2014 United States Senate election in Maine

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%

County results Municipality results Congressional district results 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 election to a fourth term in office with 68% of the vote.^[1][2] 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 2025, 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.^[3]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Susan Collins, incumbent U.S. Senator^[4][5]

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

• Scott D'Amboise, former Lisbon Falls Selectman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012^[9]
• Bruce Poliquin, former State Treasurer, candidate for Governor in 2010 and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012 (ran for ME-02)^[10]
• Mark Willis, former Maine Republican National Committeeman^[9]

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]

Collins would ultimately defeat Bellows in a landslide, carrying all 16 counties and both congressional districts. Bellows would only win the heavily Democratic cities of Portland, Bar Harbor, and Hallowell, the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation, and 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.^[15]

Polling

Hypothetical polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Susan Collins	Bruce Poliquin	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[16]	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[17]	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[17]	January 18–20, 2013	430	± 4.7%	49%	46%	—	6%
Public Policy Polling[16]	August 23–25, 2013	321	± 5.5%	47%	48%	—	5%
Public Policy Polling[18]	November 8–11, 2013	331	± 5.4%	48%	44%	—	7%

Results

Republican primary results^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Susan Collins (incumbent)	59,767	100.00%
Total votes			59,767	100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Shenna Bellows, former executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine^[20][21]

Declined

• Emily Cain, state senator (ran for ME-02)^[22]
• Mike Michaud, U.S. Representative (ran for Governor)^[23]

Results

Democratic primary results^[19]

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.^[24]

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

• Mike Turcotte, adjunct professor at Eastern Maine Community College^[25]

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.^[26]

Candidates

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

Endorsements

Susan Collins (R)

Politicians

• Angus King, U.S. Senator (I-ME)^[27]
• Joe Manchin, U.S. Senator (D-WV)^[28]
• Rand Paul, U.S. Senator (R-KY)^[29]

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^[30]

Organizations

• Americans for Responsible Solutions^[31]
• Human Rights Campaign^[32]

Newspapers

• Bangor Daily News^[33]

Shenna Bellows (D)

Politicians and other individuals

• Justin Alfond, President of the Maine Senate^[34]
• Tom Andrews, former U.S. Representative (D-ME)^[35]
• Michael Douglas, actor^[36]
• Barney Frank, former U.S. Representative (D-MA)^[35]
• Tess Gerritsen, author^[34]
• Stephen King, author ^[37]
• Mike Michaud. U.S. Representative (D-ME), candidate for Governor^[35]
• Bob Monks, shareholder activists^[34]
• Chellie Pingree, U.S. Representative (D-ME)^[35]
• Donald Sussman, philanthropist and financier, husband of Rep. Pingree^[34]

Unions

• American Postal Worker Union^[38]
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers^[38]
• Iron Workers Local 7^[38]
• LIUNA Local 327^[38]
• Maine AFL-CIO^[39]
• Maine State Nurses Association^[38]
• Maine State Building and Construction Trades Council^[38]
• Teamsters Local 340^[38]
• United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 716^[38]
• United Steelworkers Local 449^[38]

Organizations

• Alliance for Retired Americans^[35]
• Council for a Livable World^[35]
• Democracy for America^[40]
• Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee^[35]
• EMILY's list^[41]
• Feminist Majority^[35]
• Freethought Equality Fund PAC ^[42]
• Maine People's Alliance^[35]
• Marijuana Policy Project^[43]
• MoveOn^[35]
• National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws^[43]
• National Organization for Women^[35]
• People for the American Way^[35]
• Progressive Change Campaign Committee^[44]
• Students for a New American Politics^[45]

Declined to endorse

• MaineToday Media newspapers^[46]
• Sportsman's Alliance of Maine^[47]

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[48]	Solid R	November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[49]	Safe R	November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report[50]	Safe R	November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics[51]	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[18]	November 8–11, 2013	964	± 3.2%	59%	20%	—	22%
Rasmussen Reports[52]	April 23–25, 2014	830	± 3%	60%	24%	6%	9%
University of New Hampshire[53]	June 12–18, 2014	527	± 4.3%	72%	17%	—	10%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[54]	July 5–24, 2014	1,356	± 2.7%	63%	28%	2%	6%
Public Policy Polling*[55]	August 16–18, 2014	679	± 3.8%	57%	33%	—	10%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[56]	August 18 – September 2, 2014	1,202	± 4%	58%	26%	3%	12%
Rasmussen Reports[57]	September 3–4, 2014	750	± 4%	59%	31%	2%	7%
University of New Hampshire[58]	September 18–25, 2014	482	± 4.4%	59%	29%	—	11%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[59]	September 20 – October 1, 2014	1,531	± 3%	57%	33%	1%	9%
Pan Atlantic SMS[60]	September 23–29, 2014	400	± 4.9%	68%	25%	—	7%
Bangor Daily News/Ipsos[61]	October 6–12, 2014	540 LV	± 4.8%	56%	31%	5%[62]	7%
		903 RV	± 3.7%	53%	31%	7%[63]	10%
University of New Hampshire[64]	October 15–21, 2014	667	± 3.8%	65%	30%	—	4%
Pan Atlantic SMS[65]	October 15–21, 2014	400	± 4.9%	67%	27%	—	7%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[59]	October 16–23, 2014	1,177	± 5%	54%	35%	0%	10%
Bangor Daily News/Ipsos[66]	October 23–29, 2014	488	± 5.1%	64%	32%	2%	3%
Maine People's Resource Center[67]	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[16]	August 23–25, 2013	953	± 3.2%	53%	33%	14%
Maine People's Resource Center[68]	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[16]	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[17]	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[17]	January 18–20, 2013	1,268	± 2.8%	58%	33%	9%
Public Policy Polling[16]	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[68]	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[16]	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[17]	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[17]	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 223,251 votes.^[69]

