Dartmouth Ranks in U.S. Senate Set to Grow After November Elections

Currently, Dartmouth’s sole representative in the United States Senate is Senator Kirsten Gillibrand ’88 (D-NY).  Senator Gillibrand is poised to win her special election to the Senate in November, following her appointment to the Senate to fill the seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, now Secretary of State.  It is likely that at least two Dartmouth alumni and perhaps three will join Gillibrand in the United States Senate next January following the November elections. 

First, former Member of Congress, former Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget and former United States Trade Representative under President George W. Bush, Rob Portman ’78 (R-OH) has a double-digit lead against his Democratic opponent, Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, according to two polls conducted in the past two weeks—Quinnipiac and CNN/Time. Portman also maintains a two-to-one fundraising advantage over Fisher. 

Second, Governor John Hoeven ’79 (R-ND) has more than a 40-point lead in the North Dakota Senate race over his Democratic opponent, State Senator Tracy Potter.  This Senate seat was long held by Democrat Byron Dorgan. When Dorgan announced his retirement, Hoeven, the popular Republican Governor, quickly announced his intention to run for the Senate.  Both Portman and Hoeven have been honored by the Rockefeller Center in recent years.  Portman received the Center’s Distinguished Public Service Award at the Rockefeller Center’s 25^th Anniversary Celebration in 2008; Governor Hoeven received the same award in 2009. 

Finally, a fourth Dartmouth alumnus, Rep. Paul Hodes ’72 (D-NH), is in a battle for the New Hampshire Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Judd Gregg.  Hodes has represented the 2^nd Congressional District of New Hampshire since 2007.  He is not running for that seat in order to seek the Senate seat.  Currently, Hodes trails in the polls by single digits to former New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte.  Despite Hodes vacating his House seat to run for the Senate, Dartmouth will not lose its New Hampshire representation in the United States House of Representatives as both the Republican nominee, Charlie Bass ’74, who held the 2^nd District seat for twelve years prior to being defeated by Hodes in 2006, and the Democratic nominee, Anne McLane Kuster ’78, a Concord lawyer-lobbyist, are Dartmouth graduates.