# 2014 United States Senate election in Illinois

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The 2014 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Illinois, concurrently with the election of the Governor of Illinois, 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 U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin ran for re-election to a fourth term. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary. The Republicans nominated state senator and perennial candidate for higher office Jim Oberweis.
Durbin defeated Oberweis and Libertarian Sharon Hansen with 53.5% of the vote, the smallest vote total of any of his Senate elections.

## Background

Dick Durbin was first elected to the Senate in 1996 and was re-elected by increasingly larger margins in 2002 and 2008. He has served as Senate Majority Whip since 2007 and sought a fourth term in office.
For the primary election, turnout was 15.77%, with 1,183,429 votes cast. For the general election, turnout was 48.16%, with 3,603,519 votes cast.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Dick Durbin, incumbent U.S. Senator

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Dick Durbin (incumbent) | 429,041 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 429,041 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Jim Oberweis, state senator, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and 2004, candidate for governor in 2006 and nominee for IL-14 in 2008 special and 2008 general election
* Doug Truax, businessman

#### Removed

* Armen Alvarez, Multicultural Membership Development Manager of the Parent-Teacher Association (removed from the ballot)
* William Lee, blogger (removed from the ballot)

#### Declined

* Chad Koppie, Kane County Regional Board of Schools trustee, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992, 1996 and 2008 and candidate for Governor in 1998
* Joe Walsh, conservative radio talk show host and former U.S. Representative

### Endorsements

* Newt Gingrich, former United States Speaker of the House of Representatives
* Aaron Schock, U.S. Representative (R-IL)
* John Shimkus, U.S. Representative (R-IL)
* Chicago Tribune

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jim Oberweis | Doug Truax | Other | Undecided |
| Market Shares Corp. | February 5–8, 2014 | 600 | ± 4% | 52% | 15% | 2% | 32% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chad Koppie | William Lee | Jim Oberweis | Joe Ruiz | Doug Truax | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 375 | ± 5.1% | 3% | 4% | 42% | 1% | 7% | — | 42% |

#### Results

423,097
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Oberweis | 423,097 | 56.08% |
| | Republican | Doug Truax | 331,237 | 43.91% |
| | Republican | Write-in | 54 | <0.01% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 754,388 | 100.00% |

## Independents and Third Party
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Fuji Shioura, Write-In Candidate (Independent)
* Sharon Hansen (Libertarian)

#### Removed from the ballot

* Chad Koppie (Constitution)
* Omar Lopez (Green)

## General election
### Fundraising

Campaign Finance Reports through November 24, 2014 :
| Candidate | Raised | Spent |
| Dick Durbin | $10,309,888 | $12,453,951 |
| Jim Oberweis | $2,388,389 | $2,416,774 |
| Sharon Hansen | $2,420 | $2,367 |
| Source: OpenSecrets |||||

### Debates

* Complete video of debate, October 22, 2014

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid D | November 3, 2014 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe D | November 3, 2014 |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Safe D | November 3, 2014 |
| Real Clear Politics | Likely D | November 3, 2014 |

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Dick Durbin (D) | Jim Oberweis (R) | Other | Undecided |
| We Ask America | September 24, 2013 | 1,434 | ± 2.86% | 50% | 39% | — | 11% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 51% | 36% | — | 12% |
| Rasmussen Reports | April 9–10, 2014 | 750 | ± 4% | 51% | 37% | 3% | 10% |
| We Ask America | June 12, 2014 | 1,116 | ± 2.93% | 52% | 39% | — | 9% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | July 5–24, 2014 | 5,324 | ± 2.1% | 48% | 41% | 1% | 11% |
| We Ask America | July 30, 2014 | 1,049 | ± 3.04% | 53% | 38% | — | 9% |
| Gravis Marketing | August 4–5, 2014 | 567 | ± 4% | 48% | 38% | — | 14% |
| Harper Polling* | August 25–27, 2014 | 1,340 | ± 2.68% | 44% | 38% | 8% | 10% |
| We Ask America | August 27, 2014 | 1,054 | ± 3.02% | 48% | 41% | 4% | 8% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | August 18 – September 2, 2014 | 4,363 | ± 3% | 50% | 38% | 1% | 10% |
| We Ask America | September 4, 2014 | 1,014 | ± 3.08% | 49% | 39% | 4% | 8% |
| Chicago Tribune | September 3–12, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 55% | 32% | 5% | 7% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 24–25, 2014 | 750 | ± 4% | 51% | 37% | 4% | 8% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | September 20 – October 1, 2014 | 3,955 | ± 2% | 51% | 39% | 0% | 9% |
| We Ask America | October 7, 2014 | 1,086 | ± 2.98% | 51% | 38% | 4% | 6% |
| UIS Survey Research | October 2–8, 2014 | 723 | ± 3.7% | 50% | 35% | 1% | 14% |
| Southern Illinois University | September 23 – October 15, 2014 | 691 LV | ± 3.7% | 47% | 37% | 0% | 12% |
| Southern Illinois University | September 23 – October 15, 2014 | 1,006 RV | ± 3% | 49% | 32% | 0% | 14% |
| APC Research | October 16–21, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 50% | 36% | 7% | 6% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | October 16–23, 2014 | 3,519 | ± 3% | 52% | 39% | 1% | 9% |
| McKeon & Associates | October 28, 2014 | 823 | ± 3.9% | 49% | 39% | 4% | 8% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 1–2, 2014 | 1,064 | ± 3% | 51% | 41% | 4% | 4% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 1–2, 2014 | 1,064 | ± 3% | 52% | 44% | — | 4% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Dick Durbin (D) | Bob Dold (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 54% | 33% | — | 13% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Dick Durbin (D) | Patrick Hughes (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 53% | 31% | — | 16% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Dick Durbin (D) | Chad Koppie (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 52% | 35% | — | 13% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Dick Durbin (D) | Doug Truax (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 51% | 33% | — | 16% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Dick Durbin (D) | Joe Walsh (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 54% | 29% | — | 17% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Dick Durbin (D) | Generic Republican | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 52% | 38% | — | 10% |
* * Internal poll for the Jim Oberweis campaign.

