Elections for the United States Senate were 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, with one third of the Senate seats up for a vote every two years. The term of office for those elected in 2006 will be from January 3, 2007 until January 3, 2013. Senators who were elected in 2000 (known as "Class 1") were seeking reelection or retiring in 2006.

Democratic candidates defeated six Republican incumbents: Rick Santorum (PA), Mike DeWine (OH), Lincoln Chafee (RI), Conrad Burns (MT), Jim Talent (MO) and George Allen (VA). The election concluded on November 9, 2006 when Senator Burns of Montana and Senator Allen conceded their respective races. No Democratic incumbents were defeated.

The current party balance for the Senate leadership votes stands at 51-49 in favor of the Democrats (including two independent senators, Joe Lieberman and Bernie Sanders, who have pledged to caucus with the Democrats). The Democrats needed 51 seats to take control of the Senate because the Vice President of the United States (a Republican) would break a 50-50 tie in favor of the Republicans.

The 2006 House election, in which the Democratic Party also regained a majority, took place concurrently with the Senate election. Many state and local elections, including those for 36 state governors, as well as various state referenda, were also held. As a result, Democrats also reclaimed a majority of governorships and state legislatures.

Template:United States Senate election, 2006

Prior to the 2006 elections, the Senate was composed of 55 Republicans, who had been in the majority since 2003, 44 Democrats, and one Democratic-leaning Independent (former Republican Jim Jeffords of Vermont). Jeffords retired, and his seat was one of the 33 seats contested, while another 17 were held by Democrats and 15 were held by Republicans.

Senator Jim Talent of Missouri, who was narrowly elected in a 2002 special election for the remaining four years of one term, faced a strong Democratic challenge for his seat. Missouri did not hold an election for governor in 2006, making this the only major statewide race in a traditional battleground state. Talent faced state Auditor Claire McCaskill, a former Jackson County Prosecutor and the 2004 Democratic gubernatorial nominee.

McCaskill carried some political baggage from her 2004 loss; however, Talent was elected to the Senate after a near-successful gubernatorial bid, the same position McCaskill was in for the 2006 election. McCaskill went out of her way to appeal to rural voters, who had largely favored her opponent in the gubernatorial race. She also benefited from talking up her support of embryonic stem cell research, which most Missourians supported but which Talent opposed. A related constitutional amendment was also on the ballot and narrowly passed.

The race was among the most competitive in the nation. McCaskill and Talent exchanged small leads in various polls throughout the campaign. In the end, McCaskill defeated Talent 50%-47%.

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, made this a highly competitive race. Burns faces Democratic primary winner and state Senate President Jon Tester, an organic farmer from Big Sandy.

Burns has long had a history of verbal missteps, and this year is no exception. On July 27, he was forced to apologize after he verbally attacked out of state firefighters who were preparing to leave Montana after helping contain a summer forest fire and directly questioned their competence and skill; Burns was strongly criticized.^[1]

For much of the campaign, Tester led by substantial margins. Burns narrowed the gap by attacking Tester as a liberal extremist. A November 2nd Mason-Dixon poll had Tester and Burns tied at 47% with 5% undecided [1]. A November 4th Rasmussen Reports poll had Tester leading Burns 50% to 48% [2].

Shortly before 11:00 AM Pacific time November 8th, Tester was declared the victor by a slim margin, 198,032 votes to 194,904. [3]

Senator Mike DeWine of Ohio had uninspiring approval ratings and the current Coingate scandal involving the Ohio Republican Party and the widespread unpopularity of Governor Bob Taft were thought to be hurting his re-election chances months before the election. DeWine faced primary challenges from several more conservative Republicans, such as William G. Pierce, who were 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. Both DeWine and Brown won their primaries easily. An October 12th Rasmussen Reports poll had Brown leading DeWine 46% to 41% [4]. An October 30th Reuters/Zogby poll had Brown leading DeWine 49% to 42% [5]. A Rasmussen poll released November 4th showed Brown pulling away from Dewine with a 53% to 41% lead [6].

Brown won the election garnering 56% of the vote to DeWine's 44%.

Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, the third-highest ranking member of the Republican caucus, is the Democrats' top target in 2006. He's 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 4.5 percent.^[2] Santorum ran against U.S. Rep. Ron Klink, a pro-life Democrat who wasn't supported by party contributors and was heavily outspent. Democrats believe that Santorum's seat is extremely vulnerable and are making it a priority for a pick-up in 2006. Popular state Treasurer Bob Casey, Jr. is the Democratic nominee and is fully supported by the party establishment, notwithstanding that, like Santorum, Casey is pro-life.

Santorum also has not benefited from his recent ultraconservative book, It Takes a Family, which criticises public schools and questions whether or not both parents in a family should work, alleging that women who work are making a selfish decision and only do so because they find it "empowering". This stance has been seized on by the Casey campaign as proof that Santorum is too conservative for mainstream voters. Santorum also suffered from controversy last year when he was criticized for sending his three children to a Pennsylvania charter school using taxpayer dollars while listing his primary residence out-of-state. Although the senator has long since withdrawn his children from the school, the issue has further added to his baggage in his quest for re-election.

No longer a factor in the race is former Green Party candidate Carl Romanelli. It was believed that, had he appeared on the ballot, Romanelli would have siphoned votes away from more liberal Democratic voters who oppose Casey's stance on abortion, making the race more competitive in Santorum's favor. Romanelli got on the ballot after a massive petition drive "aided by Republicans who bankrolled the effort and Santorum campaign staffers who assisted with the legwork." ^[3] However, Democrats challenged the petitions, and on September 25, a state Commonwealth Court judge found that there were not enough valid signatures to meet the 67,070 requirement to allow Romanelli to be on the ballot.^[4] Romanelli had a separate court action challenging the validity of the threshold, but this was rejected as well by the state Supreme Court on October 3. ^[5]

Polls had shown Casey leading Santorum by 15 to 20 points, but the margin slipped in August and early September. However, most polls since then have shown that Casey has regained a double-digit lead. On election night Casey defeated Santorum by a vote of 59%-41%.

Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island faced a primary challenge from conservative Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey. In a September 12 primary, Chafee defeated Laffey by a 54% to 46% margin ^[6]. The Democratic candidate is former state Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse, who narrowly lost the 2004 Democratic primary for Governor.

The Chafee/Laffey primary was contentious. Laffey ran as a conservative, but came under fire from other conservatives for supporting tax increases as Mayor and increasing city spending. It was widely believed that the more liberal Chafee would have an easier time winning in the general election due to his appeal to Independent voters.^{[citation needed]} Chafee, however, may be damaged by the contentious primary that could potentially alienate Republican voters and give the Democratic nominee an advantage. Laffey received support from the conservative Club for Growth interest group. Although he is the most liberal Republican in the Senate and has been repeatedly accused of being a RINO by members of his own party, the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee spent a large amount of money backing Chafee, and, in an unprecedented move, announced that they would abandon the race if Laffey won. Nevertheless, Laffey has endorsed Chafee for reelection.

By far the most liberal Republican in Congress, Chafee faces a complicated situation. He is unpopular with conservative Republicans whose votes he needs to win, yet represents a heavily Democratic constituency which overwhelmingly disapproves of George W. Bush. As a liberal Democrat running in a liberal, Democratic stronghold, Whitehouse faces no such problems, though he is seen in some quarters as a career bureaucrat and professional political insider. The Whitehouse campaign has sought to characterize the election as a referendum on Bush and the Republican Congress. The tactic seems to be working, and recently, Chafee has attacked Whitehouse's record as a prosecutor, claiming that he allowed corruption and scandal to flourish unchecked.

Polls show a close race, with Whitehouse holding the lead. A September 18 poll by Brown University gives Whitehouse a statistically insignificant lead of 40% to 39% [7]. An October 14 poll by Fleming and Associates shows Whitehouse leading by 46% to 42% [8]. An October 20th Mason-Dixon poll has Whitehouse leading Chafee 48% to 43% with 9% undecided [9]. An October 24 poll by Rasmussen Reports gives Whitehouse a lead of 50% to 42% [10]. An October 27th poll by Rhode Island College shows a 43% to 33% Whitehouse lead [11]. A November 2nd Zogby/Reuters poll shows a 53% to 39% Whitehouse lead[12].

Whitehouse prevailed over Chafee on election night winning by a vote of 53%-47%.

Senator George Allen of Virginia is a potential 2008 presidential candidate, a possibility that has likely been harmed by his tough race for re-election in 2006. Former Secretary of the Navy and decorated combat veteran James H. Webb is the Democratic nominee. Retired Air Force officer Gail Parker is the Independent Green party candidate.

