U.S. Senators: Who Did They Beat? Quiz

Answer: John F. Kennedy

The 1952 Senate Election in Massachusetts was one of the most historic Senate elections in U.S. history. It pitted Republican Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. against Democrat John F. Kennedy. Both men were from wealthy, political families and were incredibly popular.

Their grandfathers had run against each other in the Senate race in 1916. The race was expensive and nasty. Ultimately, Kennedy narrowly prevailed with 51% of the vote. Six years later, Kennedy handily defeated little known challenge Vincent Celeste with over 73% of the vote.

Answer: Joe McCarthy

Joe McCarthy was a Republican senator from Wisconsin best known for his crusades against alleged Communists in various parts of the U.S. government and elsewhere. His first term, which he won by defeating U.S. Rep Howard McMurray, was mostly uneventful until 1950 when he first announced he believed a Communist ring had infiltrated the State Department.

His efforts in rooting out Communist earned him nationwide praise. Despite his popularity, McCarthy only won a second term against Thomas Fairchild with 54% in 1952 which was well behind Eisenhower's presidential win of the state.

In his second term, McCarthy fell hard from grace. His efforts to find Communists everywhere became excessive and progressively less and less believable. Army lawyer Joseph N. Welch famously asked him ""At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"

Answer: Hillary Clinton

The 2000 Senate Race in New York was one of the marquee events of the 2000 General Election. Originally then First Lady Hillary Clinton was facing popular New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the seat being vacated by longtime Sen. Pat Moynihan. This was the first time a First Lady had sought an elected office. New York is normally a strongly Democratic state but Clinton had a strong opponent in Giuliani who could eat away at the Democratic base in New York City.

The two were neck and neck until Giuliani was forced to withdraw due to a number of scandals.

He was replaced by Rick Lazio, a congressman. He was seen as a weaker opponent and Clinton defeated him 55%-43%. She won a second term in 2006 much more easily when she defeated Yonkers Mayor John Spencer.

Answer: Ron Johnson

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson twice defeated Russ Feingold for his Senate seat. The first time came in 2010 when Feingold was the incumbent senator. Johnson won 52%-47% in 2010 and 50%-47% in 2016. The conventional wisdom, according to most election prognosticators, was that Feingold was favored in both races. Johnson was able to win in 2016 because Donald Trump's unexpected win of the state in the 2016 Presidential Election.

Answer: Barack Obama

Incumbent Illinois Senator Peter Fitzgerald declined to run for a second term in 2004. The race to succeed him was initially competitive between State Senator Barack Obama and investment banker Jack Ryan. However, Ryan was embroiled in a scandal involving his divorce from actress Jeri Ryan and was forced to withdraw.

He was replaced by Alan Keyes who had previously worked in the State Department. Ryan's withdrawal all but assured the future president's Senate win as Keyes was not seen as a strong contender. Obama defeated him 70%-27%.

This was the first Senate race in American history where both major party candidates were African-American.

Answer: Nancy Kassebaum

Nancy Kassebaum was a U.S. Senator from Kansas. She was the daughter of former presidential candidate Alf Landon and she sometimes went by the name Nancy Landon Kassebaum to aid in her political career. She narrowly defeated U.S. Congressman Bill Roy to win her first term in 1978. Kansas was a solidly Republican state but Roy had almost defeated Kansas' other senator, Bob Dole, four years earlier and was seen as a strong contender to break the Republican hold on the seat. Kassebaum cruised to reelection in 1984 and 1990, winning over 73% of the vote both times.

Answer: Joe Biden

Joe Biden first came on the national stage during the 1972 Senate Election in Delaware. Boggs was seen as an elder statesman and had long been involved in Delaware politics. Joe Biden was totally unknown as no big name Democrat wanted to challenge the popular Boggs.

However, Boggs made it known that he would have preferred to retire rather than run for another term. Biden was youthful and his energy carried him over the finish line 51%-49%. He served six terms in the Senate and won a seventh but did not take it as he was elected Vice President at the same time.

Answer: Robert Kennedy

Robert Kennedy served as his brother John's Attorney General when JFK was elected president. He stayed in the position even after his brother was assassinated. In 1964, he ran for the U.S. Senate in New York against incumbent Sen. Kenneth Keating. Keating had problems holding together the Republican coalition in New York as he refused to endorse his party's nominee for president, Barry Goldwater. Kennedy defeated him 53%-43% and served until he was assassinated in 1968. During his term, it was often said that Massachusetts had three senators because the Kennedy dynasty was headquartered in Massachusetts.

Answer: Dan Quayle

Dan Quayle challenged long-term incumbent Birch Bayh in the 1980 Senate Election in Indiana. Bayh was popular but getting older while Quayle was only 33 and energized voters across Indiana. Quayle was helped by Ronald Reagan's win in the state in the presidential election the same year.

He was reelected in 1986 with 61% of the vote, a record for the time in any Indiana statewide election. He resigned in 1989 to become Vice President of the United States.

Answer: John Warner

John Warner was a Republican senator from Virginia. He is of no relation to Mark Warner, the Democratic candidate he defeated in 1996 and who later became governor and a senator succeeding John Warner. Warner was perhaps best known for marrying Elizabeth Taylor but in the Senate, he was a fierce advocate for veterans and the military. Warner was something of a moderate to liberal Republican and since his retirement, Warner began endorsing Democratic candidates for various offices.

He won his first term narrowly against Andrew Miller in 1978.

He won over 70% of the vote in three of his four next elections. He only fell below that mark once against Mark Warner in 1996 when he won 52%. In 1990 and 2002, Warner faced no Democratic opposition.

Instead he went against Nancy Spannaus, an independent candidate and follower of controversial figure Lyndon LaRouche.