2006 United States Senate elections
Elections for the United States Senate will be held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. Senators are elected for six-year terms, and the term of office for those elected in 2006 will be from January 3, 2007 until January 3, 2013. Those Senators who were elected in 2000 (known as "Class 1") will be seeking reelection or retiring in 2006.
The 2006 House election is scheduled for the same date as the Senate election, as well as many state and local elections, including those for 36 state governors.
Major parties
The Senate is currently composed of 55 Republicans, who have been in the majority since 2003, 44 Democrats, and 1 independent (former Republican Jim Jeffords of Vermont). Jeffords is retiring and his seat is one of the 33 seats being contested, while another 17 are held by Democrats and 15 are held by Republicans.
To control 51 seats, a majority in the Senate, Democrats would need either a net gain of 6 seats (if independent candidate Bernie Sanders wins Jim Jeffords' seat in Vermont and continues to caucus with the Democrats as he does in the House), or a net gain of 7 seats (if Sanders loses to a Republican). Republicans need to hold only 50 seats after the election to have a majority because the Vice President (currently Republican Dick Cheney) breaks all tie votes in his role as President of the Senate.
To gain a "working majority" of 60 members – the number of votes required to break a filibuster – Republicans would need a net gain of 5 seats. However, more conservative Democrats may also contribute to the "working majority."
Races to watch
It is not clear which seats will have the most competitive races. Incumbent senators have a high rate of re-election, even when their party affiliation is at odds with other political trends of their state. The most competitive races tend to be those where the incumbent has retired or has served only one term.
Additional special elections that are held due to the death or resignation of Senators in the interim would change the party balances listed above.
Retiring Senators
Mark Dayton (D) of Minnesota
Main article : Minnesota United States Senate election, 2006
On February 9, 2005, Senator Dayton announced that he would not seek a second term in the Senate. Republican Rep. Mark Kennedy, the presumed GOP nominee, secured major GOP endorsements in early 2005 and will not face any serious challengers. Kennedy has benefited from high-profile Republicans coming to fund raise for him, including Vice President Dick Cheney in July 2005 and President George W. Bush in December 2005. In spite of these advantages, polls show Kennedy trailing his Democratic opponents, albeit by narrow margins.
There are two candidates seeking the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) nomination. The current DFL front runner is Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar. Ford Bell, a veterinarian, philanthropist, and heir to a founder of General Mills, is also running but is significantly behind Klobuchar in polling and fundraising. Bell will rely only on contributions to fund his campaigns and not his personal wealth. Minneapolis attorney Mike Ciresi, who narrowly lost to Dayton in the 2000 DFL primary, announced on Februrary 7, 2006 that he would not seek the seat.
Bill Frist (R) of Tennessee
Main article : Tennessee United States Senate election, 2006
Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, the current Majority Leader, has previously promised to leave the Senate when his second term ends in 2006, and is widely considered to have presidential aspirations for 2008.
Although Tennessee's electoral votes went to George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, a majority of the statewide offices are held by Democrats. Tennessee also has more registered Democratic voters than Republican voters and sends more Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives than Republicans.
Democratic candidates include Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. and state Senator Rosalind Kurita. Republican candidates include former U.S. Reps. Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary, along with former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker. Hilleary currently has a double-digit lead over Bryant and an even larger lead over Corker. While he leads for the Democrat nomination, Ford trails all Republican candidates by at least a few points as of a March 2006 poll.
Jim Jeffords (I) of Vermont
Main article : Vermont United States Senate election, 2006
Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont left the Republican Party to become an independent soon after being reelected as a Republican in the 2000 election. On April 20, 2005, he declared he would not seek another term. The national Democratic Party is unlikely to support any party candidate because several leading members have already endorsed independent and self-described "democratic socialist" Representative Bernie Sanders.
A November 2005 poll conducted for WCAX-TV showed Sanders leading the only Republican who had thus far expressed interest in the race -- businessman Richard Tarrant -- by nearly 50 percentage points.[1] Governor James "Jim" Douglas and Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie both considered running but ultimately opted out.
Sanders, who already represents the entire state in his House seat (there is only one Congressional district in the state), is widely expected to win by a significant margin, given the lack of any major Republican opponent.
