Energy and the 2014 election: the ballots and beyond

Results for 2014 fracking ballot measures

Location	Oil and gas extraction, or "fracking," banned or limited?
California
Santa Barbara County	d
San Benito County	a
Mendocino County	a
Ohio
City of Athens	a
City of Kent	d
Village of Gates Mills	d
Youngstown	d
Texas
City of Denton	a

Results for 2014 energy measures

Other energy-related ballot measure outcomes
Location	Outcome
Massachusetts	a Gas taxes won't adjust with inflation
North Dakota	d 5% of oil and gas taxes not redirected to a park trust and fund

No clear referendum on fracking in 2014

2014 special reports

Check out Public Policy articles about statewide ballot measures in the following policy areas.

Energy • Education • Elections • Taxes

Fracking-related ballot initiatives in 2014 were not the clear referendum that some advocates and opponents of the practice had anticipated. Overall, four of the eight fracking bans were approved. Voters in California approved two of three potential fracking bans. Youngstown, Ohio, voted down a fracking ban for the fourth time. One of three fracking bans in Ohio was passed. Meanwhile, Denton became the first town in Texas, an energy-rich state, to ban fracking. Three other proposed fracking bans in 2014, including the third proposed fracking ban in Youngstown, Ohio, were rejected by voters in elections before November 4.

Other energy-related issues on the ballot included a measure in North Dakota to redirect oil and gas tax revenue to a parks fund, which was defeated. Voters in Massachusetts rejected a measure that would increase the state gas tax.

Participation from energy and environmental groups

According to the Cook Political Report, energy and environmental advertising increased in 2014. According to the report, "Logic points to 2014 being the biggest cycle for energy/environment-related advertising, ever." The report attributed this growth in ads to the number of competitive races in energy states, advertising aimed at tying Charles Koch and David Koch, who lead Koch Industries, Inc. and donate to political causes, to what is known as "Big Oil" by some groups, environmental group spending, and Tom Steyer, the founder of Farallon Capital Management and a major donor to Democratic Party causes, and his super PAC NextGen Climate Action, a group whose mission is to "act politically to prevent climate disaster and promote prosperity for every American." The group spent approximately $67 million during the 2014 election.

According to The Economist, Republicans and Democrats collectively ran 102,400 ads related to energy and the environment as of October 17, 2014. Republicans ran roughly 41,000 ads and Democrats ran roughly 60,000 ads.

Some environmental and energy groups argued that certain groups were faking grassroots support in states where fracking was a major issue, such as Colorado. In an October 2014 report, Greenpeace accused pro-fracking groups in Colorado of astroturfing support for fracking. Astroturfing is a term commonly used to describe a practice in which supporters of a political cause obscure the potential sponsors of that cause to make it appear as though the cause is widely supported among private citizens. Greenpeace argued that one husband and wife team established several nonprofit organizations intended solely to "pushback against community resistance and the state of Colorado's gas regulations." Some groups alleged that environmental groups were also astroturfing. The political minority's staff at the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works released a report in July 2014 arguing that wealthy donors were "manufacturing phony 'grassroots' movements and in promoting bogus propaganda disguised as science and news to spread an anti-fossil energy message to the unknowing public."

Fracking debate

Lights at night across the United States

Since 2006, the United States has experienced increased energy production due in large part to fracking, which has allowed the extraction of previously untapped reservoirs of oil and natural gas. Fracking proponents have argued that the economic benefits of fracking include more jobs in economically depressed areas, lower energy prices, and more manufacturing, particularly in the petrochemical and steel industries. Fracking opponents have argued that the process includes environmental risks, such as water contamination, air pollution, and earthquakes. Consequently, some groups and communities sought to restrict or ban the process. According to a November 2013 study by researchers at Oregon State, Yale, and George Mason universities, 58 percent of the 1,061 Americans surveyed said they did not know anything about fracking and were uncertain about whether to support or oppose it.

Fracking in brief

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Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is a method of oil and natural gas extraction. The process involves injecting fluid into subterranean rock formations at high pressure. The high-pressure fluid produces a fracture network that allows crude oil and natural gas inside dense rocks to flow into a wellbore and be extracted at the surface. The fluid (known as frac fluid) contains between 98 percent and 99.5 percent water and sand; between 0.5 percent and 2 percent of the fluid is composed of chemical additives, which are used to stop the growth of microorganisms, prevent well casing corrosion, increase the rate at which the fluid is injected, and reduce pressure, among other things.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), there were approximately 23,000 hydraulically fractured wells in the United States in 2000. In 2015, the United States contained approximately 300,000 hydraulically fractured wells, accounting for 67 percent of U.S. natural gas production and 51 percent of U.S. crude oil production.

Advocates of drilling wells using fracking argue that there are numerous economic benefits of the technology, including the following:

• Increased energy production and potential energy exports
• Job growth in the energy sector, some of whom have argued, such as former Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, was likely responsible for 25 percent of U.S. job growth since the 2008 financial crisis.
• Economic growth and thus higher state tax revenues
• Lower trade deficit

Opponents of drilling wells using fracking argue that there are known and potentially unknown environmental and health impacts associated with environment and human health. These opponents argue that fracking should be regulated more or banned outright, citing the following issues:

• Air pollution such as VOCs and other contaminants
• Potential earthquakes linked to fracking wastewater disposal at produced wells
• Fewer freshwater resources and more contamination, such as spills and leaks of well flow back into water supplies as well as stormwater pollution.
• Negative socioeconomic changes in smaller, more rural communities, such as increased traffic

2014 spending

The table below shows federal election spending by the environmental and oil and gas industries from Open Secrets as of October 2014.

Oil and gas-related election spending in 2014
Industry	Amount	Parties and candidates	Democrats	Republicans	Rank
Environment	$47,576,328	$3,820,116	90.5%	9.4%	7
Oil & Gas	$37,072,165	$32,241,192	12.9%	87.1%	9
Source: Open Secrets, "Top Industries," accessed October 20, 2014

Top energy spenders

• Koch Industries spent $2,062,485 as of October 20, 2014.
• Exxon Mobil spent $1,498,087 as of October 20, 2014.
• Marathon Petroleum spent $1,023,000 as of October 20, 2014.

Top environmental spenders

• The League of Conservation Voters was expected to spend $25 million in 2014 as of October 20, 2014.
• Tom Steyer’s NextGen Climate Action Committee was expected to spend $100 million and spent $30.5 million as of October 20, 2014.
• Tom Steyer spent $42.8 million as of October 20, 2014.

An October 2014 article in The Washington Post stated that some environmental groups doubted whether the money spent by Steyer and the NextGen Climate Action Committee was effective. Much of the spending by the two focused on human-caused climate change. According to the article, an October 2014 Gallup poll found that climate change was ranked as the least-important out of 13 issues in the 2014 election.

Fracking on the ballot (2014)

November 4, 2014 ballot measures

California

See also: Fracking in California

Santa Barbara County

Map of oil and gas wells in Santa Barbara County, CA

d A Santa Barbara County Fracking Ban Initiative ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in Santa Barbara County, California. It was defeated. If approved, this measure would have prohibited what are called "high intensity" oil and gas operations such as fracking, acid well stimulation treatments and cyclic steam injection. The measure would not impede conventional drilling or "low intensity" operations.

According to The Washington Post, this ballot initiative was one of the most costly in 2014. The Yes on Measure P campaign raised about $284,000 as of October 16, 2014, largely from individuals and county residents, according to the Santa Barbara Independent. This fund constituted a small percent of anti-Measure P funds. The Independent further reported that the opponents of Measure P raised $7.6 million as of October 16, 2014.A group known as Santa Barbara County Water Guardians supported the initiative.

Santa Barbara Measure P
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		67,838	61.22%
Yes		42,965	38.78%

Election results via: Santa Barbara Elections Office

San Benito County

Map of oil and gas wells in San Benito County, CA

a A San Benito County Fracking Ban Initiative ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in San Benito County, California. It was approved. This measure prohibits fracking and related gas and oil extraction activities. Additionally, it prohibits other oil operations, including acid well stimulation and cyclic steam injection, and prohibits any new gas or oil drilling activity in areas in the county zoned for residential or rural land use. A group known as the Coalition to Protect San Benito supported the initiative. A major group that opposed Measure J was San Benito County United for Energy Independence.

San Benito County Measure J
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		8,034	58.90%
No		5,605	41.10%

Election results via: San Benito County Elections Office

Mendocino County

Map of oil and gas wells in Mendocino County, CA, as of July 18, 2014

a A Mendocino County Community Bill of Rights Fracking and Water Use Initiative, Measure S ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in Mendocino County, California. It was approved. This measure bans fracking and all related activity and imposes criminal penalties for any violations. The Community Rights Network of Mendocino County (CRNMC) was behind this initiative.

Mendocino County Measure S
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		16,526	69.52%
No		7,246	30.48%

Election results via: Mendocino County Elections Office

Ohio

See also: Fracking in Ohio

City of Athens

Map of oil and gas wells in Athens County, OH

a A City of Athens Fracking Ban Proposal Initiative was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the city of Athens in Athens County, Ohio, where it was approved. Issue 7 bans fracking. The group behind Issue 7 was the Athens Bill of Rights Committee (BORC).

The map to the right shows all active, horizontal and directional wells in Athens County as of March 18, 2014. The blue dots mark where a well was permitted but not drilled as of March 18, 2014. Dark pink indicates areas where active injection occurred. Yellow indicates that a well was drilled. Green indicates that a well produced oil or natural gas. Light pink denotes that the well was plugged. Salmon indicates that the well was inactive, and orange means the well was dry and abandoned.

