2014 United States Senate election in Maine
November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04)
 
Nominee Susan Collins Shenna Bellows
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 413,495 190,244
Percentage 68.46% 31.50%
Collins:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Bellows:      50–60%      60–70%      >90%
U.S. senator before election

Susan Collins
Republican

 Elected U.S. Senator

Susan Collins
Republican

The 2014 United States Senate election in Maine took place on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, who had served in the position since 1997, won reelection to a fourth term in office with 68% of the vote.[1][2] The primary elections were held on June 10, 2014. As of 2024, this was the last time the Republican candidate won the counties of Cumberland and Knox.[3]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Write-in candidates

  • Erick Bennett, conservative activist and director of the Maine Equal Rights Center (unenrolled as a Republican, see Campaign section)[6][7][8]

Declined

Campaign

Maine Republican Party Chairman Rick Bennett was critical of Erick Bennett's campaign, stating that he did not believe Erick would get the necessary signatures to get on the ballot. After making it clear the two men are not related, Rick felt that this would be due to Erick's views as expressed on his Facebook page. These included referring to U.S. Representative Mike Michaud as a "closet homo" and criticism of Nelson Mandela, comparing him to Stalin and Karl Marx.[11] Furthermore, Erick Bennett was convicted in 2003 of assaulting his wife, which was upheld by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, though he maintains his innocence.[12] Rick Bennett stated that Erick's views "do not represent the views of the Republican Party".[11]

Erick Bennett announced before the primary filing deadline on March 17 that he had left the Republican Party and would run as an independent.[6] Maine law, however, requires that an independent candidate must have not been in a political party by March 1 of the election year in order to run as an independent, meaning Bennett cannot legally run as such.[13] The Kennebec Journal reported that Bennett was a write-in candidate for the Republican nomination.[8]

On April 3, 2014, Collins' campaign announced the joint endorsement of Bath Iron Works' labor unions, which the campaign claimed was the first time the unions issued a joint endorsement as well as the first time they endorsed a Republican candidate for federal office.[14]

Polling

Hypothetical polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Susan
Collins		 Bruce
Poliquin		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling August 23–25, 2013 321 ± 5.5% 64% 24% 12%
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Susan
Collins		 Charlie
Summers		 Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling January 18–20, 2013 430 ± 4.7% 58% 31% — 11%
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Susan
Collins		 Someone more
conservative		 Other
 Undecided
Public Policy Polling January 18–20, 2013 430 ± 4.7% 49% 46% — 6%
Public Policy Polling August 23–25, 2013 321 ± 5.5% 47% 48% — 5%
Public Policy Polling November 8–11, 2013 331 ± 5.4% 48% 44% — 7%

Results

Republican primary results[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Susan Collins (incumbent) 59,767 100.00%
Total votes 59,767 100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Results

Democratic primary results[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shenna Bellows 65,085 100.00%
Total votes 65,085 100.00%

Independents

To qualify as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maine, a candidate needs to submit at least 4,000 valid signatures to the secretary of state by June 1. Any independent candidate must not have been enrolled in a political party after March 1 of the year the election occurs.[20]

Former Republican candidate Erick Bennett announced just before the March 17 primary filing deadline that he had left the Republican Party and would run as an independent, but Maine law required him to have unenrolled as a Republican by March 1 to do so. Therefore, he could not legally run as an independent.[6][13]

Candidates

Declared

  • Erick Bennett, conservative activist and director of the Maine Equal Rights Center (unenrolled as a Republican, see Campaign section)[6]

Declined

General election

Background

Heading into the 2014 cycle, only 12 U.S. Senate elections had involved two major party female nominees in U.S. history.[22]

Candidates

Endorsements

Susan Collins (R)
Politicians
Unions
  • Bath Marine Draftsman's Association[14]
  • Independent Guards Association[14]
  • International Association of Machinists Local S6 and S7[14]
  • Union of Painters & Allied Trades District Council 35[26]
Organizations
Newspapers
Shenna Bellows (D)
Politicians and other individuals
Unions
Organizations
Declined to endorse

