Washington (CNN) -- For political junkies, 2013 was expected to be a quiet year following the presidential election and it basically followed the script. 

Nonetheless, there were some interesting developments at the ballot box. 

New Jersey, as expected, returned Gov. Chris Christie to office and also sent Cory Booker to the U.S. Senate. Bill de Blasio became the first Democrat elected New York City Mayor in two decades, and Democrats, led by Terry McAuliffe, swept the top three executive offices in Virginia for the first time in recent memory. 

Were these outcomes isolated or do they mean anything for 2014, when candidates will heat up the campaign trail big time ahead of next November's congressional midterms and key gubernatorial elections? 

In the new year, 435 House seats are up as are 35 in the Senate. There will be 36 gubernatorial races as well. Most of these campaigns won't be nail biters, but there could be collective power shifts in Washington and in state houses. 

Here, CNN Politics focuses on the Senate, where Republicans aim to retake control. Republicans must pick up six seats to claim the majority and key races are wide open at this point. 

The top 12 campaign questions of 2014 

Five key races: 

Kentucky 

The incumbent is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is under pressure from two fronts: Democrats, naturally, and from a tea party challenger within his own Republican Party who says he's not conservative enough. 

While McConnell is likely to defeat his primary opponent, Matt Bevin, he is expending money and other resources he'd rather use in a general election campaign against Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes.  QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. How was 2013 supposed to go?
2. What was meant to become of 2013?
3. 
Q2:
1. What interesting developments occurred in 2013?
2. What happened politically in 2013 that was of note?
3. 
Q3:
1. What took place in New Jersey?
2. What occurred in the state of New Jersey?
3. 
Q4:
1. Who was the first Democratic mayor elected in New York in two decades?
2. What was the name of the Democrat mayor that New York elected from that party for the first time in 20 years?
3. 
Q5:
1. How many house seats are voters going to make a decision on in the new year?
2. What is the number of house seats that voters will make choices regarding in the new year?
3. 
Q6:
1. Who plans to retake control over the house?
2. Who intends to gain back control of the house?
3. 
Q7:
1. How many seats do Republicans need to pick up in the house?
2. What is the number of seats the GOP needs to become in control of the house?
3. 
Q8:
1. What were the 12 most asked campaign questions of 2014?
2. What twelve questions were most asked of candidates in 2014?
3. 
Q9:
1. What is Mitch McConnell's title?
2. What does Mitch McConnell do?
3. 
Q10:
1. Who was Matt Bevin to Mitch McConnell?
2. What role did Matt Bevin play with respect to Mitch McConnell?
3. 
Q11:
1. What is Mitch McConnell spending money on?
2. What are Mitch McConnell's funds going to?
3. 
Q12:
1. Who is Mitch McConnell spending money against?
2. Who is Mitch McConnell's general election opponent?
3. 
Q13:
1. Who is the Kentucky Secretary of State?
2. What is the name of Mitch McConnell's general election opponent?
3. 
