The Green Papers: 2017 General Election |
115th Congress Senate Seats by State |
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Alabama 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | 651,972 | 48.34% | former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Roy S. Moore 15 August 2017 Primary: Advances to 26 September 2017 runoff. Won the runoff with 55%. FEC S8AL00340; 22 Nov 17; Tot $5,260,974; Dsb $4,512,909 |
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Write-in; (Republican) | Mac Watson | ||||
Total | 1,348,720 | 100.00% | |||
Alaska 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator Dan Sullivan FEC S4AK00214 |
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Arizona 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Craig R. Brittain FEC S8AZ00189 |
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Republican | Christian "C.J." Diegel ? FEC S8AZ00213 |
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24 October 2017: Will not seek re-election in 2018. FEC S2AZ00141; 30 Sep 17; Tot $3,963,974; Dsb $1,137,069 |
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Republican | Board of Regents Member Jay Heiler | ||||
Republican | Nicholas Tutora FEC S8AZ00163 |
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Republican | former state Senator Kelli Ward 27 October 2016: Announced. FEC S6AZ00233; 30 Sep 17; Tot $1,077,811; Dsb $845,204 |
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Arkansas 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator Thomas B. "Tom" Cotton FEC S4AR00103 |
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California 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Donald R. "Don" Adams FEC S8CA00325 |
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Republican | John Estrada | ||||
Republican | former Assemblyman David Hadley | ||||
Republican | Timothy Charles Kalemkarian ? FEC S6CA00477 |
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Republican | Caren Dianna Lancona FEC S8CA00333 |
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Republican | Jazmina "Jaz" Saavedra FEC S8CA00432 |
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Republican | Stephen James Schrader FEC S8CA00366 |
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Colorado 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican, 1 Democratic | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Jerry Natividad | ||||
Connecticut 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Matthew McKinnon Corey FEC S8CT00121; 30 Sep 17; Tot $3,255; Dsb $7 |
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Republican | Dominic Rapini FEC S8CT00113; 30 Sep 17; Tot $83,354; Dsb $34,783 |
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Delaware 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Henry Charles "Chuck" Boyce, Jr. FEC S8DE00103; 30 Sep 17; Tot $188,513; Dsb $110,477 |
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Republican | Eugene J. "Gene" Truono, Jr. FEC S8DE00129 |
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Florida 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Virginia Fuller | ||||
Republican | Augustus Sol Invictus FEC S6FL00301 |
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Republican | Lateresa Ann "L.A." Jones FEC S6FL00277 |
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Republican | Howard Knepper | ||||
Republican | Martin Mikhail | ||||
Withdrew |
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Republican | Joseph "Joe" Smith | ||||
Republican | Marcia Roberta Thorne FEC S8FL00232 |
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Idaho 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator James E. "Jim" Risch FEC S8ID00092 |
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Class 3 | |||||
Republican | Senator Michael D. "Mike" Crapo FEC S8ID00027 |
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Indiana 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | former state Representative Mike Braun FEC S8IN00171; 30 Sep 17; Tot $1,057,265; Dsb $26,370 |
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19 November 2017: Suspended campaign. FEC S8IN00130; 30 Sep 17; Tot $322,930; Dsb $222,814 |
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Republican | Andrew "Andy" Horning | ||||
Republican | Mark Hurt FEC S8IN00122; 30 Sep 17; Tot $100,484; Dsb $97,418 |
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Republican | Congressman Allen Lucas "Luke" Messer 26 July 2017: Running for the Class 1 Senate Seat in 2018. FEC S8IN00163; 30 Sep 17; Tot $2,019,364; Dsb $658,114 |
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Republican | Congressman Theodore Edward "Todd" Rokita 9 August 2017: Candidate for the Senate Class 1 seat in 2018. FEC S8IN00189; 30 Sep 17; Tot $1,796,237; Dsb $743,070 |
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Republican | Kiel Richard Stone FEC S8IN00155 |
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Republican | Andrew Benjamin Takami FEC S8IN00148; 30 Sep 17; Tot $143,116; Dsb $68,546 |
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Class 3 | |||||
Republican | Senator Todd Christopher Young FEC S6IN00191 |
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Iowa 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator Joni K. Ernst FEC S4IA00129 |