City of Athens Issue 7
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		2,467	78.69%
No		668	21.31%

Election results from the Athens County Elections Office

City of Kent

Map of oil and gas wells in Portage County, OH

d A City of Kent "Community Bill of Rights" Fracking Ban Initiative, Issue 21 ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the city of Kent in Portage County, Ohio, where it was defeated. If approved, Issue 21 would have enacted a community bill of rights to clean air and water, self-government and local autonomy, freedom from toxic wastes, and protection of natural communities. Like the other similar Community Bill of Rights initiatives, the measure would also have prohibited fracking within the city limits as a means towards guaranteeing the rights enumerated by the proposal.

The map to the right shows all the active, horizontal and directional wells in Portage County as of March 18, 2014. The blue dots mark where a well was permitted but not drilled as of March 18, 2014. Dark pink indicates areas where active injection occurred. Yellow indicates that a well was drilled. Green indicates that a well produced oil or natural gas. Light pink denotes that the well was plugged. Salmon indicates that the well was inactive, and orange means the well was dry and abandoned.

City of Kent Issue 21
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		2,402	53.41%
Yes		2,095	46.59%

Election results from the Portage County Elections Office

Village of Gates Mills

Map of oil and gas wells around Gates Mills, OH

d A Village of Gates Mills "Community Bill of Rights" Fracking Ban Initiative ballot initiative was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the village of Gates Mills in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. It was defeated. If approved, this measure would have established a "Community Bill of Rights" that would prohibit any hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, in the village.

The map to the right shows all the active, horizontal and directional wells around Gates Mills as of September 9, 2014. The blue dots mark where a well was permitted but not drilled as of September 9, 2014. Dark pink indicates areas where active injection occurred. Yellow indicates that a well was drilled. Green indicates that a well produced oil or natural gas. Light pink denotes that the well was plugged. Salmon indicates that the well was inactive, and orange means the well was dry and abandoned.

Village of Gates Mills Issue 51
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		715	69.28%
Yes		317	30.72%

Election results from the Cuyahoga County Elections Office

Youngstown, Ohio

Map of oil and gas wells in Mahoning County, OH

d A Youngstown "Community Bill of Rights" Frack Ban Charter Amendment, Issue 4 was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the City of Youngstown in Mahoning County, Ohio, where it was defeated. This was the fourth time the measure was rejected. The November 4 vote is the fourth time residents of Youngstown defeated a measure to ban fracking.

The map to the right shows the active horizontal and directional wells in Mahoning County as of March 18, 2014. The blue dots mark where a well was permitted but not drilled as of March 18, 2014. Dark pink indicates areas where active injection occurred. Yellow indicates that a well was drilled. Green indicates that a well produced oil or natural gas. Light pink denotes that the well was plugged. Salmon indicates that the well was inactive, and orange means the well was dry and abandoned.

Youngstown Issue 4
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		7,323	57.68%
Yes		5,373	42.32%

Election results from the Mahoning County Elections Office

Texas

See also: Fracking in Texas

City of Denton

Map of oil and gas wells around Denton, TX

a A City of Denton Fracking Ban Initiative was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the city of Denton, the county seat of Denton County, Texas, where it was approved. The Denton, Texas Fracking Ban Initiative banned all hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, in the city limits of Denton, while still allowing other oil drilling methods under city regulation.

The approval of the City of Denton Fracking Ban Initiative on November 4, 2014, made Denton--which was home to 121,000 residents and featured more than 270 natural gas wells in 2014--the first major city in the state of Texas to permanently prohibit the use of fracking within its city limits. David Spence, a professor of law, politics and regulation at the University of Texas, said that if the initiative would be challenged by oil and gas companies.

Denton Fracking Initiative
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		14,932	58.62%
No		10,541	41.38%

Election results via: Denton County Elections Office

Other 2014 ballot measures

Illinois

See also: "Fracking in Illinois"

Johnson County

dA Johnson County Fracking Ban Referendum was on the March 18, 2014 election ballot for voters in Johnson County, Illinois, where it was defeated. This measure sought to ban the process of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," used in oil and gas drilling. The Johnson County Fracking Ban Referendum was advisory. If approved, it would not be legally binding. The intent of referendum was to gauge voter opinion on the issue.

A committee of residents assisted by the group Southern Illinoisans Against Fracking Our Environment were responsible for collecting the signatures to get the proposed measure on the ballot. The Pennsylvania-based Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) also supported the referendum effort. On February 19, 2014, the Johnson County Commission announced the formation of a coalition opposing the fracking ban measure. This coalition was called Citizens Opposed to Johnson County Fracking Proposition.

Johnson County Fracking Measure
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		2,223	58.12%
Yes		1,602	41.88%

Election results from Johnson County Election Department.

Opponents of the measure, including County Commissioner Ernie Henshaw, have argued that the measure is an indication that the people of Johnson County favor fracking for the jobs generated by the oil and gas industry. Meanwhile, proponents have argued that the results of the referendum are only the effect of manipulation of media. They claim that the oil and gas companies opposing the measure were able to send out thousands of dollars worth of mailers and ads to defeat the measure, while proponents experienced a total media blackout, with news papers rejecting their ads.

Colorado

See also: "Fracking in Colorado"

City of Loveland

Map of oil and gas wells around the City of Loveland

d The City of Loveland Two Year Fracking Suspension Initiative, Question 1 was on the June 24, 2014 election ballot for voters in the city of Loveland in Larimer County, Colorado, where it was defeated. Question 1 was known by supporters as the Loveland Public Health, Safety and Wellness Act. Measure 1, if approved, would have suspended the process of fracking for two years. It would have also prohibited for the same time the storage and disposal of waste products from hydraulic fracturing within Loveland city limits. The group Protect Our Loveland was behind the initiative. The group Loveland Energy Action Project (LEAP) opposed the measure, as did the group Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development.

Question 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		10,844	52.17%
Yes		9,942	47.83%

Election results from Loveland City Elections Office

Ohio

See also: "Fracking in Ohio"

Youngstown

Map of oil and gas wells in Mahoning County, OH

d A Youngstown "Community Bill of Rights" Fracking Ban Charter Amendment was on the May 6, 2014 election ballot for voters in the City of Youngstown in Mahoning County, Ohio, where it was defeated.

Youngstown Charter Amendment
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		3,674	54.24%
Yes		3,100	45.76%

Election results from Mahoning County Board of Elections office

The map to the right shows the active horizontal and directional wells in Mahoning County as of March 18, 2014. The blue dots mark where a well was permitted but not drilled as of March 18, 2014. Dark pink indicates areas where active injection occurred. Yellow indicates that a well was drilled. Green indicates that a well produced oil or natural gas. Light pink denotes that the well was plugged. Salmon indicates that the well was inactive, and orange means the well was dry and abandoned.

Energy on the ballot (2014)

November 4, 2014 ballot measures

Massachusetts

See also: Energy policy in Massachusetts

a The Massachusetts Automatic Gas Tax Increase Repeal Initiative, Question 1 was on the November 4, 2014 statewide ballot as an initiated state statute, where it was approved. The measure repealed a 2013 law that would have automatically adjusted gas taxes according to inflation, allowing for automatic annual increases in the state's gas tax. As of March 2013, Massachusetts had the 29th highest gas tax in the nation.

The law that this initiative repealed also put a minimum cap on gas taxes to prevent decreases in the case of deflation. The tax increase was part of a transportation funding package that was vetoed by Governor Deval Patrick (D) because he wanted a greater tax increase. However, Patrick's veto was overruled by a House vote of 123 to 33 and a Senate vote of 35 to 5.

Massachusetts Question 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		1,095,229	52.97%
No		972,271	47.03%

Election results via: Massachusetts Secretary of State

North Dakota

Map of oil and gas wells in North Dakota, 2012

See also: Fracking in North Dakota

See also: Energy policy in North Dakota

d The North Dakota Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks Amendment, Measure 5 was on the November 4, 2014 ballot in North Dakota as an initiated constitutional amendment, where it was defeated. The measure would have redirected 5 percent of the state's oil extraction tax revenue to a Clean Water, Wildlife, and Parks Trust (the "trust") and a Clean Water, Wildlife, and Parks Fund (the "fund").

The measure was supported by several local and national environmental groups, (a full list is available here). Supporters received $798,375 in contributions as of October 8, 2014. The measure was opposed by several local farming, educational, and oil and gas groups, (a full list is available here). Opponents had received $577,950 in contributions as of October 8, 2014.

North Dakota Measure 5
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		199,305	79.38%
Yes		51,775	20.62%

Election results via: North Dakota Secretary of State Office

National battleground races (2014)

Because of the effects of incumbency and gerrymandering there are only a few districts where elections are competitive. What follows is a list of the 2014 U.S. House battleground districts Ballotpedia identified as competitive. The competitive Senate battleground districts were chosen from The Washington Post's August 2014 list.

Also included is a summary of fracking-related activity (as of November 2014) in each state with a competitive election. The Energy Policy logo denotes elections where energy was listed as a major issue by each candidate. Quotes or summaries of how energy affected that race are also listed. The map below can be used to navigate to each state.

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Fracking in Alaska

Prudhoe Bay Oil Field at Night

Significant oil reserves were first discovered in Alaska in 1957, on the Kenai Peninsula at Swanson River. Alaska was admitted to the union as a state in 1959. In 1967, the Prudhoe Bay oil field was discovered on the state's North Slope. In 1969, the Kuparuk oil field was discovered. Four of the 10 largest oil fields in North America are located on Alaska's North Slope.

Voters narrowly defeated the Alaska Oil Tax Cuts Veto Referendum, Ballot Measure 1, which was on the August 19, 2014, primary ballot in Alaska as a veto referendum. The referendum sought to repeal Senate Bill 21, also known as the Oil and Gas Production Tax and the More Alaska Production Act (MAPA), which was passed by the Alaska State Legislature and granted tax breaks to oil companies. Those who supported the referendum and sought to repeal SB 21 believed the tax breaks would only benefit oil companies and not the citizens of Alaska. Those who were against the referendum believed the tax cuts outlined in SB 21 were necessary to incentivize these companies to continue drilling for oil in Alaska.

