after the state budget is passed
Early polling showed Casey leading all potential Republican contenders, including his predecessor, by double-digit percentage points.
Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island
One-term incumbent Democrat Sheldon WhitehouseSheldon Whitehouse
Sheldon Whitehouse is the junior U.S. Senator from Rhode Island, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
was elected in 2006 with 53.5% of the vote, defeating then-incumbent Lincoln Chafee
Lincoln Chafee
Lincoln Davenport Chafee is an American politician who has been the 74th Governor of Rhode Island since January 2011. Prior to his election as governor, Chafee served in the United States Senate as a Republican from 1999 until losing his Senate re-election bid in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon...
by 6 percentage points. Whitehouse will seek reelection.
Potential Republican Candidates include Former Governor Donald Carcieri
Donald Carcieri
Donald L. "Don" Carcieri was the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Carcieri has had a varied vocational background, having worked as a manufacturing company executive, aid relief worker, bank executive and teacher.-Personal background:...
, 2010 Republican nominee for Governor John Robitaille
John Robitaille
John Robitaille was the Republican party nominee in the 2010 election for governor of Rhode Island, which he lost to independent candidate Lincoln Chafee on November 2, 2010.-Background:...
, and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian.
Bernie Sanders of Vermont (Independent)
One-term incumbent Independent Bernie SandersBernie Sanders
Bernard "Bernie" Sanders is the junior United States Senator from Vermont. He previously represented Vermont's at-large district in the United States House of Representatives...
is an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Senator (and self-described democratic socialist) who caucuses with the Democrats and won election with 65.4% of the vote in 2006 after Jim Jeffords
Jim Jeffords
James Merrill "Jim" Jeffords is a former U.S. Senator from Vermont. He served as a Republican until 2001, when he left the party to become an independent. He retired from the Senate in 2006.-Background:...
, also an independent, retired. Sanders will be 71 years old in 2012.
Former Republican Governor Jim Douglas
Jim Douglas
James H. Douglas is an American politician from the U.S. state of Vermont. A Republican, he was elected the 80th Governor of Vermont in 2002 and was reelected three times with a majority of the vote...
is looking at a possible run, and state Auditor Thomas Salmon, Jr. is seriously thinking of being a candidate.
Maria Cantwell of Washington
Two-term incumbent Democrat Maria CantwellMaria Cantwell
Maria E. Cantwell is the junior United States Senator from the state of Washington and a member of the Democratic Party....
was re-elected in 2006 with 57% of the vote over Republican Mike McGavick
Mike McGavick
Michael S. "Mike" McGavick is an American business executive and a graduate of the University of Washington....
. A poll conducted by Public Policy Polling
Public Policy Polling
Public Policy Polling is an American Democratic Party-affiliated polling firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina. PPP was founded in 2001 by businessman and Democratic pollster Dean Debnam, the firm's current president and chief executive officer...
July 27-August 1, 2010 of 1,204 voters had Cantwell leading in two potential matchups. In a matchup with Republican Congressman Dave Reichert
Dave Reichert
David George Reichert is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as Sheriff of King County, Washington.-Early life, education and career:...
, Cantwell led 47% to 41%. In a matchup with Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Cantwell led 49% to 37%. Susan Hutchison
Susan Hutchison
Susan Hutchison is a former television news anchor and political candidate in Seattle, Washington. She is the Executive Director of the Charles and Lisa Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences. Hutchison's twenty-five year career as a journalist began at KITV news in Honolulu and continued at KIRO-TV...
, who was a 2009 candidate for King County Executive, has frequently been mentioned as a possible GOP opponent for Cantwell.
Joe Manchin of West Virginia
Nine-term former Democrat Robert ByrdRobert Byrd
Robert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...
, the longest serving U.S. Senator in history, was re-elected in 2006 with 64.4% of the vote. On June 28, 2010, Senator Byrd died at the age of 92, leaving this seat vacant. A special election
United States Senate special election in West Virginia, 2010
The 2010 United States Senate special election in West Virginia was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd died in office on June 28, 2010. Democrat Governor Joe Manchin appointed Carte Goodwin to temporarily fill the vacancy. Goodwin pledged to not run for...
to fill this seat was held in November 2010, which Democratic Governor Joe Manchin
Joe Manchin
Joseph "Joe" Manchin III is the junior United States Senator representing West Virginia. Manchin, a Democrat, was Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010...
won with 53.5% of the vote. Manchin will be 65 years old in 2012.
Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito
Shelley Moore Capito
Shelley Moore Capito is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. She is a member of the Republican Party...
is the GOP favorite to run for the seat.
Jon Kyl of Arizona
Three-term incumbent and Senate Minority WhipAssistant party leaders of the United States Senate
The Assistant Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate are the second-ranking members of the party leadership of the United States Senate....
Republican Jon Kyl
Jon Kyl
Jon Llewellyn Kyl is the junior U.S. Senator from Arizona and the Senate Minority Whip, the second-highest position in the Republican Senate leadership. In 2010 he was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for his persuasive role in the Senate.The son...
was re-elected in 2006 with 53% of the vote. He has announced he will not seek a fourth term in 2012, when he will be 70 years old. Republican Representative Jeff Flake
Jeff Flake
Jeffrey Lane "Jeff" Flake is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was featured in the documentary series How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories....
(AZ-6) announced in February 2011 that he will seek his party's nomination.
It has been speculated that Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...
may run for the Senate seat. This is, of course, contingent upon her full recovery following the January 8th shooting in Tucson
2011 Tucson shooting
On January 8, 2011, a mass shooting occurred near Tucson, Arizona. Nineteen people were shot, six of them fatally, with one other person injured at the scene during an open meeting that U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was holding with members of her constituency in a Casas Adobes Safeway...
which saw her and 19 others wounded by gunfire, six of them fatally. Giffords has been seen as having the possibility of her attracting numerous moderate voters, both Republican and Democrat, and dominating the Democratic field in the event of a contentious primary. There has been no official campaign announcement by Giffords or her staff.
Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas
Three-term incumbent Republican Kay Bailey HutchisonKay Bailey Hutchison
Kathryn Ann Bailey Hutchison, known as Kay Bailey Hutchison , is the senior United States Senator from Texas.She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S....
was re-elected in 2006 with 62% of the vote despite a poor overall climate for Republicans, who lost control of both chambers of Congress that year. In an interview with Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
published in December 2007, Hutchison stated that she would not seek re-election and might also resign from the Senate as early as 2009 to run for governor. After losing the Republican gubernatorial primary to incumbent Governor Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
, Hutchison announced that she would serve out the remainder of her term and not run for re-election in 2012.
For the Republicans, former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz
Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz is the former Solicitor General of Texas, a position he held from 2003 to May 2008. Cruz was appointed by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. He was the first Hispanic Solicitor General in Texas, the youngest Solicitor General in America and the longest to hold the...
, former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert
Tom Leppert
Tom Leppert is an American politician who served as mayor of Dallas, Texas from 2007 to 2011, and who worked as CEO of the Turner Corporation...
, and Texas Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones
Elizabeth Ames Jones
Elizabeth Ames Jones is one of the three members of the elected Texas Railroad Commission, a regulatory body that oversees the oil and natural gas industries in Texas — as opposed to railroads, as its name suggests...
are candidates. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst
David Dewhurst
David Dewhurst is the 41st and current Lieutenant Governor of Texas, serving under Governor Rick Perry since January 21, 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Texas Land Commissioner from 1999 to 2003. Dewhurst announced on July 18, 2011, that he was running for the...
and State Senator Dan Patrick have also been mentioned as possible contenders for the seat. Former Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael L. Williams
Michael L. Williams
Michael Lawrence Williams is a former member of the elected Texas Railroad Commission, a regulatory body over, not railroads, but the oil and natural gas industries. Williams is the first African American to hold a statewide elected executive office in Texas history. He was appointed to the...
and former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams
Roger Williams (US politician)
John Roger Williams is the former Secretary of State of Texas, having served from November 2004 until his resignation effective July 1, 2007.-Early life and career:...
, who both were originally running for the seat, have decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives instead.
John Sharp
John Sharp (Texas politician)
John Sharp is the former Democratic Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, having held the office from 1991 to 1999. He is currently a principal in the Austin office of the Dallas-based Ryan & Company, a tax consulting firm. In 2005, he was appointed to serve as Chair of the Texas Tax Reform...
, the former Democratic state comptroller, has said he will run whenever the seat comes up for an election. On May 11, retired U.S. Army General Ricardo Sanchez
Ricardo Sanchez
Ricardo Sanchez is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General and a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for the Senate election in 2012 for the seat of retiring Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.-Early life and education:...
announced that he would run as a Democrat.
