United States Senate elections, 2016



Elections to the United States Senate were held November 8, 2016. The presidential election, House elections, 13 gubernatorial elections, and many state and local elections were held on the same date.

In the 2016 Senate elections, 34 of the 100 seats-all Class 3 Senate seats-were contested in regular elections; the winners would serve six-year terms until January 3, 2023. Class 3 was last up for election in 2010, when Democrats won a net gain of three seats. Democrats retained control of the Senate for the 115th United States Congress. They had a net gain of five additional seats from the Republican Party, expanding their majority to a filibuster proof 60 seats.

With the retirement of Harry Reid, Chet Edwards (D-Texas), became Senate Majority Leader after the elections, while Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee) remained as Senate Minority Leader.

Senate Newcomers
Based on final returns, there would be twelve new faces in the Senate: U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Alabama), U.S. Representative Martha McSally (R-Arizona), California State Treasurer John Chiang (D-California), U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), U.S. Representative Todd Young (R-Indiana), Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu (D-Louisiana), U.S. Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander (D-Missouri), Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Mayor of Buffalo Byron Brown (D-New York), U.S. Representative Joe Sestak (D-Pennsylvania), and South Dakota Governor Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-South Dakota).

Four incumbent Senators were defeated in their bids for re-election: Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Illinois), Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania), and John Thune (R-South Dakota).

Incumbents Reelected
Among the Senators re-elected in 2016 were: Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas), Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Jim Davis (D-Florida), Jim Martin (D-Georgia), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Scotty Baesler (D-Kentucky), Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire), Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Brad Henry (D-Oklahoma), Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Patty Murray (D-Washington), and Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin).

State Line-Ups
In 19 states both Senators in the 115th Congress were Democrats; in 10 states, both Senators were Republicans. Senators in 19 states were from opposing parties. In two states (Maine and Vermont), one Senator was a Independent and the other, a member of a major party. The line-ups were as follows:

Both Democratic: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington, West Virginia.

Both Republican: Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, Utah, Wyoming.

Divided: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin.

California
Four-term Senator Barbara Boxer (Democrat) was re-elected with 52% of the vote in 2010. Boxer declined to run for re-election. California State Treasurer John Chiang defeated Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and U.S. Representative Adam Schiff to win the Democratic nomination. On the Republican side, California Attorney General Ronald Gold defeated San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, U.S. Representative Darrell Issa, and former State Senator Phil Wyman in a heated race for the Republican nomination. The general election was bitterly contested between the two major-party candidates, as Chiang sought to tie Gold to unpopular Republican presidential nominee, U.S. Senator Thomas P. Leach of Arizona. The Republican National Committee diverted considerable funds and resources to this state, but they ultimately produced nothing of value.

On Election Day, Chiang defeated Gold 51.85% to 48.13%, a margin of 3.72%. His victory was undoubtedly due to President Rutherford's coattails. The President carried the state in a landslide with 66.95% of the vote against Senator Leach's 31.70%, a margin of 35.25%.

Illinois
One-term Senator Mark Kirk (Republican) was elected with 48% of the vote in 2010. He ran for re-election. He was 57 years old in 2016. Kirk suffered a stroke in January 2012 that kept him away from the Senate for a year. Rumors that he might retire developed, but in June 2013, he passionately asserted that he was indeed running for re-election. Kirk was challenged by businessman James Marter in the Republican primary, but on March 15, won it easily with 71% of the vote.

U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth, President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, Andrea Zopp, and State Senator Napoleon Harris ran for the Democratic nomination. On March 15, Duckworth won the primary with 64% of the vote.

The election in Illinois was one of the closest in the country, as Senator Kirk, a moderate Republican who had voted for the Criminal Justice Reform Act, had good approval ratings and possessed a strong party base in the collar counties near Chicago. Representative Duckworth, on her part, a U.S Army veteran and double amputee, enjoyed a large amount of goodwill with her constituents and with the Illinois electorate. Major figures from both political parties campaigned on behalf of the Senator and the Representative. President Rutherford and Vice-President Sanchez made appearances on Duckworth's behalf; Kirk was supported by Governors John Kasich of Ohio and Charlie Baker of Massachusetts. Ultimately, Kirk's opposition to Medicaid expansion, the extreme unpopularity of Republican nominee Leach within Illinois, and Duckworth's strong performance in the debates tipped the scales.

On Election Day, Duckworth narrowly won the election with 49.98% of the vote to Kirk's 49.80%, a margin of 0.18%. Kirk, as expected, swept most of the counties in Downstate Illinois, bar the Democratic strongholds near St. Louis and the Mississippi River, and did well in his base within the collar counties. Duckworth, however, won Cook County by a 56-43% margin, which was enough to carry the election, albeit narrowly. She ran far behind President Rutherford, who won the state in a landslide with 65.07% of the vote to Leach's 34.93%, a margin of 30.14%

Indiana
Three-term Senator Dan Coats (Republican) was elected with 55% of the vote in 2010; Coats served in the Senate from 1989 to 1999 and then returned to serve another term from 2011 to 2017. Coats did not run for re-election. Republican U.S. Representatives Marlin Stutzman and Todd Young faced off in the Republican primary. Coats's chief of staff Eric Holcomb filed to run, but ultimately withdrew from the race. Young won the primary with 54% of the vote.

U.S. Representative Baron Hill won the Democratic nomination on May 3, but withdrew in favor of Evan Bayh. Bayh served as Governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997, and held the seat from 1999 until he was selected to join the cabinet of President Al Gore in 2001.

Bayh led in the polls throughout much of the campaign, but controversy over his lobbying in Washington D.C., his years of non-residence in Indiana, and his weak performance in the debates, coupled with Young's charisma and record of military service, ultimately reversed the balance. Bayh subsequently lost the election to Young, who won with 53.79% of the vote to his 46.21%, a margin of 7.58%. He severely under-performed President Rutherford, who won the state handily against Senator Leach, 55.98% to 43.56%, a margin of 12.42%. Rutherford's victory in Indiana was fueled in large part by Leach's calls for slashing Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and farm subsidies, programs that Young pledged to leave intact.

Louisiana
Two-term Senator John Neely Kennedy (Democrat) was re-elected with 64% of the vote in 2010. Following a diagnosis of colon cancer in 2015, Kennedy decided not to run for re-election.

Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu, brother of former Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu (Democrat), and former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana from 2003 to 2007, ran unopposed as the Democratic candidate.

