The 2014 United States Senate election in North Carolina took place on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of North Carolina, concurrently with 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. The primary took place on May 6, 2014.

This was one of the seven Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state that Mitt Romney won in the 2012 presidential election.

Incumbent Democratic senator Kay Hagan ran for re-election to a second term in office, but was defeated by Republican Thom Tillis, Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives by about 45,000 votes and a margin of 1.6%. This made the election the second-closest race of the 2014 Senate election cycle, behind only the election in Virginia. This is the last time a Senator from North Carolina lost re-election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared Kay Hagan, incumbent U.S. senator Ernest T. Reeves, retired U.S. Army captainNews & Observer: 2 long-shot Democrats challenge Kay Hagan Will Stewart, small business ownerNews & Observer: Kay Hagan gets a challenger

Withdrew Fred Westphal, retired University of Miami professor and political activistSenatorWestphal.com - on his site, Westphal wrote: "I could not raise the $1470 filing fee for the Senate race in North Carolina, therefore, I am heading to Fort Myers on February 28th. It is my intention to file for the House of Representatives in the 11th District, which the Fort Myers area."

Results

Republican primary

Candidates The eight Republican candidates on the 2014 U.S. Senate primary ballot were the most in party history in North Carolina, more than the seven on the ballot in the 2002 Republican primary won by Elizabeth Dole.

Declared Ted Alexander, former mayor of ShelbyShelby Star Alex Bradshaw Greg Brannon, physician and Tea Party activist Heather Grant, nurse practitionerHeather Grant to run for U.S. Senate seat - journalpatriot: News Mark Harris, pastor of First Baptist Church of Charlotte and president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina Edward Kryn, retired physician James Snyder Jr., former state representative, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2002 and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2004WBTV/Associated Press Thom Tillis, Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives

Withdrew Terry Embler, police detective Bill Flynn, radio host and candidate for North Carolina's 6th congressional district in 2012Fox 8

Declined Phil Berger, President pro tempore of the North Carolina SenateNews & Observer Under the Dome: Phil Berger won't run for US Senate Cherie K. Berry, North Carolina Commissioner of Labor Peter S. Brunstetter, state senatorNews & Observer Under the Dome: Pete Brunstetter says he won't seek US Senate seat James P. Cain, attorney and former United States Ambassador to Denmark Renee Ellmers, U.S. representative Dan Forest, Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina Virginia Foxx, U.S. representative George Holding, U.S. representative Patrick McHenry, U.S. representative Sue Myrick, former U.S. representative and former Mayor of Charlotte Robert Pittenger, U.S. representative Kieran Shanahan, attorney Lynn Wheeler, former member of the Charlotte City Council and former mayor pro tempore of Charlotte

Endorsements

Polling Primary Poll source TedAlexander AlexBradshaw GregBrannon HeatherGrant MarkHarris EdwardKryn JimSnyder ThomTillis Other/UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling February 6–9, 2014 305 ± 5.6% 10% — 13% 13% 8% 2% — 20% 34%American InsightsAmerican Insights February 11–15, 2014 168 ± 7.6% — — 4% 4% 7% — — 11% 74%Public Policy Polling March 6–9, 2014 392 ± 5% 7% 6% 14% 11% 7% 1% 4% 14% 36%SurveyUSASurveyUSA March 17–19, 2014 405 ± 5% 7% 4% 15% 11% 6% 3% 4% 28% 23%SurveyUSASurveyUSA March 19–23, 2014 405 ± 5% 1% 2% 13% 5% 9% 0% 5% 27% 38%SurveyUSASurveyUSA March 27–31, 2014 433 ± 4.8% 6% 1% 15% 6% 11% 2% 3% 23% 34%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling April 3–6, 2014 314 ± 5.5% 6% 5% 15% 7% 11% 1% 2% 18% 34%SurveyUSASurveyUSA April 16–22, 2014 392 ± 5% 1% 1% 20% 2% 15% 2% 2% 39% 19%Public Policy Polling April 26–28, 2014 694 ± 3.7% 2% 1% 20% 5% 11% 2% 3% 46% 12%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling May 3–4, 2014 925 ± 3.2% 2% 0% 28% 4% 15% 1% 1% 40% 11%

