2010 United States Senate election in Colorado

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2010 United States Senate election in Colorado
Flag of Colorado.svg
  2004 November 2, 2010 2016  
  MichaelBennetofficialphoto.jpg Ken Buck official congressional photo (cropped 2).jpg
Nominee Michael Bennet Ken Buck
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote854,685824,789
Percentage48.08%46.40%

2010 United States Senate election in Colorado results map by county.svg
2010 United States Senate election in Colorado results map by precinct.svg
Bennet:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Buck:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Tie:     40–50%     No votes

U.S. senator before election

Michael Bennet [lower-alpha 1]
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Michael Bennet
Democratic

The 2010 United States Senate election in Colorado took place on November 2, 2010, alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. In December 2008, President-elect Barack Obama nominated incumbent U.S. Senator Ken Salazar as Secretary of the Interior. [1] After Salazar resigned from his seat, [2] Democratic governor Bill Ritter appointed Denver Public Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet to fill the seat.

Contents

Bennet won a full term, defeating former state House speaker Andrew Romanoff in the Democratic primary, and Republican nominee Ken Buck in the general election. [3] [4] With a margin of 1.7%, this election was the second closest race of the 2010 Senate election cycle after the concurrent one in Illinois.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Endorsements

Bennet

Romanoff

Polling

Poll SourceDates AdministeredMichael
Bennet
Andrew
Romanoff
Undecided
The Tarrance Group [10] September 16–17, 200941%27%32%
Public Policy Polling [11] May 19, 201046%31%23%
Survey USA [12] June 15–17, 201053%36%11%
Survey USA [13] August 1, 201045%48%7%
Public Policy Polling [14] August 7–8, 201049%43%9%

Results

Results by county:
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Bennet
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
80-90%
Romanoff
50-60% CO-Sen 2010 Dem primary.svg
Results by county:
  Bennet
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Romanoff
  •   50–60%
Democratic primary results [15] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael Bennet (incumbent) 184,714 54.15%
Democratic Andrew Romanoff156,41945.85%
Total votes341,133 100.0%

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Eliminated in convention

  • Cleve Tidwell, businessman
  • Robert Greenheck
  • Steve Barton

Withdrew

Declined

Endorsements

Notable Individuals and Organizations endorsing Ken Buck
Notable Individuals and Organizations endorsing Jane Norton

According to her website: [26] [27]

Polling

Poll SourceDates AdministeredKen
Buck
Jane
Norton
The Tarrance Group [29] September 16–17, 200915%45%
Public Policy Polling [30] March 3, 201017%34%
Magellan [31] March 14, 201013%41%
Magellan [31] April 19, 201032%29%
Public Policy Polling [11] May 19, 201026%31%
Magellan [31] June 8, 201042%32%
Survey USA [32] June 15–17, 201053%37%
Public Opinion Strategies [33] June 20–21, 201033%39%
Survey USA [13] August 1, 201050%41%
Public Policy Polling [14] August 7–8, 201043%45%

Results

Results by county:
Buck
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
Norton
50-60%
60-70%
Tie
50% CO-Sen 2010 Rep primary.svg
Results by county:
  Buck
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  Norton
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
Tie
  •   50%
Republican Primary results [15] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Ken Buck 211,099 51.57%
Republican Jane Norton198,23148.43%
Total votes409,330 100.0%

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

  • John Finger

Eliminated in primary

  • Mac Stringer

Results

Libertarian Primary results [34] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Libertarian Mac Stringer 1,186 52.45%
Libertarian John Finger1,07547.55%
Total votes2,261 100.0%

General election

Candidates

Major

Minor

Source: Official Candidate List [ permanent dead link ]

Campaign

This was one of the most expensive elections in the nation, as more than $30 million was spent by outside organizations. [35] Conservative third party groups hammered Bennet for voting 92% of the time with the Democratic leadership, including voting for healthcare reform and the stimulus package. [36] Liberal third party groups called Buck extremist. Bennet focused on attacking Buck's views on abortion, which he believed should be banned including those of cases of rape and incest. He was also attacked for wanting to eliminate the Seventeenth Amendment [37] and refusing to prosecute an alleged rapist as Weld County district attorney. Planned Parenthood mounted a mail campaign, targeting women voters with the warning that "Colorado women can't trust Ken Buck." Bennet won the women vote by 17 points according to exit polls. After the election, Buck conceded to the Denver Post that the main reason why he lost is because of social issues. [38]

Debates

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
Cook Political Report [40] TossupOctober 26, 2010
Inside Elections [41] TossupOctober 22, 2010
RealClearPolitics [42] TossupOctober 26, 2010
Sabato's Crystal Ball [43] Lean R (flip)October 21, 2010
CQ Politics [44] TossupOctober 26, 2010