2014 United States Senate election in Maine^[70]

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

By congressional district

Collins won both of the congressional districts in the state, including one which also elected a Democrat.^[71]

District	Collins	Bellows	Representative
1st	66%	34%	Chellie Pingree
2nd	72%	28%	Mike Michaud (113th Congress)
			Bruce Poliquin (114th Congress)

See also

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

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. 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. "King on Collins: 'We've got a model senator here'". Kennebec Journal. May 16, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
9. "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. 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. Rebekah Metzler (March 17, 2014). "Maine's Susan Collins Avoids Tea Party Challenge". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
14. "Collins endorsed by BIW unions". Susan Collins for US Senate. April 3, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
15. "November 4, 2014 General Election United States Senator" (PDF). November 4, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
16. Public Policy Polling
17. Public Policy Polling
18. Public Policy Polling
19. "Tabulations for Elections held in 2014". Maine Secretary of State. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
20. "Shenna Bellows to launch U.S. Senate campaign on Oct. 23". Kennebec Journal. October 8, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
21. "Expanding Medicaid would be 'sinful,' LePage says". Kennebec Journal. March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
22. "Sen. Emily Cain launches bid for Michaud's congressional seat". Maine Sun Journal. June 14, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
23. "Mike Michaud Exploring Bid for Governor in Maine #MEGOV #ME02". Roll Call. June 13, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
24. "Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Maine". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
25. "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.
26. Ostermeier, Eric (September 17, 2013). "West Virginia 2014 US Senate Race to Feature Rare Matchup". Smart Politics.
27. Sullivan, Sean (May 16, 2014). "King endorsement". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
28. Burgess Everett & Manu Raju (April 15, 2014). "GOP Senate may run purple". Politico. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
29. Michael Shepherd (April 26, 2014). "Rand Paul Q&A: Republicans must be more united, inclusive". Kennebec Journal. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
30. "Washington Post predicts Poliquin victory; Collins picks up another labor union endorsement". Bangor Daily News. August 7, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
31. "Gabrielle Giffords' gun-control group to back Susan Collins". Kennebec Journal. June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
32. "Here's why HRC's endorsement of Collins won't hurt Bellows much". Bangor Daily News. June 25, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
33. "Susan Collins should return to the Senate: Maine needs experience". Bangor Daily News. October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
34. "Shenna Bellows embraces D.C. cash". Bangor Daily News. February 20, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
35. "Endorsements for Shenna Bellows". Sheena Bellows for US Senate. April 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
36. "ME, OR & IA-Sen: Michael Douglas Fundraises For Bellows (D), Merkley (D) & Braley (D)". Daily-Kos. June 9, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
37. "For this lifetime Mainer, Bellows is the clear choice". Bangor Daily News. May 30, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
38. "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.
39. "AFL-CIO endorses Cain, Bellows; Mike Tipping's new book on his favorite governor". Bangor Daily News. June 25, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
40. "Democracy For America endorses Bellows for U.S. Senate". Shenna Bellows for Senate. March 11, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
41. Metzler, Rebekah (April 16, 2014). "Shenna Bellows makes the (EMILY's) list | Downeast to DC". Downeasttodc.bangordailynews.com. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
42. "2014 Candidate Endorsements | Freethought Equality Fund".
43. "Bellows Endorsed By Major Marijuana Advocacy Groups". Shenna Bellows for Senate. February 19, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
44. "Bellows receives endorsement from national progressive group, compared to Elizabeth Warren". Bangor Daily News. February 4, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
45. "SNAP, Nation's Largest Student-Run Political Action Committee Endorses Shenna Bellows". Shenna Bellows for Senate. May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
46. "OUR OPINION: Who do we endorse? Nobody — and here's why". MaineToday Media/Kennebec Journal. August 31, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
47. "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.
48. "2014 Senate Race Ratings for November 3, 2014". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
49. "The Crystal Ball's Final 2014 Picks". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
50. "2014 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
51. "2014 Elections Map - Battle for the Senate 2014". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
52. Rasmussen Reports
53. University of New Hampshire
54. CBS News/NYT/YouGov
55. Public Policy Polling*
56. CBS News/NYT/YouGov
57. Rasmussen Reports
58. University of New Hampshire
59. CBS News/NYT/YouGov
60. Pan Atlantic SMS
61. Bangor Daily News/Ipsos
62. Erick Bennett 4%, Other 1%
63. Erick Bennett 5%, other 2%
64. University of New Hampshire
65. Pan Atlantic SMS
66. Bangor Daily News/Ipsos
67. Maine People's Resource Center
68. Maine People's Resource Center
69. "Maine Election Results". The New York Times. December 17, 2014. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
70. "Tabulations for Elections held in 2014". Maine Secretary of State. November 4, 2014. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
71. https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::9fd5b08c-1830-4d60-a0c8-387c764ecfb0

External links

• U.S. Senate elections in Maine, 2014 at Ballotpedia
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets