2016 United States Senate election in Connecticut
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates | date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2016 United States Senate election in Connecticut
| country = Connecticut
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2010 United States Senate election in Connecticut
| previous_year = 2010
| next_election = 2022 United States Senate election in Connecticut
| next_year = 2022
| election_date = November 8, 2016
| image_size = 150x150px
| image1 = File:Richard Blumenthal Official Portrait (4x5 crop).jpg
| nominee1 = Richard Blumenthal
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| alliance1 = Working Families
| popular_vote1 = 1,008,714
| percentage1 = 63.19%
| image2 = File:Rep Dan Carter (cropped).jpg
| nominee2 = Dan Carter
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 552,621
| percentage2 = 34.62%
| map = {{switcher|220px
|County results
|Municipality results
|Congressional district results
|Precinct results}}
| map_caption = Blumenthal: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}} {{legend0|#0d056c|>90%}}
Carter: {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}}
| title = U.S. Senator
| before_election = Richard Blumenthal
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = Richard Blumenthal
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsCT}}
The 2016 United States Senate election in Connecticut was held November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Connecticut, 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.
Incumbent Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal won re-election to a second term in office. Blumenthal's final vote total of 1,008,714 at the time made him the largest vote-receiver in the history of statewide elections in the state. (Blumenthal's record was later broken by then Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election; Biden received 1,080,680 votes.) He also became the first person to exceed 1 million votes in the history of statewide elections in Connecticut. He remains the highest voter-receiver in the history of statewide elections besides the presidency.
Democratic nomination
= Candidates =
== Declared ==
- Richard Blumenthal, incumbent U.S. Senator{{cite web | url=http://atr.rollcall.com/senate-races-2016-retirement-guide | title=Senators Confirm Re-Election Bids for 2016 | work=Roll Call | last1=Cahn | first1=Emily | last2=Levinson | first2=Alexis | date=January 28, 2015 | access-date=January 29, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129222855/http://atr.rollcall.com/senate-races-2016-retirement-guide/ | archive-date=January 29, 2015 | url-status=dead }}
Republican nomination
= Declared =
= Withdrew at convention =
- Jack Orchulli, CEO and co-founder of a Michael Kors apparel company; nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2004{{cite web | url=http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Darien-fashion-label-founder-Orchulli-to-run-for-7244196.php | work=The Connecticut Post | date=April 12, 2016 | access-date=April 14, 2016 | first=Neil | last=Vigdor | title=Darien fashion label founder Orchulli to run for Senate}}
= Failed to qualify =
- August Wolf, investment executive and former Olympic athlete{{cite web | url=http://ctmirror.org/2015/05/04/blumenthal-draws-gop-challenger | title=Stamford Republican steps up to challenge Blumenthal | work=The Connecticut Mirror | last=Radelat | first=Ana | date=May 4, 2015 | access-date=July 18, 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-august-wolf-no-republican-primary-20160621-story.html | title=Republican August Wolf Fails To Qualify For U.S. Senate Primary | work=The Hartford Courant | date=June 21, 2016 | access-date=June 23, 2016 | first=Russell | last=Blair}}
= Declined =
- Larry Kudlow, economist, television personality and columnist{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/nyregion/larry-kudlow-weighs-run-against-senator-richard-blumenthal-in-connecticut.html | title=Larry Kudlow Weighs Run Against Senator Richard Blumenthal in Connecticut | work=The New York Times | last=Burns | first=Alexander | date=September 22, 2015 | access-date=October 1, 2015}}{{cite news | url=http://ctmirror.org/2015/09/28/kudlow-denies-report-hes-running-against-blumenthal | title=Kudlow denies report he's decided to run against Blumenthal | work=The Connecticut Mirror | last=Radelat | first=Ana | date=September 28, 2015 | access-date=December 19, 2015}}{{cite news | url=http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-larry-kudlow-senate-1208-20151207-story.html | title=CNBC's Larry Kudlow Urged To Run For Senate Against Connecticut's Richard Blumenthal | work=Hartford Courant | last=Altimari | first=Daniela | date=December 7, 2015 | access-date=December 19, 2015}}{{cite news | url=http://www.courant.com/politics/capitol-watch/hc-rennie-kudlow-will-not-run-for-u-s-senate-20160216-story.html | title=Kudlow Will Not Run for U.S. Senate Against Blumenthal | work=Hartford Courant | last=Keating | first=Christopher | date=February 16, 2016 | access-date=February 16, 2016}}