Paul Sarbanes (D) of Maryland
Main article : Maryland Congressional election, 2006
Senator Paul Sarbanes announced on March 11, 2005 that he would retire rather than run for re-election in 2006. Sarbanes' seat was previously considered safe, as Maryland is a Democratic-leaning state. Former NAACP president Kweisi Mfume and Rep. Ben Cardin have announced their candidacies for the Democratic nomination. Four other minor Democratic candidates are in the race. Mfume had great difficulty raising funds in the summer of 2005, and this may leave Cardin with a significant advantage.[2] Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, a Republican, announced his candidacy on October 25, 2005, and is currently the only major contender for the Republican nomination. Polls show Steele running competitvely agaist all the Democrats running. Democrats have a natural advantage in Maryland, with its large number of African-American voters and government workers. But Steele's personal popularity and potential appeal with his fellow blacks puts this race in doubt.
Both parties suffered setbacks in the campaign. Two staffers from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee were disovered to have illegally obtained Steele's credit report. Steele stumbled when he seemed to compare abortion to Nazi medical experiments during a speech, which he apologized for.
Notable Democratic incumbent races
Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut
Main article : Connecticut U.S. Senate election, 2006
Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, a Democrat who is mostly liberal on domestic policy, has drawn fire from liberals within his party for his continual support for the foreign policy of President George W. Bush and for statements that he has made in which he has criticized other Democrats for "undermining the President" during a time of war. Liberal activists are supporting Ned Lamont against him in an August primary. Also, former Governor Lowell Weicker has said he might run in the general as an Independent. Should Lamont win or Weicker run, Republicans may look at this race more closely.
Maria Cantwell of Washington
Main article : Washington United States Senate election, 2006
In 2000, wealthy internet executive and former Congresswoman Maria Cantwell unseated then-Senator Slade Gorton by some 2,200 votes, the smallest margin in state history, after spending a portion of her personal fortune. She has drawn fire from progressives in Washington for some of her votes, including her vote for the Iraq War Resolution, for the confirmation of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and against the attempted filibuster of Samuel Alito. Mark Wilson has filed as a primary challenger because of these votes. In 2005 she voiced support in Washington State Democratic Party circles for the John Murtha Resolution on redeploying American armed forces from Iraq. Former Safeco CEO Mike McGavick is the only announced GOP candidate. Incidentally, McGavick was once Gorton's Chief of Staff and is believed to have similar moderate-to-conservative politics. On March 9, 2006, Aaron Dixon, former captain of the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party announced his intention to seek the Green Party's nomination for U.S. Senate, challenging Senator Cantwell on her continued support for the U.S. presence in Iraq and the USA PATRIOT Act. The Libertarian Party is expected to field a candidate as well.
Bill Nelson of Florida
Main article : Florida United States Senate election, 2006
As the only southern Democrat facing re-election, Senator Bill Nelson of Florida will draw major regional attention to this race. Florida also will elect a new governor in 2006, and the cost of two major campaigns in a large state could require that one of the Republican candidates have a high profile.
U.S. Representative Katherine Harris, who served as Secretary of State during the 2000 presidential election, is the clear favorite to win the Republican primary. So far, potential candidates floated to challenge her in the primary decided against running, due to Harris's overwhelming name I.D. among Republican voters. Nelson is not particularly popular and has made little impression since his election to the Senate. However, Harris's name I.D. among the populace at large is overwhelmingly negative and her campaign has been badly damaged by a string of gaffes and mistakes. Late March 2006 polls show Nelson leading Harris by margins of 16 to 28 points. Republicans aren't optimistic about winning this race with Harris as the nominee and even Democrats privately admit being amazed at Harris's poor showing on the campaign trail.
Robert Menendez of New Jersey
Main article : New Jersey United States Senate election, 2006
Jon Corzine, elected to the Senate in 2000, was elected Governor of New Jersey in 2005. Corzine appointed Rep. Robert Menendez to serve the last year of the Senate term, and Menendez was sworn in to fill Corzine's vacancy on January 18, 2006.[3] Republican State Senator Thomas Kean, Jr. (the son of the former Governor of New Jersey and 9/11 Commission Chairman Thomas Kean) announced on March 25, 2005 that he would run for the U.S. Senate. Both nominees have problems within their own parties. Menendez has alienated many fellow Democrats with his aggressiveness and abrasiveness, while Kean is unpopular with party conservatives who consider him to be too liberal. Menendez had a narrow 39% to 36% lead over Kean in a February 2006 Rasmussen poll, with a suprisingly large 25% still undecided.[4] Menendez's 36% approval rating may also be a sign of vulnerability for the incumbent, although his disapproval is also relatively small.[5] Although incumbents with under 50% ratings in polls are generally considered vulnerable, it should be noted that this rule probably doesn't apply to Menendez, since he can't really be considered a true incumbent, as he was appointed just recently and is not well known state-wide. A recent poll by Farleigh Dickonson University also showed that many believed Tom Kean Jr. was his father running for senate.