Republican Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon was unopposed as the Republican candidate. Libertarian Thomas Clements and independents Beryl Billiot and Troy Herbert also ran for the seat.

Louisiana was one of the nation's most competitive races, drawing attention from both national parties, and was considered a tossup throughout much of the year. By October, however, Landrieu had pulled ahead of Donelon, boosted by Republican presidential nominee Leach's laggardly numbers and by strategic blunders made by the Donelon campaign. Landrieu ultimately won on Election Day with 52.11% of the vote to Donelon's 45.72%, a margin of 6.39%. He ran behind President Rutherford, who carried the state decisively over Senator Leach with 56.11% of the vote to Leach's 43.89%, a margin of 12.22%.

Missouri
One-term Senator Roy Blunt was elected with 54% of the vote in 2010. He was 66 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election. Former U.S. Representative and 2012 Senate nominee Todd Akin was rumored to be a candidate, but he declined to run. Three candidates ran against Blunt, the best known being sales manager, political activist, and 2010 candidate Kristin Nichols, but Blunt won the primary decisively with 72% of the vote.

For the Democrats, Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander won the nomination unopposed. Missouri turned out to be one of the most competitive races in the country, for Blunt, although he was an establishment Republican and had supported the Criminal Justice Reform Act, had been dogged by a series of gaffes and scandals in recent years involving his travel expenses, his personal staff, and the lobbying activities of his wife, Abigail. Kander, on his part, attracted many with his charisma and with his role, while Secretary of State, in helping to reorganize Missouri's voting and licensing agencies. He was a strong supporter of gun rights, moderate on abortion, and an advocate for Medicaid expansion and for infrastructure reform, both of which were popular policies in Missouri. Moreover, the unpopularity of Republican presidential nominee Thomas P. Leach, for his opposition to those very policies, proved a boon to the Democratic ticket. Kander delivered a commanding performance in the debates, and by October, had pulled ahead of Blunt.

Kander ultimately defeated Blunt with 53.02% of the vote to Blunt's 46.98%, a victory margin of 6.04%. President Rutherford demolished Senator Leach in the state, 64.05% to 35.95%, a margin of 28.10%.

Nevada
Five-term Senator and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Democrat) was re-elected with 61% of the vote in 2010. Reid did not seek re-election. Former Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto earned the Democratic nomination, defeating Bobby Mahendra, Liddo Susan O'Brient, and Allen Rheinhart in the primary on June 14, 2016.

Congressman Joe Heck defeated eight candidates, including 2010 nominee Sharron Angle, who lost to Reid in a landslide that year, for the Republican nomination.

Nevada's Senate race was intensely competitive this year, and both national parties invested a huge amount of resources into the race. Heck, who successfully disassociated himself from the national ticket, touted his credentials as a physician and as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves, pointed to his vote for the Criminal Justice Reform Act, and supported infrastructure and energy investment. Cortez Masto, on her part, pointed to her record as Attorney General, particularly to her role in the resolution of the 2011 AstraZeneca fraud case, and took a strong stance in favor of Medicaid expansion, which Heck was more ambivalent on. She also pointed to some of Heck's comments calling for greater interventionism in the Middle East, and tied these to the reckless foreign policy statements made by Leach. Senator Reid campaigned vigorously on behalf of Cortez Masto, while Heck was supported by former Vice-President Tim Pawlenty and Governor Brian Sandoval of Nevada, among others.

Ultimately, on Election Day, Cortez Masto won in what turned out to be the closest Senate race in the country, garnering 50.03% of the vote to Heck's 49.97%, a margin of just 0.06% and only 675 votes. Cortez Masto won over 60% of the vote in Clark County, Nevada's most populous county, while Heck won a similar share in Washoe County, the state's second most populous county. Heck carried Carson City, the state's third most populous county. Of Nevada's rural counties, Heck won thirteen, Cortez Masto just three. Cortez Masto's victory could ultimately be attributed to the coattails of President Rutherford, who won the state over Senator Leach by a margin of 17.16% and 193,117 votes, garnering 58.58% to Leach's 41.42%.

New Hampshire
One-term Senator Kelly Ayotte (Republican) was elected with 60% of the vote in 2010. She was 48 years old in 2016. Ayotte ran for re-election. Jim Rubens, a former State Senator, candidate for Governor in 1998 and for the Senate in 2014, announced a challenge to Ayotte in the primary, but Ayotte won the nomination with 79% of the vote.

Brian Chabot ran as the Libertarian candidate, having won the Libertarian nomination unopposed. He had previously run for the Senate in 2010 and for the U.S. House in 2014. Independent Aaron Day also ran in the election.

Governor Maggie Hassan ran for the Democratic nomination. She defeated Executive Councilor Chris Pappas, State Senators Dan Feltes and Donna Soucy, Portsmouth City Councilor and daughter of U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen Stefany Shaheen, and campaign manager for Senator Shaheen Mike Vlacich. Hassan earned 55% of the primary vote.

New Hampshire was one of the most competitive races in the country, which was not unusual in a state that was about evenly divided between the two parties and had been fiercely competitive throughout the preceding hundred years. One factor that complicated the race was the popularity of both candidates. Ayotte was a moderate New England Republican who had voted for the Criminal Justice Reform Act and supported infrastructure reform, energy investment, and some aspects of Medicaid expansion. Hassan, on her part, had focused vigorously on the opioid crisis as Governor, and was praised for her excellent management of the state bureaucracy and her work with the state legislature. One major divergence between the two candidates was on abortion: Ayotte was opposed to it except for circumstances involving the life of the mother, rape, or incest, while Hassan was strongly pro-choice. They also differed on tax issues, with Hassan favoring an increase in the income tax on the wealthy and Ayotte calling for additional tax cuts.

The polls showed a dead heat between them for months. Ayotte, who did not explicitly denounce Leach (who was extremely unpopular in the state due to his views on Medicaid expansion, drug policy, and rural investment), was nevertheless able to point to her record, ran a strong advertising campaign, and performed well in the debates. She was also helped by the presence of Chabot and Day, who were able to attract some socially liberal types who originally leaned towards Hassan, and by the support of both the state and the national Republican Parties. Ultimately, on Election Day, Ayotte narrowly won re-election with 48.17% of the vote to Hassan's 45.35%; Chabot took 3.52% and Day 2.96%. She ran far ahead of Leach, who lost the state overwhelmingly to President Rutherford, 66.08% to 30.88%, and was further hurt by the Libertarian vote, which was nearly the same as in the Senate race.

