2014 United States Senate election in Wyoming explained

Election Name:	2014 United States Senate election in Wyoming
Country:	Wyoming
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2008 United States Senate election in Wyoming
Previous Year:	2008
Next Election:	2020 United States Senate election in Wyoming
Next Year:	2020
Image1:	File:Mike Enzi, official portrait, 115th Congress (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:	Mike Enzi
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	121,554
Percentage1:	72.19%
Nominee2:	Charlie Hardy
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	29,377
Percentage2:	17.45%
Image3:	3x4.svg
Nominee3:	Curt Gottshall
Party3:	Independent (United States)
Popular Vote3:	13,311
Percentage3:	7.90%
Map Size:	245px
U.S. Senator
Before Election:	Mike Enzi
Before Party:	Republican Party (United States)
After Election:	Mike Enzi
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)

The 2014 United States Senate election in Wyoming took place on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate for the State of Wyoming. Incumbent Republican senator Mike Enzi won re-election to a fourth term in office. Enzi held Democratic nominee Charlie Hardy to just 17.4 percent of the vote – the lowest percentage of the vote for any major party nominee in Wyoming U.S. Senate electoral history out of the 39 races conducted during the direct election era.^[1]

Republican primary

No incumbent Wyoming Republican senator running for re-election in the direct vote era has failed to win their party's nomination.^[2]

Candidates

Declared

• Thomas Bleming, former mercenary and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012^{[3] [4]}
• Arthur Bruce Clifton, oil company worker^{[5] [6]}
• Mike Enzi, incumbent senator^[7]
• James "Coaltrain" Gregory^[5]
• Bryan E. Miller, retired air force officer and energy consultant^[5]

Withdrew

• Liz Cheney, attorney, political commentator and daughter of Dick Cheney^[8]

Polling

Poll source				Mike Enzi	Liz Cheney	Undecided
align=left	Harper Polling^[9]	July 17–18, 2013	422	± 4.77%		55%	21%	24%
align=left	Public Policy Polling^[10]	July 19–21, 2013	780	± 3.5%		54%	26%	19%
align=left	Wickers Group ^^[11]	August 22–28, 2013	400	± 4.5%		61%	21%	18%
align=left	Wickers Group ^	October 25–28, 2013	400	± 4.5%		69%	17%	14%

• ^ Internal poll for the Mike Enzi campaign

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• William Bryk, attorney from New York and perennial candidate^[5]
• Charlie Hardy, retired priest and candidate for Congress in 2012^[12]
• Al Hamburg, retired house painter, veteran and perennial candidate^{[5] [13] [14]}
• Rex Wilde, contracting company employee and candidate for governor in 2010^[15]

Declined

• Gary Trauner, businessman and nominee for Wyoming's at-large congressional district in 2006 and 2008^[16]

Results

Independents and Third Parties

Candidates

Declared

• Curt Gottshall (Independent), commercial airline pilot^[17]
• Joseph Porambo (Libertarian), cook at an assisted living home^[18]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	The Cook Political Report^[19]		November 3, 2014
align=left	Sabato's Crystal Ball^[20]		November 3, 2014
align=left	Rothenberg Political Report^[21]		November 3, 2014
align=left	Real Clear Politics^[22]		November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source				Mike Enzi (R)	Charlie Hardy (D)	Other	Undecided
align=left	CBS News/NYT/YouGov^[23]	July 5–24, 2014	419	± 5.1%		66%	23%	5%	7%
align=left	Rasmussen Reports^[24]	August 20–21, 2014	700	± 4%		63%	27%	4%	5%
align=left	CBS News/NYT/YouGov^[25]	August 18 – September 2, 2014	350	± 8%		66%	21%	4%	8%
align=left	CBS News/NYT/YouGov^[26]	September 20 – October 1, 2014	264	± 7%		75%	17%	2%	6%
align=left	CBS News/NYT/YouGov	October 16–23, 2014	258	± 11%		67%	27%	0%	6%