Ben Nelson of Nebraska
Main article : Nebraska United States Senate election, 2006
Ben Nelson, first elected to the Senate in 2000, will be the incumbent in a race where his is the favorite against a Republican challenger. His potential Republican challenger will be the winner of a three-way primary. His former opponent, Don Stenberg is again running for the seat which he narrowly lost in 2000. Also, multimillionaire former Ameritrade COO, Pete Ricketts is running in the Republican primary.
Senator Nelson is the favorite in this race. He has a following going back to his days as Governor during the 1990's and he has compiled the most conservative record of any Democratic U.S. Senator. However, Nebraska's voters tilt heavily toward the GOP, so much so that state has not supported a Democratic Presidential candidate since 1964.
Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
Main article : Michigan United States Senate election, 2006
In 2000, then-Congresswoman Debbie Stabenow unseated Spencer Abraham by a 50% to 48% margin after trailing during much of the campaign. This year, she was thought to be secure, with George W. Bush's popularity falling, the Michigan economy performing poorly, and well-known Republicans backing away from running. Her two opponents were former Detroit City Councilman Keith Butler and former think tank director Jerry Zandstra. Both Butler and Zandstra are pastors. Initially, Republicans were cautiously optimistic about Butler's potential, but his campaign has never gotten off the ground, and neither has Zandstra's. A few months ago, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, a former state legislator, suddenly entered the race after initially backing out. And Bouchard has begun to gain in the polls, though Stabenow still leads by a comfortable margin. In contrast, Butler and Zandstra continue to languish. Stabenow reamains the solid favorite. But if Bouchard wins the nomination, the race will at least be on the national radar.
Notable Republican incumbent races
John Ensign of Nevada
Main article : Nevada U.S. Senate election, 2006
John Ensign of Nevada is running for re-election and was initially thought to be popular and politically secure. However, a recent poll shows he has only a 49% approval rating, which is usually not good for an incumbent going into an election year. The locally popular Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman has said he may try to get the Democratic nomination.[6] An Ensign-Goodman race would likely be competitive, but Goodman would first have to defeat Jack Carter, son of ex-President Jimmy Carter in the primary election. Carter doesn't have very much name recognition, and is currently trailing Ensign in the polls (33% to 48%). However, Goodman polls very close to Ensign (42.5 to 45, respectively) and within the margin of error. It should be noted that most of Nevada Democrats are in Goodman's Las Vegas, where he won with 86% of the vote the last election, providing a possible advantage in the primary election. It should also be noted that many Nevada residents outside of Las Vegas are resentful of the city's dominance of Nevada affairs and Goodman could be a convenient target for that sentiment.
George Allen of Virginia
Main article : Virginia United States Senate election, 2006
Senator George Allen of Virginia is expected by many to be a possible 2008 presidential candidate, which would almost certainly be harmed if he were to lose (or even have a tough race) for his seat in 2006. Virginia businessman Harris Miller (D) and former Secretary of the Navy James H. Webb are currently seeking the Democratic nomination. Gail Parker, a retired USAF Major and Pentagon budget analyst, has announced her intention to run as the Green Party candidate. Allen is popular and favored to win, but not assured of reelection.
Conrad Burns of Montana
Main article : Montana United States Senate election, 2006
Senator Conrad Burns of Montana faced a strong challenge from current Governor Brian Schweitzer in 2000, being re-elected by a mere 3% in a state that went for Bush twice by margins of over 20%. This, combined with the increasing strength of the state Democratic party and accusations of ethical issues related to the Jack Abramoff scandal, could make this a competitive race. State Auditor John Morrison has filed papers to run for the Democratic nomination, and state Senate President Jon Tester has announced his candidacy. A Rasmussen poll from March 2006 shows John Morrison leading Burns 50% to 43%, and Tester leading Burns 48% to 43%.