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s) administeredMichael
Bennet (D)
Ken
Buck (R)
Public Policy Polling [45] April 17–19, 200940%39%
Public Policy Polling [46] August 14–16, 200939%35%
Rasmussen Reports [47] September 9, 200943%37%
Rasmussen Reports [48] December 8, 200938%42%
Daily Kos/Research 2000 [49] January 11–13, 201041%38%
Rasmussen Reports [50] January 13, 201038%43%
Rasmussen Reports [51] February 2, 201041%45%
Rasmussen Reports [52] March 2, 201038%44%
Public Policy Polling [53] March 5–8, 201047%40%
Rasmussen Reports [51] April 5, 201040%44%
Rasmussen Reports [51] May 3, 201041%48%
Public Policy Polling [54] May 19, 201045%39%
Rasmussen Reports [55] June 7, 201041%46%
Survey USA [32] June 15–17, 201043%46%
Rasmussen Reports [56] July 8, 201039%48%
Rasmussen Reports [57] July 26, 201042%48%
Survey USA [58] August 1, 201043%43%
Public Policy Polling [59] August 10, 201046%43%
Rasmussen Reports [60] August 11, 201041%46%
Ipsos/Reuters [61] August 20–22, 201040%49%
Rasmussen Reports [62] August 30, 201044%47%
Rasmussen Reports [63] September 14, 201045%49%
CNN/Time [64] September 17–21, 201044%49%
Rasmussen Reports [60] September 27, 201043%51%
Rasmussen Reports [65] September 27, 201043%51%
McClatchy/Marist [66] September 26–28, 201042%50%
Survey USA [67] September 28–30, 201043%48%
Public Policy Polling [68] September 30 – October 2, 201046%45%
Rasmussen Reports [60] October 14, 201045%47%
Fox News/Pulse Opinion Research [69] October 16, 201045%46%
Ipsos/Reuters [70] October 18, 201045%48%
SurveyUSA [71] October 19–21, 201047%47%
Public Policy Polling [72] October 21–23, 201047%47%
Rasmussen Reports [60] October 25, 201044%48%
CNN/Time/Opinion Research [73] October 20–26, 201046%47%
Marist College [74] October 26–28, 201045%49%
Fox News/Pulse Opinion Research [69] October 30, 201046%50%
Public Policy Polling [75] October 30–31, 201048%49%

Fundraising

These totals reflect the campaign accounts of the candidates themselves, and do not include independent expenditures by other groups.

Candidate (Party)ReceiptsDisbursementsCash On HandDebt
Michael Bennet (D)$11,463,661$10,698,578$763,541$887,692
Ken Buck (R)$3,827,432$3,011,656$1,039,994$100,000
Source: Federal Election Commission [76]

Results

United States Senate election in Colorado, 2010 [77] [78] [79] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Michael Bennet (incumbent) 854,685 48.08% −3.22%
Republican Ken Buck 824,78946.40%−0.13%
Green Bob Kinsey38,8842.19%N/A
Libertarian Maclyn Stringer22,6461.27%+0.79%
Independent Jason Napolitano19,4501.09%N/A
Independent Charley Miller11,3510.64%N/A
Independent J. Moromisato5,7800.33%N/A
Write-in 830.07%N/A
Total votes1,777,668 100.0%
Democratic hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Notes

  1. In January 2009, Bennet was appointed by Governor Bill Ritter to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Ken Salazar, who had appointed Secretary of the Interior.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Salazar</span> American politician and diplomat (born 1955)

Kenneth Lee Salazar is an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who is the United States ambassador to Mexico. He previously served as the 50th United States Secretary of the Interior in the administration of President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously was a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martínez (R-Florida) were the first Hispanic U.S. senators since 1977; they were joined by Bob Menendez in 2006. Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, he served as Attorney General of Colorado from 1999 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 United States Senate elections</span>

The 2010 United States Senate elections were held on November 2, 2010, from among the United States Senate's 100 seats. A special election was held on January 19, 2010, for a mid-term vacancy in Massachusetts. 34 of the November elections were for 6-year terms to the Senate's Class 3, while other 3 were special elections to finish incomplete terms. Those 37 November elections featured 19 incumbent Democrats and 18 incumbent Republicans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Romanoff</span> American politician

