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2014 United States Senate election in Maine

none

Field	Value
election_name	2014 United States Senate election in Maine
country	Maine
type	presidential
ongoing	no
previous_election	2008 United States Senate election in Maine
previous_year	2008
next_election	2020 United States Senate election in Maine
next_year	2020
election_date
image1	File:Senator Susan Collins 2014 official portrait (cropped).jpg
image_size	150x150px
nominee1	Susan Collins
party1	Republican Party (United States)
popular_vote1	413,495
percentage1	68.46%
image2	File:Shenna Bellows 2 by 3.jpg
nominee2	Shenna Bellows
party2	Democratic Party (United States)
popular_vote2	190,244
percentage2	31.50%
map	{{switcher
map_caption	Collins:
Bellows:
title	U.S. Senator
before_election	Susan Collins
before_party	Republican Party (United States)
after_election	Susan Collins
after_party	Republican Party (United States)

|280px |County results |280px |Municipality results |280px |Congressional district results}} Bellows:
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 election to a fourth term in office with 68% of the vote, a sizable landslide victory. The primary elections were held on June 10, 2014. This was the only Republican-held Senate seat up for election in a state that Barack Obama won in the 2012 presidential election.

As of , this was the last time a Republican won the counties of Cumberland and Knox in a statewide election, and the last time any party carried every county in Maine.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Susan Collins, incumbent U.S. senator

Write-in candidates

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

Declined

Scott D'Amboise, former Lisbon Falls selectman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012
Bruce Poliquin, former state treasurer, candidate for governor in 2010 and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012 (ran for ME-02)
Mark Willis, former Maine Republican national committeeman

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. Furthermore, Erick Bennett was convicted in 2003 of assaulting his wife, which was upheld by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, though he maintained his innocence. Rick Bennett stated that Erick's views "[did] not represent the views of the Republican Party".

Erick Bennett announced before the primary filing deadline on March 17 that he had left the Republican Party and would run as an independent. The Kennebec Journal reported that Bennett was a write-in candidate for the Republican nomination.

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.

Collins ultimately defeated Bellows in a landslide, carrying all 16 counties, both congressional districts, and nearly every municipality in the state. Bellows only won the heavily Democratic cities of Portland, Bar Harbor, and Hallowell, as well as a handful of small communities in extremely rural northern and western Maine with only a few dozen votes between them, such as Grand Falls Township and Elliottsville.

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

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Shenna Bellows, former executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine

Declined

Emily Cain, state senator (ran for ME-02)
Mike Michaud, U.S. representative (ran for governor)

Results

Independents

To qualify as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maine, a person 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.

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.

Candidates

Declared

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

Declined

Mike Turcotte, adjunct professor at Eastern Maine Community College

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.

Candidates

Shenna Bellows (Democratic), former executive director of the Maine ACLU
Susan Collins (Republican), incumbent U.S. senator

Endorsements

Politicians

Angus King, U.S. senator (I-ME)
Joe Manchin, U.S. senator (D-WV)
Rand Paul, U.S. senator (R-KY)

Unions

Bath Marine Draftsman's Association
Independent Guards Association
International Association of Machinists Local S6 and S7
Union of Painters & Allied Trades District Council 35

Organizations

Americans for Responsible Solutions
Human Rights Campaign

Newspapers

Bangor Daily News

Politicians and other individuals

Justin Alfond, president of the Maine Senate
Tom Andrews, former U.S. representative (D-ME)
Michael Douglas, actor
Barney Frank, former U.S. representative (D-MA)
Tess Gerritsen, author
Stephen King, author
Mike Michaud. U.S. representative (D-ME), candidate for governor
Bob Monks, shareholder activist
Chellie Pingree, U.S. representative (D-ME)
Donald Sussman, philanthropist and financier, husband of Rep. Pingree

Unions

American Postal Worker Union
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Iron Workers Local 7
LIUNA Local 327
Maine AFL-CIO
Maine State Building and Construction Trades Council
Maine State Nurses Association
Teamsters Local 340
United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 716
United Steelworkers Local 449

Organizations

Alliance for Retired Americans
Council for a Livable World
Democracy for America
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
EMILY's list
Feminist Majority
Freethought Equality Fund PAC
Maine People's Alliance
Marijuana Policy Project
MoveOn
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
National Organization for Women
People for the American Way
Progressive Change Campaign Committee
Students for a New American Politics}} Publications
MaineToday Media newspapers

Organizations

Sportsman's Alliance of Maine

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report		November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball		November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report		November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics		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%	7%
903 RV	± 3.7%		53%	31%	7%	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

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[Maine People's Resource Center](http://mprc.me/research/0913omnibus.pdf)	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, and the election overall by a margin of 223,251 votes.