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Class 3 | |||||
Republican | Senator Charles E. "Chuck" Grassley FEC S0IA00028 |
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Kansas 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator Pat Roberts FEC S6KS00080 |
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Kentucky 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Karl Das FEC S0KY00263 |
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Louisiana 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator William M. "Bill" Cassidy FEC S4LA00107 |
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Maine 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Independent, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | state Senator Eric Brakey FEC S8ME00130; 30 Sep 17; Tot $131,646; Dsb $77,999 |
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Maryland 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Charles Sam "Sam" Faddis FEC S8MD00237; 30 Sep 17; Tot $125,553; Dsb $104,998 |
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Massachusetts 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Geoff Diehl FEC S8MA00276; 30 Sep 17; Tot $710,792; Dsb $428,893 |
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Republican | John Kingston FEC S8MA00318; 30 Sep 17; Tot $3,352,015; Dsb $342,411 |
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Republican | Beth Lindstrom FEC S8MA00326; 30 Sep 17; Tot $75,141; Dsb $32,564 |
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Republican | Darius Mitchell FEC S8MA00292 |
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Republican | Allen Rodney Waters Non-party Independent Centrist FEC S8MA00250; 06 Nov 18; Tot $1,328; Dsb $1,817 |
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Republican | Heidi M. Wellman FEC S8MA00300; 30 Sep 17; Tot $4,195; Dsb $4,194 |
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Michigan 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Bob Carr FEC S4MI00298 |
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Republican | John E. James FEC S8MI00372; 30 Sep 17; Tot $309,154; Dsb $92,949 |
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Republican | Sandy Pensler FEC S8MI00414 |
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Republican | Robert James "Kid Rock" Ritchie circa 24 October 2017: Not running. |
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Republican | William F. White | ||||
Republican | former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert "Bob" Young FEC S8MI00364; 30 Sep 17; Tot $166,193; Dsb $64,179 |
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Minnesota 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Robert Bruce Barnheiser FEC S8MN00560 |
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Republican | NiKoLay N. "Nik" Bey FEC S4MN00338 |
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Republican | Karin Housley FEC S8MN00586 |
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Republican | state Representative James Wallace "Jim" Newberger FEC S8MN00552; 30 Sep 17; Tot $23,504; Dsb $3,489 |
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Republican | Jack Edward Shepard | ||||
Mississippi 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Senator Roger F. Wicker FEC S8MS00196; 30 Sep 17; Tot $2,670,574; Dsb $699,270 |
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Missouri 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
7 November 2012: Former Congressman Akins filed with the FEC to run for the Missouri U.S. Senate Seat in 2018. The Statement of Candidacy is most likely part of Mr. Akin's Debt Settlement Plan for debts incurred during his unsuccessful run for Senate in 2012. FEC S2MO00429 |
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13 October 2017: No longer considering this office. |
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Republican | state Attorney General Joshua David "Josh" Hawley FEC S8MO00160; 30 Sep 17; Tot $820,760; Dsb $38,323 |
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Republican | Camille Lombardi-Olive | ||||
Republican | Robert Marshner | ||||
Republican | Raffaele Antonio "Tony" Monetti FEC S8MO00137; 30 Sep 17; Tot $163,283; Dsb $86,763 |
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Republican | Austin Petersen FEC S8MO00145; 30 Sep 17; Tot $214,692; Dsb $176,267 |
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Republican | B. Courtland "Courtland" Sykes FEC S8MO00178; 30 Sep 17; Tot $0; Dsb $68 |
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Montana 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | William James "James" Dean FEC S8MT00242 |
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Republican | Troy Downing FEC S8MT00218; 30 Sep 17; Tot $492,234; Dsb $185,012 |
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Republican | former state Representative Russell C. 'Russ" Fagg Yellowstone County District Court Judge FEC S8MT00275 |
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Republican | Scott Roy McLean | ||||
Republican | Ronald "Ron" Murray FEC S8MT00226; 30 Sep 17; Tot $1,455; Dsb $1,348 |
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Republican | state Senator Albert David "Al" Olszewski FEC S8MT00200; 30 Sep 17; Tot $167,794; Dsb $23,494 |
