Minority leaders are typically energetic and aggressive campaigners for partisan incumbents and challengers. The NRSC helps elect Republican incumbents and challengers primarily through fundraising. Incumbent Merwin Coad chose to retire rather than run against one of the other incumbents. Both Republican incumbents were re-elected. Both Democratic incumbents were re-elected. All four Republican incumbents were re-elected. Some factors make it harder for voters to sanction incumbents. Seven incumbents filed candidacies for senator. All five Democratic incumbents were re-elected. Of the seats with Republicans incumbents running for re-election, eleven Republicans won re-election. Both NDP incumbents were re-elected. However, Republican incumbents won every primary challenge. Democrats defeated 29 Republican incumbents and picked up 14 open seats. Twelve incumbents were not re-elected. All incumbents were re-elected.