2014 United States Senate election in Rhode Island explained

The 2014 United States Senate election in Rhode Island was held on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate from the State of Rhode Island, concurrently with the election of the governor of Rhode Island, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Incumbent Democratic senator Jack Reed ran for and won reelection to a fourth term in office. Reed won a higher share of the overall vote in his state than any other Democratic Senate candidate or incumbent Democratic United States Senator during the 2014 elections.^[1] On the same day that Reed won a fourth term in the United States Senate with more than 70 percent of the vote, national Democrats lost nine seats in the concurrent U.S. Senate elections, thereby costing them control of the chamber.^[2]

Background

Then-U.S. Representative Jack Reed was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996 to succeed retiring Democratic incumbent Claiborne Pell, the longest-serving senator in Rhode Island's history. Reed defeated Treasurer of Rhode Island Nancy Mayer in a landslide and was re-elected by even larger majorities against casino pit manager Robert Tingle in 2002 and 2008.

Rhode Island has elected U.S. Senators into the majority party of the subsequent Congress more than any other state in the nation over the last 100 years at 77 percent of the time.^[3]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Jack Reed, incumbent U.S. Senator^[4]

Primary results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Mark Zaccaria, former chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party, former North Kingstown town councilman and nominee for RI-02 in 2008 and 2010^[5]

Withdrew

• Raymond McKay, City of Warwick network administrator, president of the Rhode Island Republican Assembly and nominee for the state senate in 1998^{[5] [6]}
• Kara Young, conservative activist and perennial candidate^{[7] [8]}

Declined

• Scott Avedisian, Mayor of Warwick^[9]
• Brendan Doherty, former superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and nominee for Rhode Island's 1st congressional district in 2012^[10]
• Allan Fung, Mayor of Cranston (running for Governor)^[9]

Primary results

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	The Cook Political Report[11]		November 3, 2014
align=left	Sabato's Crystal Ball[12]		November 3, 2014
align=left	Rothenberg Political Report[13]		November 3, 2014
align=left	Real Clear Politics[14]		November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source				Jack Reed (D)	Mark Zaccaria (R)	Other	Undecided
align=left	CBS News/NYT/YouGov[15]	July 5–24, 2014	922	± 3.4%		63%	—	12%	25%
align=left	CBS News/NYT/YouGov[16]	August 18 – September 2, 2014	764	± 4%		52%	32%	1%	15%
align=left	Rasmussen Reports[17]	September 23–25, 2014	750	± 4%		61%	26%	0%	13%
align=left	CBS News/NYT/YouGov[18]	September 20 – October 1, 2014	724	± 4%		64%	22%	0%	14%
align=left	CBS News/NYT/YouGov	October 16–23, 2014	866	± 6%		65%	20%	0%	15%

Results

See also

• 2014 United States Senate elections
• 2014 United States elections
• 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island
• 2014 Rhode Island gubernatorial election

External links

• U.S. Senate elections in Rhode Island, 2014 at Ballotpedia
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets
• Jack Reed for U.S. Senate

Notes and References

1. News: Senate election results (2014). The New York Times. Associated Press. 5 February 2019.
2. Web site: Associated Press . 2014 Senate Election Results . Politico . Politico LLC . 5 February 2019.
3. Web site: Which States Are Bellwethers for Partisan Control of the US Senate? . Smart Politics . Eric . Ostermeier . April 1, 2014.
4. Web site: Jack Reed formally announces his re-election bid . Rhode Island Public Radio . May 4, 2014 . September 28, 2014.
5. Web site: Former Rhode Island GOP chairman Zaccaria takes on U.S. Sen. Reed . June 24, 2014 . June 26, 2014 . . Katherine . Gregg.
6. Web site: Warwick Republican Ray McKay to announce U.S. Senate run . March 13, 2014 . March 17, 2014 . Providence Journal . Philip Marcelo.
7. Web site: 12 candidates file papers in RI governor's race . June 25, 2014 . June 26, 2014 . NBC 10 News.
8. Web site: Few surprises on offer as Rhode Island secretary of state certifies primary ballot . Kendall . Hatch . July 21, 2014 . July 22, 2014 . Fall River Herald News.
9. Web site: Fung, Robitaille, Block may run for gov against Dems, Chafee . August 7, 2012 . August 9, 2012 . . Ted . Nesi . https://web.archive.org/web/20120811060643/http://blogs.wpri.com/2012/08/07/fung-robitaille-block-may-run-for-gov-against-dems-chafee/ . August 11, 2012 . dead .
10. Web site: Robitaille takes himself out of the 2014 governor's race . December 19, 2012 . Donnis . Ian . December 20, 2012.
11. Web site: 2014 Senate Race Ratings for November 3, 2014 . The Cook Political Report . September 20, 2018.
12. Web site: The Crystal Ball's Final 2014 Picks . Sabato's Crystal Ball . September 20, 2018.
13. Web site: 2014 Senate Ratings . Senate Ratings . The Rothenberg Political Report . September 20, 2018.
14. Web site: 2014 Elections Map - Battle for the Senate 2014 . Real Clear Politics . September 20, 2018.
15. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/2014-midterms-republicans-narrowly-favored-to-capture-senate-in-november/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov
16. https://today.yougov.com/news/2014/09/07/battleground-tracker-2014-rhode-island/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov
17. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2014/rhode_island/election_2014_rhode_island_senate Rasmussen Reports
18. http://today.yougov.com/news/2014/09/07/senate-races-battleground-tracker/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov
19. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_RI_201.pdf Public Policy Polling