As of August 2014, Alaska did not have a state income tax or statewide sales tax. The vast majority of its budget came from oil and gas activity. Eighty-two percent of Alaska’s estimated state revenues for 2010 were from oil taxes, royalties and fees.

United States Senate elections in Alaska, 2014

Voters in Alaska elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Mark Begich (D) was defeated by Dan Sullivan (R) in the general election. A combined total of $39 million of satellite spending went to persuade 500,000 potential swing voters, and the race was the most expensive per capita in the 2014 election cycle.

U.S. Senate, Alaska General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Dan Sullivan	48%	135,445
	Democratic	Mark Begich Incumbent	45.8%	129,431
	Libertarian	Mark Fish	3.7%	10,512
	Independent	Ted Gianoutsos	2%	5,636
	N/A	Write-in	0.5%	1,376
Total Votes				282,400
Source: Alaska Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Begich's campaign website listed energy as a top issue. "From day one in the Senate, I have championed efforts to get a comprehensive energy bill which capitalizes on Alaska’s role as America’s energy storehouse. Alaskans know first-hand the many options to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and create new jobs. We have vast opportunities for increased oil and gas development and renewable energy deployment."

aSullivan's campaign website also listed energy as a top issue. "Given Alaska’s world-class resource base and strategic global location, our natural resource potential can lead America into a new era of economic prosperity. As Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, Dan defended the state’s economic interests and worked with the private sector to maximize Alaska’s full economic potential. His work has focused on getting big things done for Alaska, and when necessary, aggressively fighting back against those who try to shutdown or delay economic opportunities for our citizens."

Fish's campaign website also listed energy as a top issue. "While energy is needed to fuel a modern society, government should not be subsidizing any particular form of energy. We oppose all government control of energy pricing, allocation, and production."

Gianoutsos' campaign website listed energy as a top issue, specifically opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for responsible oil and gas production. Gianoutsos also suggested that opening ANWR "will produce billions of barrels of Alaska oil that will help fuel America’s freedom and national security. It will also produce trillions of dollars of economic prosperity and thousands of well-paying jobs." Gianoutsos suggested that dividing the revenue from this exploration equally among the state of Alaska, the federal government and a new organization, the National Endowment for Wildlife.

Fracking in Arizona

According to a 2012 piece in Arizona Geology Magazine, fracking occurs rarely in Arizona due to the fact that there are no shale-gas wells in the state. In the 15-year period preceding the publication of the article, only ten wells were hydraulically fractured, and all of these were fracked not for shale-gas but for carbon dioxide gas.

Arizona's 1st Congressional District elections, 2014

On November 4, 2014, incumbent Ann Kirkpatrick (D) beat Andy Tobin (R) for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Arizona's 1st Congressional District. Fueled by satellite spending, OpenSecrets.org listed Arizona's 1st Congressional District as the seventh most expensive House race in 2014 with a total of $6,107,964 spent, as of October 6, 2014. This race was also "one of the most competitive districts in America, where political brand is no guarantee of victory. More than most places, this part of the state has a habit of switching from Democrat to Republican and back," according to The Arizona Republic.

U.S. House, Arizona District 1 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Ann Kirkpatrick Incumbent	52.6%	97,391
	Republican	Andy Tobin	47.4%	87,723
Total Votes				185,114
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

Energy and the election

a Kirkpatrick listed protecting our natural resources as one of her top campaign issues. "In Greater Arizona, we are surrounded by magnificent natural treasures, and it is our responsibility to be diligent stewards of our environment. Our natural resources can serve as economic engines for our communities and bring jobs to Greater Arizona. We must also remember to safeguard our environmental resources by preserving their past and protecting their future."

Tobin did not list energy or the environment as one of his top issues on his campaign website.

Arizona's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014

Arizona's 2nd Congressional District was a battleground in 2014. Incumbent Ron Barber (D) was defeated in a district with nearly even amounts of Republican and Democratic voters. Barber was a freshman incumbent who won election to the district by less than 1 percent in 2012. Additionally, the Republican presidential candidate won the district in both 2012 and 2008.

Barber was defeated by Martha McSally (R) in November 2014 in a rematch of the 2012 general election. McSally defeated the other Republican candidates for the seat, Shelley Kais and Chuck Wooten, in the primary on August 26, 2014.

U.S. House, Arizona District 2 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Martha McSally	50%	109,704
	Democratic	Ron Barber Incumbent	49.9%	109,543
	Write-in	Sampson U. Ramirez	0%	56
	Write-in	Sydney Dudikoff	0%	48
Total Votes				219,351
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

Energy and the election

Neither candidate has listed energy or the environment as a campaign issue on their websites.

Arizona's 9th Congressional District elections, 2014

Incumbent Kyrsten Sinema (D) won re-election to Arizona's 9th Congressional District in 2014. The race had the potential to turn into a tight race, but Republican Wendy Rogers, whose campaign has been plagued by missteps, failed to pose a significant threat to incumbent Kyrsten Sinema (D).

Ballotpedia initially identified Arizona's 9th Congressional District as a U.S. House battleground district in 2014 because the district's registered Democrats and Republicans were relatively evenly split. However, the district had a slight Democratic lean, and President Barack Obama won the district by roughly 4 percent in 2012 and 2008. In addition, Sinema, a freshman incumbent, won election in 2012 by just over 4 percent of the vote.

U.S. House, Arizona District 9 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Kyrsten Sinema Incumbent	54.7%	88,609
	Republican	Wendy Rogers	41.9%	67,841
	Libertarian	Powell Gammill	3.5%	5,612
Total Votes				162,062
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

a Sinema listed the introduction of a bill, the Security in Energy and Manufacturing Act (SEAM) in June of 2013, as one of her main accomplishments. SEAM is a program that would provide a 30 percent tax grant to companies that manufacture renewable energy, although she touts the jobs the program could provide rather than potential energy or environmental benefits.

Rogers lists energy independence as a top issue for her campaign. "We can be doing much more to increase domestic energy production, while safeguarding our environment, and increasing our own national and economic security. In Congress I will support the siting of new domestic oil refineries, investment into the latest advances in nuclear energy, and proper investment into solar and wind power (without the money laundering through Obama campaign contributors we saw with Solyndra and the president)."

Fracking in Arkansas

Historic photograph of the Smith-McClerkin No. 1 well drilled in Columbia County in 1941. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas Natural Resources Museum, Smackover, Arkansas).

Arkansas is home to the Fayetteville Shale, one of the ten largest natural gas fields in the United States. Hydraulic fracturing is required to extract the gas contained in this field. Development of the Fayetteville Shale began in 2004. According to the Environment America Research & Policy Center, an environmental group, 4,910 wells have been fracking in Arkansas since 2005.

United States Senate elections in Arkansas, 2014

The battle for Arkansas' Senate seat was widely recognized as one of the most contested races in a year when control of Congress' upper chamber could be decided by a mere six seats. Sen. Mark Pryor (D), who was labeled 2014's most vulnerable incumbent, was defeated by freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton (R).

Heading into the election, the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball ranked the race as a "toss up". Additionally, FiscalTimes listed it as one of the seven most vulnerable seats in the country, while The Washington Post included it on their list of the top 10 races to watch in 2014. The race attracted over $25 million in satellite spending, with an additional $16 million raised by the two candidates.

U.S. Senate, Arkansas General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Tom Cotton	56.5%	478,819
	Democratic	Mark Pryor Incumbent	39.5%	334,174
	Libertarian	Nathan LaFrance	2%	17,210
	Green	Mark Swaney	2%	16,797
Total Votes				847,000
Source: Arkansas Secretary of State

Energy and the election

Neither candidate has listed energy as a major issue on their campaign websites.

Fracking in California

Oil pumps in the San Joaquin Valley

The 2014 California Democratic Party Platform called for an immediate moratorium on fracking, a position not supported by California's Democratic Governor Jerry Brown. Fracking has been occurring in California for more than 30 years. In 2013, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 4 to regulate well stimulation, which includes fracking and other activities. Senate Bill 4 requires interim well regulations that are now in effect, a separate set of regulations that go into effect in 2015, the adoption of environmental impact reports in 2015 and well stimulation permits. These permits are publicly available on the DOGGR's website.

California's 7th Congressional District elections, 2014

Over two weeks after the general election, on November 19, 2014, the winner was finally announced. Incumbent Ami Bera (D) defeated Doug Ose (R) in the general election.

With a total price tag of $20,629,356, as of October 31, 2014, the race for California's 7th Congressional District seat was the most expensive House race of the 2014 election cycle.

U.S. House, California District 7 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Ami Bera Incumbent	50.4%	92,521
	Republican	Doug Ose	49.6%	91,066
Total Votes				183,587
Source: California Secretary of State

Energy and the election

aBera's campaign website listed creating a new energy economy as one of its main issues. "Central to our national mission is the mandate to build for future generations. We now know, however, that many of our present patterns of development and growth are both economically and environmentally unsustainable. The long-term health, security and prosperity of our nation and world require a transition in how we think about our relationship to energy use and natural ecosystems."

Ose did not list energy or the environment as a main issue on his campaign website.

California's 21st Congressional District elections, 2014

Incumbent David Valadao defeated Amanda Renteria (D) in the general election on November 4, 2014.

Our analysis pointed to California's 21st Congressional District being a battleground with a Republican incumbent that leaned Democratic. The district was won by President Barack Obama by 11.1 percent in 2012 and 6 percent in 2008. Additionally, incumbent David Valadao was a freshman representative.

U.S. House, California District 21 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	David Valadao Incumbent	57.8%	45,907
	Democratic	Amanda Renteria	42.2%	33,470
Total Votes				79,377
Source: California Secretary of State

Energy and the election

Water and agriculture have been important issues in the 2014 election.

California's 36th Congressional District elections, 2014

Our analysis pointed to California's 36th Congressional District being a battleground. Incumbent Raul Ruiz (D) defeated his Republican challenger Brian Nestande in the general election. The district had relatively even numbers of Democratic and Republican voters but had a slight Democratic lean based on past presidential election results. The district was won by President Barack Obama by 3.2 percent in 2012 and 3 percent in 2008. Additionally, incumbent Raul Ruiz was a freshman representative.