North Carolina
Two-term Senator Richard Burr (Republican) was re-elected with 55% of the vote in 2010. He was 61 years old in 2016. There had been speculation that Burr might retire, but he ran for re-election.

Three Republicans challenged Burr in the primary: Gregg Brandon, Larry Holmquist, and former Superior Court Judge Paul Wright. On March 15, Burr won the primary with 61% of the vote.

Former State Representative Deborah Ross, Spring Lake Mayor Chris Rey, businessman Kevin Griffin, and retired U.S. Army Captain Ernest Reeves ran for the Democratic nomination. State Treasurer Janet Cowell and Anthony Foxx, United States Secretary of Transportation and former Mayor of Charlotte, declined to run. On March 15, Ross won the primary with 62% of the vote.

Burr, a conservative Republican who opposed Medicaid expansion, advocated for tax cuts, and sought for a rollback of some governmental regulations, had nevertheless voted for the Criminal Justice Reform Act, was strongly in favor of energy investment and farm subsidies, and had worked with Democrats on a number of intelligence and foreign policy issues. Ross, on her part, advocated strongly for Medicaid expansion and tried to tie Burr to Senator Leach, whose views on farm subsidies and energy policy were anathema within North Carolina. Ultimately, however, she was unable to overcome the Senator's incumbency and performed poorly in the debates.

On Election Day, Burr won re-election with 50.35% of the vote to Ross's 46.32%, a margin of 4.03%. President Rutherford, fueled by Leach's unpopularity due to farm and energy policy issues, handily won the state at the same time with 56.15% of the vote to Leach's 43.85%, a margin of 12.30%.

Oregon
Three-term Senator Ron Wyden (Democrat) won re-election with 57% of the vote in 2010. He was 67 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Medford City Councilor Kevin Stine and retired locomotive engineer Paul Weaver challenged Wyden for the Democratic nomination. Wyden won the primary with 82% of the vote.

Information technology consultant and 2014 candidate Mark Callahan, businessman Sam Carpenter, business consultant Dan Laschober, Steven Reynolds, and Lane County Commissioner Faye Stewart ran for the Republican nomination. Callahan won the primary with 59% of the vote.

Callahan, a moderately conservative Republican who took a protectionist stance on trade issues, but strongly supported infrastructure reform, energy investment, and technology investment, ran a strong campaign, hitting the airwaves with numerous advertisements and crisscrossing the state. He proved to be more competitive in the polls then any of Wyden's previous challengers, but his opposition to Medicaid expansion and his controversial statements on immigration, combined with Wyden's relative popularity and incumbency advantage, ultimately proved decisive.

On Election Day, Wyden won re-election with 54.61% of the vote to Callahan's 45.38%, a margin of 9.23%. President Rutherford won the state overwhelmingly over Senator Leach with 63.72% of the vote to Leach's 35.96%, a margin of 27.76%.

Pennsylvania
One-term Senator Pat Toomey (Republican) was elected with 51% of the vote in 2010. He was 54 years old in 2016. Toomey ran for re-election.

Democratic candidates included U.S. Representative Joe Sestak, who had lost the Democratic nomination in 2010, Katie McGinty, former chief of staff to Governor Tom Wolf and former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Mayor of Braddock Tom Fetterman, and small businessman Joseph Vodvarka, who had run for the nomination in both 2010 and 2012. Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski ran for the nomination as well, but suspended his campaign before the primary vote. Sestak ultimately won the nomination with 48% of the vote, defeating McGinty (his strongest opponent), in a close race.

The general election proved to be one of the most competitive in the country. Sestak, a populist Democrat who had working-class roots, strongly supported Medicaid expansion, infrastructure reform, financial regulation, and energy investment. He received backing from the AFL-CIO, the American Education Association, and many of Pennsylvania's other union organizations. Toomey, a moderately conservative Republican who was opposed to Medicaid expansion, supported tax cuts and financial deregulation, and was decidedly anti-union, had nevertheless voted for the Criminal Justice Reform Act, was in favor of expanded background checks on guns, was moderately pro-choice (supporting it for the first trimester only), and opposed privatizing Social Security. Thus, the election turned out to be a battle between the bases. Toomey, due to his socially moderate and fiscally conservative views, had a strong base in the Philadelphia suburbs, while Sestak, due to his staunch economic populism, had a strong base in the traditional Democratic bastions in southwestern and in northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as Philadelphia.

Both candidates crisscrossed the state, ran numerous advertisements, and hit each other relentlessly over policy. The national parties also campaigned and advertised on their behalf. Ultimately, Sestak, who energized Democratic working-class and urban voters, was further boosted by the extreme unpopularity of Senator Leach, whose views on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, infrastructure, and drug policy alienated both the suburban counties and the rural-working class ones. On Election Day, Sestak defeated Toomey by a margin of 2.36%, winning with 51.06% of the vote to Toomey's 48.70%. President Rutherford annihilated Leach in Pennsylvania at the same time, beating him by a margin of 30.22%, and with a percentage of 64.92% versus Leach's 34.70%.

South Dakota
Two-term Senator John Thune had won re-election with 65% of the vote in 2010. He was 55 years old in 2016. Thune decided to run for re-election.

He was challenged in the Republican primary by U.S. Representative Kristi Noem, former State Representative Joel Dykstra, and Speaker of the State House Mike Rounds. The primary proved to be a bitterly contested fight, but Thune ultimately prevailed with 51% of the vote.

Democratic candidates included South Dakota Governor (and former U.S. Representative) Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Scott Heidepriem, Chairman of the Yankton County Democratic Party Jay Williams, State Senator Bernie Hunhoff, and Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Heuther. Herseth Sandlin, who was supported by the majority of the national Democratic establishment, and had established a strong campaign organization, ultimately won the primary with 56% of the vote.

The general election proved to be one of the most competitive in the country. Thune, who had himself arisen to the Senate by narrowly defeating former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (Democrat) in 2004, had by 2016, lost much of the goodwill which had originally endeared him to South Dakota's electorate. This was due in large part to scandals that had arisen during his second term in the Senate. These included a controversy over travel expenses, allegations of campaign fraud against some of his subordinates, and a affair with Katherine Hyland, his personal secretary. Herseth Sandlin, on her part, had pushed strongly for Medicaid expansion, energy investment, and infrastructure reform, and had earned praise for her management skills. She also took advantage of Thune's reluctance to rebut statements made by Senator Leach, whose views on farm and energy subsidies, as well as Medicaid, were unpopular in South Dakota.

