Senate Elections 2012

2012 United States Senate elections to be held November 6, 2012 includes Republican, Democrat and Independent candidates vying for six-year terms and a seat in the 113th Congress. Democrats need to defend 21 seats and Republicans need only to defend 10 seats. Two seats held by Independents are up for election and lean Democrat: Bernie Sanders seeks re-election and Joe Lieberman is retiring.

Democrats' majority status and Harry Reid's Senate leadership are at stake. Democrats are growing uncomfortable as they decline to endorse Obama's shift on gay marriage. "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid predicted Thursday the Democratic Party would adopt a pro-gay marriage plank in its platform." [1]

The RealClearPolitics website forecasts a 46-46 tie with 8 toss-up seats, but that includes a questionable claim that Democrats will likely hold on to the New Mexico seat. In these key states, most of which are listed as "toss-up" or even leaning Democrat, the Democrat candidate will probably not win unless he garners more votes than Obama in the state:

• Montana (Rehberg-R v. Tester-D)
• Missouri (Todd Akin-R v. Claire McCaskill-D)
• Florida
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• Ohio
• Wisconsin

Senate Contests

* Arizona

Republican Jon Kyl is retiring. Richard Carmona [D], Jeff Flake [R], Wil Cardon [R] are running. Flake is endorsed by the Senate Conservatives Fund.

* California

Democrat Dianne Feinstein is the incumbent. She will face Republican Elizabeth Emken

* Connecticut

Independent Joe Lieberman is retiring. Democrat Chris Murphy will face Republican challenger Linda McMahon.

* Delaware

Democrat Tom Carper is the incumbent. Businessman Kevin Wade is the Republican candidate.

* Florida

Democrat Bill Nelson is the incumbent. he will face Republican Representative Connie Mack. Rasmussen says Nelson is struggling to get above the 50 percent mark and is vulnerable if Romney carries Florida.

* Hawaii

Democrat Daniel Akaka is retiring. Democrat Mazie Hirono will face former Republican Governor Linda Lingle.

* Indiana

Tea Party-backed Republican Richard Mourdock will face Democrat Joe Donnelly after defeating 35-year incumbent Republican Richard Lugar.

* Maine

Republican Olympia Snowe is retiring. Benjamin Pollard [D], Cynthia Dill [D], Jon Hinck [D], Matt Dunlap [D], Andrew Ian Dodge [I], Bill Schneider [R], Bruce Poliquin [R], Charlie Summers [R], Deb Plowman [R], Rick Bennett [R], Scott D’Amboise [R] including former Gov. Angus King [I]. Polling predicts King will be the victor.

* Maryland

Democrat Ben Cardin is the incumbent. He will face former Secret Service agent and Republican Dan Bongino.

* Massachusetts

Republican Scott Brown is the incumbent. Three Democrats running and socialist Elizabeth Warren is the expected challenger. Polling has this race in a tie.

* Michigan

Democrat Debbie Stabenow is the incumbent and will face Republican Pete Hoekstra.

* Minnesota

Democrat Amy Klobuchar is the incumbent. Two Democrat and three Republican candidates have declared.

* Mississippi

Republican Roger Wicker is the incumbent. He will face Democrat Albert N. Gore.

* Missouri

Democrat Claire McCaskill is the incumbent and movement conservative Todd Akin is the Republican nominee.

* Montana

Democrat Jon Tester is the incumbent. He will face Republican Denny Rehberg. June 2012 polling has Rehberg holding a 2-point lead.

* Nebraska

Democrat Ben Nelson is retiring. Pro-life Deb Fischer defeated RINO Jon Bruning for the Republican nomination; and will face Democrat Bob Kerrey.

* Nevada

Republican Dean Heller was appointed in 2011 to replace John Ensign and is considered the incumbent. Barry Ellsworth [D], Nancy Price [D], Shelley Berkley [D] have declared. May 2012 polling has Heller with a 11 point lead.

* New Jersey

Democrat Bob Menendez is the incumbent. He will face Republican Joe Kyrillos .

* New Mexico

Democrat Jeff Bingaman is retiring. Republican Heather Wilson will face Democrat Martin Heinrich.

* New York

Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand is the incumbent. Republican Rep. Bob Turner has declared.

* North Dakota

Democrat Kent Conrad is retiring. July polling has Republican Rick Berg leading Democrat Heidi Heitkamp by +5.

* Ohio

Democrat Sherrod Brown is the incumbent. He will face Republican Josh Mandel. Mandel has the backing of Senator Jim Demint. Brown has the backing of George Soros, the SEIU and the former ACORN.

* Pennsylvania

Democrat Bob Casey, Jr. is the incumbent. 7 Republicans declared. Fake Pro-life Casey Jr. is a strong defender of Obama and Harry Reid.

* Rhode Island

Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse is the incumbent. Republican Barry Hinckley the challenger.

* Tennessee

Republican Bob Corker is the incumbent. He will face conservative Democrat Mark Clayton without any help from his party.

* Texas

Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison is retiring. Tea party backed Ted Cruz will face Paul Sadler, who won his primary runoff for the Democrat nomination. Sadler is a backer of Obamacare and Planned Parenthood.

* Utah

Republican Orrin Hatch is the incumbent. Pete Ashdown is the Democrat challenger.

* Vermont

Independent Bernie Sanders is the incumbent. John MacGovern [R] is the Republican challenger.

* Virginia

Democrat Jim Webb is retiring. Democrat Tim Kaine will face Republican George Allen. Polling has this race tied and may come down to which presidential candidate carries Virginia in November.

* Washington

Democrat Maria Cantwell is the incumbent. Michael Baumgartner is the Republican challenger.

* West Virginia

Democrat Joe Manchin is the incumbent. He will face Republican John Raese. Barack Obama polls so poorly in this state that Manchin refuses to say who he'll vote for President. [2]

* Wisconsin

Democrat Herb Kohl is retiring. Democrat Tammy Baldwin will face Republican Tommy Thompson.

* Wyoming

Republican John Barrasso is the incumbent.

States without a Senate race in 2012

Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, N. Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, S. Carolina, s. Dakaota, Vermont.

See also

• Presidential Election 2012