This is a visual explainer based on the Wikipedia article on the 2014 United States Senate election in Delaware. Read the full source article here. (opens in new tab)

Delaware's Senate Mandate

An academic examination of the candidates, campaigns, and outcomes that shaped Delaware's representation in the U.S. Senate in 2014.

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Election Overview

The 2014 Delaware Senate Election

The 2014 United States Senate election in Delaware was a significant event in the state's political landscape, held on November 4, 2014. This election was part of a broader national electoral cycle, occurring concurrently with other U.S. Senate and House of Representatives elections, as well as various state and local contests. Notably, it marked the fifth consecutive even-numbered year in which a Senate election took place in Delaware, a pattern observed since 2006.

Incumbent's Re-election

The election saw incumbent Democratic Senator Chris Coons seek re-election for his first full term in office. Senator Coons, having previously secured the seat in a special election, ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. His campaign culminated in a decisive victory over Republican businessman Kevin Wade in the general election, solidifying his position as Delaware's representative in the Uniteds States Senate.

Historical Context

Biden's Senate Departure

The lineage of this Senate seat traces back to Democratic Senator Joe Biden, who was re-elected to his seventh term in 2008. Following his election as Vice President of the United States in the same year, Biden resigned his Senate seat in January 2009. This created a vacancy that necessitated an interim appointment and subsequent special election, setting the stage for the political dynamics that would influence the 2014 race.

The 2010 Special Election

Upon Senator Biden's resignation, then-Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner appointed Biden's long-time aide, Ted Kaufman, to temporarily fill the seat. A special election was subsequently held in November 2010. This election garnered national attention, particularly due to Republican political commentator Christine O'Donnell's unexpected victory over U.S. Representative and former Governor Mike Castle in the Republican primary. In the general election, Chris Coons, who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination, defeated O'Donnell by a margin of 57% to 40%, thereby securing the seat and establishing his incumbency for the 2014 election cycle.

Democratic Primary

Declared Candidates

For the 2014 Democratic primary, the incumbent U.S. Senator, Chris Coons, was the sole declared candidate. His path to the general election was uncontested, reflecting strong party support and a clear mandate for his re-election campaign.

Declined Candidacies

Notably, Beau Biden, who served as Delaware Attorney General and was the son of then-Vice President Joe Biden, publicly declined to run for the U.S. Senate in 2014. Instead, he announced his intention to run for Governor of Delaware, a decision that shaped the Democratic field for the Senate race.

Republican Primary

Declared Candidates

The Republican primary featured two declared candidates vying for the nomination to challenge Senator Coons:

  • Carl Smink: A retired engineer and businessman.
  • Kevin Wade: A businessman who had previously been the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012.

Notable Declinations

Several prominent Republicans opted not to enter the 2014 Senate race, including:

  • Mike Castle: Former U.S. Representative and former Governor of Delaware, who had previously run for the U.S. Senate in 2010.
  • Tom Kovach: President of the New Castle County Council and nominee for Delaware's at-large congressional district in 2012.
  • Christine O'Donnell: A political commentator who had been a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006, 2008, and the Republican nominee in 2010. Her decision not to run avoided a potential rematch with Chris Coons.

Primary Results

The Republican primary results determined Kevin Wade as the party's nominee.

Republican Primary Results[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kevin Wade 18,181 75.66
Republican Carl Smink 5,848 24.34
Total votes 24,029 100

Other Candidates

Green Party Nominee

Beyond the two major parties, the Green Party also fielded a candidate for the U.S. Senate election in Delaware:

  • Andrew Groff: A computer science professor, Groff had previously run for the U.S. Senate in 2012. His participation offered voters an alternative perspective in the general election.[11]

General Election Dynamics

Fundraising Overview

Campaign finance plays a critical role in modern elections. For the 2014 Delaware Senate election, Chris Coons' campaign demonstrated significant financial strength.