Harlan Andrew Romanoff is an American politician and public servant. A Democrat, he was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, serving as Speaker of the House from 2005 to 2009. He was the Democratic nominee for Colorado's 6th congressional district in 2014 and twice sought the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate. He began his career at the Southern Poverty Law Center, founded the Posner Center for International Development, and has led two nonprofit organizations: Mental Health Colorado, and Great Expectations. On January 16th, 2024, he was named Executive Director for Disability Law Colorado, a non-profit legal and advocacy organization which advocates for and provides legal representation for people with disabilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane E. Norton</span> American politician

Jane Ellen Norton is an American politician who was the 46th Lieutenant Governor of Colorado and an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Senator Michael Bennet in the 2010 election. She lost the nomination to Weld County District Attorney and Tea Party favorite Ken Buck. While in office, Norton was notable for leading a successful effort to outlaw gay marriage in Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 United States Senate election in Nevada</span>

The 2010 United States Senate election in Nevada took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator and Majority Leader Harry Reid won re-election to a fifth and final term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 United States Senate election in North Carolina</span>

The 2010 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on November 2, 2010. The filing deadline for the primaries was February 26; the primaries were held on May 4, with a Democratic primary runoff held on June 22. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Richard Burr won re-election to a second term. Burr is the first incumbent to win re-election for this seat since Sam Ervin's last re-election in 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 United States Senate election in Florida</span>

The 2010 United States Senate election in Florida took place on November 2, 2010, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 United States Senate election in New Hampshire</span>

The 2010 United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held on November 2, 2010, alongside other midterm elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as to the United States House of Representatives. Primaries were held on September 14. Incumbent Senator Judd Gregg (R) retired instead of seeking a fourth term, and was succeeded by Kelly Ayotte, who won the open seat by over 23 points. This is the last time that Republicans won a U.S. Senate election in New Hampshire. This was also the first open seat election in the state since 1992. With Democrat Jeanne Shaheen serving in the state's other Senate seat, New Hampshire became the first state in the union to be represented in the Senate simultaneously by two women of opposite parties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Bennet</span> American attorney and politician (born 1964)

Michael Farrand Bennet is an American attorney, businessman, and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Colorado, a seat he has held since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed to the seat when Senator Ken Salazar became Secretary of the Interior. Bennet previously worked as a managing director for the Anschutz Investment Company, chief of staff to Denver mayor John Hickenlooper, and superintendent of Denver Public Schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Colorado gubernatorial election</span>

The 2010 Colorado gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of Colorado, who would serve a four-year term that began in January 2011. One-term incumbent Democrat Bill Ritter announced that he would not run for re-election in 2010. Dan Maes, backed by the Tea Party movement, won the Republican nomination in the primary with 50.6% of the vote and a 1.3% margin over rival Scott McInnis. In claiming victory, Maes called on former representative Tom Tancredo, running as the Constitution Party's nominee to "stop your campaign tonight." Denver mayor John Hickenlooper was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Hickenlooper won the race with over 50% of the vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States Senate election in Nevada</span>

See also: 2012 United States Senate elections

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States Senate election in Virginia</span>

The 2012 United States Senate election in Virginia took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jim Webb retired instead of running for reelection to a second term, and former Democratic governor of Virginia Tim Kaine won the open seat over Republican former senator and governor George Allen. Kaine was unopposed for the Democratic nomination, and the Republicans nominated Allen through a primary on June 12, 2012. Allen had previously held this seat for one term before narrowly losing reelection to Webb in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States Senate election in Wisconsin</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 United States Senate election in Colorado</span>

The 2014 United States Senate election in Colorado was held on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Colorado, concurrently with the election of the Governor of Colorado, other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Mark Udall ran for re-election to a second term, but narrowly lost to Republican U.S. Representative Cory Gardner by a margin of 1.9 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Colorado gubernatorial election</span>

The 2014 Colorado gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Colorado, concurrently with the election to Colorado's Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States Senate election in Colorado</span>

The 2016 United States Senate election in Colorado was held November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Colorado, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado</span>

The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the seven U.S. representatives from the state of Colorado, one from each of the state's seven congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on June 28.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States Senate election in Colorado</span>

The 2020 United States Senate election in Colorado was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Colorado, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States Senate election in Colorado</span>

The 2022 United States Senate election in Colorado was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Colorado. Incumbent Democratic Senator Michael Bennet won reelection to a third full term, defeating Republican businessman Joe O'Dea. Originally appointed to the seat in 2009, Bennet won full terms in 2010 and 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado</span>

The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Colorado, one from each of the state's eight congressional districts. The elections coincided with the Colorado gubernatorial election, as well as other elections to the U.S. House of Representatives, elections to the U.S. Senate, and various state and local elections.

References

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Debate

Official campaign websites (Archived)