Both parties poured a massive amount of money, time, and resources into the state, and both candidates hit the trail vigorously. By October, polls showed the race to be in a statistical dead heat. Ultimately, on Election Day, Herseth Sandlin won by an extremely narrow margin of 0.24%, making this the third closest race in the country after Nevada and Illinois. She garnered 50.12% of the vote to Thune's 49.88%. President Rutherford comfortably carried the state at the same time over Senator Leach, 55.61-44.39%, and his 11.22% margin was probably the decisive factor in dragging Herseth Sandlin across the finish line.

Wisconsin
Three-term Senator Russ Feingold had won re-election with 58% of the vote in 2010. He was 63 years old in 2016. Feingold decided to run for re-election.

Feingold was challenged for the Democratic nomination by businesswoman Mary Burke. However, with support from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, he defeated Burke with 63% of the primary vote.

Businessman and sports commentator Sean Duffy, State Senator Ted Kanavas, and former State Commerce Secretary Dick Leinenkugel ran for the Republican nomination. Duffy, who was endorsed by Wisconsin U.S. Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner and Glenn Grothman, U.S. Senator Tommy Thompson, by the Club for Growth, and by the national GOP establishment, won the primary with 57% of the vote.

The general election proved to be Feingold's most competitive race since 1998, when he had narrowly defeated U.S. Representative Mark Neumann to earn re-election to a second term. Duffy, a charismatic man who strongly favored infrastructure reform and energy investment, campaigned vigorously, on a platform of encouraging economic growth and preserving existent social programs. Feingold, who pointed to his strong support for financial regulation, for campaign finance reform, and for farm subsidies, accused Duffy of being in the "pocket of corporations", asserted that his policy proposals were geared towards benefiting the wealthy, and emphasized the need for Medicaid expansion, highlighting Duffy's calls for raising eligibility requirements. Duffy, though he sought to separate himself from the national ticket as much as possible, was also hurt by Senator Leach's unpopularity in Wisconsin, due to Leach's support for abolishing farm and energy subsidies and slashing Social Security.

Ultimately, on Election Day, Feingold's arguments won swing voters over, and he defeated Duffy, obtaining 53.30% of the vote to Duffy's 46.61%. Feingold prevailed by a margin of 6.69%, relying on his base in Milwaukee and Dane Counties, and the support of the staunchly Democratic rural counties in far western Wisconsin, to overcome Duffy's strength in Northeastern Wisconsin and in the WOW counties between Milwaukee and Madison. At the same time, President Rutherford easily carried Wisconsin with 62.09% of the vote to Leach's 37.74%, a margin of 24.35%.

Close Contests: Margins of Victory
Blue denotes Senate races won by Democrats; Red denotes those won by Republicans.

States where the margin of victory was under 1%:
 * 1)  Nevada, 0.06% 
 * 2)  Illinois, 0.18% 
 * 3)  South Dakota, 0.24% 

States where the margin of victory was between 1% and 5%:
 * 1)  Pennsylvania, 2.36% 
 * 2)  New Hampshire, 2.82% 
 * 3)  California, 3.72% 
 * 4)  North Carolina, 4.03% 

States where the margin of victory was between 5% and 10%:
 * 1)  Missouri, 6.09% 
 * 2)  Louisiana, 6.39% 
 * 3)  Wisconsin, 6.69% 
 * 4)  Indiana, 7.58% 
 * 5)  Oregon, 9.23% 

Alabama
Incumbent Senator Richard Shelby (R) was first elected to the Senate in 1986 as a Democrat. He switched his party affiliation to Republican on November 7, 1990, one day after Republicans won control of both Houses in the midterm elections. He won his first full term as a Republican in 1994 by a large margin and faced no significant opposition in 1998, 2004, or 2010. Shelby initially planned to run for reelection in 2016, but his health entered a serious decline beginning in January 2015, leading to his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer seven months later. Following this diagnosis, he announced in July 2015 that he would not run for re-election.

U.S. Representatives Bradley Byrne, Martha Roby, and Mike Rogers, State Treasurer Young Boozer, State Speaker Mike Hubbard, and U.S. Appeals Court Judge William H. Pryor, Jr. engaged in a fractious competition for the Republican nomination. Ultimately, Senator Shelby and the Republican National Senatorial Campaign Committee, along with much of the national GOP establishment, endorsed Representative Byrne, and he won the primary with 61% of the vote.

U.S. Representative Parker Griffith, Mayor of Tuscaloosa Walt Maddox, and former Lieutenant Governor Sue Bell Cobb ran for the Democratic nomination. Griffith ultimately won the nomination with 57% of the vote.

Although at first it seemed as if this would become a competitive race, Byrne eventually, by August, opened up a commanding double-digit lead in the polls. The strong support that he received from Senator Shelby and from the state and national Republican Parties, combined with his own popularity, Alabama's Republican leanings, and numerous gaffes made by Griffith during the campaign, eventually decided the outcome of the race. On Election Day, Byrne won with 58.58% of the vote, to Griffith's 39.83%, a victory margin of 18.75%. Byrne's victory paralleled the outcome in the presidential race, where Senator Leach won by a much smaller but still decisive margin over President Rutherford, carrying the state with 52.45% of the vote to Rutherford's 45.46%, a victory margin of 6.99%.

Alaska
Two-term Senator Lisa Murkowski (Republican) was appointed in 2003 and elected to a full term in 2004. She was defeated in the Republican primary by Joe Miller in 2010. She later ran as a write-in candidate in the 2010 general election and was re-elected to a second full term with 40% of the vote, making her one of two senators in U.S. history to win re-election via write-in votes. She was 59 years old in 2016. She ran for re-election.

Thomas Lamb, a candidate for the State House in 2006, and Bob Lochner filed to run against Murkowski. Murkowski won the Republican primary on August 16 with 71% of the vote. Joe Miller, who had defeated her in the primary six years earlier, and had subsequently lost to her in the general election, won the Libertarian nomination unopposed. Ray Metcalfe, a former member of the State House, won the Democratic nomination unopposed.