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Republican | Auditor Matt Rosendale 31 July 2017: Running for the U.S. Senate Class 1 seat in 2018. FEC S8MT00234; 30 Sep 17; Tot $433,856; Dsb $85,652 |
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Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator Steven "Steve" Daines FEC S2MT00096 |
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Nebraska 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Senator Debra S. "Deb" Fischer FEC S2NE00094; 30 Sep 17; Tot $1,762,761; Dsb $654,253 |
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Republican | Todd Watson | ||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator Benjamin E. "Ben" Sasse FEC S4NE00090 |
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Nevada 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican, 1 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Sarah Gazala FEC S8NV00164; 30 Sep 17; Tot $4,666; Dsb $4,461 |
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Republican | Senator Dean Heller FEC S2NV00183; 30 Sep 17; Tot $3,995,494; Dsb $1,176,776 |
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Republican | Danny Tarkanian FEC S0NV00203; 30 Sep 17; Tot $307,385; Dsb $29,372 |
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New Jersey 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Jeffrey "Jeff" Bell FEC S8NJ00012; 30 Sep 17; Tot $3,330; Dsb $3,064 |
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Republican | Richard J. "Rich" Pezzullo FEC S4NJ00169; 30 Sep 17; Tot $4,022; Dsb $1,284 |
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Republican | Jerry B. Watson, Jr. 15 November 2015: Filed with the FEC to run for US Senate in 2017. FEC S4NJ00300 |
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New Mexico 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Mick Rich FEC S8NM00200; 30 Sep 17; Tot $357,095; Dsb $97,623 |
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New York 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Patrick John Hahn FEC S8NY00199 |
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Republican | Rafael Arden Jones, Sr. FEC S6NY00409 |
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Republican | David A. Webber FEC S8NY00173; 30 Sep 17; Tot $6,850; Dsb $6,074 |
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North Dakota 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | state Senator Tom Campbell FEC S8ND00104; 30 Sep 17; Tot $571,147; Dsb $399,932 |
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Ohio 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Melissa Ackison FEC S8OH00094 |
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Republican | Michael "Mike" Gibbons FEC S8OH00086; 30 Sep 17; Tot $1,112,254; Dsb $473,823 |
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Republican | Dennis Jones FEC S8OH00078 |
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Republican | Treasurer Josh Mandel FEC S2OH00170; 30 Sep 17; Tot $3,489,226; Dsb $1,015,150 |
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Class 3 | |||||
Republican | Senator Robert Jones "Rob" Portman FEC S0OH00133 |
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Oklahoma 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator James M. "Jim" Inhofe FEC S4OK00083 |
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Pennsylvania 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Paul David Addis FEC S8PA00304; 30 Sep 17; Tot $961,905; Dsb $81,166 |
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Republican | Cynthia Ellen Ayers FEC S8PA00296; 30 Sep 17; Tot $25,272; Dsb $20,909 |
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Republican | Congressman Louis J. "Lou" Barletta Congressman CD 11. 28 August 2017: Running for the Class 1 Senate Seat in 2018. FEC S8PA00320; 30 Sep 17; Tot $1,004,036; Dsb $450,530 |
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Republican | state Representative James Joseph "Jim" Christiana, III FEC S8PA00270; 30 Sep 17; Tot $146,465; Dsb $73,238 |
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Republican | Paul Frederick DeLong FEC S4PA00113 |
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Republican | Robert "Bobby" Lawrence FEC S8PA00288; 30 Sep 17; Tot $6,009; Dsb $5,372 |
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Republican | Joseph John "Joe" Vodvarka FEC S4PA00196; 30 Sep 17; Tot $25,417; Dsb $25,417 |
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Rhode Island 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | former Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice Robert G. "Bob" Flanders, Jr. FEC S8RI00128; 30 Sep 17; Tot $357,371; Dsb $72,718 |
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Republican | Robert Anthony "Bobby" Nardolillo, III FEC S8RI00110; 30 Sep 17; Tot $63,875; Dsb $27,260 |
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South Carolina 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator Lindsey Olin Graham FEC S0SC00149 |
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South Dakota 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator Marion Michael "Mike" Rounds FEC S4SD00049 |
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Tennessee 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Congressman Marsha Blackburn CD 7. 4 October 2017: Running for the Class 1 Senate Seat in 2018. FEC S8TN00337 |