On March 22, 2006, one day before the filing deadline, Republican state Senate Minority Leader Bob Keenan announced that he would challenge Burns in the June 6, 2006 primary, claiming that Burns will be defeated if he's the nominee. Keenan has been in the state legislature since 1994.
Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island
Main article : Rhode Island United States Senate election, 2006
Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, perhaps the most liberal Republican in the Senate, will face a primary challenge from conservative Cranston mayor Steve Laffey. Currently, the candidates for the Democratic nomination are Secretary of State Matt Brown, former Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse, and former businessman Carl Sheeler. Recent polling has put Brown ahead of Whitehouse for the Democratic Party nomination, and slightly ahead of Chafee in the general election. Although Laffey is running as a conservative, he has come under fire from other conservatives for supporting tax increases as Mayor and increasing city spending. It is widely believed that the more liberal Chafee would have an easier time winning in the general election due to his appeal to independent voters. Chafee, however, may be badly damaged by a contentious primary that could potentially alienate Republican voters and give the Democratic nominee an advantage.
Mike DeWine of Ohio
Main article : Ohio United States Senate election, 2006
Senator Mike DeWine of Ohio has low approval ratings and the current Coingate scandal involving the Ohio Republican Party and the unpopularity of Governor Bob Taft could hurt his re-election chances. DeWine could also face a tough primary challenge from several more conservative Republicans, such as William G. Pierce, who are unhappy with his relatively centrist stances including his role as one of the Gang of 14 who intervened to stop a showdown over judicial nominations. Lawyer and Iraq War veteran Paul Hackett, who narrowly lost to Jean Schmidt in the second district on August 2, 2005, said in October 2005 he would seek the Democratic nomination to challenge DeWine. U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown announced his candidacy in October 2005. Hackett withdrew from the race on February 14, 2006. A March 2006 Rasmussen poll shows DeWine slightly ahead of Brown 45% to 42% while the most recent Zogby poll shows Brown ahead 46% to 37% with a larger undecided pool.
Jon Kyl of Arizona
Main article : Arizona United States Senate election, 2006
Wealthy real-estate developer Jim Pederson declared his intention to challenge Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona on September 14, 2005. Pederson served as Arizona Democratic Party Chairman from 2001 to 2005 while spending millions of his own money to help Democrats modernize and to elect Janet Napolitano Governor. A Survey USA poll from February 27, 2006 shows Kyl leading Pederson 57% to 33%.[7]
Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania
Main article : Pennsylvania United States Senate election, 2006
Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania is a very conservative member of the Senate in a state that went for John Kerry in 2004 by 2.5 percent. In his last election in the year 2000, Santorum received 7,706 more votes than Al Gore, the Democratic candidate for President, who won Pennsylvania by 4 percent. [8] Santorum ran against U.S. Rep. Ron Klink, a pro-life Democrat. Democrats believe that Santorum's seat is extremely vulnerable, and are making it a priority for a pick-up in 2006. Democrat Bob Casey, Jr., Pennsylvania's state treasurer, announced his candidacy on March 5, 2005. Currently, his only primary opponents are college professor Chuck Pennacchio and Alan Sandals. A Casey-Santorum race would feature two pro-life candidates, a rarity in major elections. A Casey victory would also lead to the unusual result of Pennsylvania being represented in the Senate by a pro-life Democrat (Casey) and a pro-choice Republican (Arlen Specter). Pennacchio and Sandals are pro-choice. As of February 2006, Casey enjoys a double-digit lead over Santorum in various polls. The recent decision of abortion-rights activist Kate Micheleman not to run as an independent in the race is another good sign for Casey. [9] Santorum himself has often been credited with being a strong campaigner, so the numbers that are seen now are likely to change as the election gets closer.
Jim Talent of Missouri
Main article : Missouri United States Senate election, 2006
Senator Jim Talent of Missouri, who was elected to the four remaining years of this term in a 2002 special election, might face a strong Democratic challenge for his seat. Missouri will not hold an election for governor in 2006, making this the only major statewide race in a traditional battleground state. Talent was first elected by a very slim margin and now has a well-known challenger in Claire McCaskill, Missouri's state auditor and 2004 Democratic gubernatorial candidate. Missouri is considered a "swing" state, but McCaskill carries significant political baggage from her 2004 loss. However, Talent was elected to the Senate after a failed gubernatorial bid, the same position McCaskill is in now. Polls show a very close race with polls repeatedly showing leads within the margin of error.