Murkowski, a moderate Republican who was pro-choice, a staunch advocate of infrastructure and energy investment, and had voted for the Criminal Justice Reform Act, had managed to build up a personal brand within Alaska during her twelve years in office, and was able to successfully distance herself from the national ticket. She ultimately won re-election with 51.28% of the vote to Metcalfe's 36.55% and Miller's 5.88%. She defeated Metcalfe by a margin of 14.73%, and for the first time in her career, obtained an absolute majority of the vote. Various other independent and third-party candidates, chief among which was Anchorage attorney and veteran Margaret Stock, received the remaining 6.29% of the vote. Murkowski ran far ahead of Senator Leach, who lost the state overwhelmingly to President Rutherford, 65.91-34.09%, a margin of 31.82%.

Arizona
One-term Senator Thomas P. Leach had won election with 53% of the vote in 2010. He ran for, and ultimately won, the Republican presidential nomination in July 2016, to face incumbent President William C. Rutherford. Consequently, Leach did not run for re-election to a second term.

U.S. Representatives Martha McSally and Matt Salmon, businessman David Pizer, former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods, and talk radio host Clair Van Steenwyk ran for the Republican nomination. McSally, who received the endorsement of the RSCC and was supported by most of the GOP establishment, ultimately won the primary with 52% of the vote.

U.S. Representative Ann Kirkpatrick ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

McSally, a moderate Republican who, in contrast to Leach, had voted for the Criminal Justice Reform Act, was a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Immigration Reform Act, and supported some elements of Medicaid expansion, was able to successfully win over swing and independent voters in the state who had all but abandoned Leach, whose approval ratings within Arizona were comparatively low. Kirkpatrick, on her part, failed to run an effective advertising campaign, was outclassed by McSally in the debates, and did not tie McSally to the national ticket. On Election Day, McSally defeated Kirkpatrick, obtaining 58.26% of the vote to Kirkpatrick's 41.74%, a margin of 16.52%. Senator Leach lost his home state to President Rutherford at the same time, by a margin of 7.70%. Rutherford obtained 52.47% of the vote to Leach's 44.77%; the third-party vote in the presidential race was 2.76%, a vote which was non-existent at the downballot level. Exit polls revealed that the majority of third-party voters cast their ballots for McSally.

Arkansas
Three-term Senator Blanche Lincoln (Democrat) had won re-election with 61% of the vote in 2010. She was 56 years old in 2016. Lincoln ran for re-election.

Former U.S. Representative French Hill defeated State Senator Gilbert Baker and State Senate Minority Leader Kim Hendren in the Republican primary. Hill won the primary with 53% of the vote.

Senator Lincoln, a moderate Southern Democrat who supported tax cuts and was pro-life, but had voted for the Criminal Justice Reform Act and was a staunch advocate of Medicaid expansion, hammered Hill on issues including infrastructure reform, financial regulation, energy investment, and Social Security. She also successfully tied Hill to Senator Leach, whose views on farm subsidies, healthcare, and energy were extremely unpopular in Arkansas. Lincoln also touted her achievements in bringing federal projects and jobs to Arkansas, particularly her work on the Arkansas River Water Conservation District.

Ultimately, Lincoln easily won reelection with 59.15% of the vote to Hill's 40.85%, a margin of 18.30%. Due to her incumbency advantage, she outperformed President Rutherford, who nevertheless still won the state handily over Leach, with 56.06% of the vote to Leach's 43.41%, a margin of 12.66%.

Colorado
One-term Senator Michael Bennet (Democrat) had been appointed in 2013 and won a special election the following year with 51% of the vote. He was 51 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Businessman Robert Blaha, former Aurora Councilman Ryan Frazier, El Paso County Commissioners Darryl Glenn and Peggy Littleton, former Colorado State University Athletic Director Jack Graham, State Representative Jon Keyser, former SBA Director Tom Lopez, State Senator Tim Neville, and Jefferson County Commissioner Donald Rosier ran for the Republican nomination. Littleton, Neville, Lopez, and Rosier dropped out before the primary vote. Glenn won the Republican primary with 37% of the vote.

Senator Bennet, a liberal Democrat who was a staunch supporter of the Criminal Justice Reform Act, firmly pro-choice, and strongly supported infrastructure reform, energy investment, Medicaid expansion, and farm subsidies, had good approval ratings at the time of the election. He had earned a reputation for good constituent service, and crisscrossed the state during his campaign. Glenn, on his part, a staunch advocate of gun rights and small-government conservatism, was viewed by some independent voters as little different from Senator Leach, who was extremely unpopular within Colorado. Moreover, Glenn was unable to compete with Bennet's superior campaign organization and performed poorly in the debates.

Bennet ultimately won re-election with 54.27% of the vote, to Glenn's 42.92%. He defeated Glenn by a margin of 11.35%. Bennet ran behind President Rutherford, as Glenn was able to maintain the loyalty of more socially moderate and fiscally conservative voters in eastern and central Colorado who did not agree with some of Bennet's stances on abortion and taxes. Rutherford overwhelmingly won Colorado over Leach by a margin of 34.01%, obtaining 65.68% of the vote to Leach's 31.67%.

Connecticut
One-term Senator Richard Blumenthal (Democrat) was elected with 55% of the vote in 2010. He was 70 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Blumenthal was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

State Representative Dan Carter, apparel company CEO and 2004 Senate nominee Jack Orchulli, and former Olympic athlete August Wolf ran for the Republican nomination. Carter won the primary with 64% of the vote.

Blumenthal, a liberal Democrat who enjoyed high approval ratings and had been one of the chief architects of the Criminal Justice Reform Act, sailed to reelection. He defeated Carter handily by a margin of 29.30%, obtaining 64.64% of the vote to Carter's 35.34%. Carter, a moderate Republican who supported background checks, Medicaid expansion, and infrastructure reform, ran slightly ahead of Senator Leach, who lost the state overwhelmingly to President Rutherford, 67.81-32.09%, a margin of 35.72%. Connecticut, in fact, was President Rutherford's 10th best state.

Florida
Two-term Senator Jim Davis (Democrat) was re-elected with 63% of the vote in 2010. Davis was 59 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Davis was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Florida House Minority Leader Richard Corcoran, U.S. Representative Ron DeSantis, combat veteran Todd Wilcox, and real estate developer Carlos Beruff ran for the Republican nomination. U.S. Representative David Jolly filed to run, but withdrew before the primary date. Corcoran, who was supported by the state Republican Party and received an endorsement from former Senator Connie Mack III, won the primary with 56% of the vote.

