An analysis by Smart Politics finds Utah's 8 Senate elections over the last 25 years were the 42nd "least competitive" in the nation. Not surprisingly, all of those elections were Republican victories.
The results of those elections:
- 1992 – Bob Bennett (R) defeated Wayne Owens (D) by 15.7%
- 1994 – Orrin Hatch (R) defeated Pat Shea (D) by 40.5%
- 1998 – Bob Bennett (R) defeated Scott Leckman (D) by 31%
- 2000 – Orrin Hatch (R) defeated Scott Howell (R) by 34%
- 2004 – Bob Bennett (R) defeated Paul Van Dam (D) by 40.33%
- 2006 – Orrin Hatch (R) defeated Pete Ashdown (D) by 31.3%
- 2010 – Mike Lee (R) defeated Sam Granato (D) by 28.79%
- 2012 – Orrin Hatch (R) defeated Scott Howell (D) by 35.02%
Only 8 states have had less competitive elections over the same time period:
- Alabama (Average margin of victory – 32.8%)
- West Virginia (Average margin of victory – 33.2%)
- Vermont (Average margin of victory – 33.7%)
- Kansas (Average margin of victory – 34.4%)
- Idaho (Average margin of victory – 36.2%)
- Mississippi (Average margin of victory – 38.5%)
- Hawaii (Average margin of victory – 39.7%)
- Wyoming (Average margin of victory – 40.4%)
The five states with the most competitive elections:
- North Carolina (Average margin of victory – 6.1%)
- Colorado (Average margin of victory – 8.8%)
- New Jersey (Average margin of victory – 9.6%)
- (TIE) Missouri and Pennsylvania (Average margin of victory – 9.8%)