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26 September 2017: "After much thought, consideration and family discussion ... I have decided that I will leave the United States Senate when my term expires ...." FEC S6TN00216; 30 Sep 17; Tot $2,111,210; Dsb $505,749 |
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Republican | Larry R. Crim FEC S2TN00223 |
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Republican | former Congressman Stephen Lee Fincher First elected to the U.S. House: 2010; re-elected: 2012, 2014. Was not a candidate for re-election in 2016. FEC S8TN00352; 30 Sep 17; Tot $7,874; Dsb $57,501 |
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Republican | Steven David Hughes FEC S8TN00345 |
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15 November 2017: "I do not see a path to raise the millions of dollars needed to run a successful race this election cycle ...." |
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Republican | Aaron Pettigrew | ||||
Republican | Rolando Toyos FEC S8TN00360 |
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Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator Lamar Alexander FEC S2TN00058 |
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Texas 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Senator Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz FEC S2TX00312; 30 Sep 17; Tot $4,657,452; Dsb $3,207,129 |
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Republican | Stefano De Stefano FEC S8TX00319; 30 Sep 17; Tot $586,511; Dsb $43,426 |
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13 Decemeber 2017: "The campaign has been suspended indefinitely...." FEC S8TX00368 |
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Republican | Bruce Jacobson, Jr. Withdrew endorsing Bruce Jacobson, Jr. FEC S8TX00350 |
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Republican | Mary Ann Miller FEC S8TX00343 |
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Republican | former La Marque Mayor Geraldine Sam | ||||
Utah 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
02 January 2018: "I've decided to retire at the end of this term...." FEC S6UT00063; 30 Sep 17; Tot $3,481,456; Dsb $885,637 |
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Virginia 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | state Delegate Nicholas Jason "Nick" Freitas FEC S8VA00313 |
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Republican | Earl Walker "E.W." Jackson, Sr. 13 October 2017: FEC administratively terminated campaign committee. 7 December 2017: Filed a Statement of Candidacy with the FEC. FEC S2VA00167; 30 Sep 17; Tot $0; Dsb $0 |
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Republican | Ivan Eric Raiklin FEC S8VA00305 |
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Republican | Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey Alan Stewart FEC S8VA00297; 30 Sep 17; Tot $190,529; Dsb $40,304 |
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West Virginia 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Don Blankenship FEC S8WV00150 |
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Republican | Jimmy Dale "Bo" Copley, II FEC S8WV00135 |
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Republican | Scott Ernst | ||||
Republican | Congressman Evan H. Jenkins 8 May 2017: Announced. FEC S8WV00127; 30 Sep 17; Tot $902,137; Dsb $364,042 |
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Republican | Billy Marcum | ||||
Republican | Attorney General Patrick James Morrisey 10 July 2017: Candidate for the U.S. Senate Class 1 Seat in 2018. FEC S8WV00143; 30 Sep 17; Tot $673,562; Dsb $124,702 |
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Republican | Jack Newbrough | ||||
Class 2 | |||||
Republican | Senator Shelley Moore Capito FEC S4WV00159 |
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Wisconsin 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Scott Harbach | ||||
Republican | Griffin Gilbert Jones FEC S8WI00232 |
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Republican | George C. Lucia | ||||
Republican | Jeff Mather | ||||
Republican | Kevin Nicholson FEC S8WI00216; 30 Sep 17; Tot $417,112; Dsb $71,930 |
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Republican | Richie Robbins | ||||
Republican; (Constitution) | John T. Schiess FEC S2WI00193 |
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Republican | state Senator Leah Vukmir FEC S8WI00224; 30 Sep 17; Tot $242,082; Dsb $8,118 |
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Class 3 | |||||
Republican | Senator Ronald Harold "Ron" Johnson FEC S0WI00197 |
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Wyoming 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | |||||
Republican | Senator John A. Barrasso FEC S6WY00068; 30 Sep 17; Tot $2,974,222; Dsb $722,888 |
Political Parties Parties appear in parenthesis and italics when a candidate receives the endorsement of a given Party and/or official sources indicate a candidate's association with a particular Party but only where the Party in question does not appear on the actual ballot as such. |
Major Parties | |
Democratic | |
Democratic-Farmer Labor | |
Democratic-Nonpartisan League | |
Republican | |
Major Third Parties | |
Constitution | |
Green | |
Libertarian | |
Other Third Parties | |
America's Party | |
Peoples | |