Complete list of Senate contests in 2006
| State | Incumbent | Party | Status | Competing candidates | See also | Approval rating [10] | 2000 Election Results [11] |
| Arizona | Jon Kyl | Republican | Running for 3rd term | Jim Pederson (D) | Main Article | 45% | Jon Kyl (R) 79%; Other 21% |
| California | Dianne Feinstein | Democratic | Running for 3rd full term | Dick Mountjoy (R), Jim Gilchrist (AIP), Don Grundman (AIP); Todd Chretien (G) |
Main Article | 58% | Dianne Feinstein (D) 56%; Tom Campbell (R) 36.5%; Other 7.5% |
| Connecticut | Joseph I. Lieberman | Democratic | Running for 4th term | Ned Lamont (D), Ralph Ferrucci (G) |
Main Article | 62% | Joe Lieberman (D) 63%; Phil Giordano (R) 34%; Other 3% |
| Delaware | Thomas R. Carper | Democratic | Running for 2nd term | Colin Bonini (R), Mike Protack (R) |
Main Article | 64% | William Roth (R) 44%;Thomas Carper (D) 56% |
| Florida | Bill Nelson | Democratic | Running for 2nd term | Katherine Harris (R), Belinda Noah (R) |
Main Article | 49% | Bill Nelson (D) 51%; Bill McCollum (R) 46%; Other 3% |
| Hawaii | Daniel K. Akaka | Democratic | Running for 3rd full term | Ed Case (D) | Main Article | 59% | Daniel Akaka(D) 73%; John Carroll (R) 25%; Other 2% |
| Indiana | Richard G. Lugar | Republican | Running for 6th term | unopposed | Main Article | 59% | Dick Lugar (R) 67%; David Johnson (D) 32%; Other 1% |
| Maine | Olympia J. Snowe | Republican | Running for 3rd term | Jean Hay Bright (D), Michael Brennan (D), Eric Mehnert (D) |
Main Article | 71% | Olympia Snowe (R) 69%; Mark Lawrence (D) 31% |
| Maryland | Paul S. Sarbanes | Democratic | Retiring | Ben Cardin (D), Kweisi Mfume (D); Michael Steele (R) |
Main Article | 46% | Paul Sarbanes (D) 63%; Paul Rappaport (R) 37% |
| Massachusetts | Edward M. Kennedy | Democratic | Running for 8th term | Kenneth Chase (R), Kevin Scott (R) |
Main Article | 58% | Ted Kennedy (D) 73%; Jack Robinson (R) 13%; Other 14% |
| Michigan | Debbie Stabenow | Democratic | Running for 2nd term | Mike Bouchard (R), Keith Bulter (R), Jerry Zandstra (R) |
Main Article | 48% | Spencer Abraham (R) 48%; Debbie Stabenow (D) 50%; Other 2% |
| Minnesota | Mark Dayton | Democratic-Farmer-Labor | Retiring | Amy Klobuchar (DFL), Ford Bell (DFL); Mark Kennedy (R) |
Main Article | 48% | Rod Grams (R) 43%; Mark Dayton (DFL) 49%; Other 8% |
| Mississippi | Trent Lott | Republican | Running for 4th term | Erik Fleming (D) | Main Article | 69% | Trent Lott (R) 66%; Troy Brown (D) 31.5%; Other 2.5% |
| Missouri | Jim Talent | Republican | Running for 1st full term | Claire McCaskill (D) | Main Article | 51% | John Ashcroft (R) 48%; Mel Carnahan (D) 51%; Other 1% |
| Montana | Conrad Burns | Republican | Running for 4th term | John Morrison (D), Jon Tester (D) |
Main Article | 38% | Conrad Burns (R) 51%; Brian Schweitzer (D) 47%; Other 2% |
| Nebraska | Ben Nelson | Democratic | Running for 2nd term | Pete Ricketts (R), Don Stenberg (R) |
Main Article | 70% | Ben Nelson (D) 51%; Don Stenberg (R) 49% |
| Nevada | John Ensign | Republican | Running for 2nd term | Jack Carter (D), Oscar Goodman (D) |
Main Article | 52% | John Ensign (R) 56%; Edward Bernstein (D) 40%; Other 2% |
| New Jersey | Robert Menendez | Democratic | Running for 1st full term | Thomas Kean, Jr. (R) | Main Article | 46% | Jon Corzine (D) 50%; Bob Franks (R) 47%; Other 3% |