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[44] Solid R November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[45] Safe R November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report[46] Safe R November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics[47] Safe R November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Susan
Collins (R)		 Shenna
Bellows (D)		 Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling November 8–11, 2013 964 ± 3.2% 59% 20% — 22%
Rasmussen Reports April 23–25, 2014 830 ± 3% 60% 24% 6% 9%
University of New Hampshire June 12–18, 2014 527 ± 4.3% 72% 17% — 10%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov July 5–24, 2014 1,356 ± 2.7% 63% 28% 2% 6%
Public Policy Polling* August 16–18, 2014 679 ± 3.8% 57% 33% — 10%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov August 18 – September 2, 2014 1,202 ± 4% 58% 26% 3% 12%
Rasmussen Reports September 3–4, 2014 750 ± 4% 59% 31% 2% 7%
University of New Hampshire September 18–25, 2014 482 ± 4.4% 59% 29% — 11%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov September 20 – October 1, 2014 1,531 ± 3% 57% 33% 1% 9%
Pan Atlantic SMS September 23–29, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 68% 25% — 7%
Bangor Daily News/Ipsos October 6–12, 2014 540 LV ± 4.8% 56% 31% 5%[48] 7%
903 RV ± 3.7% 53% 31% 7%[49] 10%
University of New Hampshire October 15–21, 2014 667 ± 3.8% 65% 30% — 4%
Pan Atlantic SMS October 15–21, 2014 400 ± 4.9% 67% 27% — 7%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov October 16–23, 2014 1,177 ± 5% 54% 35% 0% 10%
Bangor Daily News/Ipsos October 23–29, 2014 488 ± 5.1% 64% 32% 2% 3%
Maine People's Resource Center October 31 – November 2, 2014 906 ± 3.25% 57% 37% — 5%
  • * Internal poll for Shenna Bellows campaign
Hypothetical polling
With Collins
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Susan
Collins (R)		 Eliot
Cutler (I)		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling August 23–25, 2013 953 ± 3.2% 53% 33% 14%
Maine People's Resource Center September 8–10, 2013 652 ± 3.84% 58% 28% 14%
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Susan
Collins (R)		 Stephen
King (D)		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling August 23–25, 2013 953 ± 3.2% 54% 31% 15%
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Susan
Collins (R)		 Mike
Michaud (D)		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling January 18–20, 2013 1,268 ± 2.8% 54% 36% 10%
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Susan
Collins (R)		 Chellie
Pingree (D)		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling January 18–20, 2013 1,268 ± 2.8% 58% 33% 9%
Public Policy Polling August 23–25, 2013 953 ± 3.2% 57% 34% 9%
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Susan
Collins (R)		 Generic
Democrat		 Undecided
Maine People's Resource Center September 8–10, 2013 652 ± 3.84% 60% 26% 15%
With Poliquin
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Bruce
Poliquin (R)		 Chellie
Pingree (D)		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling August 23–25, 2013 953 ± 3.2% 33% 47% 20%
With Summers
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Charlie
Summers (R)		 Mike
Michaud (D)		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling January 18–20, 2013 1,268 ± 2.8% 32% 57% 12%
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Charlie
Summers (R)		 Chellie
Pingree (D)		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling January 18–20, 2013 1,268 ± 2.8% 39% 50% 11%

Results

The election was not close, with Collins winning all 16 of Maine's counties, each by a margin of at least 24 percentage points.[50]

2014 United States Senate election in Maine[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Susan Collins (incumbent) 413,495 68.46% +7.13%
Democratic Shenna Bellows 190,244 31.50% -7.08%
Write-in 269 0.04% -0.05%
Total votes 604,008 100.00% N/A
Republican hold

See also

References

  1. ↑ Camia, Catalina (March 20, 2013). "Moderate GOP Sen. Collins intends to run again; USA Today". usatoday.com. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Sen. Susan Collins has become a key player in Congress | The Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME". Kjonline.com. August 29, 2010. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Maine Senate Election Results 2020 | Live Map Updates | Voting by County". www.politico.com. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  4. ↑ Abby Livingston; Joshua Miller; Shira Toeplitz & Kyle Trygstad (November 28, 2012). "Inside the 2014 Senate Races". Roll Call. Archived from the original on December 2, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Inside the 2014 Senate Races". Roll Call. Associated Press. November 28, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Mario Moretto (December 2, 2013). "Erick Bennett will challenge Collins from the right in Republican primary". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  7. ↑ David Carkhuff (March 12, 2014). "Maine Senate Passes Mainecare Expansion". Portland Daily Sun. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  8. 1 2 "King on Collins: 'We've got a model senator here'". Kennebec Journal. May 16, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Is Collins vulnerable to a conservative primary? | Agree to Disagree". Agreetodisagree.bangordailynews.com. January 28, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  10. ↑ Ethan Strimling (August 25, 2013). "Update: Poliquin enters race for Congress". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
  11. 1 2 Mario Moretto (December 16, 2013). "State GOP rebukes Collins' primary challenger for Facebook comments about Michaud, Mandela". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Sen. Susan Collins Challenger Says His Wife-Beating Conviction Proves 'Guts And Integrity'". Huffingtonpost.com. January 3, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  13. 1 2 Rebekah Metzler (March 17, 2014). "Maine's Susan Collins Avoids Tea Party Challenge". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Collins endorsed by BIW unions". Susan Collins for US Senate. April 3, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  15. 1 2 "Tabulations for Elections held in 2014". Maine Secretary of State. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Shenna Bellows to launch U.S. Senate campaign on Oct. 23". Kennebec Journal. October 8, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Expanding Medicaid would be 'sinful,' LePage says". Kennebec Journal. March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Sen. Emily Cain launches bid for Michaud's congressional seat". Maine Sun Journal. June 14, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Mike Michaud Exploring Bid for Governor in Maine #MEGOV #ME02". Roll Call. June 13, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Maine". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Independent opts out of U.S. Senate race". Portland Press Herald. January 21, 2014. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  22. ↑ Ostermeier, Eric (September 17, 2013). "West Virginia 2014 US Senate Race to Feature Rare Matchup". Smart Politics.
  23. ↑ Sullivan, Sean (May 16, 2014). "King endorsement". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  24. ↑ Burgess Everett & Manu Raju (April 15, 2014). "GOP Senate may run purple". Politico. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  25. ↑ Michael Shepherd (April 26, 2014). "Rand Paul Q&A: Republicans must be more united, inclusive". Kennebec Journal. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Washington Post predicts Poliquin victory; Collins picks up another labor union endorsement". Bangor Daily News. August 7, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Gabrielle Giffords' gun-control group to back Susan Collins". Kennebec Journal. June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Here's why HRC's endorsement of Collins won't hurt Bellows much". Bangor Daily News. June 25, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Susan Collins should return to the Senate: Maine needs experience". Bangor Daily News. October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  30. 1 2 3 4 "Shenna Bellows embraces D.C. cash". Bangor Daily News. February 20, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Endorsements for Shenna Bellows". Sheena Bellows for US Senate. April 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  32. ↑ "ME, OR & IA-Sen: Michael Douglas Fundraises For Bellows (D), Merkley (D) & Braley (D)". Daily-Kos. June 9, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  33. ↑ "For this lifetime Mainer, Bellows is the clear choice". Bangor Daily News. May 30, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Labor Stands Strong with Bellows as Collins Trails Far Behind in Union Endorsements". Shenna Bellows for US Senate. April 24, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  35. ↑ "AFL-CIO endorses Cain, Bellows; Mike Tipping's new book on his favorite governor". Bangor Daily News. June 25, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  36. ↑ "Democracy For America endorses Bellows for U.S. Senate". Shenna Bellows for Senate. March 11, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  37. ↑ Metzler, Rebekah (April 16, 2014). "Shenna Bellows makes the (EMILY's) list | Downeast to DC". Downeasttodc.bangordailynews.com. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  38. ↑ "2014 Candidate Endorsements | Freethought Equality Fund".
  39. 1 2 "Bellows Endorsed By Major Marijuana Advocacy Groups". Shenna Bellows for Senate. February 19, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  40. ↑ "Bellows receives endorsement from national progressive group, compared to Elizabeth Warren". Bangor Daily News. February 4, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  41. ↑ "SNAP, Nation's Largest Student-Run Political Action Committee Endorses Shenna Bellows". Shenna Bellows for Senate. May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  42. ↑ "OUR OPINION: Who do we endorse? Nobody — and here's why". MaineToday Media/Kennebec Journal. August 31, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Sportsman's Alliance of Maine won't endorse candidates in gubernatorial, federal races". Bangor Daily News. August 21, 2014. Archived from the original on October 5, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  44. ↑ "2014 Senate Race Ratings for November 3, 2014". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  45. ↑ "The Crystal Ball's Final 2014 Picks". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  46. ↑ "2014 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  47. ↑ "2014 Elections Map - Battle for the Senate 2014". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  48. ↑ Erick Bennett 4%, Other 1%
  49. ↑ Erick Bennett 5%, other 2%
  50. ↑ "Maine Election Results". The New York Times. December 17, 2014. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  51. ↑ "Tabulations for Elections held in 2014". Maine Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. Retrieved December 17, 2018.

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