- Linda McMahon, businesswoman, former CEO of WWE, and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010 and 2012{{cite news | url=http://www.greenwichtime.com/business/article/Linda-McMahon-says-new-venture-brought-self-6810527.php | title=Linda McMahon says self awareness influenced new venture for women | work=Greenwich Time | last=Krasselt | first=Kaitlyn | date=February 7, 2016 | access-date=February 7, 2016}}
- Rob Simmons, Stonington First Selectman, former U.S. Representative and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010{{cite news | url=http://blog.ctnews.com/politics/2015/04/08/simmons-rules-out-2016-challenge-of-blumenthal | title=Simmons rules out 2016 challenge of Blumenthal | work=Connecticut Post | last=Vigdor | first=Neil | date=April 8, 2015 | access-date=April 9, 2015}}
- Joe Visconti, former West Hartford Town Councilor, nominee for CT-01 in 2008 and Independent candidate for governor in 2014{{cite news | url=http://blog.ctnews.com/politics/2015/05/01/visconti-exploring-2016-senate-run | title=Visconti exploring 2016 Senate run | work=Connecticut Post | last=Vigdor | first=Neil | date=May 1, 2015 | access-date=October 1, 2015}}
- David Walker, former Comptroller General of the United States and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014{{cite news | url=http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Walker-won-t-challenge-Blumenthal-for-Senate-6153442.php | title=Walker won't challenge Blumenthal for Senate | work=Connecticut Post | last=Vigdor | first=Neil | date=March 23, 2015 | access-date=March 25, 2015}}
= Republican convention =
The Republican state convention was held May 9, 2016, at the Connecticut Convention Center to select candidates for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. State Representative Dan Carter received the nomination with 76.7% of the delegate vote. Neither Jack Orchulli nor August Wolf received the necessary 15% of the delegate vote necessary to be granted an automatic primary on August 9, 2016.{{cite web | url=http://wtnh.com/2016/05/09/dan-carter-wins-connecticuts-republican-senate-nomination | title=Dan Carter wins Connecticut's Republican Senate nomination | publisher=WTNH| access-date=May 10, 2016}} In the first round of voting, Wolf received 179 delegate votes, equalling 15.1% and qualifying for a primary. However, before balloting closed, Orchulli dropped from the race and publicly endorsed Dan Carter, urging his candidates to switch their votes. During the vote switching, an additional 56 delegates that had voted for Wolf also switched their vote, dropping him well below the 15% threshold.{{cite web | url=http://ctmirror.org/2016/05/09/gop-unites-behind-carter-for-senate-denies-wolf-primary-margin | title=CT GOP backs Carter for Senate, denies Wolf primary margin | publisher=The CT Mirror| access-date=May 10, 2016}}
On May 11, 2016, Wolf announced an attempt to force a primary by collecting the signatures of 8,079 registered Republicans by June 7.{{cite news | last1=Altimari | first1=Daniela | title=Rejected by GOP, An Angry August Wolf Seeks Primary | url=http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-august-wolf-gop-20160511-story.html | access-date=May 21, 2016 | work=Hartford Courant | date=May 11, 2016}} However, on June 21, 2016, it was announced that Wolf had failed to reach the required signature threshold to force a primary, and he conceded the Republican nomination to Carter as a result.{{cite news | url=http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-august-wolf-no-republican-primary-20160621-story.html | title=Republican August Wolf Fails To Qualify For U.S. Senate Primary | last1=Blair | first1=Russell | work=Hartford Courant | date=June 21, 2016 | access-date=June 27, 2016}}
== Convention results ==
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Candidate
! Delegates ! Percentage |
|---|
| style="text-align: left;" | Dan Carter
| style="text-align: left;" | 907 | style="text-align: left;" | 76.7% |
| style="text-align: left;" | August Wolf
| style="text-align: left;" | 123 | style="text-align: left;" | 10.4% |
