United States Senate election, 2012

United States Senate elections, 2012

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Class 1 (33 of the 100) seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Harry Reid Mitch McConnell Party Democratic Republican Leader's seat Nevada Kentucky Seats before 51 47 Seats after 53 45 Seat change 2 2 Popular vote 49,998,693 39,130,984 Percentage 53.7% 42.1% Swing 9.7% 7.3% Seats up 21 10 Races won 23 8   Third party   Party Independent Seats before 2 Seats after 2 Seat change Seats up 2 Races won 2
Democratic gain   Democratic hold   Republican gain   Republican hold   Independent gain   Independent hold
Majority Leader before election Harry Reid Democratic Elected Majority Leader Harry Reid Democratic

Harry Reid
Democratic

Harry Reid
Democratic

Elections to the United States Senate were held on November 6, 2012 with 33 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested in regular elections whose winners will serve six-year terms beginning January 3, 2013 with the 113th Congress. The Democrats had 21 seats up for election, plus two independents who caucused with the Democrats, while the Republicans had only ten seats up for election. The Democrats gained a net of two seats, leaving them with a total of 53 seats. The Republicans lost a net of two seats, ending with a total of 45 seats. The remaining two senators, both independents, caucused with the Democrats, leaving the majority party with a combined total of 55 seats.

The presidential election which was won by President Barack Obama, elections to the House of Representatives, elections for governors in 14 states and territories, and many state and local elections were also held on this date.

This was the third consecutive election of class 1 senators where Democrats gained seats, as well as the third consecutive Senate election held in a presidential election year where the party belonging to the winning presidential candidate gained seats. This was also the first time since 1936 where a Democratic presidential candidate who won a second term also had Senate coattails in both occasions (although Franklin Roosevelt won a third and fourth term in 1940 and 1944 respectively, he lost Senate seats on both occasions).

This was the first time since 1964 in which either party had to defend more than two-thirds of the Senate seats up for grabs, but managed to make net gains.