▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate . ▁Allen ▁ultimately ▁lost ▁his ▁bid ▁to ▁Dem ocrat ▁Tim ▁K aine ; ▁Independ ence ▁Virginia ▁P AC ▁spent ▁$ 4 . 9 ▁million ▁to ▁aid ▁the ▁Republican . ▁ ▁Ben ne cke ▁also ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁independent ▁America ▁ 3 6 0 ▁Committee ▁in ▁Massachusetts ▁to ▁aid ▁Sen . ▁Scott ▁Brown ▁in ▁his ▁re - e lection ▁effort ; ▁he ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁Dem ocrat ▁Elizabeth ▁Warren . ▁ ▁Ben ne cke ' s ▁close ▁co operation ▁in ▁both ▁races ▁with ▁Las ▁Veg as ▁billion aire ▁G OP ▁activ ist ▁Sh eld on ▁Adel son ▁was ▁noted . ▁ ▁Republican ▁set back s ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁Virginia ▁state wide ▁elections ▁gave ▁Democr ats ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁Senate ▁through ▁the ▁asc ension ▁of ▁Ralph ▁North am ▁to ▁the ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ship . ▁Ben ne cke ▁directed ▁the ▁campaign ▁of ▁B . ▁Wayne ▁Cole man ▁to ▁succeed ▁North am ▁in ▁the ▁Democratic - lean ing , ▁Nor folk - based ▁ 6 th ▁District , ▁falling ▁short ▁by ▁ 1 1 ▁votes ▁after ▁a ▁length y ▁rec ount ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁Pers isting ▁after ▁the ▁Cole man ▁defeat ▁months ▁before , ▁he ▁directed ▁the ▁successful ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁special - e lection ▁campaign ▁of ▁Ben ▁Ch af in ▁to ▁the ▁Virginia ▁State ▁Senate , ▁which ▁returned ▁complete ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly ▁to ▁the ▁Republic ans . ▁ ▁Also ▁in ▁ 2 0 1