Poll source PhilBerger GregBrannon JimCain ReneeEllmers BillFlynn VirginiaFoxx HeatherGrant MarkHarris ThomTillis LynnWheeler Other/UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 12–14, 2013 374 ± 5.1% 11% 7% 8% 9% — 23% — 4% 9% 3% 27%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling July 12–14, 2013 373 ± 5.1% 11% 7% 11% 11% — 16% — 1% 5% 3% 35% 22% — — 18% — — — — 21% — 39% — — — 25% — — — — 32% — 43%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling August 8–11, 2013 344 ± 5.3% 9% 7% 9% — — 18% 4% 4% 8% 2% 40% 22% — — — — — — — 23% — 56%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling September 6–9, 2013 311 ± 5.6% 13% 6% 11% — — — 8% 5% 12% 2% 43%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling November 8–11, 2013 498 ± 4.4% — 11% — — — — 8% 14% 20% — 47%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling December 5–8, 2013 529 ± 4.3% — 11% — — 8% — 11% 12% 13% — 44%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling January 9–12, 2014 575 ± 4.1% — 11% — — 7% — 11% 8% 19% — 44%

Poll source PhilBerger CherieBerry GregBrannon ReneeEllmers TerryEmbler DanForest VirginiaFoxx GeorgeHolding PatrickMcHenry ThomTillis Other/UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling February 7–10, 2013 518 ± 4.3% 7% 18% 5% 10% 1% — 18% 3% 10% 3% 27%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling March 7–10, 2013 530 ± 4.3% 8% 12% 4% 10% 1% 18% 13% — 7% 2% 24%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling April 11–14, 2013 468 ± 4.5% 11% 18% 6% 12% 1% — 13% — — 7% 32%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling May 17–20, 2013 366 ± 5.1% 10% 14% 7% 10% — — 15% — — 6% 38%

Poll source PhilBerger ReneeEllmers VirginiaFoxx GeorgeHolding RichardHudson PatrickMcHenry MarkMeadows SueMyrick RobertPittenger ThomTillis Other/UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling December 6–9, 2012 462 ± 4.6% — 11% 17% 9% 6% 13% 4% 14% — 2% 25%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling January 10–13, 2013 449 ± 4.6% 5% 11% 21% 2% 5% 15% — — 6% 2% 33%

Runoff

Poll source GregBrannon ThomTillis UndecidedPublic Policy Polling April 26–28, 2014 694 ± 3.7% 32% 50% 18%Public Policy Polling May 3–4, 2014 925 ± 3.2% 40% 46% 14%

Poll source MarkHarris ThomTillis UndecidedPublic Policy Polling April 26–28, 2014 694 ± 3.7% 27% 53% 20%Public Policy Polling May 3–4, 2014 925 ± 3.2% 34% 49% 16%

Results

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Declared Tim D'Annunzio, businessman, Republican candidate for NC-08 in 2010 and Republican nominee for NC-04 in 2012 Sean Haugh, pizza delivery man and nominee for this seat in 2002

Results

Other parties

Certified write-in candidates Barry Gurney, small business owner John W. Rhodes, former Republican state representative David Waddell, Constitution Party member and former Indian Trail town councilman

General election

Candidates Kay Hagan (D), incumbent U.S. senator Sean Haugh (L), pizza delivery man and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2002 Thom Tillis (R), Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives

Outside spending In July 2014, Jim Morrill of The Charlotte Observer calculated that as of the end of June, more than $26 million had been spent by outside advocacy groups on the election, with $17 million of it attacking Hagan or supporting Tillis and less than $9 million supporting Hagan or attacking Tillis. By contrast, outside groups spent $25 million during the entire 2008 election. He reported that only $11.4 million had been reported to the FEC, with the rest of the "dark money" coming from groups that did not have to disclose their donors. 27% of the money spent supporting Tillis came from groups required to disclose their donors whereas 69% of the money supporting Hagan did so.

OpenSecrets placed the final cost of outside spending at $8.5 million for Hagan and $35.5 million attacking Tillis, and $13.7 million for Tillis and $20.9 million attacking Hagan, placing the totals by candidate at $44 million for Hagan, and $34.6 million for Tillis.

Debates Three televised debates between the candidates were held: the first on September 3 moderated by Norah O'Donnell of CBS, the second on October 7 moderated by George Stephanopoulos of ABC, and the third (the only one to feature Sean Haugh) on October 9 moderated by Jon Evans of WECT-TV.News & Observer: What NC voters might learn from final Hagan-Tillis debates

Video of the first debate is available here, with the second here and the third here.

Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 3, 2014 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 3, 2014 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2014 Real Clear Politics November 3, 2014

Polling