This has become the most bitter U.S. Senate campaign of the year. Allen's approval rating has dropped to 47% in most recent polling, due in part to a series of embarrassing incidents during the campaign. In mid-August at a campaign stop in southwest Virginia, Allen called S.R. Sidarth, a Webb volunteer of Indian descent, "macaca" and welcomed him to America, although he was born in Virginia.^[7] Controversy surrounding Allen continued into September following his reaction to questions about his Jewish heritage.^[8] Additional reports surfaced in late September that Allen uttered the nigger epithet on a frequent basis while a student at University of Virginia, according to former college football teammates.^[9] Allen fired back by pointing out remarks that Webb made during the 1980's that were demeaning to female veterans. He struck again when he released excerpts of graphic sexual scenes from some of the books Webb had penned, portraying the writing as misogynistic and pornography. Webb responded that these were based on events that he personally witnessed while in the military.

An October 30 Reuters/Zogby poll had Webb leading Allen 45% to 44% [13]. A November 2 Rasmussen Reports poll had Allen and Webb tied at 49% [14]. A November 3 Mason-Dixon poll has Webb leading Allen 46% to 45% with 7% undecided [15]. On the evening of November 8, 2006, NBC and the Associated Press declared Webb the winner.^[10][11] On the afternoon of November 9, 2006, Allen gave a speech conceding the election to Webb, stating "The people of Virginia have spoken and I respect their decision. The Bible teaches us there is a time and place for everything, and today I called and congratulated Jim Webb." The Virginia Board of Elections declared that Webb had won by 8,805 votes. ^[12]

Democratic Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut was originally thought to be a shoo-in, but his reelection prospects were complicated by political cross-currents. Lieberman drew fire from the more anti-war elements within the Democratic party for his continual support for the foreign policy of President George W. Bush and for statements in which he has criticized other Democrats for "undermining the President" during a time of war. Greenwich telecom-networking businessman Ned Lamont declared his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in March, and went on to receive 33.4% of the nomination vote at the Democratic state convention in May, more than twice the 15% needed to force a primary.

Lamont defeated Lieberman for the Democratic nomination in the August 8 primary (Lamont 51.8%; Lieberman 48.2%). Lieberman decided to remain in the race as a "petitioning candidate,"^[13] having announced on July 3, 2006 that he would begin collecting the necessary signatures to run as an independent in case he lost the primary.^[14] He also filed to create a new independent party, "Connecticut for Lieberman."

Challenging Lamont and Lieberman in the general election was Republican Alan Schlesinger, former mayor of Derby and a former state Representative. Schlesinger had a history of winning crossover Democratic voters, but had never run in a large constituency. Schlesinger was embarrassed when it was revealed that he was thrown out of a casino for counting cards under an assumed name.^[15]

Lieberman went on to win the election with 50% of the vote to Lamont's 40%. Schlesinger trailed far behind with only 10%.

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. Representative Ben Cardin bested former Representative and NAACP President Kweisi Mfume and others in the Democratic primary. Current Lieutenant Governor Michael S. Steele, a Republican, announced his candidacy on October 25, 2005, and won the Republican nomination over token opposition. Attorney Kevin Zeese has received the nomination of the Populist, Green and Libertarian Parties, but, according to Maryland law, will appear on the ballot as a Green. 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 fellow blacks keeps the race competitive.

An October 26th Rasmussen Reports poll showed Cardin leading Steele 49% to 42% [16]. An October 30th Reuters/Zogby poll had Cardin leading Steele 49% to 44% [17]. A November 2nd SurveyUSA poll had Cardin and Steele tied at 47% with 4% undecided [18].

On November 7, Ben Cardin was victorious over Steele by a vote of 55%-44%

On February 9, 2005, Senator Dayton announced that he would not seek a second term in the Senate. Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar is the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) nominee.

Republican Representative Mark Kennedy secured major GOP endorsements in early 2005 and defeated nominal opposition in the primary. Kennedy has benefited from high-profile Republicans coming to do fundraisers for him, including Vice President Dick Cheney in July 2005 and President George W. Bush in December 2005. An October 30th Mason-Dixon poll, Klobuchar leads Kennedy 50% to 40%. On November 7, 2006 Amy Klobuchar won the race with 58% of the vote to Mark Kennedy's 38%. [19].