Davis, a moderate Southern Democrat who was pro-life, pro-gun rights, and in favor of tax cuts, but strongly supported the Criminal Justice Reform Act, Medicaid expansion, and infrastructure reform, enjoyed high approval ratings and was respected by his constituents for his bipartisanship and excellent constituent service. Corcoran proved to be a weak opponent, and he ran an ineffective campaign. On Election Day, Davis, who had led by significant margins in the polls throughout the campaign, won re-election in a landslide, obtaining 65.40% of the vote to Corcoran's 34.59%, a margin of 30.81%. Davis won all but one of Florida's counties, with Okaloosa County being the sole county to go for Corcorcan (and only narrowly, 50.30-49.70%). The Senator far outperformed President Rutherford, who still handily won the state over Senator Leach, 56.51-43.48%, a margin of 13.03%.

Georgia
Two-term Senator Jim Martin (Democrat) was re-elected with 67% of the vote in 2010. He was 71 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Martin was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

U.S. Representatives Jody Hice and Tom Price, former Governor Sonny Perdue, House Minority Leader David Ralston, and Attorney General Sam Olens ran in the Republican primary. Hice won the primary with 43% of the vote.

Martin, a moderate Southern Democrat who prioritized issues such as farm subsidies, rural development, energy investment, Medicaid expansion, and infrastructure reform, enjoyed high approval ratings and led by dominating margins throughout the campaign. Hice, whose views on tax reform, Medicaid, and Social Security were out of step with the majority of Georgia's electorate, proved unable to overcome Martin's incumbency and popularity. He also performed poorly in the debates. On Election Day, Martin won re-election in an overwhelming landslide, obtaining 72.89% of the vote to Hice's 27.11%, a margin of 45.78%. He won every county in the state. Hice ran far behind Senator Leach, who nevertheless still lost the state to President Rutherford 58.20-37.91%, a margin of 20.29%.

Hawaii
In 2012, Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie appointed Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz (Democrat) to take the place of deceased nine-term Senator Daniel Inouye. Schatz won a 2014 special election to serve the remainder of Inouye's term. Schatz was 44 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Former state legislator John Caroll, a perennial candidate who had run for Governor of Hawaii in 2002 and 2010, for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002, and for the U.S. Senate in 2000 and 2012, ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Schatz, a liberal Democrat who enjoyed high approval ratings and was one of the staunchest supporters of both the Criminal Justice Reform Act and of Medicaid expansion, sailed to reelection without much difficulty. He defeated Carroll by a margin of 51.36%, obtaining 73.60% of the vote to Carroll's 22.24%. Carroll, a moderate Republican and a known quantity in Hawaii, due to his numerous unsuccessful runs for office, ran ahead of Senator Leach, who was annihilated by President Rutherford in the state. Leach lost Hawaii to Rutherford 78.76-21.24%, a margin of 57.52%.

Idaho
Three-term Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) was re-elected with 61% of the vote in 2010. Crapo was 65 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Crapo was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Idaho House Minority Leader Jerry Sturgill ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Crapo, a conservative Republican who advocated for financial deregulation, supported tax cuts, and was staunchly pro-life, had nevertheless voted for the Criminal Justice Reform Act and had worked with Democrats on foreign policy, energy, and immigration issues. He had good approval ratings and conducted a vigorous campaign. Sturgill, a strong advocate of Medicaid expansion and of rural development programs, also enjoyed relatively good approval numbers and had won praise for his bipartisan efforts in the Idaho legislature. Ultimately, however, he was unable to overcome Crapo's incumbency and superior campaign infrastructure.

On Election Day, Crapo won re-election with 57.58% of the vote to Sturgill's 42.42%, a margin of 15.16%. Sturgill did perform better against Crapo then any of his previous challengers, reflective of his approval numbers, as noted above. At the same time, Idaho narrowly voted for President Rutherford over Senator Leach. Although a generally conservative state, Idaho did not approve of Leach's calls for the total elimination of farm and energy subsidies and for the abolition of the Department of the Interior, and consequently went for Rutherford, 50.92-49.08%, a margin of 1.83%.

Iowa
Six-term Senator Chuck Grassley was re-elected with 65% of the vote in 2010. He was 83 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Grassley was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge earned the Democratic nomination by defeating State Senator Rob Hogg, former State Senator Tom Fiegen, and former State Representative Bob Krause. Judge won the primary with 60% of the vote.

Grassley, a moderately conservative Republican who had earned a reputation for bipartisanship and was staunchly in favor of energy investment, infrastructure reform, farm subsidies, and rural development programs (though he opposed Medicaid expansion and favored financial deregulation), had built himself a strong personal brand in Iowa over the preceding four decades, and enjoyed high approval ratings at the time of the election. He successfully dissociated himself from the national ticket and ran a vigorous campaign, helped by his habit of visiting all 99 of Iowa's counties every year. Judge, although she was a economic populist and had much goodwill with Iowa's voters, stemming from her years as Lieutenant Governor, was unable to overcome Grassley's incumbency and popularity.

On Election Day, Grassley won re-election in a landslide, obtaining 60.91% of the vote to Judge's 37.80%, a margin of 23.11%. He won every county in the state. Judge did run slightly ahead, in terms of absolute votes and percentage, of Republican presidential nominee Leach, who lost the state overwhelmingly to President Rutherford 62.66-37.26%, a margin of 25.40%. Leach however, did carry five of Iowa's 99 counties, in contrast to Judge's 0. Iowa recorded one of the highest rates of ticket-splitting in the country that year.

Kansas
One-term Senator Jerry Moran (Republican) was elected with 57% of the vote in 2010. He was 62 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Moran was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Patrick Wiesner, an attorney and candidate for Senate in 2010 and 2014, defeated Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer, former Kansas City Mayor Joe Reardon, and former U.S. Representative and 2008 nominee Jim Slattery for the Democratic nomination. Wiesner won the primary with 46% of the vote.

Moran, a conservative Republican who opposed Medicaid expansion, was strongly pro-life, and was in favor of financial deregulation as well as tax cuts, had nevertheless built a personal brand within Kansas, and was a strong supporter of energy investment, farm subsidies, and infrastructure reform. He had also worked across the aisle with Democrats on intelligence and foreign policy issues and had voted for the Criminal Justice Reform Act. Wiesner, who supported Medicaid expansion, failed to run a effective advertising campaign and lagged behind Moran in the polls throughout the election season.