| style="text-align: left;" | Jack Orchulli
| style="text-align: left;" | 20 | style="text-align: left;" | 1.7% |
| style="text-align: left;" | Not Present
| style="text-align: left;" | 132 | style="text-align: left;" | 11.2% |
= Endorsements =
{{Endorsements box
| title = Dan Carter
| list =
- Len Fasano, Minority Leader of the Connecticut Senate{{cite web | url=http://ctmirror.org/2016/04/04/gops-dan-carter-announces-for-u-s-senate-nomination | title=GOP's Dan Carter announces for U.S. Senate nomination | work=The Connecticut Mirror | date=April 4, 2016}}
- Themis Klarides, Minority Leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives
- Jack Orchulli, former candidate for the U.S. Senate{{cite web | url=http://ctmirror.org/2016/05/09/gop-unites-behind-carter-for-senate-denies-wolf-primary-margin | title=CT GOP backs Carter for Senate, denies Wolf primary margin | publisher=The CT Mirror| access-date=May 10, 2016}}
}}
General election
= Debates =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Dates ! Location ! Blumenthal ! Carter ! Link |
| October 23, 2016
|Participant |Participant | align=left |[https://www.c-span.org/video/?417292-1/connecticut-senate-debate Full debate] |
= Predictions =
= Polling =
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" |
| valign= bottom
! Poll source ! Date(s) ! Sample ! Margin of ! style="width:100px;"| Richard ! style="width:100px;"| Dan ! Undecided |
| SurveyMonkey[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxpEMTW3kArc1RLTFJqQ3JhTTA/view SurveyMonkey]
| align=center| November 1–7, 2016 | align=center| 1,387 | align=center| ± 4.6% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} align=center| 63% | align=center| 34% | align=center| 3% |
| SurveyMonkey[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxpEMTW3kArcEwxQXh2M25qSFE/view SurveyMonkey]
| align=center| October 31 – November 6, 2016 | align=center| 1,173 | align=center| ± 4.6% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} align=center| 62% | align=center| 35% | align=center| 3% |
| SurveyMonkey[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxpEMTW3kAreE9xVzhyUUNZNGc/view SurveyMonkey]
| align=center| October 28 – November 3, 2016 | align=center| 925 | align=center| ± 4.6% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} align=center| 62% | align=center| 36% | align=center| 2% |
| SurveyMonkey[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxpEMTW3kArd1o5cmhoTmVQbDg/view SurveyMonkey]
| align=center| October 27 – November 2, 2016 | align=center| 753 | align=center| ± 4.6% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} align=center| 62% | align=center| 36% | align=center| 2% |
| SurveyMonkey[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxpEMTW3kArcTNEc0hBTzFlSVE/view SurveyMonkey]
| align=center| October 26 – November 1, 2016 | align=center| 616 | align=center| ± 4.6% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} align=center| 60% | align=center| 38% | align=center| 2% |
| SurveyMonkey[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxpEMTW3kAraEFpRXdFc21TVG8/view SurveyMonkey]
| align=center| October 25–31, 2016 | align=center| 554 | align=center| ± 4.6% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} align=center| 59% | align=center| 38% | align=center| 3% |
| Emerson College[http://media.wix.com/ugd/3bebb2_dd659ad4faf34206969d7dbef07995e2.pdf Emerson College]
| align=center| September 2–5, 2016 | align=center| 1,000 | align=center| ± 3.0% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} align=center| 54% | align=center| 33% | align=center| 9% |
| Quinnipiac University[https://www.qu.edu/images/polling/ct/ct06072016_Cvf63kbw.pdf Quinnipiac University] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625021929/https://www.qu.edu/images/polling/ct/ct06072016_Cvf63kbw.pdf |date=June 25, 2016 }}
| align=center| June 1–5, 2016 | align=center| 1,330 | align=center| ± 2.7% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} align=center| 60% | align=center| 30% | align=center| 10% |
{{hidden begin|titlestyle=background:#cff|title=Hypothetical polling|contentstyle=border:solid 1px silver; padding:8px; background:white;}}
with August Wolf
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| valign= bottom
! Poll source ! {{Small|Date(s) ! {{Small|Sample ! {{Small|Margin of ! style="width:100px;"| Richard ! style="width:100px;"| August ! Undecided |
| align=left |Quinnipiac University[http://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/ct/ct10142015_c4f86xm.pdf Quinnipiac University] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213233512/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/ct/ct10142015_c4f86xm.pdf |date=February 13, 2016 }}