U.S. House, California District 36 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Raul Ruiz Incumbent	54.2%	72,682
	Republican	Brian Nestande	45.8%	61,457
Total Votes				134,139
Source: California Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Nestande's campaign website listed energy and the environment as one of its top issues. "California’s natural resources are what make it one of the best places to live in America. We all want to protect the environment, protect habitats, and our quality of life. We also need to utilize available energy resources and work to increase supply so that we can drive down prices for working families struggling to make ends meet."

a Ruiz's campaign listed the Salton Sea as a top issue. "As a physician, I know the very real health threat a receding Salton Sea poses to our community. I have fought hard in Washington to bring attention to this issue before the Salton Sea becomes a public health disaster. That is why I urged the President to include funding to support the restoration efforts of the Salton Sea in his 2014 budget."

California's 52nd Congressional District elections, 2014

The 52nd Congressional District of California held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. The Associated Press called the race for incumbent Scott Peters late on November 7, 2014. Carl DeMaio did not initially concede the race, as there were still between 10,000 to 15,000 ballots left to be counted when it was called. DeMaio did concede to Peters on Sunday November 9, 2014.

Our analysis pointed to California's 52nd Congressional District being a battleground with a slight Democratic lean. Incumbent Peters won election by 2.4 percent in 2012 and was a freshman member of the U.S. House.

U.S. House, California District 52 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Scott Peters Incumbent	51.6%	98,826
	Republican	Carl DeMaio	48.4%	92,746
Total Votes				191,572
Source: California Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

aPeters' campaign website listed energy policy as one of its top issues. "As a nation, we must work toward a long-term energy policy that: 1) creates new American jobs; 2) emphasizes greater energy independence; 3) invests in the development of alternative fuels; 4) promotes clean energy technology like wind and solar; 5) ensures greater national security; and 6) provides automakers with incentives for producing fuel-efficient vehicles."

DeMaio campaign website listed energy and the environment as one of its top issues. "Carl DeMaio believes a strong economy and a healthy environment must go hand-in-hand. San Diego relies on its beaches, bays, and canyons to attract millions of tourists to power our local economy. That’s why Carl DeMaio supports strong environmental protection initiatives — and believes the market can often be better than government mandates in solving environmental challenges. As our Congressman, Carl DeMaio will support common-sense and balanced solutions that can protect both jobs and the environment."

Fracking in Colorado

Map of oil and gas permits in Colorado

Colorado has large fossil fuel reserves that are accessible because of fracking. Opponents of fracking pushed for a state-wide fracking ban initiative. Supporters of the ban did not gather enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot in 2014. A November 2013 Quinnipiac University poll showed that 51 percent of Coloradans supported fracking. Colorado supplied 1 of every 50 barrels of oil produced in the United States as of October 2013. On average the state had 1,300,000 barrels of oil per acre. According to the Environment America Research & Policy Center, an environmental group, 18,168 wells have been fracked in Colorado since 2005.

Colorado's 6th Congressional District elections, 2014

Incumbent Mike Coffman (Colorado) (R) won re-election in 2014. He defeated Andrew Romanoff (D) in the general election on November 4, 2014.

Our analysis pointed to Colorado's 6th Congressional District being a battleground with a fairly even split of registered Democratic and Republican voters. The margin of victory in the 2012 congressional election was only 2 percent, and the district was won by President Barack Obama by 5.1 percent in 2012 and 8.7 percent in 2008.

U.S. House, Colorado District 6 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Mike Coffman Incumbent	51.9%	143,467
	Democratic	Andrew Romanoff	43%	118,847
	Libertarian	Norm Olsen	3.1%	8,623
	Green	Gary Swing	2%	5,503
Total Votes				276,440
Source: Colorado Secretary of State

Energy and the election

a Coffman did not have energy or the environment listed as a top issue on his campaign website.

Romanoff had the environment listed as a top issue on his campaign website. "I endorsed a successful initiative to get 10 percent of Colorado’s electricity from alternative sources and helped double that goal three years later. I fought the Bush Administration’s attempts to weaken environmental standards. I sponsored bills to conserve open space and farmland, promote water conservation, enhance energy efficiency and recycling, and protect homeowners’ rights."

United States Senate elections in Colorado, 2014

Representative Cory Gardner (R) won election to the U.S. Senate in 2014. He defeated incumbent Mark Udall (D) to win the seat.

Incumbent Mark Udall was considered vulnerable in 2014. This was partially due to the unpopularity of the Affordable Care Act. Polling heading into the election showed a tight race with Gardner appearing to have a slight edge. Udall did hold a significant edge over Gardner in fundraising throughout the race, however.

U.S. Senate, Colorado General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Cory Gardner	48.2%	983,891
	Democratic	Mark Udall Incumbent	46.3%	944,203
	Libertarian	Gaylon Kent	2.6%	52,876
	Independent	Steve Shogan	1.4%	29,472
	Independent	Raul Acosta	1.2%	24,151
	Unity Party of Colorado	Bill Hammons	0.3%	6,427
Total Votes				2,041,020
Source: Colorado Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Udall had listed energy as an important issue on his campaign website. "From efficiency and conservation, to wind, solar and other renewables, to the responsible development of clean burning natural gas, Colorado’s bountiful supply of energy doesn’t just power our homes and businesses, it drives our economy, creates good-paying jobs, and makes our country more secure."

a Gardener did not have an issues section on his campaign website. Instead, he had listed energy as an important issue on his official congressional website. "Energy development at home is the key to powering our nation’s future. Not only is energy independence essential to our national security, but it will help create jobs for American workers. I have always advocated for an “all of the above” approach to energy. That includes development of traditional energy resources, renewable resources and even nuclear power." Gardener cited two pieces of legislation that he helped pass as a member of Congress as part of his stance on energy, the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act and the Strategic Energy Production Act.

Lehigh Acres Well in Florida

Fracking in Florida

Although fracking does not occur in Florida, acidification (also known as "acid fracking") has occurred in the state. Acidification is an oil drilling process whereby acid is injected under high pressure into the ground. According to a report by National Public Radio, an oil company (Dan A. Hughes, Co.) utilized the practice in Florida for the first time in December 2013 near a town on the western edge of the Everglades. This resulted in opposition from local officials and environmental advocates, who argued that state officials were "lax in their oversight of the drilling, jeopardizing public health and the environment." The state issued a cease and desist order to the company upon discovering that acidification was taking place, but the company did not stop operations. The company ultimately paid a $25,000 fine and agreed to install groundwater monitors. The state Department of Environmental Resources also installed groundwater monitors and maintained that early evidence showed no evidence of water contamination.

Florida's 18th Congressional District elections, 2014

Incumbent Patrick Murphy was a vulnerable incumbent in 2014. In 2012, he defeated then-incumbent Allen West (R) to win the seat in a race that was too close to call for more than one week after the general election on November 6, 2012.

Murphy defeated former state Rep. Carl Domino (R) in the general election. Domino beat five other Republican challengers for the chance to face Murphy in November.

U.S. House, Florida District 18 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Patrick Murphy Incumbent	59.8%	151,478
	Republican	Carl Domino	40.2%	101,896
Total Votes				253,374
Source: Florida Division of Elections

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Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

a Murphy listed energy as one of his top campaign issues and wanted to "end the tax loopholes that let corporations hide profits overseas and invest those dollars in small businesses that create jobs here in America."

Domino listed environment and the Indian River Lagoon as one of his top campaign issues. "During my time in the Florida House of Representatives, I was repeatedly recognized for my leadership and hard work to obtain funding for the reclamation of the Lake Worth Lagoon and environmental cleanup of the Loxahatchee River. This was done through the cooperation of the whole legislative delegation, both Democrats and Republicans. We also fought hard to fund the State's portion of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. As your Congressman, I will work hard to get appropriate federal funding to resolve the environmental degradation. Moreover I will work with state legislators to ensure that cleanup activities appropriately funded by the state are budgeted."

Florida's 26th Congressional District elections, 2014

Incumbent Joe Garcia (D) was defeated by Carlos Curbelo (R) in his re-election bid in 2014.

U.S. House, Florida District 26 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Carlos Curbelo	51.5%	83,031
	Democratic	Joe Garcia Incumbent	48.5%	78,306
Total Votes				161,337
Source: Florida Division of Elections

Energy and the election

Neither candidate listed energy or the environment as a campaign issue on their websites.

Fracking in Georgia

Georgia has no oil or natural gas reserves, and as such there is no fracking in the state.

United States Senate elections in Georgia, 2014

David Perdue (R) defeated Michelle Nunn (D) in the general election. Perdue replaced then-Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R).

One unique characteristic of the race was that neither of the major party candidates had held elected office before. From 1980 to 2012, there were only two elections like this--the 2010 Utah election between Mike Lee (R) and Sam Granato (D) and the 2002 North Carolina election between Elizabeth Dole and Erskine Bowles. In both elections, the inexperienced Republican beat the inexperienced Democratic candidate.

U.S. Senate, Georgia General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	David Perdue	52.89%	1,358,088
	Democratic	Michelle Nunn	45.21%	1,160,811
	Libertarian	Amanda Swafford	1.90%	48,862
Total Votes				2,567,761
Source: Georgia Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Nunn had made energy a major issue in her campaign, including her support for the Keystone XL pipeline. Nunn stated that she would support completion of the fourth phase of the Keystone XL pipeline in the name of economic development and national security. “I have a lot of friends who have different perspectives on Keystone. We need to continue to focus on green energy and finding sustainable sources of energy, but I do believe we should move forward with Keystone,” Nunn said.

a Perdue listed energy independence as a major issue on his campaign website. "Decades after an oil embargo led to gas rationing and long lines at the pump, we still don’t have a plan for energy independence. Instead, our own government limits our options by being overtly hostile towards domestic energy producers. In the process, they force us to rely on energy resources from countries that wish to do us harm."

