2006 United States Senate election in Maine

The 2006 United States Senate election in Maine was held November 2, 2006. Incumbent Republican Olympia Snowe won re-election to a third term. As of 2020, this is the last time Republicans won the Class 1 U.S. Senate seat in Maine.

2006 United States Senate election in Maine
November 2, 2006
 
Nominee Olympia Snowe Jean Hay Bright Bill Slavick
Party Republican Democratic Independent
Popular vote 402,598 111,984 29,220
Percentage 74.0% 20.6% 5.4%
County results
Snowe:      60–70%      70–80%
U.S. senator before election

Olympia Snowe
Republican

 Elected U.S. Senator

Olympia Snowe
Republican

Elections in Maine

Candidates

Democratic
  • Jean Hay Bright, activist

Independent

Republican

Campaign

Snowe, who had been elected to both of her previous terms by approximately 2 to 1 margins, had never lost an election. Her success is accredited to her centrist Republican ideology, which resulted in high approval ratings. Meanwhile, her Democratic opponent in the 2006 election, Jean Hay Bright, had never been elected to political office.

Democrats' best hope for taking the seat was that Snowe would retire rather than run in 2006, but there was never any indication that Snowe seriously considered not running for re-election.[1]

The filing deadline for major party candidates was March 15, 2006. The primary was held June 13, 2006. Olympia Snowe was unopposed for the Republican nomination; Jean Hay Bright narrowly won the Democratic nod with 50.7% of the vote against Eric Mehnert.

Hay Bright announced her candidacy in May 2005. Hay Bright was previously an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination to the House in 1994 and the Senate in 1996.

The race had been called by FOX News for the Republican incumbent Olympia Snowe 23 minutes after the polls had closed. Snowe won re-election by a greater margin than any U.S. Senator that cycle except Indiana's Richard Lugar, who faced only a Libertarian opponent.

Polling
Source Date Snowe (R) Bright (D) Slavick (I)
Rasmussen June 22, 2006 66% 26%
Rasmussen August 2, 2006 69% 22%
Rasmussen August 21, 2006 68% 20%
Rasmussen October 17, 2006 70% 24%
Critical Insights October 27, 2006 74% 14% 6%

Results
General election results[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Olympia Snowe (incumbent) 402,598 74.01 +5.5
Democratic Jean Hay Bright 111,984 20.59 -10.6
Independent Bill Slavick 29,220 5.37 n/a
Majority 290,614 53.42
Turnout 543,802
Republican hold Swing

Snowe won in all of Maine's counties, taking at least 60% of the vote in each region.

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References
  2. Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions, Elections Division

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