### Results

Durbin won the election, despite winning only 14 of Illinois' 102 counties.
United States Senate election in Illinois, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Dick Durbin (incumbent) | 1,929,637 | 53.55% | −14.29% |
| | Republican | Jim Oberweis | 1,538,522 | 42.69% | +14.16% |
| | Libertarian | Sharon Hansen | 135,316 | 3.76% | +2.82% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 44 | 0.00% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,603,519 | 100.00% | N/A |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Bond (Largest city: Greenville)
* Bureau (Largest city: Princeton)
* Cass (Largest city: Beardstown)
* Christian (Largest city: Taylorville)
* Clay (Largest city: Flora)
* Clinton (Largest city: Breese)
* Coles (Largest city: Charleston)
* DeKalb (Largest city: DeKalb)
* Fayette (Largest city: Vandalia)
* Greene (Largest city: Carrollton)
* Grundy (Largest city: Morris)
* Hamilton (Largest city: McLeansboro)
* Hancock (Largest city: Hamilton)
* Hardin (Largest city: Rosiclare)
* Jefferson (Largest city: Mount Vernon)
* Jersey (Largest city: Jerseyville)
* Jo Daviess (Largest city: Galena)
* Kankakee (Largest city: Kankakee)
* Lawrence (Largest city: Lawrenceville)
* Marion (Largest city: Centralia)
* Marshall (Largest city: Henry)
* Mason (Largest city: Havana)
* Massac (Largest city: Metropolis)
* McDonough (Largest city: Macomb)
* Moultrie (Largest city: Sullivan)
* Piatt (Largest city: Monticello)
* Pike (Largest city: Pittsfield)
* Pope (Largest city: Golconda)
* Randolph (Largest city: Chester)
* Saline (Largest city: Harrisburg)
* Schuyler (Largest city: Rushville)
* Shelby (Largest city: Shelbyville)
* Union (Largest city: Anna)
* Vermilion (Largest city: Danville)
* Warren (Largest city: Monmouth)
* White (Largest city: Carmi)
* Will (Largest city: Joliet)
* Williamson (Largest city: Marion)
* Winnebago (Largest city: Rockford)
* Franklin (Largest city: West Frankfort)
* Henry (Largest city: Kewanee)
* LaSalle (Largest city: Ottawa)
* Macon (Largest city: Decatur)
* Macoupin (Largest city: Carlinville)
* Montgomery (Largest city: Litchfield)
* Perry (Largest city: Du Quoin)
* Boone (largest city: Belvidere)
* Carroll (largest city: Savanna)
* DuPage (largest city: Aurora)
* Kane (largest city: Aurora)
* Kendall (largest village: Oswego)
* McHenry (largest city: Crystal Lake)
* McLean (largest city: Bloomington)
* Stephenson (largest city: Freeport)
* Adams (largest city: Quincy)
* Brown (largest city: Mount Sterling)
* Cumberland (largest city: Neoga)
* Crawford (largest city: Robinson)
* DeWitt (largest city: Clinton)
* Douglas (largest city: Tuscola)
* Clark (largest city: Marshall)
* Edgar (largest city: Paris)
* Effingham (largest city: Effingham)
* Ford (largest city: Paxton)
* Iroqouis (largest city: Watseka)
* Jasper (largest city: Newton)
* Lake (largest city: Waukegan)
* Livingston (largest city: Pontiac)
* Lee (largest city: Dixon)
* Logan (largest city: Lincoln)
* Madison (largest city: Granite City)
* Menard (largest city: Petersburg)
* Mercer (largest city: Aledo)
* Monroe (largest city: Waterloo)
* Morgan (largest city: Jacksonville)
* Ogle (largest city: Rochelle)
* Peoria (largest city: Peoria)
* Putnam (largest city: Hennpin)
* Richland (largest city: Olney)
* Sangamon (largest city: Springfield)
* Scott (largest city: Winchester)
* Tazewell (largest city: Pekin)
* Wabash (largest city: Mount Carmel)
* Washington (largest city: Nashville)