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.^[16] Republican State Senator Thomas Kean, Jr. (the son of former Governor 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 an approval rating of 38%, which was thought to be a sign of vulnerability for the incumbent, especially since his disapproval is at 50%[20]. Although incumbents with under 50% ratings in polls are generally considered vulnerable, this standard perhaps did not apply to Menendez as he was appointed just recently and is not well known state-wide, a far different situation from most incumbents. President George W. Bush is highly unpopular in the state, but Governor Corzine's early performance in office met with widespread disapproval, contributing to the large number of undecided voters. The campaign became increasingly aggressive, with Menendez calling Kean a Bush lackey while Kean repeatedly attacked Menendez as corrupt.

An October 16th Zogby poll had Kean leading Menendez 47% to 45% [21]. An October 23rd LA Times/Bloomberg poll has Menendez leading Kean 45% to 41% [22]. A Rasmussen Reports poll from October 25th had Kean leading Menendez 43% to 41% [23]. A November 2nd poll by Zogby/Reuters showed a 49% to 37% Menendez lead[24]. Another November 2nd poll by Rutgers showed Menendez up 46% to 42%[25] and a third by Public Mind showed a 48% to 38% Menendez edge [26]. A November 3rd poll by [Rasmussen] showed a 48% to 43% Menendez lead [27]. A Monmouth University November 3rd has Menendez leading Kean 45% to 42% with 10% undecided [28].

On election night Menendez defeated Kean Jr. by a vote of 53%-44%.

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 put independent and democratic socialist Representative Bernie Sanders on their party's ballot in order to keep other Democrats from having a possible "spoiler" effect on the general election results. Sanders won both the Democratic line and an independent line on the ballot.

Rich Tarrant was the Republican nominee, after winning the primary election on September 12. Sanders, a popular political figure in Vermont, has been declared the winner of the race with 65% of the vote.

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. Kyl got an unexpected boost when TIME listed him as one of the Ten Best Senators.

A new Rasmussen Reports poll from October 15th has Kyl leading Pederson 51% to 42% [29]. A November 2nd SurveyUSA poll has Kyl leading Pederson 53% to 40% [30]. Kyl won the election 53%-44%

Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, the current Majority Leader, has previously promised to leave the Senate when his second term ends in January 2007, 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 state offices are held by Democrats. Tennessee also has more registered Democratic voters than Republican voters and is one of two states in the south to send more Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives than Republicans, the other being Arkansas.

The Democratic nominee was Representative Harold Ford, Jr. and the Republican nominee was Bob Corker, both of whom won primaries on August 3. Corker, former mayor of Chattanooga and 1994 Senate candidate, was well funded and advertised heavily in the western portion of the state during his primary campaign, where he was relatively unknown before this race. Ford currently represents Tennessee's 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. Like Corker, Ford showed exceptional fundraising prowess, and the race was an expensive one for both parties.

The candidates exchanged leads in the polls, and there were a number of negative charges. Ford attacked Corker's business dealings. Corker portrayed Ford as a hyper-political Washington insider with nothing in common with Tennessee residents. The campaign made headlines when the Republican National Committee ran an ad which, among other things, ridiculed Ford for attending a party thrown by the Playboy corporation. It featured a fictional blond Playboy Bunny squealing, "I met Harold at the Playboy Party!" and then winking and saying, "Harold, call me." Ford and Democrats called the ad an attempt to play on racial prejudice, and Corker distanced himself from the ad.

Corker won the election by a vote 51%-48%.

Party key: (D/DFL/D-NPL) Democratic/Democratic-Farmer-Labor/Democratic-NPL, (R) Republican, (AIP) American Independent, (CFL) Connecticut for Lieberman, (CC) Concerened Citizens, (Con) Conservative (NY), (C) Constitution, (G) Green, (IAP) Independent American, (IG) Independent Green Party of Virginia, (IPM) Independence Party of Minnesota, (IPNY) Independence Party of New York, (L) Libertarian, (LU) Liberty Union, (M) Marijuana, (Mt) Mountain Party, (PFP) Peace and Freedom, (PC) Personal Choice, (Pop) Populist Party of Maryland, (S) Socialist, (SA) Socialist Action, (SE) Socialist Equality, (SW) Socialist Workers, (WF) Working Families, (I) Independent

(Note: winning candidates are listed below in bold.)