YuLin Zhen, Contributing Photographer

Several Yale alumni faced re-election in the 2024 election, while others challenged incumbent candidates in tight races. 

Incumbents Josh Hawley LAW ’06, Amy Klobuchar ’82 and Sheldon Whitehouse ’78 retained their respective seats in the Senate. Following three consecutive terms, incumbent Sherrod Brown ’74 lost his seat in Ohio. In races for the House, Maggie Goodlander ’09 LAW ’16 won a seat in New Hampshire while challenger John Avlon ’95 lost to the incumbent.  

Last weekend, Grace O’Grady ’27 flew home to vote for Brown in her home state of Ohio, noting that Brown was a “very visible” part of her community gaining a lot of “affection.” 

In light of trends in Ohio politics, O’Grady noted that she was initially surprised at how contentious the Senate race was given Brown’s popularity in her community. 

“This election made me very conscious of the very insular nature of my communities, and the idea that Ohio does have a lot of variety in its needs, and has been very susceptible to some rhetoric from far-reaching areas, from radical [ideas] on both ends,” said O’Grady. 

Yalies face off in Missouri

In Missouri, Republican incumbent U.S. Senator Josh Hawley LAW ’06 beat Democrat opponent Lucas Kunce ’04, securing his second term.

Hawley previously served as Missouri’s Attorney General. In the past, Hawley fought Obamacare at the Supreme Court and won as one of the lead attorneys in the landmark Hobby Lobby case. As a senator, Hawley has served on the Senate Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Energy and Natural Resources, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Kunce served in Iraq during the War on Terror, was on active duty for 13 years, and worked with the National Security Council, State Department, Department of Homeland Security, FBI and the CIA as part of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.

The two candidates differ on key issues such as reproductive rights and immigration. Namely, Hawley supported the 2022 bill banning abortion in the U.S. after 15 weeks, with the exception of rape, incest or mother’s health but supports the national right to IVF access while Kunce takes a pro-choice stance. 

Senators facing reelection

Brown, three-term Democratic U.S. Senator of Ohio, lost to Bernie Moreno, a businessman endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Flipping the seat from Brown to Moreno signals a critical loss for Democrats hoping to remain in control of the chamber. 

Additionally, the loss of a democratic seat in Ohio completes a transformation to the right in the state. The trend materialized in decisive Trump victories in 2016 and 2020 and Vance’s victory against Democrat Tim Ryan in Ohio’s 2022 Senate race. 

O’Grady said that this motivates her to be more aware of everyday community level issues, despite spending the majority of her time on campus away from home. O’Grady highlighted that she spoke with a wide variety of Ohio voters while standing in line to vote early this past weekend. 

Brown’s campaign tried to appeal to Trump Republicans, independents and Democrats by underscoring his collaboration with presidents of both parties. 

In Rhode Island, Whitehouse won reelection for his fourth term against Republican State Representative Patricia Morgan. 

A few key issues that Whitehouse prioritizes are protecting Social Security and Medicare, improving healthcare, fighting the opioid epidemic and defending reproductive freedom. 

Whitehouse took an early lead over Morgan, securing a swift victory. 

In Minnesota, Klobuchar swiftly defeated challenger Royce White. Klobuchar became Minnesota’s first female U.S. senator when she was elected in 2006, and has won commanding victories in both 2012 and 2018. 

Klobuchar’s campaign centered on lowering consumer prices, creating economic opportunities, protecting fundamental freedoms and keeping people safe. Klobuchar additionally supports codifying Roe V. Wade into federal law. 

“To Minnesota, I again pledge to you, I will stand my ground while always seeking common ground,” Klobuchar wrote in an X post. “I will strive every day to be worthy of your faith and trust.”

Yalies in the House 

Goodlander, a former deputy assistant attorney general under President Joe Biden, will succeed Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster in New Hampshire’s second district. Goodlander defeated Republican Lily Tang Williams for the seat. 

In the Biden administration, Goodlander served as a senior advisor at the White House where she led Biden’s Unity Agenda for the Nation. Her campaign centered on combating corporate monopolies, as well as increasing access to abortion and healthcare. 

Avlon is a political commentator and former CNN reporter running for the U.S. House representative of New York’s 1st Congressional district. Avlon was defeated by incumbent GOP Rep. Nick LaLota. 

The New York Times reports that Avlon, a first-time candidate, outperformed expectations in challenging LaLota despite ultimately losing. 

Newly elected members of Congress will take office on Jan. 3, 2025.