Moran ultimately won re-election in a landslide with 60.08% of the vote to Wiesner's 38.66%, a margin of 21.42%. Wiesner won only the Democratic stronghold of Wyandotte County (Kansas City); Moran carried the remaining 104 counties in Kansas. As in Iowa, there was a heavy amount of ticket-splitting, as Senator Leach lost the state to President Rutherford 54.09-45.06%, a margin of 9.03%. Leach's opposition to farm and energy subsidies, and concerns over his nuclear policy, ultimately led to his defeat in the state.

Kentucky
Three-term Senator Scotty Baesler (Democrat) had been re-elected with 62% of the vote in 2010. Baesler was 75 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

U.S. Representative Andy Barr, former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, and former Kentucky Superintendent of Public Education John J. Stephenson ran for the Republican nomination. Barr, who was endorsed by the NRSCC, won the primary with 58% of the vote.

Baesler, a populist Southern Democrat who strongly supported Medicaid expansion, farm and energy subsidies, infrastructure reform, and financial regulation, and who was supported by all of Kentucky's major unions, had high approval ratings. Barr, who made a series of controversial statements concerning Social Security, civil liberties, and foreign policy, ran a ineffective campaign and proved unable to overcome Baesler's popularity and incumbency.

Baesler won re-election in a landslide with 65.12% of the vote to Barr's 34.88%, a margin of 30.24%. Barr slightly underperformed Senator Leach, who lost Kentucky by an overwhelming margin to President Rutherford, 64.01-35.65%. Barr did slightly better than Leach in the rural counties within and near his congressional district, but underperformed him in urban counties and in traditionally Republican Southern Kentucky.

Maryland
Five-term U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (Democrat) was re-elected with 71% of the vote in 2010. She was the longest-serving female Senator and the longest-serving woman in the history of the U.S. Congress. She did not seek re-election.

U.S. Representatives Donna Edwards and Chris Van Hollen ran for the Democratic nomination. Van Hollen, who was endorsed by Mikulski and by the state Democratic Party, won the primary on April 26 with 54% of the vote.

State Delegate Kathy Szeliga, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and 2012 Senate candidate Richard Douglas, and businessman Sean Connor ran for the Republican nomination. Szeliga won the primary with 59% of the vote.

Van Hollen, a liberal Democrat who had helped to craft the Criminal Justice Reform Act and who had strong ties to the state, easily won the election. He defeated Szeliga by a margin of 29.18%, obtaining 64.59% of the vote to Szeliga's 35.41%. Szeliga won only Garrett County in the northwestern corner of the state, long the most Republican county in Maryland. She ran ahead of Senator Leach, who lost Maryland in a landslide to President Rutherford, 65.47-34.53%.

New York
Two-term Senator George Pataki (Republican), had been appointed in 2006, upon the accidental death of his predecessor, Chuck Schumer (Democrat), and had won a special election later that year to finish the remainder of Schumer's term. Pataki had been re-elected with 53% of the vote in 2010. He did not seek re-election in 2016.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, and former Lieutenant Governor Stan Lundine ran for the Democratic nomination. Brown won the primary with 53% of the vote.

U.S. Representative John Katko, Orange County Executive Ed Diana, and Port Authority Commissioner Bruce Blakeman ran for the Republican nomination. Katko, who was endorsed by Senator Pataki, won the primary with 68% of the vote.

The race was a competitive one for much of the year, as both national parties invested considerable time, money, and resources into the state. President Rutherford, Vice-President Sanchez, and New York's senior Senator, Democrat Nita Lowey, campaigned on behalf of Mayor Brown. Katko was supported by Senator Pataki, former President Richard Lugar, and Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, among others. Both candidates bombarded the airwaves with advertisements, crisscrossed the state, and reached out vigorously to voters. By September, however, with polls showing Senator Leach trailing the President by more then thirty percentage points in the state, and with allegations surfacing about sexual harassment among members of Katko's campaign staff, Brown began to pull ahead. He performed well in the debates, and built a strong Get Out the Vote operation in New York City, Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, and in his hometown of Buffalo.

Ultimately, on Election Day, Brown defeated Katko, obtaining 53.47% of the vote to Katko's 43.40%, a margin of 10.07%. Libertarian Alex Merced received 2.97% of the vote; various other third-party and independent candidates took the remaining 0.16%. Brown ran far behind President Rutherford, who won New York in an overwhelming landslide over Senator Leach, with 68.56% of the vote to Leach's 31.31%, a margin of 37.25%. Brown carried just 20 of New York's 62 counties, his margin of victory being provided by his sweep of New York City's five boroughs and his strong performance in the cities of Upstate New York. Rutherford, by contrast, won all 62 counties, only the second Democratic presidential nominee in history to do so.

North Dakota
One-term Senator Heidi Heitkamp (Democrat) had been elected with 55% of the vote in 2010. Heitkamp was 61 years old in 2016. She ran for re-election.

Heitkamp was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

State Senator Tom Campbell, businessman and former North Dakota Republican Party Chairman Gary Emineth, and former Mayor of Niagara Thomas O'Neill ran for the Republican nomination. Campbell won the nomination with 51% of the vote.

Heitkamp, a populist Democrat who strongly supported Medicaid expansion, farm and energy subsidies, infrastructure reform, and rural development programs, and who had built a strong personal brand for herself in this normally Republican farm state, had high approval ratings. She led Campbell by large margins throughout the campaign. Although Campbell was charismatic, a strong supporter of energy, and touted his own accomplishments as a businessman, he was unable to overcome Heitkamp's popularity and incumbency.

On Election Day, Heitkamp won re-election in a landslide with 61.27% of the vote to Campbell's 37.80%, a margin of 23.47%. Campbell ran behind Senator Leach, who nevertheless still lost the state decisively to President Rutherford, 57.97-41.88%, a margin of 16.09%.

Ohio
Two-term Senator Sherrod Brown (Democrat), won a special election in 2006 to finish the remainder of the term of the late Senator Joel Hyatt (Democrat). Brown won a full term in 2010 with 56% of the vote. He was 64 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Brown was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

U.S. Representatives Jim Renacci and Matt Tiberi, Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel, and former Ohio State Senator Kevin Coughlin ran for the Republican nomination. Mandel and Coughlin dropped out before the primary vote. Renacci won the primary with 57% of the vote.