Richard Lugar of Indiana
Six-term incumbent Republican Richard Lugar was re-elected in 2006 with 87% of the vote, running unopposed by a Democrat. When the 111th Congress convened, Lugar became the most senior Republican in the Senate. On August 11, 2010, Lugar announced he expects to run for a 7th term in 2012. He will be 80 years old in 2012. Lugar will be challenged in the primary by conservative state Treasurer Richard MourdockRichard Mourdock
-External links:********...
, who criticizes Lugar for his willingness to vote with Democrats on key issues.
Olympia Snowe of Maine
Three-term incumbent Republican Olympia SnoweOlympia Snowe
Olympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...
was re-elected in 2006 with 73% of the vote, the largest margin of any incumbent in 2006, other than Indiana Senator Richard Lugar (who ran without a Democratic opponent). She will be 65 years old in 2012.
A conservative challenger, Scott D'Amboise, is already running against Snowe in the Republican Primary. Tea Party candidate Andrew Ian Dodge is also challenging Snowe in the Republican Primary.
Former Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap
Matthew Dunlap
Matthew Dunlap is an American Democratic politician from Maine. He is the former Secretary of State of Maine, taking office on January 7, 2005. Leaving office in January 2011, he assumed the role of Executive Director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine...
, a democrat, announced in early November 2011 that he was running in the democratic primary. Also in November Maine State Representative Jon Hinck
Jon Hinck
Jon Hinck is an American environmentalist, lawyer and politician. Since 2006 he has served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives, representing House District 118, part of Portland, Maine. The non-partisan research group Maine Conservation Voters gives Hinck a score of "100%" on their...
announced he would run in the democratic primary.
Scott Brown of Massachusetts
Eight-term former Democrat Ted KennedyTed Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
was re-elected in 2006
United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 2006
The 2006 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on November 7, 2006 with the incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy winning over little-known Republican challenger Kenneth Chase. Kennedy captured every county in the state, winning at least 62% in each region...
with 69% of the vote. However, he wasn't able to finish his term as he died just before midnight of August 25, 2009 at the age of 77, due to a malignant glioma, a form of brain cancer.
Paul G. Kirk was appointed as the interim Senator by Gov. Deval Patrick
Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
and was sworn in on September 25, 2009 to serve until a permanent Senator was elected in the special election
United States Senate special election in Massachusetts, 2010
The 2010 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts was a special election held on January 19, 2010, in order to fill the Massachusetts Class I United States Senate seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2013...
on January 19, 2010.
Republican state legislator Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
won the special election in an upset that generated national publicity and was sworn in on February 4, 2010. He is running for reelection to a full term in 2012. He is the first Republican senator to be elected in Massachusetts since 1972. He won 52% of the vote in the special election.
Democrats who have announced their candidacies include State Representative Tom Conroy and Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
professor Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren is an American bankruptcy expert, policy advocate, Harvard Law School professor, and Democratic Party candidate in the 2012 United States Senate election in Massachusetts. She has written several academic and popular books concerning the American economy and personal finance. She...
.
Roger Wicker of Mississippi
One-term incumbent Republican Roger WickerRoger Wicker
Roger Frederick Wicker is the junior U.S. Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served...
was appointed after former Senate Majority Leader
Party leaders of the United States Senate
The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders are two United States Senators who are elected by the party conferences that hold the majority and the minority respectively. These leaders serve as the chief Senate spokespeople for their parties and manage and schedule the legislative and executive...
Trent Lott
Trent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
announced on November 26, 2007 that he was going to resign by the end of 2007. Wicker defeated former Governor Ronnie Musgrove
Ronnie Musgrove
David Ronald "Ronnie" Musgrove is an American politician who was the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from January 16, 1996 to January 11, 2000 and the 62nd Governor of Mississippi from January 11, 2000 to January 13, 2004 of the U.S. state of Mississippi. He was recently defeated by...
in the 2008 special election
United States Senate special election in Mississippi, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate special election in Mississippi was held on November 4, 2008. This election is held on the same day of Thad Cochran's re-election bid in the United States Senate election in Mississippi, 2008. The rules of this special election is that the winner will serve rest of...
and will be up for re-election in 2012.
Dean Heller of Nevada
Two-term former Republican John EnsignJohn Ensign
John Eric Ensign is a former United States Senator from Nevada, serving from January 2001 until he resigned amid an investigation of an ethics violation in May 2011...
was re-elected in 2006 with 55% of the vote against Jack Carter
Jack Carter (politician)
John William "Jack" Carter, , is an American businessman and politician who unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate in Nevada in 2006. Carter is the eldest child of former President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter....
