*Please note that this guide was originally compiled in late March 2020.
In recent years, Americans have been frustrated by ever-growing congressional gridlock. This is a crucial election year for races from the presidency to Congress to state and local elections, but flipping the US Senate should be a priority for Democrats across the country in 2020.
The following is a reference guide to the 2020 US Senate Elections. Listed by state in alphabetical order, this guide includes the Objective of each election, The Leading Democrat in the race including relevant links to their websites, social media accounts, and ActBlue donation portals. The guide also gives a brief summary of The State of the Race including assessments from various political reports and polls.
Ten races in the guide have been noted as 'A Race To Watch' and will have more in depth profiles forthcoming: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
Remember that you are never limited to contributing to races only in your home state! Campaigns welcome help from Americans willing to spare time or resources. The ActBlue link has been included for leading Democrats in these races if you are able to give money, but that’s far from the only way to contribute. Check out the candidate’s website for volunteer opportunities like phone banking, text banking, social media post suggestions, and more. All of these examples of contribution can be done from the comfort of your own home; so whether you’re an American based in England (like me!), Germany, Brazil, Malaysia, Kentucky, New York, California, South Dakota, or anywhere else around the world, you can get involved!
A REFERENCE GUIDE TO THE 2020 US SENATE ELECTIONS
(Source: Harold Mendoza, unsplash.com, public domain)
ALABAMA
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Doug Jones
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race: A Race to Watch
Toss-up/Likely Republican/Lean Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Senator Jones trails all three Republican challengers in a February Poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research (rated B+ by FiveThirtyEight, sample 625 registered voters): Jones-Byrne 42–51, Jones-Tuberville 42–50, Jones-Sessions 41–54 (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
ARIZONA SPECIAL ELECTION
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Capt. Mark Kelly
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race: A Race to Watch
Toss-up/Toss-up/Toss-up (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Kelly leads Senator McSally in two March polls conducted by Marist College (rated A+ by FiveThirtyEight, sample 2,523 registered voters) and Monmouth University (rated A+ by FiveThirtyEight, sample 847 registered voters): Kelly-McSally 48–45 (Marist), Kelly-McSally 50–44 (Monmouth) (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
COLORADO
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Former Governor John Hickenlooper
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race: A Race to Watch
Toss-up/Lean Democrat/Toss-up (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Hickenlooper leads Senator Gardner in an October poll conducted by Keating Research (rated B/C by FiveThirtyEight, sample 500 likely voters): Hickenlooper-Gardner 53–42 (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
DELAWARE
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Chris Coons
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Solid Democrat/Safe Democrat/Solid Democrat (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
GEORGIA
Objective: Flip
The Democrats: Sarah Riggs Amico, Jon Ossoff, Teresa Tomlinson, Markeith DeJesus, Maya Dillard Smith, James Knox, Tricia Carpenter McCracken
Primary date: May 19, 2020.
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Lean Republican/Likely Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
GEORGIA SPECIAL ELECTION
Objective:Flip
The Democrats: Matt Lieberman, Ed Tarver, Raphael Warnock, Richard Dien Winfield, Deborah Jackson, Jamesia James, Tamara Johnson-Shealey, Joy Falicia Slade
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Lean Republican/Likely Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
IDAHO
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Paulette E. Jordan
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Safe Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
ILLINOIS
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Dick Durbin
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Solid Democratic/Safe Democratic/Solid Democratic (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
IOWA
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Theresa Greenfield
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Lean Republican/Lean Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Greenfield trails Senator Ernst in a December poll from Public Policy Polling (rated B by FiveThirtyEight, sample 944 voters): Greenfield-Ernst 41–47 (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
KANSAS
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Dr. Barbara Boiler
— Website— Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Lean Republican/Likely Republican/Lean Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Boiler trails Kobach in a February poll from McLaughlin & Associates (rated C/D by FiveThirtyEight, sample 300 likely voters) and ties in a February poll from DFM Research (rated B/C by FiveThirtyEight, sample 600 adults): Boiler-Kobach 38–47 (McLaughlin) and 43–43 (DFM) (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
KENTUCKY
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Lt. Col. Amy McGrath
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
Other Democrats to Watch: Charles Booker
—Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
Primary date: June 23, 2020.
The State of the Race: A Race to Watch
Likely Republican/Likely Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
McGrath ties Senator McConnell in a February poll from Change Research (rated C by FiveThirtyEight, sample 1,281 likely voters) and trails Senator McConnell in a February poll from Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group (rated B/C by FiveThirtyEight, sample 802 likely voters): McGrath-McConnell 41–41 (Change) and 40–43 (Garin-Hart-Yang) (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
LOUISIANA
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Antoine Pierce
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Safe Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
MAINE
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Sara Gideon
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race: A Race to Watch
Toss-up/Lean Republican/Tilt Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Gideon leads Senator Collins in a March poll from Public Policy Polling (rated B by FiveThirtyEight, sample 872 voters): Gideon-Collins 47–43 (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
MASSACHUSETTS
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Ed Markey
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
Other Democrats to Watch: Joseph Kennedy III
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
Primary date: September 1, 2020.
