2013 United States Senate elections

← 2012 June 25, 2013 – October 16, 2013 2014 →
2 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 52 46 Seats after 53 45 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 1,383,730 1,118,764 Percentage 54.7% 44.2% Seats up 1 1 Races won 2 0   Third party   Party Independent Seats before 2 Seats after 2 Seat change Popular vote 14,233 Percentage 0.5% Seats up 0 Races won 0
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      No election
Majority Leader before election Harry Reid Democratic Majority Leader after election Harry Reid Democratic

There were two special elections to the United States Senate in 2013; ordered by election date:

Race summary

Massachusetts (special)

2013 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts

← 2008 June 25, 2013 2014 →

Nominee Ed Markey Gabriel E. Gomez Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 645,429 525,307 Percentage 54.7% 44.5%

U.S. senator before election Mo Cowan Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ed Markey Democratic

A special election was held June 25, 2013 to fill the Class 2 seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2015.

The vacancy that prompted the special election was created by the resignation of Senator John Kerry, in order to become U.S. Secretary of State.^[1] On January 30, 2013, Governor Deval Patrick chose his former Chief of Staff Mo Cowan to serve as interim U.S. Senator. Cowan declined to participate in the election. A party primary election was held April 30 to determinate the nominees of each party for the general election. The Massachusetts Democrats nominated congressman Ed Markey, while the Massachusetts Republicans nominated Gabriel E. Gomez, a businessman and former Navy SEAL.

The special primary elections took place on April 30. Democratic Congressman Ed Markey and Republican businessman Gabriel E. Gomez won their respective primaries.

Massachusetts special election^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Edward Markey	642,988	54.71%	11.11
	Republican	Gabriel Gomez	525,080	44.53%	13.54
	Twelve Visions Party	Richard Heos	4,518	0.39%	n/a
		Write-ins and Blank	4,495	0.38%	n/a
Majority			120,122	10.18%
Turnout			1,179,781
	Democratic hold		Swing	11.1

New Jersey (special)

2013 United States Senate special election in New Jersey

← 2008 October 16, 2013 2014 →

Nominee Cory Booker Steve Lonegan Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 740,742 593,684 Percentage 54.9% 44.0%

U.S. senator before election Jeffrey Chiesa Republican Elected U.S. Senator Cory Booker Democratic

A special election was held October 16, 2013 to fill the Class 2 seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2015. The vacancy resulted from the death of five-term Democrat Frank Lautenberg on June 3, 2013.^[4] In the interim, the seat was held by Republican Senator Jeffrey Chiesa, who was appointed on June 6, 2013 by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to serve until the elected winner was sworn in.^[5] At the time of his appointment, Chiesa, then New Jersey's Attorney General, announced that he would not be a candidate in the special election.^[6]

Following Lautenberg's death, there was a great deal of speculation and controversy over when a special election would or could be scheduled, but the following day, June 4, 2013, Christie announced that the primary would take place on August 13, 2013, and the special election on October 16, 2013.^[7] Christie was criticized for scheduling a separate election for Senate when a gubernatorial election was already taking place in November. In the primary elections, the Republicans nominated former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan and the Democrats nominated Newark Mayor Cory Booker.^[8] Booker led in every opinion poll and the race was called for him at approximately 9:45 pm EDT on October 16, 2013. Booker resigned as Mayor of Newark and was sworn in on October 31, 2013 to become the junior U.S. senator from New Jersey.

The special primary elections took place on August 13. Former Republican Mayor of Bogota Steve Lonegan and Democratic Mayor of Newark Cory Booker won their respective primaries.^[8] They faced off against six Independent/Third Party candidates in the October 16, 2013 general election.