2006 жылғы Нью-Йорк штатының сенат сайлауы

Election for United States senator from New York held in 2006

The 2006 United States Senate election in New York was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic U. S. Senator Hillary Clinton won re election to a second term in office, by a more than two to one margin. Clinton was challenged by Republican John Spencer, the former mayor of Yonkers. Longtime political activist Howie Hawkins of the Green Party also ran a third party campaign. The election was not close, with Clinton winning 58 of New York's 62 counties. Clinton had a surprisingly strong performance in upstate New York, which was considered to be a tossup. Clinton's large margins in both upstate New York and in New York City helped propel her to a landslide victory over Spencer. Clinton was sworn in for what would be her last term in the senate serving from January 3, 2007 to January 21, 2009 when she assumed the office of United States Secretary of State in the Obama administration.

Hillary Clinton announced in November 2004 that she would seek a second term in the Senate, and began fundraising and campaigning. Clinton faced opposition for the Democratic party nomination from the anti war base of her own party, that had become increasingly frustrated with her support for the Iraq War. On October 12, 2005 New Paltz firefighter and activist Steven Greenfield, a former Green Party leader, announced he would run as a Democrat. On December 6, 2005, labor advocate Jonathan Tasini announced that he would run as well, running as an antiwar candidate, calling for immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, universal health care, expansion in Medicare benefits, the creation of Universal Voluntary Accounts for pensions, and what he termed "New Rules For the Economy", a more labor centric as opposed to the corporate centric approach to economic matters espoused by Clinton. Tasini was president of Economic Future Group and former president of the National Writers Union. Tasini was supported by anti war activist Cindy Sheehan, who had in October said of Clinton, "I will resist her candidacy with every bit of my power and strength I will not make the mistake of supporting another pro war Democrat for president again." On March 31, 2006, businessman Mark Greenstein announced his run for the seat. Greenstein, endorsed by the New Democrats, presented himself as a non liberal Democrat who was campaigning to "bring the far left back to reality that Big Government is the source of most ongoing problems Democrat constituents face." He contended that Clinton was "too liberal" in her support for regulations, "too wishy washy" on the Iraq war and on gay rights, and had lost integrity by using the Dubai Ports issue for political purposes. Greenstein challenged Clinton to sign a pledge that she would serve out her full 6 year Senate term if re elected. However, in May 2006, Greenstein endorsed Tasini and essentially dropped out of the race. On June 1, 2006, Clinton accepted the unanimous endorsement of the New York State Democratic Party's convention in Buffalo. Eight days later, Greenstein dropped out of the race. Tasini pressed on, submitting 40,000 signatures to the State Election Commission on July 14, far more than the 15,000 needed to force a primary. Clinton's campaign said that she would not challenge the signatures.

New York Republicans originally had high hopes of mounting a serious challenge to Clinton, and derailing her expected future presidential bid. On August 18, 2005, another Republican candidate, former Mayor of Yonkers John Spencer, gave a radio interview in which he attacked Pirro, calling her chances of winning the Conservative Party of New York State nomination "a Chinaman's chance." Spencer later apologized. On October 14, 2005, Governor Pataki endorsed Pirro. Later that day, Cox withdrew from the race; his campaign had raised only $114,249 in contributions in the prior three months. On October 18, 2005, remarks by Pirro that appeared to suggest that Democrats were indifferent to child molesters and murderers drew sharp criticism from the Clinton campaign and others. Pirro trailed Clinton badly in fund raising and in polls; her campaign had failed to gain traction. The announcement was timed to coincide with the 2005 New York City transit strike, so as to draw minimal attention to the Republicans' difficulties. Cox considered reentering the race but did not. Politically, Spencer was generally opposed to abortion, against gun control, and a supporter of tighter border security. He supported the George W. Bush administration and its policies, including the war in Iraq. Spencer came out in favor of New York's Court of Appeals denying same sex marriage to 42 gay and lesbian couples who challenged that denial as unconstitutional. Spencer said that marriage equality for same sex couples equated to "special rights for gays." Spencer was endorsed by Republican officials such as Congressman Vito Fossella. In contrast, McFarland was pro choice. In a June 2006 radio ad, Spencer attacked national Republicans for not funding his campaign. On August 22, McFarland announced that she would be suspending her campaign until further notice after her daughter was caught shoplifting.

Clinton spent $36 million for her re election, more than any other candidate for Senate in the 2006 elections. Polls during the campaign generally showed Clinton with a 20 point lead or better over Spencer, with none of the third party candidates — Hawkins, Bill Van Auken of the Socialist Equality Party, and Jeff Russell of the Libertarian Party — showing strength. On November 7, 2006, Clinton won easily, garnering 67% of the vote to Spencer's 31%.

Clinton's victory margin over her Republican opponent (67%–31%) was a significant gain over her showing in the 2000 senate race against Rick Lazio (55%–43%). She carried all but four of New York's sixty two counties. Clinton's 2006 margin did not quite equal the percentage received by Eliot Spitzer in the concurrent gubernatorial race (69%%–29%) nor by Charles Schumer in his 2004 Senate re election campaign (71%%–24%), both of which had also been against little known Republican opponents. Jeanine Pirro would go on to get the Republican nomination for New York State Attorney General, but lost in the 2006 attorney general election to Democrat Andrew Cuomo. Clinton was criticized by some Democrats for spending too much in a one sided contest, while some supporters were concerned she did not leave more funds for a potential presidential bid in 2008. In the following months she transferred $10 million of her Senate funds toward her 2008 presidential campaign. Following her Attorney General loss, Pirro left electoral politics and became a television judge and political commentator. Spencer left politics altogether. Tasani ran for a House seat in 2010 but was not competitive. Clinton fell short in her 2008 presidential nomination bid, served as U. S. Secretary of State for four years, and then ran again in the 2016 United States presidential election but suffered a general election loss.