The State of the Race:
Solid Democratic/Safe Democratic/Solid Democratic (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
MICHIGAN
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Gary Peters
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race: A Race to Watch
Lean Democrat/Lean Democrat/Lean Democrat (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Senator Peters leads Republican challenger James in a February Quinnipiac University poll (rated B+ by FiveThirtyEight, sample 845 registered voters) but trails James in a March Firehouse Strategies poll (rated C/D by FiveThirtyEight, sample 550 likely voters): Peters-James 45–39 (Quinnipiac) and 40–41 (Firehouse) (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
MINNESOTA
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Tina Smith
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Likely Democrat/Likely Democrat/Solid Democrat (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
MISSISSIPPI
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Mike Espy
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Safe Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Espy trails Senator Hyde-Smith in a March Mason-Dixon Polling & Research poll (rated B+ by FiveThirtyEight, sample 625 registered voters) Espy-Hyde-Smith 43–53 (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
MONTANA
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Governor Steve Bullock
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race: A Race to Watch
Lean Republican/Lean Republican/Lean Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Bullock ties Senator Daines in a March Public Policy Polling poll (rated B by FiveThirtyEight, sample 903 voters): Bullock-Daines 47–47 (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
NEBRASKA
Objective: Flip
The Democrats: Angie Phillips, Alisha Shelton, Andrew Stock, Daniel Wick, Chris Janicek, Dennis Macek, Larry Marvin
Primary date: May 12, 2020.
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Safe Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Jeanne Shaheen
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Solid Democratic/Likely Democratic/Likely Democratic (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Senator Shaheen leads Republican challengers Sununu and Ayotte in a March poll by YouGov (rated B- by FiveThirtyEight, sample 600 registered voters): Shaheen-Sununu 45–42 and Shaheen-Ayotte 41–36 (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
NEW JERSEY
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Cory Booker
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Solid Democratic/Safe Democratic/Solid Democratic (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
NEW MEXICO
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Ben Ray Luján
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Likely Democratic/Likely Democratic/Solid Democratic (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Luján leads Republican challenger Clarkson in a January Emerson College poll (rated A- by FiveThirtyEight, sample 967 registered voters): Lujan-Clarkson 54–35 (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
NORTH CAROLINA
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Cal Cunningham
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race: A Race to Watch
Toss-up/Toss-up/Toss-up (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Cunningham leads Senator Tillis in a March poll from Public Policy Polling (rated B by FiveThirtyEight, sample 911 registered voters) and a February Marist College poll (rated A+ by FiveThirtyEight, sample 2,120 registered voters) but trails Senator Tillis in a March poll from Public Opinion Strategies (rated B- by FiveThirtyEight, sample 800 likely voters): Cunningham-Tillis 46–41 (Public Policy Polling), 48–43 (Marist), 44–48 (Public Opinion Strategies) (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
OKLAHOMA
Objective:Flip
The Democrats: Dylan Billings, Elysabeth Britt, Abby Broyles, Tyler Doughterty, Bevon Rogers,Paul Tay, Perry Williams, Mike Workman
Primary date: June 30, 2020.
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Safe Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
OREGON
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Jeff Merkley
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Solid Democratic/Safe Democratic/Solid Democratic (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
RHODE ISLAND
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Jack Reed
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Solid Democrat/Safe Democrat/Solid Democrat (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
SOUTH CAROLINA
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Jamie Harrison
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race: A Race to Watch
Likely Republican/Safe Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Harrison trails Senator Graham in a February poll from Marist College (rated A+ by FiveThirtyEight, sample 2,382 registered voters): Harrison-Graham 37–54 (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
SOUTH DAKOTA
Objective: Flip
The Democrats: Dan Ahers, Clara Hart
Primary date: June 2, 2020.
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Safe Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
TENNESSEE
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: James Mackler
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Safe Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
TEXAS
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: MJ Hegar
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
Other Democrats to Watch: Royce West
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
Run-off date: May 26, 2020.
The State of the Race: A Race to Watch
Likely Republican/Likely Republican/Likely Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
Hegar trails Senator Cornyn in a February Marist College poll (rated A+ by FiveThirtyEight, sample 2,409 registered voters): Hegar-Cornyn 41–49 (Source: FiveThirtyEight March 2020)
VIRGINIA
Objective: Hold
The Leading Democrat: Senator Mark Warner
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Solid Democratic/Safe Democratic/Solid Democratic (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
WEST VIRGINIA
Objective: Flip
The Leading Democrat: Paula Jean Swearengin
— Website — Facebook — Twitter — ActBlue —
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Safe Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)
WYOMING
Objective: Flip
The Democrats: Dr. Merav Ben-David, Chuck Jagoda, Yana Ludwig
Primary date: August 18, 2020.
The State of the Race:
Likely Republican/Safe Republican/Solid Republican (Source: Cook/Sabato/Inside Elections March 2020)