Fracking in Illinois

As of March 2013 there was one known fracking well in Illinois, located in White County. In 2013, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act. This law has been called the strictest fracking law in the nation. On August 29, 2014, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources released a set of rules intended to govern fracking as part of the 2013 Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act. These rules are based on that legislation, over 35,000 public comments, and five public meetings that were held across the state. These rules were submitted to the Administrative Rules Committee, which had until November 15, 2014, to act.

Illinois' 12th Congressional District elections, 2014

Incumbent William Enyart (D), who was first elected in 2012, lost to challenger Mike Bost (R) in the general election. Both candidates ran unopposed in the party primaries. Third party candidate Paula Bradshaw successfully filed for the election and ran representing the Green Party.

U.S. House, Illinois District 12 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Mike Bost	52.5%	110,038
	Democratic	Bill Enyart Incumbent	41.9%	87,860
	Green	Paula Bradshaw	5.6%	11,840
Total Votes				209,738
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections Official Results

Energy and the election

Enyart did not list any campaign issues on his website.

a Bost's campaign website listed "Moving Toward Energy Independence" as one of its campaign issues. "For too long, we have lacked a long-term energy plan. It’s time to stop talking about the need to becoming more energy independent and start working on an agenda, in a bipartisan manner, to actually move us closer to it. Mike believes that America can and should be energy independent, and that a focus on exploration, innovation and technology are the keys to harnessing our own natural resources."

Bradshaw, in an October 2014 article, stated some of her views on energy. Her ideas include a plan "based on President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1930s-era economic plan", which she calls her Green New Deal. This plan would "pay people a living wage and build infrastructure for renewable energy."

Illinois' 13th Congressional District elections, 2014

Incumbent Rodney Davis (R), who was first elected in 2012, defeated challenger Ann Callis (D) in the general election. Davis faced primary opposition from, and defeated, Erika Harold and Michael Firsching. Callis also had to defeat two challengers, George Gollin and David Green, during the Democratic primary.

U.S. House, Illinois District 13 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Rodney Davis Incumbent	58.7%	123,337
	Democratic	Ann Callis	41.3%	86,935
Total Votes				210,272
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections Official Results

Energy and the election

a Davis did not list any energy or environmental issues as top issues on his campaign website.

Callis listed alternative energy as one of her top issues on her campaign website. "Judge Callis believes in making investments in our “brain” infrastructure and harnessing wind, solar and other resources to grow a local alternative energy economy that can’t be outsourced."

Fracking in Iowa

Although fracking does not occur in Iowa, the northeastern part of the state is rich in frac sand, which is a substance used in the fracking process. Consequently, the fracking industry became interested in establishing frac sand mining operations in the state. Local officials in two counties (Allamakee and Winneshiek), however, imposed moratoria on frac sand mine operations.

United States Senate elections in Iowa, 2014

Rep. Republican nominee Joni Ernst (R) defeated Bruce Braley (D) in the general election. The election filled the Senate seat held by Tom Harkin (D). Harkin was first elected in 1984. On January 26, 2013, Harkin announced that he would not seek re-election once his term expired. Upon his retirement, he served in the U.S. Senate for 30 years. He said of his retirement, "I have mixed feelings. You know what, it's somebody else's turn. To walk away from this position and this power is not an easy thing. But I think it's the right thing."

U.S. Senate, Iowa General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Joni Ernst	52.1%	588,575
	Democratic	Bruce Braley	43.8%	494,370
	Independent	Rick Stewart	2.4%	26,815
	Libertarian	Douglas Butzier	0.7%	8,232
	Independent	Ruth Smith	0.5%	5,873
	Independent	Bob Quast	0.4%	4,724
	Write-in	Other	0.1%	1,111
Total Votes				1,129,700
Source: Iowa Secretary of State Official Results

Energy and the election

Neither candidates listed energy as a top issue on their campaign websites.

Fracking in Kentucky

Map of oil and gas wells in Kentucky as of July 11, 2014

Fracking was first used in eastern Kentucky in the 1960s. Most of the wells in the state are fracked with nitrogen gas. Across Kentucky there are four oil and natural gas producing formations: Jackson Purchase, Illinois Basin, Cincinnati Arch, and the Appalachian Basin. In 2012, 60 counties in Kentucky reported oil activity, while 34 counties reported natural gas activity.

United States Senate elections in Kentucky, 2014

Voters in Kentucky elected Mitch McConnell to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 4, 2014.

Senator Mitch McConnell (R) defeated Alison Lundergan Grimes (D) in the general election. McConnell was previously considered vulnerable throughout the days leading up to the election. He faced unpopularity with his constituents and was behind in some of the polls. However, he gained a substantial lead over Lundergan Grimes after the Senate debates.

U.S. Senate, Kentucky General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Mitch McConnell Incumbent	56.2%	806,787
	Democratic	Alison Lundergan Grimes	40.7%	584,698
	Libertarian	David Patterson	3.1%	44,240
Total Votes				1,435,725
Source: Kentucky Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Coal and the "War on Coal" was an important issue in 2014. On June 2, 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Clean Power Plan, an initiative from the agency to curb carbon emissions. The goal is to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent of 2005 levels by 2030. Coal-fired power plants are expected to pay the majority of the cost for this plan. These costs are expected to be passed on to consumers and to increase energy prices in Kentucky.

a McConnell's campaign released an ad on February 27, 2014, centered around coal. The ad featured McConnell saying that anti-coal rhetoric in Washington needs to stop and he vowed to lead the opposition to any federal efforts that would hurt the coal sector. Another ad from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, released on December 2, 2013, stated that "Coal means jobs in Kentucky. While the EPA and bureaucrats try to kill Kentucky's coal industry, Mitch McConnell is fighting back, fighting hard."

Grimes wrote an op-ed piece for a local paper in response to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ad, stating that McConnell "has accomplished next to nothing for the coal industry. He talks the game, but the game he plays is about as dangerous for coal miners as a rotten mine timber." The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) endorsed Grimes on August 2, 2014. According to their endorsement, “Ms. Grimes is not only a strong supporter of coal and the coal industry. She is the only candidate in this race who is also a supporter of coal miners. She cares about their health and safety on the job. She cares about what happens to them once they retire after a career of dangerous, backbreaking work. She cares about what happens to their families, and what can be done to make their communities stronger.”

Fracking in Louisiana

Natural gas rig in Shreveport, Louisiana

In 1906, the state legislature passed Louisiana's first oil and gas conservation law. Offshore drilling began in 1947. Production reached 728,494,272 barrels in 1969. According to the Environment America Research & Policy Center, an environmental group, 2,327 wells have been fracking in Louisiana since 2005.

United States Senate elections in Louisiana, 2014

Voters in Louisiana elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 4, 2014. A runoff election occurred in December 2014.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) was defeated by Bill Cassidy (R) in the runoff. Landrieu was first elected in 1996. Due to Louisiana's blanket primary system, all primary candidates are allowed to run against the incumbent in the general election.

U.S. Senate, Louisiana Primary Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Mary Landrieu Incumbent	42.1%	619,402
	Democratic	Wayne Ables	0.8%	11,323
	Democratic	Vallian Senegal	0.3%	3,831
	Democratic	William Waymire Jr.	0.3%	4,673
	Republican	Bill Cassidy	41%	603,084
	Republican	Rob Maness	13.8%	202,556
	Republican	Thomas Clements	1%	14,173
	Libertarian	Brannon Lee McMorris	0.9%	13,034
Total Votes				1,472,076
Source: Mary Landrieu and Bill Cassidy headed to a runoff election on December 6, 2014. Louisiana Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Landrieu spent time discussing environmental issues, such as global climate change, at a debate on October 14, 2014. She proposed balanced action on the issue taking into account environmental and business concerns. She stressed that better business practices were needed to ensure pollution does not negatively impact Louisiana but said she would continue to support a healthy business climate for important industries, such as oil and gas.

Cassidy listed energy and job creation as two of his top campaign issues. "Dr. Cassidy knows the road to better jobs with better wages and benefits runs through developing our domestic energy resources. He has proposed legislation promoting natural gas as a transportation fuel, supports hydraulic fracturing, and building the Keystone XL Pipeline."

Fracking in Michigan

Map of high volume hydraulic fractured wells

Fracking has been occurring in Michigan since 1952. Despite this, the oil and gas extraction technique has gained attention in 2014. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), which oversees oil and gas extraction in the state, hosted over 200 meetings on fracking over the from 2011 to 2014. In 2013, the DEQ announced reporting and monitoring requirements for high volume hydraulic fracturing operations.

Michigan's 1st Congressional District elections, 2014

Incumbent Rep. Dan Benishek (R) won by only 1,881 votes in 2012. The district has seen recent changes in its electorate, with Obama narrowly winning the district in 2008, but Romney claiming victory in 2012. Benishek won re-election in 2014.

U.S. House, Michigan District 1 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Dan Benishek Incumbent	52.1%	130,414
	Democratic	Jerry Cannon	45.3%	113,263
	Libertarian	Loel Robert Gnadt	1.5%	3,823
	Green	Ellis Boal	1.1%	2,631
Total Votes				250,131
Source: Michigan Secretary of State

Energy and the election

a Benishek had not listed energy or the environment as a top issue on his campaign website.

Cannon listed energy security for Michigan as a top campaign issue. "I support a do-it-all energy policy that advances developing alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, and biofuels, while responsibly expanding production of American oil and natural gas. I’ll also promote energy policies that support our manufacturing base so we can create good-paying jobs that can’t be shipped overseas. In Congress, I will promote products made in Michigan. I feel that all energy sectors should be on equal footing regarding tax breaks, and we should continue to invest in renewable energy source development."