Campaign Fundraising[15]
Candidate Raised Spent Cash on Hand
Chris Coons (D) $7,684,608 $4,831,183 $2,853,426

Debates and Public Discourse

Public debates offer a crucial platform for candidates to articulate their platforms and engage with their opponents. In the 2014 Delaware Senate election, a single debate was held, providing voters with an opportunity to compare the candidates directly.

The sole debate between the candidates took place on October 15, 2014. This event was a key moment for public engagement and candidate differentiation.

A video recording of this debate is available for review, offering insights into the candidates' positions and rhetorical strategies.

Electoral Predictions

Leading political analysis organizations provided their assessments of the race, consistently forecasting a strong performance for the incumbent Democratic candidate.

2014 Senate Race Predictions[12][13][14][15]
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report Solid D November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball Safe D November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report Safe D November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics Safe D November 3, 2014

Public Opinion Polling

Throughout the campaign, various polls were conducted to gauge public sentiment and predict the election's outcome. These surveys consistently indicated a significant lead for Senator Coons.

General Election Polling[16][17][19][20][21]
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Chris Coons (D) Kevin Wade (R) Other Undecided
CBS News/NYT/YouGov October 16–23, 2014 461 ± 7% 54% 36% 0% 10%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov September 20 – October 1, 2014 471 ± 5% 51% 35% 0% 14%
University of Delaware September 10–22, 2014 902 ± 3.9% 50% 25% 6%[18] 21%
Rasmussen Reports September 10–12, 2014 750 ± 4% 49% 34% 4% 12%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov August 18 – September 2, 2014 697 ± 5% 48% 35% 1% 16%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov July 5–24, 2014 840 ± 3.5% 60% 15% 25%

Hypothetical Polling (Coons vs. O'Donnell)

Prior to Christine O'Donnell's decision not to run, hypothetical polls were conducted to assess a potential rematch with Chris Coons.

Hypothetical Polling: Coons vs. O'Donnell[22]
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Chris Coons (D) Christine O'Donnell (R) Other Undecided
Princeton Survey Research September 3–16, 2013 902 ± 3.9% 51% 28% 22%

Election Results

Coons' Decisive Victory

Senator Chris Coons secured an easy victory in the general election, winning his first full term with approximately 56% of the vote. Projections of his win were made immediately upon the closing of polls in Delaware, and his opponent, Kevin Wade, conceded defeat shortly thereafter at 8:32 P.M. EST. This outcome affirmed the strong Democratic presence in Delaware's federal representation.

General Election Totals

The final tabulation of votes confirmed Chris Coons' commanding lead over his Republican and Green Party challengers.

United States Senate Election in Delaware, 2014[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Chris Coons (incumbent) 130,655 55.83% −0.78%
Republican Kevin Wade 98,823 42.23% +2.20%
Green Andrew Groff 4,560 1.95% N/A
Total votes 234,038 100.00% N/A
Democratic hold

County-Level Analysis

An examination of the election results by county reveals the geographical distribution of voter support across Delaware, highlighting regional political preferences.

Results by County[23]
County Chris Coons
Democratic
Kevin Wade
Republican
Andrew Groff
Green
# % # % # %
Kent 19,218 48.74 19,527 49.53 681 1.73
New Castle 84,985 63.82 45,229 33.97 2,948 2.21
Sussex 26,452 43.05 34,067 55.44 931 1.52
Totals 130,655 55.83 98,823 42.23 4,560 1.95

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References

References

  1.  CBS News/NYT/YouGov
  2.  University of Delaware
  3.  Rasmussen Reports
  4.  CBS News/NYT/YouGov
  5.  CBS News/NYT/YouGov
  6.  Princeton Survey Research
A full list of references for this article are available at the 2014 United States Senate election in Delaware Wikipedia page

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Important Notice

This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.

This is not political or electoral advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for independent research, consultation with political analysts, or direct engagement with official electoral sources. Always refer to official government and electoral commission data for precise and verified information regarding elections. Never disregard official information or professional analysis because of something you have read on this website.

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