Veterans Party of America | |
Independents | |
Independent | |
No Party Affiliation | |
No Party Preference | |
Unaffiliated | |
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable | |
Not readily classifiable | |
Scattering | |
Write-in |
Notes |
Candidates for office appear on this page in italics where 'The Green Papers' does not yet have independent confirmation from a legal election authority that the person has been officially certified to appear on the ballot. "FEC" indicates the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign Finance Summary. When available, we post each candidate's FEC identification number, the date of their most recently filed Report of Receipts and Disbursements, their "Tot" [Total Receipts (contributions received or what came in: FEC Form 3, Line 16, Column B)] and their "Dsb" [Total Disbursements (expenditures or what was spent: FEC Form 3, Line 23, Column B)]. A link is provided to the Federal Election Commission's Summary Report for those who might wish to explore the details. If a candidate raises or spends $5,000 or less, he or she is not subject to FEC reporting requirements. Senate ClassClass 1 seats begin their terms at noon on 3 January 2013 and end their terms on 3 January 2019. The next regular election for these seats is in 6 November 2018. For more information on Senate Classes refer to UNITED STATES SENATE: Electoral "Classes". Article I, Section 3, clause 2 of the Constitution of the United States reads as follows: "Immediately after [the Senate of the United States] shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year..." Pursuant to this Constitutional provision, a three-Senator Committee was appointed by the Senate on 11 May 1789 to come up with a plan to carry out the requirements of that provision; this Committee reported to the Senate on 14 May 1789 a plan to divide the then 20 Senators (there were 10 of the 13 original States represented in the Senate at the time- each having 2 Senators: North Carolina and Rhode Island had yet to ratify the U.S. Constitution, while New York had so ratified but had failed to elect Senators as of that date) into the requisite three electoral Classes: under this plan, three groups of Senators (set up in such a way so as no State had its two Senators in the same group) were to be listed and the first Senator on each list (a list which was set up geographically north-to-south in the manner in which the Electoral Vote for President was counted before Congress at that time, so that two of the first Senators on these lists were from New Hampshire and the third was the first Senator in alphabetical order from Massachusetts) was to each blindly draw a piece of paper numbered either "1", "2" or "3" out of a box in the possession of the Secretary of the Senate. This plan being agreeable to the Senate and so approved, the drawing of lots in this manner was carried out the following day (15 May 1789)- such lot drawing ultimately determining that, to start with, Classes 1 and 2 were to have 7 Senators each and Class 3 was to have only 6 Senators. When New York finally seated its two Senators during the ensuing Summer, there was another lot drawing (actually a double-lot drawing) on 28 July 1789 to determine the Classes for these seats: since one of the seats had to be Class 3 to make it equal in number to that of the other two Classes so far, the two New York Senators each blindly drew between two pieces of paper, one marked "3", the other which was blank- after this, there was a second lot drawing in which the New York Senator who had drawn the blank paper blindly drew again between two pieces of paper marked "1" and "2": he drew "1" so that New York would henceforth have Senators of electoral Classes 1 and 3. When North Carolina seated its two Senators after ratifying the Constitution on 21 November 1789, there was yet another lot drawing (on 29 January 1790) in which North Carolina's two Senators each blindly drew between pieces of paper marked "2" and "3" (since there were now 12 States and, thus, 24 Senators: 24 being equally divisible by 3, there would now have to be 8 Senators in each of the three Classes to fulfill the Constitutional provision that, as nearly as was practicable, one third of the Senate be elected every second year). After Rhode Island- the last of the 13 original States- finally ratified the Constitution on 29 May 1790 and subsequently seated its two Senators that Summer, there was yet one more lot drawing in the First Congress (on 25 June 1790) in which Rhode Island's two Senators blindly drew between pieces of paper marked "1", "2" and "3": one Senator drew "2", the other drew "1"- thereby determining electoral Classes 1 and 2 as those for the Senators from this State. When Vermont was admitted to the Union as the 14th state on 4 March 1791, there was again a double lot drawing as there had been for New York. From that day until this, whenever a new State has been admitted to the Union, these types of lot drawings (the type determined by the necessity of keeping the number of Senators in each electoral Class as close to one third as possible at the time of said lot drawing) between the new State's first Senators is held before the Senate to determine in just which of the three electoral Classes that State's Senate seats will be placed from then on. |
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