Brown, a populist Democrat who was strongly pro-union, supported Medicaid expansion, and was one of the leading advocates for fair trade, financial regulation, and infrastructure reform, had high approval ratings and possessed a solid base of support in the traditional Democratic bastions of Northern and Eastern Ohio, particularly Cuyahoga, Mahoning, Trumbull, and Athens Counties. Renacci, a wealthy businessman who had helped craft the Puerto Rico Financial Stability and Debt Restructuring Choice Act, had a positive approval rating, but was relentlessly attacked by Brown over economic issues and was unable to match the Senator's incumbency.

Brown won re-election by a wide margin, obtaining 56.97% of the vote to Renacci's 43.02%. He defeated Renacci by a margin of 13.95%. Renacci ran ahead of Senator Leach, who lost Ohio in a landslide to President Rutherford, 62.94-37.06%, a margin of 25.88%.

Oklahoma
One-term Senator Brad Henry (Democrat) had been elected with 66% of the vote in 2010. He was 53 years old in 2016. Henry ran for re-election.

Henry was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

U.S. Representative Jim Bridenstine, State Representative T.W. Shannon, U.S. Army Veteran Andy Craig, and former State Senator and 2010 Gubernatorial candidate Randy Brogdon ran for the Republican nomination. Bridenstine won the primary with 45% of the vote.

Henry, a moderate Southern Democrat who strongly supported Medicaid expansion and was co-sponsor, with Senators Mike Crapo, Heidi Heitkamp, and Scotty Baesler, of the Comprehensive Energy Strategies and Subsidies Act of 2015, enjoyed exceptionally high approval ratings, dating from his time as Governor, and had earned a reputation for solid representational and constituent work. Bridenstine, who was badly underfunded and made a series of verbal blunders during his campaign, proved unable to overcome Henry's popularity and incumbency. He performed poorly in the debates and was dogged by a series of scandals relating to his campaign organization.

On Election Day, Henry won re-election in an overwhelming landslide, obtaining 75.64% of the vote to Bridenstine's 23.43%, a margin of 52.21%. Henry swept every county in the state. He ran far ahead of President Rutherford, who won Oklahoma by a smaller, but still decisive, margin, over Senator Leach, 55.75-44.25%.

South Carolina
Two-term Republican Senator Jim DeMint was re-elected with 61% of the vote in 2010. He resigned in January 2013 to become President of the Heritage Foundation. U.S. Representative Tim Scott was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley to the seat. Scott subsequently won a special election in 2014 with 62% of the vote to finish the remainder of DeMint's term. He was 51 years old in 2016 and ran for reelection.

Scott was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

State Senator and pastor Thomas Dixon, U.S. Representative Archie Parnell, and State House Minority Leader J. Todd Rutherford ran for the Democratic nomination. Parnell, who led in the initial primary polls, withdrew before the primary vote, due to sexual harassment allegations. Dixon subsequently won the primary in an upset over Rutherford, with 52% of the vote.

Scott, a conservative Republican who nevertheless had been a strong proponent for, and helped to draft, the Criminal Justice Reform Act, and enjoyed high approval ratings, led Dixon by substantial margins in all polls throughout the campaign. Dixon, although he ran a competent campaign and performed well in the debates, was unable to overcome Scott's incumbency and failed to tie him to Senator Leach, whose views on energy and farm subsidies were far out of place with the state's electorate.

On Election Day, Scott won re-election in a landslide with 64.21% of the vote to Dixon's 32.52%, a margin of 31.69%. Scott managed to win a number of the traditionally Democratic counties in the Black Belt, a reflection of his ability, as a black Republican, to pull a higher share of the black vote then usual for Republicans. South Carolina saw a high level of ticket-splitting in 2016. Dixon ran far behind President Rutherford, who won the state decisively over Senator Leach 56.17-43.13%, a margin of 13.04%.

Utah
One-term Senator Mike Lee (Republican) was elected with 62% of the vote in 2010. He was 45 years old in 2016. He ran for re-election.

Lee was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Former Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and State Senator Jonathan Swinton ran for the Democratic nomination. Biskupski won the nomination with 59% of the vote.

Lee, a conservative Republican who opposed Medicaid expansion, supported tax cuts, and strongly favored financial deregulation, but had voted for the Criminal Justice Reform Act and was known for his firm stances on the national deficit and on civil liberties, enjoyed high approval ratings within Utah and led by commanding margins in all of the polls. Biskupski ran a vigorous campaign, attempting to highlight the benefits which Medicaid expansion and infrastructure reform would bring to Utah, but she was unable to overcome Lee's incumbency and popularity.

On Election Day, Lee won in a landslide with 67.13% of the vote to Biskupski's 31.74%, a margin of 35.39%. Biskupski carried only Carbon County, which had long been the most Democratic county in Utah. Ticket-splitting was extensive in Utah in 2016, as Lee ran far ahead of Senator Leach, who lost the state to President Rutherford, 54.86-45.14%, a margin of 9.73%.

Vermont
Seven-term Senator Patrick Leahy (Democrat), Dean of the U.S. Senate, had been reelected in 2010 with 75% of the vote. He was 76 years old in 2016. He ran for reelection.

Leahy was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Scott Milne, the Republican nominee who had narrowly lost the 2014 gubernatorial election, ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Leahy, a liberal Democrat who had established a strong personal brand within Vermont and was considered an institution there, easily won reelection, with 72.22% of the vote, to Milne's 22.45%, a margin of 49.77%. He won every county in the state. President Rutherford won the state in an overwhelming landslide over Senator Leach at the same time, 74.73-23.04%, a margin of 51.69%. He also swept every county.

Washington
Four-term Senator Patty Murray (Democrat), had won re-election with 60% of the vote in 2010. She was 66 years old in 2016. Murray ran for re-election.

Former Washington State Representative Chris Vance ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Murray, a liberal Democrat who served as Assistant Majority Leader and Secretary of the Senate Democratic Conference, had high approval ratings and led Vance by significant margins in all polls throughout the campaign. On Election Day, Murray won re-election in a landslide with 63.88% of the vote to Vance's 36.12%, a victory margin of 27.76%. Murray ran ahead of President Rutherford, who nevertheless still won the state in a landslide over Senator Leach, 61.97-37.37%. This was a margin of 24.60%.