With Enzi

With Cheney

Results

See also

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

External links

• U.S. Senate elections in Wyoming, 2014 at Ballotpedia
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets
• Wyoming U.S. Senate debate excerpts, OnTheIssues.org

Official campaign websites (Archived)

• Mike Enzi for U.S. Senate
• Curt Gottshall for U.S. Senate
• Bryan Miller for U.S. Senate
• Charlie Hardy for U.S. Senate

Notes and References

1. Web site: Rock Bottom: Democrats Hit Multiple Low Water Marks in US Senate Elections . Smart Politics . Eric . Ostermeier . November 10, 2014.
2. Web site: Could Liz Cheney End Wyoming's GOP Incumbency Streak? . Smart Politics . Eric . Ostermeier . July 9, 2013.
3. Web site: Bleming Announces Another Run for Wyoming U.S. Senate Seat . Kitsap Sun . May 17, 2013. June 15, 2013.
4. Ex-Mercenary Running for Wyo. Senate Seat has 'Psychopath' in Crosshairs . U.S. News & World Report . June 28, 2013. July 8, 2013.
5. Web site: 2014 Primary Candidate Roster. Wyoming Secretary of State. June 3, 2014.
6. News: Arizona man the only Democratic challenger to Wyoming Rep. Cynthia Lummi . Casper Star-Tribune . May 30, 2014 . June 3, 2014.
7. News: Mike Enzi Will Seek Reelection In 2014 Senate Race . Reilly . Mollie. Huffington Post . July 16, 2013. July 16, 2013.
8. News: Martin . Jonathan . Liz Cheney Quits Wyoming Senate Race . January 6, 2014 . . January 6, 2014.
9. https://web.archive.org/web/20130721181630/http://conservativeintel.com/liz-cheney-vs-mike-enzi-conservative-intel-poll-for-wysen/ Harper Polling
10. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_WY_723.pdf Public Policy Polling
11. http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/mike-enzi-liz-cheney-poll-99814.html Wickers Group ^
12. News: Mike Enzi has new opponent: Democrat and former Catholic priest Charlie Hardy . . Roerink . Kyle . January 21, 2014 . January 22, 2014.
13. News: Felon, out-of-staters among candidates who filed to run for office . . Laura Hancock . June 1, 2014 . June 3, 2014.
14. News: Controversial candidate bids for U.S. Senate seat . . Trevor Brown . May 25, 2014 . June 3, 2014.
15. News: Second Democrat enters race against Wyoming U.S. Sen. Enzi . . Roerink . Kyle . January 22, 2014 . January 22, 2014.
16. News: Liz Cheney Trails Mike Enzi In Wyoming Senate Race: Poll . Edwards-Levy . Ariel . Huffington Post . July 23, 2013 . July 24, 2013.
17. News: Laramie pilot is making independent Senate run . Trevor Brown . . April 3, 2014 . June 3, 2014.
18. News: Casper cook seeks U.S. Senate seat . Trevor Brown . . April 9, 2014 . June 3, 2014.
19. Web site: 2014 Senate Race Ratings for November 3, 2014 . The Cook Political Report . September 20, 2018.
20. Web site: The Crystal Ball's Final 2014 Picks . Sabato's Crystal Ball . November 3, 2014 . September 20, 2018.
21. Web site: 2014 Senate Ratings . Senate Ratings . The Rothenberg Political Report . September 20, 2018.
22. Web site: 2014 Elections Map - Battle for the Senate 2014 . Real Clear Politics . September 20, 2018.
23. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/2014-midterms-republicans-narrowly-favored-to-capture-senate-in-november/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov
24. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2014/wyoming/election_2014_wyoming_senate Rasmussen Reports
25. https://today.yougov.com/news/2014/09/07/battleground-tracker-2014-wyoming/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov
26. http://today.yougov.com/news/2014/09/07/senate-races-battleground-tracker/ CBS News/NYT/YouGov