Results by county

County	Susan Collins
Republican	Shenna Bellows
Democratic	Various candidates
Other parties	Margin	Total votes cast	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	Totals	413,505	68.5%	190,254	31.5%	269	0.01%	223,251	37.0%	604,028
	Androscoggin		32,649		72.0%		12,680		28.0%		15		0.01%		19,969		44.0%		45,344
	Aroostook		22,182		78.1%		6,217		21.9%		20		0.1%		15,965		56.2%		28,419
	Cumberland		86,495		62.0%		53,036		38.0%		35		0.01%		33,459		24.0%		139,566
	Franklin		9,847		70.0%		4,215		29.9%		15		0.1%		5,632		40.1%		14,077
	Hancock		16,411		63.0%		9,618		36.9%		8		0.1%		6,793		26.1%		26,037
	Kennebec		38,752		69.1%		17,280		30.8%		13		0.1%		21,472		38.3%		56,045
	Knox		11,622		62.3%		7,006		37.5%		37		0.2%		4,616		24.8%		18,665
	Lincoln		12,321		68.5%		5,646		31.4%		16		0.1%		6,675		37.1%		17,983
	Oxford		18,545		71.1%		7,511		28.8%		12		0.1%		11,034		42.3%		26,068
	Penobscot		46,617		73.7%		16,623		26.3%		28		0.01%		29,994		46.4%		63,268
	Piscataquis		6,174		76.8%		1,862		23.2%		6		0.01%		4,312		53.6%		8,042
	Sagadahoc		12,715		69.1%		5,666		30.8%		13		0.1%		7,049		38.3%		18,394
	Somerset		15,820		72.2%		6,068		27.7%		11		0.1%		9,752		24.5%		21,899
	Waldo		11,816		64.9%		6,379		35.0%		7		0.1%		5,437		29.9%		18,202
	Washington		9,801		71.1%		3,978		28.9%		7		0.01%		5,823		42.2%		13,786
	York		61,313		70.2%		26,045		29.8%		24		0.01%		35,268		50.4%		87,382

By congressional district

Collins won both of the congressional districts in the state, including one which also elected a Democrat.

District	Collins	Representative
66%	34%	Chellie Pingree
72%	28%	Mike Michaud ([113th Congress](113th-united-states-congress))
	Bruce Poliquin ([114th Congress](114th-united-states-congress))