Fracking in Minnesota

A frac sand mine in Wisconsin

Although fracking does not occur in Minnesota due to the lack of fossil fuel reserves, the state is rich in silica sand, which can be used as frac sand in the fracking process. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, there were five silica sand mines in the state used for industrial purposes (along with an unknown number of mines used for agricultural and construction purposes) as of July 2014. According to Minnesota Public Radio, some municipalities have enacted moratoria on frac sand mining in their communities pending further study on the practice.

Minnesota's 8th Congressional District elections, 2014

Minnesota's 8th Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. Both The Cook Political Report and FairVote rated the district as a toss up. Democratic incumbent Rick Nolan won in 2012 with an 8.9 percent margin of victory and the district voted for Democratic President Barack Obama in 2012 with a 5.5 percent margin of victory. Minnesota's 8th district was redrawn in 2011.

The race was expected to be one of the most contested U.S. House seats this general election. Cook Political Report rated the district as a "Toss Up" while many other political analysts said the seat would be too close to call. Polls in September seemed favorable for Nolan giving him a marginal lead over Mills. Polls in mid-October showed a different outcome with Mills gaining a lead over Nolan. Nolan won re-election in November 2014 The seat would have been a crucial gain for the Republicans, unseating an incumbent in a battleground district.

U.S. House, Minnesota District 8 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Rick Nolan Incumbent	48.5%	129,090
	Republican	Stewart Mills	47.1%	125,358
	Green	Skip Sandman	4.3%	11,450
	N/A	Write-in	0.1%	185
Total Votes				266,083
Source: Minnesota Secretary of State

Energy and the election

a Nolan listed the environment as one of its top issues on its campaign website. "We must protect the environment in order to preserve our way of life and our tourism industry. Rick works to protect northern Minnesota’s tourism industry and our lakes, rivers, and streams from dangerous invasive species such as Asian carp, and has passed programs that help farmers turn land over for conservation. Rick will continue to fight for funding to clean up pollution in the St. Louis River and for Lake Superior coastal cleanup and management, and has been called a “champion for the environment” by the League of Conservation Voters."

Mills listed the environment as one of his top issues on his campaign website. "Stewart believes that one way to increase employment here in Minnesota’s Eighth District is to have federal policies which will allow us to fully capitalize on our mineral and timber resources. It’s critical that Washington stop blocking our ability to extract natural resources. That’s why Stewart supports the development of the Polymet Project."

Fracking in Montana

Map of oil and gas fields in Montana

In 2011, Montana put into practice new rules regarding the disclosure of non-trade secret chemicals used in the fracking process. The rules Montana adopted can be found here. In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated that the Bakken formation, a large shale formation spanning North Dakota and Montana, could contain between three and 4.3 billion barrels of crude oil. The resources contained in the Bakken formation have become accessible to producers due to directional drilling and fracking, which was first used in the Bakken formation in 2006. According to the Environment America Research & Policy Center, an environmental group, 264 wells have been fracked in Montana since 2005.

United States Senate elections in Montana, 2014

Voters in Montana elected Steve Daines (R) to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 4, 2014. Republican voters viewed Montana's 2014 U.S. Senate race as a good chance to take back a Democratic seat. Although the seat was held by the Democratic Party, incumbent John Walsh dropped out of the race after reports surfaced that he had plagiarized a large portion of his final thesis at the United States Army War College.

U.S. Senate, Montana General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Steve Daines	57.8%	213,709
	Democratic	Amanda Curtis	40.1%	148,184
	Libertarian	Roger Roots	2.1%	7,933
Total Votes				369,826
Source: Montana Secretary of State

Energy and the election

Curtis listed energy development as a top issue on her campaign website. "Montana is blessed with an array of energy options, and I believe we need to responsibly develop all of them. Natural gas, solar, wind, coal, and geothermal energy are all available to help ensure America becomes energy independent, and I will work to develop all of Montana’s resources responsibly. I believe we need to innovate as well; green energy and the green jobs industry provide an amazing opportunity for Montana to lead us into the next generation of responsible energy."

a Daines did not have energy listed as a top issue on his campaign website.

Fracking in Nevada

Oil rig in the Railroad Valley between Ely and Tonopah, NV.

On August 28, 2014, the Nevada Commission on Mineral Resources approved new rules on hydraulic fracturing in the state. The rules were part of Senate Bill 390, passed in June 2013. The rules regulate oil and natural gas extraction practices. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) held a lease sale on July 17, 2014, for 102 parcels in Nevada. Together, the parcels encompassed 270 miles of public land. Fracking took place for the first time in the state in March 2014.

Nevada's 3rd Congressional District elections, 2014

Nevada's 3rd Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. The Cook Political Report and FairVote both rated the race as "Likely Republican." Republican incumbent Joe Heck, the incumbent, won the race. Heck won this district for the first time in 2010, and he won re-election in 2012 with a 7.5 percent margin of victory. President Barack Obama won the district by a 0.8 percent margin of victory in 2012.

U.S. House, Nevada District 3 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Joe Heck Incumbent	60.8%	88,528
	Democratic	Erin Bilbray	36.1%	52,644
	Libertarian	Randy Kimmick	1.1%	1,566
	Independent	David Goossen	1.1%	1,637
	Independent	Steven St John	0.9%	1,344
Total Votes				145,719
Source: Nevada Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

a Heck listed energy as one of his top issues on his campaign website. "Joe Heck also supports efforts to develop alternate sources of energy like wind, solar, geothermal and hydro power as part of a long range solution to the energy crisis. Joe Heck successfully sponsored the Hoover Power Act to ensure a supply of low cost, renewable energy from Hoover Dam for 50 years."

Bilbray also listed energy as one of her top issues on his campaign website. "Nevada is the nation's leader in renewable energy. I will support policies that allow Nevada businesses to continue to be in the best possible position to research, innovate, and create thousands of good-paying, green energy jobs. Nevada's clean energy industry provides a strong, diverse source of economic growth that makes us less dependent on foreign oil."

Fracking in New Hampshire

New Hampshire has no oil or natural gas reserves and no fracking occurs in the state.

New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District elections, 2014

New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. Both The Cook Political Report and FairVote rated the district as a toss up. Democratic incumbent Carol Shea-Porter was first elected in 2006, but lost to Frank Guinta in 2010 and regained her seat again in the 2012 election, where she defeated Guinta by a 3.8 percent margin of victory. The 1st District also voted Democratic in the 2012 presidential elections, but President Barack Obama won by only 1.6 percent. Guinta beat Shea-Porter in 2014.

U.S. House, New Hampshire District 1 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Carol Shea-Porter Incumbent	48.1%	116,769
	Republican	Frank Guinta	51.7%	125,508
	N/A	Scatter	0.2%	459
Total Votes				242,736
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Porter listed energy and the environment as issues on her campaign website. "There are still too many climate change deniers in Congress, and this is preventing the United States from moving forward, even as time is running out to slow down climate change. If Americans want to fix this climate change problem, they will first need to fix Congress in November."

a Guinta listed energy as a top issue on his campaign website as well. "I strongly support an 'all of the above' approach for increasing domestic energy production, which would lower gas prices, reduce our nation’s dependence on hostile foreign countries and create American middle-class jobs. That means everything from safe development of oil (offshore and onshore), natural gas, clean coal and other fossil fuels to alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, hydropower, nuclear, geothermal, and biomass."

Fracking in New Jersey

Although there is no fracking in New Jersey, natural gas companies expressed interested in the possibility of fracking in the Delaware River basin, part of which lies in New Jersey. Although the Delaware River Basin Commission, which is composed of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware and the federal government, has had a temporary moratorium on fracking in place since 2010, there were renewed calls for a permanent ban on fracking in the basin area in early 2014. New Jersey Congressman Rush Holt said, "There should be a moratorium in West Virginia, "there should be a moratorium in Pennsylvania and there should be a fracking moratorium for the Delaware River watershed."

New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014

New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. In 2012, the 2nd District voted for Republican incumbent Frank LoBiondo with a safe 17.4 percent margin of victory. On the other hand, the 2012 presidential race went Democratic, with Barack Obama winning the district by an 8.1 percent margin of victory. Despite factors that could make this a close race, The Cook Political Report and FairVote both predicted that the Republican Party will have the advantage in November. Cook rates the district as "Solid Republican," while FairVote rates it as "Safe R."

U.S. House, New Jersey District 2 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Frank LoBiondo Incumbent	61.5%	108,875
	Democratic	Bill Hughes, Jr.	37.3%	66,026
	Independent	Gary Stein	0.3%	612
	Independent	Bayode Olabisi	0.3%	471
	American Labor Party	Costantino Rozzo	0.3%	501
	Democratic-Republican	Alexander Spano	0.4%	663
Total Votes				177,148
Source: New Jersey Division of Elections

Energy and the election

Bill Hughes, Jr. did not list energy or the environment as one of the top issues on his campaign website.

a LoBiondo did not have any campaign issues listed on his campaign website.

New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District elections, 2014

New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. Both The Cook Political Report and FairVote rated the district as closely matched between Democratic and Republican voters. Cook rated the district as leaning Republican in 2014. FairVote rated the district as a toss up.

In 2012, although New Jersey's 3rd District voted for Republican incumbent Jon Runyan with an 8.9 percent margin of victory, the district also voted for President Barack Obama with a margin of victory of 4.6 percent. Another factor that made this race difficult to predict is that Runyan did not seek re-election, so no candidate had the advantage of being an incumbent. MacArthur (R) defeated Belgard (D) for this seat.

U.S. House, New Jersey District 3 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Tom MacArthur	54%	100,471
	Democratic	Aimee Belgard	44.4%	82,537
	Democratic-Republican	Frederick John LaVergne	1.7%	3,095
Total Votes				186,103
Source: New Jersey Division of Elections

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

a MacArthur listed energy independence as a top issue on his campaign website. "Tom is concerned about our reliance on potential adversaries for our energy needs and will fight for energy independence, which he believes is both possible and necessary. He opposes a national energy tax like cap-and-trade, but strongly supports projects like the Keystone XL Pipeline and expanded domestic drilling to ensure long-term energy independence for America – projects that will also create thousands of new jobs. Tom also backs offshore wind as an important potential source of clean energy for our region and will support the extension of the renewable energy production tax credit so this burgeoning industry can remain competitive with more mature energy sources."

