MAINE
     Nov. 4, 2014 U.S. Senate                                      

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+Susan Collins (R) i
413,495
68.46%
Shenna Bellows (D)
190,244
31.50%
others
269


604,008

Total ballots cast: 616,967, includes 12,959 blank.
Plurality:  223,251 votes (36.96 percentage points).

 ME Secretary of State




Notes: 
Sen. Susan Collins (R) won a fourth term, defeating Shenna Bellows, former executive director of the ACLU of Maine, by a wide margin.  Both Collins and Bellows were unopposed for their party's nominations. 

Collins, a moderate Republican with a reputation for working across the aisle, was heavily favored from the outset.  In a radio interview in Oct. 2014 she summed up her appeal: "The people of Maine know me, they know that I've worked hard, that I've been an honest broker in Washington, and that I've delivered for the people of Maine."  Collins even gained endorsements from the Human Rights Campaign (June 25 "Senator Susan Collins has played a pivotal role in advancing support for LGBT equality.") and the League of Conservation Voters (June 30 "Senator Collins has worked across the aisle to protect our planet and public health while advocating for America to move towards a clean energy economy."), two organizations.
 
Bellows served for eight years as executive director of the state affiliate of the ACLU, leaving the position about a month before she announced her candidacy in Oct. 2013.  In addition to her passion for civil liberties, Bellows argued that "working families deserve a voice in Washington."  She advocated for such positions as raising the minimum wage to at least $10.10 / hour, increasing Social Security benefits by eliminating the income cap, and universal health care.  Bellows drew notice for her 350-mile walk across Maine; she started in Houlton on July 20 and finished in Kittery on Aug. 12.

The two candidates participated in several televised debates including:


Oct. 20 - WAGM and Leaders Encouraging Aroostook Development at WAGM studios in Presque Isle;

Oct. 22 - Maine Public Broadcasting Network at Husson University in Bangor (1, 2);

[Oct. 23 - WMTW in Auburn.seeking confirmation]

Oct. 27 - WGME CBS13 and Bangor Daily News in Portland (1, 2 );

[Oct. 29 - WCSH in Portland.—seeking confirmation]

According to the Center for Responsive Politics (>), the Collins campaign spent $5.6 million and the Bellows campaign $2.3 million.



Campaign Managers:
Susan Collins: 
Steve Abbott
Campaign manager on Sen. Collins' re-election campaigns in 2002 and 2008, and chief of staff to Sen. Collins since 1997; started as a volunteer for Collins on her 1994 campaign for the Republican nomination for governor.  Director of athletics at University of Maine, 2011-13.  Abbott was a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor in 2010, finishing fourth in the June primary.  Practiced law at Pierce Atwood in Maine.  J.D. from University of Maine School of Law, 1991; undergraduate degree in history from Harvard University, where he was the football captain.  Orono native.

Shenna Bellows: 



See also: Josh Eidlelson.  "Meet America's most progressive Senate nominee: Shenna Bellows of Maine."  Salon, Apr. 7, 2014.



missing Susan Collins



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