| October 7–11, 2015 | 1,735 | ± 2.4% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | 61% | 26% | 13% |
| align=left |Quinnipiac University[https://www.qu.edu/images/polling/ct/ct06072016_Cvf63kbw.pdf Quinnipiac University] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625021929/https://www.qu.edu/images/polling/ct/ct06072016_Cvf63kbw.pdf |date=June 25, 2016 }}
| June 1–5, 2016 | 1,330 | ± 2.7% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | 62% | 27% | 11% |
with Larry Kudlow
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| valign= bottom
! Poll source ! {{Small|Date(s) ! {{Small|Sample ! {{Small|Margin of ! style="width:100px;"| Richard ! style="width:100px;"| Larry ! Undecided |
| align=left |Quinnipiac University[http://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/ct/ct10142015_c4f86xm.pdf Quinnipiac University] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213233512/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/ct/ct10142015_c4f86xm.pdf |date=February 13, 2016 }}
| October 7–11, 2015 | 1,735 | ± 2.4% | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | 61% | 27% | 12% |
{{hidden end}}
= Results =
{{Election box begin | title=United States Senate election in Connecticut, 2016{{cite news | url=http://ctemspublic.pcctg.net/#/home | title=2016 General Election November 8, 2016 Official Results | date=December 15, 2016 | access-date=November 15, 2016 | publisher=ct.gov }}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Richard Blumenthal
| votes = 920,766
| percentage = 57.68%
| change = +5.20%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Working Families Party
| candidate = Richard Blumenthal
| votes = 87,948
| percentage = 5.51%
| change = +2.83%
}}
{{Election box winning candidate
| party = Total
| candidate = Richard Blumenthal (incumbent)
| votes = 1,008,714
| percentage = 63.19%
| change = +8.03%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Dan Carter
| votes = 552,621
| percentage = 34.62%
| change = -8.60%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Richard Lion
| votes = 18,190
| percentage = 1.14%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Green Party (United States)
| candidate = Jeffery Russell
| votes = 16,713
| percentage = 1.05%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Independent (United States)
| candidate = Andrew Rule (write-in)
| votes = 26
| percentage = 0.00%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Independent (United States)
| candidate = John M. Traceski (write-in)
| votes = 12
| percentage = 0.00%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box total
| votes = 1,596,276
| percentage = 100.0%
| change = N/A
}}x
{{Election box hold with party link no swing
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
==Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic==
- Litchfield (largest city: Torrington)
==By congressional district==
Blumenthal won all five congressional districts by comfortable double-digit margins.{{Cite web |title=DRA 2020 |url=https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::94bd0713-6e46-4041-9eca-75265455c49f |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=Daves Redistricting}}
| class=wikitable
! District ! Blumenthal ! Carter ! Representative |
| align=center
! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Connecticut|1|1st}} | 68% | 30% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|John B. Larson |
| align=center
! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Connecticut|2|2nd}} | 61% | 36% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|Joe Courtney |
| align=center
! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Connecticut|3|3rd}} | 68% | 30% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|Rosa DeLauro |
| align=center
! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Connecticut|4|4th}} | 62% | 36% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|Jim Himes |
| align=center
! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Connecticut|5|5th}} | 58% | 40% | {{party shading/Democratic}}|Elizabeth Esty |
| align=center |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
Official campaign websites
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20161028234618/http://richardblumenthal.com/ Richard Blumenthal (D) for Senate]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20161028235154/http://www.carterforsenate.com/ Dan Carter (R) for Senate]
{{Connecticut elections}}
{{2016 United States elections}}