| New Mexico | Jeff Bingaman | Democratic | Running for 5th term | David Pfeffer (R), Allen McCulloch (R), Joe Carraro (R) |
Main Article | 60% | Jeff Bingaman (D) 62%; Bill Redmond (R) 38% |
| New York | Hillary Rodham Clinton | Democratic | Running for 2nd term | Kathleen Troia McFarland (R), John Spencer (R/C) |
Main Article | 61% | Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) 55%; Rick Lazio (R) 43%; Other 2% |
| North Dakota | Kent Conrad | Democratic | Running for 4th full term | Main Article | 72% | Kent Conrad (D) 61%; Duane Sand (R) 38%; Other 1% | |
| Ohio | Mike DeWine | Republican | Running for 3rd term | Sherrod Brown (D); William G. Pierce (R) |
Main Article | 46% | Mike DeWine (R) 60%; Ted Celeste (D) 36%; Other 4% |
| Pennsylvania | Rick Santorum | Republican | Running for 3rd term | Bob Casey, Jr. (D), Chuck Pennacchio (D) |
Main Article | 43% | Rick Santorum (R) 52%; Ron Klink (D) 46%; Other 2% |
| Rhode Island | Lincoln Chafee | Republican | Running for 2nd full term | Matt Brown (D), Sheldon Whitehouse (D), Carl Sheeler (D); Steve Laffey (R) |
Main Article | 52% | Lincoln Chafee (R) 57%; John Weygand (D) 41%; Other 2% |
| Tennessee | Bill Frist | Republican | Retiring | Ed Bryant (R), Van Hilleary (R), Bob Corker (R); Harold Ford, Jr. (D), Rosalind Kurita (D) |
Main Article | 54% | Bill Frist (R) 65%; Jeff Clark (D) 32%; Other 3% |
| Texas | Kay Bailey Hutchison | Republican | Running for 3rd full term | Barbara Ann Radnofsky (D) | Main Article | 56% | Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) 65%; Gene Kelly (D) 32%; Other 3% |
| Utah | Orrin G. Hatch | Republican | Running for 6th term | Pete Ashdown (D) | Main Article | 59% | Orrin G. Hatch (R) 66%; Scott Howell (D) 32%; Other 2% |
| Vermont | Jim Jeffords | Independent | Retiring | Bernie Sanders (I); Richard Tarrant (R) |
Main Article | 65% | Jim Jeffords (R) 66% ; Ed Flanagan (D) 25%; Other 9% |
| Virginia | George Allen | Republican | Running for 2nd term | James H. Webb (D), Harris Miller (D); Gail Parker (G) |
Main Article | 51% | Chuck Robb (D) 48%; George Allen (R) 52% |
| Washington | Maria Cantwell | Democratic | Running for 2nd term | Mike McGavick (R) Mark Wilson (D) Aaron Dixon (G) |
Main Article | 51% | Slade Gorton (R) 49%; Maria Cantwell (D) 49%; Other 2% |
| West Virginia | Robert C. Byrd | Democratic | Running for 9th term | John Raese (R), Hiram Lewis (R), Rick Snuffer (R), Zane Lawhorn (R), Charles G. "Bud" Railey (R), Paul J. Brown (R); Billy Hendricks, Jr. (D) |
Main Article | 63% | Robert Byrd (D) 78%; David T. Gallaher (R) 20%; Other 2% |
| Wisconsin | Herb Kohl | Democratic | Running for 4th term | Robert Lorge (R) | Main Article | 55% | Herb Kohl (D) 62%; John Gillespie (R) 37%; Other 1% |
| Wyoming | Craig L. Thomas | Republican | Running for 3rd term | Dale Groutage (D) | Main Article | 60% | Craig Thomas (R) 74%; Mel Logan (D) 23%; Other 3% |
Opinion Polls
Control of both the House and the Senate will be determined by the relatively small number of competitive seats - usually approximately a dozen in the House and less than a half dozen in the Senate. It is the outcome of individual elections which determines partisan control of both bodies and nationwide polls have little effect on such a small subset of individual state elections.
Current "generic ballot" House of Representatives poll numbers can be found at PollingReport.com.