References

(March 20, 2013). "Moderate GOP Sen. Collins intends to run again; USA Today". usatoday.com.
(August 29, 2010). "Sen. Susan Collins has become a key player in Congress | The Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME". Kjonline.com.
"Maine Senate Election Results 2020 {{!}} Live Map Updates {{!}} Voting by County".
(November 28, 2012). "Inside the 2014 Senate Races". Roll Call.
(November 28, 2012). "Inside the 2014 Senate Races". Roll Call.
Mario Moretto. (December 2, 2013). "Erick Bennett will challenge Collins from the right in Republican primary". [[Bangor Daily News]].
David Carkhuff. (March 12, 2014). "Maine Senate Passes Mainecare Expansion". [[Portland Daily Sun]].
(May 16, 2014). "King on Collins: 'We've got a model senator here'". [[Kennebec Journal]].
(January 28, 2013). "Is Collins vulnerable to a conservative primary? | Agree to Disagree". Agreetodisagree.bangordailynews.com.
Ethan Strimling. (August 25, 2013). "Update: Poliquin enters race for Congress". [[Bangor Daily News]].
Mario Moretto. (December 16, 2013). "State GOP rebukes Collins' primary challenger for Facebook comments about Michaud, Mandela". [[Bangor Daily News]].
(January 3, 2014). "Sen. Susan Collins Challenger Says His Wife-Beating Conviction Proves 'Guts And Integrity'". Huffingtonpost.com.
Rebekah Metzler. (March 17, 2014). "Maine's Susan Collins Avoids Tea Party Challenge". [[Bangor Daily News]].
(November 4, 2014). "November 4, 2014 General Election United States Senator".
[http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_ME_828.pdf Public Policy Polling]
[http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_ME_012413.pdf Public Policy Polling]
[http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2013/PPP_Release_ME_111313.pdf Public Policy Polling]
"Tabulations for Elections held in 2014". Maine Secretary of State.
(October 8, 2013). "Shenna Bellows to launch U.S. Senate campaign on Oct. 23". [[Kennebec Journal]].
(March 13, 2014). "Expanding Medicaid would be 'sinful,' LePage says". Kennebec Journal.
(June 14, 2013). "Sen. Emily Cain launches bid for Michaud's congressional seat". Maine Sun Journal.
(June 13, 2013). "Mike Michaud Exploring Bid for Governor in Maine #MEGOV #ME02". Roll Call.
"Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Maine". Ballotpedia.
(January 21, 2014). "Independent opts out of U.S. Senate race". Portland Press Herald.
Ostermeier, Eric. (September 17, 2013). "West Virginia 2014 US Senate Race to Feature Rare Matchup". Smart Politics.
Sullivan, Sean. (May 16, 2014). "King endorsement". [[The Washington Post]].
(April 15, 2014). "GOP Senate may run purple". [[Politico]].
Michael Shepherd. (April 26, 2014). "Rand Paul Q&A: Republicans must be more united, inclusive". [[Kennebec Journal]].
(April 3, 2014). "Collins endorsed by BIW unions". Susan Collins for US Senate.
(August 7, 2014). "Washington Post predicts Poliquin victory; Collins picks up another labor union endorsement". Bangor Daily News.
(June 3, 2014). "Gabrielle Giffords' gun-control group to back Susan Collins". Kennebec Journal.
(June 25, 2014). "Here's why HRC's endorsement of Collins won't hurt Bellows much". Bangor Daily News.
(October 24, 2014). "Susan Collins should return to the Senate: Maine needs experience". Bangor Daily News.
(February 20, 2014). "Shenna Bellows embraces D.C. cash". Bangor Daily News.
(June 9, 2014). "ME, OR & IA-Sen: Michael Douglas Fundraises For Bellows (D), Merkley (D) & Braley (D)". Daily-Kos.
(May 30, 2014). "For this lifetime Mainer, Bellows is the clear choice". [[Bangor Daily News]].
(April 2014). "Endorsements for Shenna Bellows". Sheena Bellows for US Senate.
(April 24, 2014). "Labor Stands Strong with Bellows as Collins Trails Far Behind in Union Endorsements". Shenna Bellows for US Senate.
(June 25, 2014). "AFL-CIO endorses Cain, Bellows; Mike Tipping's new book on his favorite governor". Bangor Daily News.
(March 11, 2014). "Democracy For America endorses Bellows for U.S. Senate". Shenna Bellows for Senate.
Metzler, Rebekah. (April 16, 2014). "Shenna Bellows makes the (EMILY's) list | Downeast to DC". Downeasttodc.bangordailynews.com.
"2014 Candidate Endorsements | Freethought Equality Fund".
(February 19, 2014). "Bellows Endorsed By Major Marijuana Advocacy Groups". Shenna Bellows for Senate.
(February 4, 2014). "Bellows receives endorsement from national progressive group, compared to Elizabeth Warren". Bangor Daily News.
(May 13, 2014). "SNAP, Nation's Largest Student-Run Political Action Committee Endorses Shenna Bellows". Shenna Bellows for Senate.
(August 31, 2014). "OUR OPINION: Who do we endorse? Nobody — and here's why". MaineToday Media/Kennebec Journal.
(August 21, 2014). "Sportsman's Alliance of Maine won't endorse candidates in gubernatorial, federal races". Bangor Daily News.
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[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/archive/election_2014_archive/maine/maine_senate_collins_r_60_bellows_d_24 Rasmussen Reports]
[http://www.pressherald.com/2014/06/22/poll-shows-cain-slightly-ahead-of-poliquin-in-district-2/ University of New Hampshire]
[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2014-midterms-republicans-narrowly-favored-to-capture-senate-in-november/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov]
[http://stateandcapitol.bangordailynews.com/2014/08/22/bellows-gains-traction-with-dems-after-350-mile-walk-but-still-trails-collins-overall/ Public Policy Polling*]
[https://today.yougov.com/news/2014/09/07/battleground-tracker-2014-maine/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov]
[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2014/maine/election_2014_maine_senate Rasmussen Reports]
[http://www.pressherald.com/2014/09/28/poll-shows-poliquin-with-a-lead-in-maines-2nd-district/ University of New Hampshire]
[http://today.yougov.com/news/2014/09/07/senate-races-battleground-tracker/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov]
[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3PYp5sROj_1ZmpqVVFwZmZGazRKRml1SjVtU3N5ejI2cXp3/view Pan Atlantic SMS]
[http://bangordailynews.com/?attachment_id=1805782 Bangor Daily News/Ipsos]
Erick Bennett 4%, Other 1%
Erick Bennett 5%, other 2%
[http://www.pressherald.com/2014/10/26/poll-a-majority-of-mainers-oppose-ban-on-bear-baiting/ University of New Hampshire]
[http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/PanAtlantic102814poll.pdf Pan Atlantic SMS]
[http://bangordailynews.com/?attachment_id=1817036&ref=relatedSidebar Bangor Daily News/Ipsos]
[http://mprc.me/research/1014election.pdf Maine People's Resource Center]
(17 Dec 2014). "Maine Election Results". The New York Times.
(November 4, 2014). "Tabulations for Elections held in 2014". Maine Secretary of State.
"OurCampaigns".

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