, son of former Democratic President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
.
In June 2009, Ensign admitted to an affair that he had with a campaign staffer. Sources also reported blackmail with the husband of the women involved apparently asking Ensign for a substantial amount of money. On July 14, 2009, Ensign announced that he was running for re-election He changed his mind and announced on March 7, 2011 that he would not seek re-election. Amid his continuing ethics investigation relating to his affair and the effect it was having on his family, Ensign announced he would resign effective May 3, 2011. Governor Brian Sandoval
Brian Sandoval
Brian Edward Sandoval is an American politician. He is the 29th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Nevada since January 3, 2011. Sandoval is a former judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada...
was obligated to appoint his successor.
Republican Congressman Dean Heller
Dean Heller
Dean A. Heller is the junior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Republican Party. Heller was appointed by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval to a vacant seat created by the resignation of John Ensign. He was previously a member of the United States House of Representatives,...
had announced he would run for the seat after Ensign announced he would retire and serve the remainder of the term. Governor Brian Sandoval
Brian Sandoval
Brian Edward Sandoval is an American politician. He is the 29th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Nevada since January 3, 2011. Sandoval is a former judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada...
appointed Heller as successor to serve out the remainder of Ensign's term after he announced his resignation.
Democratic Congresswoman Shelley Berkley
Shelley Berkley
Rochelle "Shelley" Berkley is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999, and a candidate for U.S. Senate. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education, and legal career:...
has announced she will run for the seat.
Bob Corker of Tennessee
One-term incumbent Republican Bob CorkerBob Corker
Robert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.-Early life and family:Born in Orangeburg, South...
was elected in 2006 with 50.7% of the vote. He narrowly defeated then-Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.
Harold Ford, Jr.
Harold Eugene Ford, Jr. is an American politician and was the last chairman of the now-defunct Democratic Leadership Council . He was a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives from , centered in Memphis, from 1997 to 2007...
. Country music singer Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
has expressed an interest in challenging Corker for the GOP nomination in 2012.
Corker set up "the Bob Corker for Senate 2012 committee" on November 8, 2006, or one day after winning a six-year term.
Orrin Hatch of Utah
Six-term incumbent and former Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Republican Orrin HatchOrrin Hatch
Orrin Grant Hatch is the senior United States Senator for Utah and is a member of the Republican Party. Hatch served as the chairman or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1993 to 2005...
was re-elected in 2006 with 62% of the vote. He will be 78 years old in 2012, and has announced he will run for re-election. Hatch has no formally-announced opponents. Though Hatch remains popular with Utahns in general, he is viewed by many in the Utah Republican Party as too moderate, and many names are being floated as potential challengers.
The name most frequently mentioned was that of conservative Congressman Jason Chaffetz
Jason Chaffetz
Jason E. Chaffetz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Provo and includes large portions of central and west-central Utah.-Early life, education and career:...
, who had criticized Hatch, but Chaffetz announced on August 22, 2011, that he would not run against Hatch. http://www.politico.com/blogs/davidcatanese/0811/Chaffetz_wont_challenge_Hatch.html].
Also frequently mentioned is state Senator Dan Liljenquist
Dan Liljenquist
Dan Liljenquist is the Republican member of the Utah State Senate representing the state's 23rd senate district in Davis County.-Early life, education, and legal career:...
. http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2011/08/rep-chaffetz-launch-statewide-campaign-tour. Among Democrats, Congressman Jim Matheson
Jim Matheson
James David "Jim" Matheson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes eastern Salt Lake City....
has been mentioned frequently and polls show him running competitively against both Hatch and Chaffetz http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2011/07/matheson-competitive-in-utah-senate.html.
John Barrasso of Wyoming
One-term incumbent Republican John BarrassoJohn Barrasso
John Anthony Barrasso is the junior U.S. Senator from Wyoming and a member of the Republican Party. He was appointed to the Senate following Craig L. Thomas's death and won a special election in 2008 to fill the remaining four years of Thomas's term....
was appointed to the Senate in 2007 after the death of Republican Craig L. Thomas and won a special election in 2008
United States Senate elections in Wyoming, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Wyoming was held November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Mike Enzi won re-election to a third term.-Candidates:*Chris Rothfuss, chemical engineer and university professor...
to complete Thomas's term.