July 2014

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In July 2014, major U.S. Democrats were engaged in several significant political activities, primarily centered around the upcoming midterm elections, legislative efforts, and responses to national and international issues. Below is a detailed overview of their key activities during this period, based on available information:
1. Midterm Election Campaigning and Fundraising
Democratic Candidates' Fundraising Efforts: Democrats were actively fundraising for the November 2014 midterm elections. In key Senate races, vulnerable Democratic incumbents faced strong Republican challengers who often outraised them. For example:
In Arkansas, Senator Mark Pryor raised $1.5 million, while his Republican challenger, Tom Cotton, raised $2.28 million.

In Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, Representative Ron Barber raised $550,000, compared to Republican Martha McSally’s $653,000.

These figures highlight the financial challenges Democrats faced, as Republican candidates were gaining ground in battleground states.

Senate and House Campaign Strategies: Democrats were focused on defending their Senate majority, which stood at 53-45 (with two independents caucusing with them). The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) was actively involved in supporting candidates, transferring $6.9 million to national senatorial party committees during the 2013-2014 election cycle.

Key Primaries and Nominations: In Georgia, Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light and daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn, secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat. She faced a competitive race against Republican David Perdue, who won the Republican runoff primary on July 22 with 50.9% of the vote.

2. Legislative Activities
Senate Leadership and Agenda: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was navigating a challenging legislative environment, pushing to wrap up the Senate’s work before the August recess. Reid expressed a desire to finalize key bills and return to his new home, indicating his focus on managing the Senate’s agenda.

Response to Immigration Crisis: Democrats, including President Barack Obama, were addressing a border crisis involving an influx of unaccompanied children from Central America. Obama postponed executive action on immigration until after the midterm elections, at the request of red-state Democrats who feared political backlash in their re-election campaigns.

Support for the Affordable Care Act (ACA): Democrats continued to defend the ACA (Obamacare) amidst heavy Republican criticism during the campaign season. The ACA was a central issue, with significant campaign spending against it, though Democrats promoted policies like increasing the minimum wage to counter Republican attacks.

3. Response to National and International Issues
Ebola Outbreak Concerns: Democrats, particularly the Obama administration, faced criticism from Republicans over the handling of four Ebola cases diagnosed in the U.S. weeks before the election. While the issue was politicized by Republicans, Democrats focused on public health responses and downplayed the crisis after the elections.

Foreign Policy and Ukraine Crisis: The Obama administration was managing the crisis in eastern Ukraine and Crimea, which had begun earlier in 2014. By November, troop levels in Iraq were increased to around 3,000, though Democrats emphasized that these were non-combat roles, reflecting Obama’s commitment to avoiding “boots on the ground.”

Police Reform and Ferguson: Following unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder called for improvements in community policing, including a proposal for $75 million over three years to fund 50,000 body cameras for police. However, this funding was not included in the year-end spending bill.

4. Key Democratic Figures and Their Activities
President Barack Obama: As the leader of the Democratic Party, Obama was dealing with a “six-year itch” midterm election, a period typically challenging for second-term presidents. His administration faced low approval ratings, and he acknowledged the low voter turnout (36.4%, the lowest since 1942) as a factor in Democratic losses.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: Reid was focused on maintaining Senate control and managing legislative priorities, including efforts to pass bills before the lame-duck session.

Attorney General Eric Holder: Holder was actively involved in addressing the Ferguson unrest, advocating for police reform alongside Obama.

Democratic National Committee (DNC): The DNC, alongside the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), was heavily engaged in campaign finance, raising $980.9 million and disbursing $824.2 million by September 30, 2014, for the election cycle.

5. Notable Challenges and Losses
Democrats faced significant challenges in maintaining their Senate majority, with projections indicating a likely Republican takeover. The party needed to defend 21 of the 36 Senate seats up for election, a daunting task given the Republican wave.

In Georgia’s 12th Congressional District, Democratic incumbent John Barrow outraised his Republican challenger Rick Allen, but the race remained competitive, reflecting the broader trend of Republican gains.

In Hawaii, Brian Schatz narrowly defeated Colleen Hanabusa in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat (48.5% to 47.8%), a closely watched contest following the death of Senator Daniel Inouye.

Context and Outcome
July 2014 was a critical period for Democrats as they prepared for a tough midterm election. The party faced a Republican wave, fueled by dissatisfaction with Obama’s administration, the ACA, and economic concerns like income inequality. Despite efforts to mobilize voters and defend key policies, Democrats suffered historic losses in November 2014, losing nine Senate seats and 13 House seats, resulting in Republicans gaining control of both chambers of Congress.