Belgard had also listed energy independence as a top issue on her campaign website. "Making clean energy technologies a national priority and leading the way with solar and wind will not only protect our environment, it will further protect our economic and national security. By declaring our energy independence, we will chart a new direction where clean energy alternatives will enable America to break our dependency on foreign oil and fossil fuels. This is a win-win approach. We can create high-paying job growth in the clean energy sector and strengthen our foreign policy interests by reducing our reliance on oil imports."

Fracking in New York

In June 2014, the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, ruled that cities and towns in New York have the right to block fracking within their borders. The court said that the state's applicable laws do not "preempt the home-rule authority to regulate land use." Linda Lavine, a town board member involved in the case, said, "This is simply a victory for local control. It is a victory for liberals and conservatives of all sorts. It is what democracy is all about." Frank Macchiarola, an executive at America's Natural Gas Alliance (an industry advocacy group), said, "A regime where you essentially have local control of the process at the township level is a challenge and is more problematic for companies than if you had a statewide program. The regulatory structure at the state level is substantially better for a number of reasons."

A statewide moratorium was in place in 2014.

New York's 1st Congressional District elections, 2014

New York's 1st Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. FairVote rated the 2014 race as a toss up. The Cook Political Report rated New York's 1st as leaning Democratic. Democratic incumbent Tim Bishop had been in office for 10 years. In 2012 he won re-election by a 4.6 percent margin of victory. President Barack Obama won the district by only 0.5 percent in 2012. He was challenged by Republican Lee Zeldin. Zeldin (R) defeated the 10-year incumbent Bishop.

U.S. House, New York District 1 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Tim Bishop Incumbent	45.5%	78,722
	Republican	Lee Zeldin	54.4%	94,035
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.1%	108
Total Votes				172,865
Source: New York State Board of Elections, "NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed August 30, 2021

Energy and the election

Bishop listed the environment as a top issues on his campaign website. "With over 300 miles of coastline in New York’s First Congressional District, I understand that a clean environment is vital for eastern Long Island’s economy. From leading the charge against misguided efforts to reward heavy industry at the expense of our environment, to bringing back needed federal dollars to preserve open space and preserve our beaches, I am working hard to ensure that future generations will have clean air and water in perpetuity."

a Zeldin listed energy as a top issue on his campaign website. "The increasing cost of energy is straining our families and our businesses. Gas prices and home heating oil costs are just two of the areas where we are reminded every day that our federal policies are hurting our families and our businesses."

New York's 11th Congressional District elections, 2014

New York's 11th Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. The Cook Political Report labeled it a "Toss Up," and FairVote rated it as "Lean[ing] R." Republican incumbent Michael Grimm won the 2014 election. Grimm also won in 2012 by a 5 percent margin of victory, but the district voted President Barack Obama by a 4.3 percent margin. Grimm was elected to his seat in 2010, and incumbents who have served less than four years tend to be more vulnerable than representatives who have held their seat for many years. Grimm was challenged by Democrat Domenic Recchia and Green Party candidate Henry Bardel.

U.S. House, New York District 11 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Michael Grimm Incumbent	54.8%	58,886
	Democratic	Domenic Recchia	42.1%	45,244
	Green	Henry Bardel	2.5%	2,687
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.5%	546
Total Votes				107,363
Source: New York State Board of Elections, NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed August 30, 2021

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

a Grimm listed energy and the environment as top issues on his campaign website. "Between tax increases and toll hikes, rising gas and energy prices add insult to injury and put further strain on our ever-tightening budgets. In order to lower energy costs, I support an all-of-the-above approach to energy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil; generates American jobs by tapping into resources here at home; and provides incentives to create clean, renewable, and efficient energy options."

Bardel had also listed energy on his campaign website among the five laws that would be his top priorities if elected. "I will sponsor laws that will subsidize research on how we can make green energy cheaper and more productive. Green energy like wind, solar, geothermal, biomass power, hydro power, hydrogen power and ocean energy so that we can stop global warming with green house gases caused by the burning of coal, oil and gas."

New York's 18th Congressional District elections, 2014

New York's 18th Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. The Cook Political Report rated the district as "Lean Democratic," while FairVote rated it as a "Toss Up." The district was narrowly won in 2014 by the Democratic incumbent Sean Maloney, who beat Republican Nan Hayworth. Maloney was first elected in 2012.

U.S. House, New York District 18 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Sean Maloney Incumbent	49.7%	88,993
	Republican	Nan Hayworth	47.8%	85,660
	Send Mr. Smith	Scott Smith	2.4%	4,294
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.1%	144
Total Votes				179,091
Source: New York State Board of Elections, NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed August 30, 2021

Energy and the election

Neither candidate listed energy or the environment as a top issue on their campaign website.

New York's 21st Congressional District elections, 2014

New York's 21st Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. Both The Cook Political Report and FairVote rated this district's 2014 election as a toss up. In 2012, President Barack Obama won the district by a 6.1 percent margin, but Democratic incumbent Bill Owens won by a smaller margin (1.9 percent). Owens, who was not running for re-election, left the seat open. Republican Elise Stefanik beat Democrat Aaron Woolf in the 2014 election.

U.S. House, New York District 21 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Elise Stefanik	55.1%	96,226
	Democratic	Aaron Woolf	33.8%	59,063
	Green	Matt Funiciello	11%	19,238
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.1%	141
Total Votes				174,668
Source: New York State Board of Elections, NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed August 30, 2021

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Woolf listed energy as a top issue on his campaign website. "A cornerstone of my efforts in Congress will be to focus on incentivizing renewable energy, encouraging efficiency and investing in research and development."

a Stefanik also listed as energy as a top issue on her campaign website. "Elise supports a national energy policy that increases American-made energy, reduces our dependency on foreign oil, protects the environment, and brings down energy costs for New Yorkers. Expanding energy exploration and drilling for oil and natural gas where it can be reached; utilizing alternative energy sources like solar and wind; developing more clean-coal and nuclear energy; and keeping government mandates and taxes low on energy suppliers and developers – these are critical components of an American-made ‘All of the Above’ energy policy."

New York's 23rd Congressional District elections, 2014

New York's 23rd Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. Republican incumbent Tom Reed ultimately beat his Democratic challenger, Martha Robertson. The Cook Political Report rated the district as "Likely Republican." FairVote rated the district as "Lean R." President Barack Obama lost the district by 1.2 percent in 2012 while Republican incumbent Tom Reed won the district by a 3.6 percent margin that year.

Although New York's 23rd is consistently rated Republican, Reed was viewed as a vulnerable incumbent. While Reed received more money in campaign contributions than his Democratic challenger, Martha Robertson raised significantly more money than most first-time candidates running for the House.

U.S. House, New York District 23 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Tom Reed Incumbent	61.7%	113,130
	Democratic	Martha Robertson	38.3%	70,242
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.1%	109
Total Votes				183,481
Source: New York State Board of Elections, NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed August 30, 2021

Energy and the election

a Reed did not list energy or the environment as a top issue on his campaign website.

Robertson listed clean energy and the environment as top issues on her campaign website. "Martha knows that our region will be best served by strengthening our existing economic drivers including agriculture, tourism, and small businesses. She believes that we can harness our own power while creating permanent, local jobs through innovative renewable energy, efficiency, and clean tech investments and development."

Fracking in North Carolina

Although there are no natural gas or crude oil reserves in North Carolina, there are shale deposits in the state, which means that fracking is feasible in the state. On June 4, 2014, Governor Pat McCrory signed into law the Energy Modernization Act, which lifted a fracking moratorium that had been in place since 2012. The Mining and Energy Commission was slated to complete drafting appropriate regulations by January 1, 2015, with those regulations taking effect in March 2015.

United States Senate elections in North Carolina, 2014

In a close race, challenger Thom Tillis (R) defeated incumbent Kay Hagan (D). Libertarian Sean Haugh consistently received 7-10 percent in the polls, a relatively high amount for a third party candidate. However, Haugh received fewer votes than the polls predicted, and Tillis pulled ahead of Hagan.

U.S. Senate, North Carolina General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Kay Hagan Incumbent	47.3%	1,377,651
	Republican	Thom Tillis	48.8%	1,423,259
	Libertarian	Sean Haugh	3.7%	109,100
	Write-in	John Rhodes	0%	621
	Write-in	David Waddell	0%	201
	Write-in	Barry Gurney	0%	142
	Write-in	Write-in (miscellaneous)	0.1%	4,307
Total Votes				2,915,281
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

Energy and the election

Both Hagan and Tillis publicly supported fracking in this election. Hagan supports fracking and offshore drilling "if done a certain way." Tillis, as Speaker of the House in North Carolina, voted for the fracking bill.

Hagan did not list energy as a top issue on her campaign website.

a Tillis listed energy as a top issue on his campaign website. "The anti-energy policies of Kay Hagan and Barack Obama have destroyed jobs and caused energy prices to skyrocket. Thom understands we need an all-the-above approach to make America energy independent. Thom strongly supports the construction of the Keystone Pipeline and favors expanding offshore drilling to make our nation less dependent on foreign oil. And unlike Hagan, Thom opposes cap and trade and will fight the EPA’s job-killing regulations."

Fracking in South Dakota

Map of oil and gas wells and fields in South Dakota

The first producing oil well in South Dakota was drilled in 1953. Commercial oil production began in 1954 in Harding County. Between 1954 and 2010, Harding County produced more than 44 million barrels of oil. This accounted for nearly 90 percent of the state's total oil production. Most modern production (dating from 1977 to present) occurs in Harding County. Harding County can be seen in the top left of the map to the right. Harding County has 14 oil fields and three gas fields. There is also oil and gas activity in Custer, Meade, Butte and Perkins counties.

