2014 United States Senate election in Wyoming

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]

2014 United States Senate election in Wyoming

← 2008 November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04) 2020 →

Nominee Mike Enzi Charlie Hardy Curt Gottshall Party Republican Democratic Independent Popular vote 121,554 29,377 13,311 Percentage 72.19% 17.45% 7.90%

County results Enzi:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Mike Enzi Republican Elected U.S. Senator Mike Enzi Republican

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]

Endorsements

Mike Enzi

• John Barrasso, U.S. Senator (R-WY)^[9]
• Roy Blunt, U.S. Senator (R-MO)^[10]
• Richard Burr, U.S. Senator (R-NC)^[10]
• John Cornyn, U.S. Senator (R-TX)^[10]
• Orrin Hatch, U.S. Senator (R-UT)^[10]
• Cynthia Lummis, U.S. Representative (R-WY)^[11]
• John McCain, U.S. Senator (R-AZ) and nominee for President in 2008^[11]
• Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senator (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader^[9]
• Jerry Moran, U.S. Senator (R-KS) and Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee^[9]
• Rand Paul, U.S. Senator (R-KY)^[12]
• Richard Shelby, U.S. Senator (R-AL)^[10]
• Olympia Snowe, former U.S. Senator (R-ME)^[13]

Liz Cheney (withdrawn)

U.S. Ambassadors

• Mel Sembler, former Finance Chairman of the Republican National Committee, former Ambassador to Australia, former Ambassador to Italy^[14]

Individuals

• Tammy Bruce, talk radio host, conservative political commentator^[15]
• Sean Hannity, talk radio/television host, conservative political commentator^[16]
• Mark Levin, talk radio host, conservative political commentator^[17]
• Rush Limbaugh, talk radio host, conservative political commentator^[18]

Polling

Hypothetical polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Mike Enzi	Liz Cheney	Undecided
Harper Polling[19]	July 17–18, 2013	422	± 4.77%	55%	21%	24%
Public Policy Polling[20]	July 19–21, 2013	780	± 3.5%	54%	26%	19%
Wickers Group ^[21]	August 22–28, 2013	400	± 4.5%	61%	21%	18%
Wickers Group ^[21]	October 25–28, 2013	400	± 4.5%	69%	17%	14%

• ^ Internal poll for the Mike Enzi campaign

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Liz Cheney	Cynthia Lummis	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[20]	July 19–21, 2013	780	± 3.5%	34%	41%	25%

Results

Results by county:

  Enzi

•   70–80%
•   80–90%

Republican primary results^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mike Enzi (incumbent)	77,965	78.51%
	Republican	Bryan E. Miller	9,330	9.39%
	Republican	James "Coaltrain" Gregory	3,740	3.77%
	Republican	Thomas Bleming	2,504	2.52%
	Republican	Arthur Bruce Clifton	1,403	1.41%
	Republican	Write-in	346	0.35%
	Republican	Over Votes	51	0.05%
	Republican	Under Votes	3,973	4.00%
Total votes			99,312	100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• William Bryk, attorney from New York and perennial candidate^[5]
• Charlie Hardy, retired priest and candidate for Congress in 2012^[23]
• Al Hamburg, retired house painter, veteran and perennial candidate^[5][24][25]
• Rex Wilde, contracting company employee and candidate for governor in 2010^[26]

Declined

• Gary Trauner, businessman and nominee for Wyoming's at-large congressional district in 2006 and 2008^[27]

Results

Results by county:

  Hardy

•   30–40%
•   40–50%
•   50–60%

  Wilde

•   40–50%

Democratic primary results^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Charlie Hardy	7,200	39.33%
	Democratic	Rex Wilde	3,012	16.46%
	Democratic	Al Hamburg	2,988	16.32%
	Democratic	William Bryk	1,670	9.12%
	Democratic	Write-in	216	1.18%
	Democratic	Over Votes	31	0.17%
	Democratic	Under Votes	3,189	17.42%
Total votes			18,306	100.00%

Independents and third parties

Candidates

Declared

• Curt Gottshall (Independent), commercial airline pilot^[28]
• Joseph Porambo (Libertarian), cook at an assisted living home^[29]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[30]	Solid R	November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[31]	Safe R	November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report[32]	Safe R	November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics[33]	Safe R	November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Mike Enzi (R)	Charlie Hardy (D)	Other	Undecided
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[34]	July 5–24, 2014	419	± 5.1%	66%	23%	5%	7%
Rasmussen Reports[35]	August 20–21, 2014	700	± 4%	63%	27%	4%	5%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[36]	August 18 – September 2, 2014	350	± 8%	66%	21%	4%	8%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[37]	September 20 – October 1, 2014	264	± 7%	75%	17%	2%	6%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[37]	October 16–23, 2014	258	± 11%	67%	27%	0%	6%

Hypothetical polling

With Enzi

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Mike Enzi (R)	Dave Freudenthal (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[20]	July 19–21, 2013	1,203	± 2.8%	54%	31%	—	15%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Mike Enzi (R)	Gary Trauner (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[20]	July 19–21, 2013	1,203	± 2.8%	66%	19%	—	14%

With Cheney

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Liz Cheney (R)	Dave Freudenthal (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[20]	July 19–21, 2013	1,203	± 2.8%	42%	45%	—	13%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Liz Cheney (R)	Gary Trauner (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[20]	July 19–21, 2013	1,203	± 2.8%	49%	31%	—	20%

Results

United States Senate election in Wyoming, 2014^[38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Enzi (incumbent)	121,554	72.19%	−3.44%
	Democratic	Charlie Hardy	29,377	17.45%	−6.81%
	Independent	Curt Gottshall	13,311	7.90%	N/A
	Libertarian	Joseph Porambo	3,677	2.18%	N/A
	Write-in		471	0.28%	+0.17%
Total votes			168,390	100.00%	N/A
	Republican hold

See also

• United States portal
• Politics portal

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