United States Senate elections in South Dakota, 2014

Former South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds (R) won the general election.

With Rounds' win, it was the first time in 28 years both South Dakota U.S. Senate seats were held by Republicans.

U.S. Senate, South Dakota General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Mike Rounds	50.4%	140,741
	Democratic	Rick Weiland	29.5%	82,456
	Independent	Larry Pressler	17.1%	47,741
	Independent	Gordon Howie	3%	8,474
Total Votes				279,412
Source: South Dakota Secretary of State

Energy and the election

a Rounds' website listed energy independence and the Keystone Pipeline as a top issue on his campaign website: "Mike believes in a “North American” solution to our dependence on foreign energy. All forms of domestic energy should be pursued. Mike does not believe in higher taxes on energy producers. The President’s current energy policy attacking traditional energy sources will cost the average American family about $140 more per month than they’re currently paying."

Howie's website did not listed energy as a top issue.

Weiland's website did not listed energy as a top issue.

Pressler's website did not listed energy as a top issue.

Map of active oil and gas wells in Texas, January 2014

Fracking in Texas

Texas has long led the nation when it comes to oil and natural gas activity. Texas holds about 23 percent of the total natural gas reserves in the United States. Texas also accounts for 22 percent of the total crude oil production in the nation. The Texas Railroad Commission regulates the oil and natural gas industry. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality also regulates this industry. It oversees emissions, well casings and cementing, as well as off-site impacts. Much of the basis for oil and gas regulation has been set by the Texas Constitution. Throughout Texas' oil boom in the 20th century, many of the regulations the state crafted became a nationwide standard. Texas was the first state to require the disclosure of fracking fluid chemicals in 2011. According to the Environment America Research & Policy Center, an environmental group, 33,753 wells have been fracked in Texas since 2005.

Texas' 23rd Congressional District elections, 2014

Texas' 23rd Congressional District was a battleground in 2014. Incumbent Pete Gallego (D) was defeated by Will Hurd (R) in the general election on November 4, 2014. The district went to John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012. Additionally, Gallego was a freshman incumbent who won election in 2012 by less than 5 percent.

U.S. House, Texas District 23 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Will Hurd	49.8%	57,459
	Democratic	Pete Gallego Incumbent	47.7%	55,037
	Libertarian	Ruben Corvalan	2.5%	2,933
Total Votes				115,429
Source: Texas Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Gallego's campaign website listed energy as a top issue. "The oil and gas industry in Congressional District 23 is a big reason that the U.S. is now a net exporter of crude oil for the first time since the 1950s. Making the most of our domestic fossil fuel resources not only creates jobs we sorely need but also moves us toward energy independence from unstable regions. And while we must do the most with the resources we’ve been given, we must also be good stewards of our future and develop green energy to grow the energy-sector jobs of tomorrow."

a Hurd's campaign website listed energy as a top issue as well. "Ensuring our ability to be energy independent."

Fracking in Virginia

Fracking has been practiced in Virginia since the early to mid-1950s. From 2000 to 2013, 1,118 permits were issued for gas wells. 170 permits were issued for horizontal gas wells and 25 permits were issued for oil wells. According to the Environment America Research & Policy Center, an environmental group, 95 wells have been fracked in Virginia since 2005.

Virginia's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014

Incumbent Scott Rigell (R) beat retired U.S. Naval Reserve Commander Suzanne Patrick (D) in the general election. Neither candidate faced a primary challenger. Ballotpedia identified Virginia's 2nd Congressional District as a battleground race because Cook's PVI showed the district as R+2, and Fairvote rated the district as 43.4 percent Democratic. In addition, President Barack Obama won the district by 1.5 percent in 2012 and 1.7 percent in 2008.

U.S. House, Virginia District 2 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Scott Rigell Incumbent	58.7%	101,558
	Democratic	Suzanne Patrick	41.1%	71,178
	N/A	Write-in	0.2%	324
Total Votes				173,060
Source: Virginia Department of Elections

Energy and the election

a Rigell's website had listed job creation and coastal energy as top issues. "Energy is the clearest path to job creation. In June of 2013 the House passed the Offshore Energy and Jobs Act, which included the Virginia Jobs and Energy Act, Scott’s legislation to harvest Virginia’s coastal energy. A recent study indicated that coastal energy development can create 25,000 jobs for Virginians! Domestic energy will also diversify our local economy and enhance our national security – keeping dollars circulating in the United States rather than through countries that don’t share our values."

Patrick's website did not list energy or the environment as top issues.

Fracking in West Virginia

Hilltop wellpad in Wetzel County, West Virginia

Oil has been produced in West Virginia in 1815 near Charleston at a well drilled for salt. Natural gas is produced from the Marcellus shale, which is found in the northern end of the state. It is estimated that West Virginia's reserves of natural gas could be as much as 6 trillion cubic feet. Total proven natural gas reserves in the United States in 2011 were 334.067 trillion cubic feet. According to the Environment America Research & Policy Center, an environmental group, 3,272 wells have been permitted for fracking in West Virginia since 2005.

West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District elections, 2014

West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District was one of Ballotpedia's U.S. House battleground districts in 2014 because of Rahall's vulnerability as a Democrat who was serving in a Republican district. West Virginia state Senator Evan Jenkins (R), a former Democrat, switched parties in July 2013 to challenge 19-term incumbent Nick Rahall (D), setting up one of the most contentious races of 2014. Jenkins beat Rahall in the general election.

West Virginians had a difficult decision to make because Jenkins' and Rahall's rhetoric and stances on the issues were similar. Jenkins defeated Rahall in 2014.

U.S. House, West Virginia District 3 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Nick Rahall Incumbent	44.6%	62,688
	Republican	Evan Jenkins	55.4%	77,713
Total Votes				140,401
Source: West Virginia Secretary of State

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Coal and the "War on Coal" was an important issue in this campaign. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) endorsed stricter regulations for coal-fired power plants. On June 2, 2014, the EPA announced the Clean Power Plan, an initiative from the agency to curb carbon emissions. The goal is to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent of 2005 levels by 2030. The plan would set greenhouse gas emission limits for each state, and it would be up to states to create and implement plans that would meet these greenhouse gas reduction targets. Coal-fired power plants are by far the largest emitters of greenhouse gases and are expected to pay the majority of the cost for this plan. These costs are expected to be passed on to consumers and will increase energy prices in West Virginia.

Jenkins and Rahall agreed that Obama's "War on Coal" must be stopped.

a Jenkins said that the "EPA’s policies are 'devastating' to West Virginians — but says the 19-term incumbent championed Obama’s election in 2008 and appears helpless to stop the White House now."

Rahall "denounced Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency as 'callous,' attacked its biggest greenhouse gas rule as 'disastrous' and filed legislation to block the heart of the president’s climate agenda."

United States Senate elections in West Virginia, 2014

The race to fill Jay Rockefeller's U.S. Senate seat resulted in West Virginia sending a woman to the Senate for the first time in state history. Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, from West Virginia's 2nd Congressional District beat Democratic West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant.

Tennant faced a seemingly uphill battle, according to polls conducted right before the election by DMF Research. These polls showed Capito leading her principal opponent by 10 percent in a state that was becoming increasingly conservative. Tennant was defeated by Capito in 2014.

U.S. Senate, West Virginia General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Shelley Moore Capito	62.1%	281,820
	Democratic	Natalie Tennant	34.5%	156,360
	Libertarian	John Buckley	1.6%	7,409
	Constitution	Phil Hudok	0.6%	2,566
	Mountain	Bob Henry Baber	1.2%	5,504
	N/A	Write-ins	0%	30
Total Votes				453,689
Source: U.S. House Clerk "2014 Election Statistics"

Energy Policy
All 2014 candidates listed energy as an issue for their campaigns

Energy and the election

Though a poll revealed coal was not the primary concern of most West Virginia voters--just over 16 percent chose "the future of coal" from among seven other options when asked what issue "is the most important to your vote for Congress this year"--both candidates hammered home their pro-coal platforms. Tennant criticized Capito for voting against a mine safety act, a policy supported by other West Virginia delegates. Capito expressed displeasure with Tennant's comments, saying, "I was obviously a little surprised at the vindictive nature she came right out of the box against me. I’ve got a lot going on here, and I’ve been doing this a long time. So I’m going to stick with my strategy. I always take the high road."

Capito has traditionally been supportive of the coal and mining industry, sponsoring the Mine Safety Accountability and Improved Protection Act in 2011. In May 2013, she introduced the Coal Jobs Protection Act of 2013. The bill would require the Environmental Protection Agency to base a determination on approving a new or renewed permit covering discharges from a structure only on regulations issued by the permitting authority. Tennant came out with a campaign ad that has been called "one of the most anti-Obama ads of the election." In it, she turns off the lights of the White House after saying, "You and I know it's our hard working West Virginia coal miners that power America. I'll make sure President Obama gets the message."

a Capito's website was not available as of July 2014. In 2013, she introduced the Coal Jobs Protection Act of 2013. The bill would require the Environmental Protection Agency to base a determination on approving a new or renewed permit covering discharges from a structure only on regulations issued by the permitting authority. According to ‘‘GovTrack’’, the bill has a “6% chance of being enacted.”

Tennant's website listed energy as a top issue. "I will fight President Obama, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and anyone else who tries to undermine West Virginia coal jobs. I strongly oppose President Obama’s regulations on coal-fired power plants because they are based on technology that either does not exist, or is too expensive to implement without causing significant job losses or jeopardizing electricity reliability."

News items

This section links to a Google news search for the term "Fracking + election"

Fracking Election News Feed

See also

• Fracking
• Fracking in the United States
• Energy policy in the United States

External links

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Hydraulic Fracturing"
• U.S. Geological Survey, "Hydraulic Fracturing"
• U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Technology drives natural gas production growth from shale gas formations"

Footnotes

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Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams. Managing Editor of Events • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox