2014: Did Hillary Clinton got her groove back despite Democrats' loss?

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Washington (CNN) -- Election night was terrible for the Democratic Party, and Hillary Clinton was not spared.

Clinton visited 20 states and stumped for 26 candidates ahead of Election Day 2014. Her midterm record was an abysmal 11 wins, 14 losses and one runoff, according to CNN projections.

But there is an argument - Clinton advisers will spin it to you - in the context of what appears to be an all-but-certain run in 2016, that her Midterm record is far less important than what she gained while campaigning for Democrats.

Re-learning to stump

Going into the Midterms, Clinton's mostly paid speeches were corporate and dull. She addressed audiences that were full of executive types who did not alawys seem excited to see her; many of whom were attending conferences that had no connection to the former secretary of state.

That changed during Clinton's time on the campaign trail.

The former secretary of state stretched her long-dormant political legs and toyed with what will likely be her presidential message. She honed a new message based on women's rights and opposition to Wall Street and - perhaps most importantly - got some needed practice ahead of a possible presidential run.

When the former secretary of state took the stage at September's Tom Harkin Steak Fry in Iowa - her first real political speech of the year - she appeared to reporters on the ground to be flat and out-of-practice. That afternoon, the crowd responded with far more excitement to Tom Harkin, their retiring senator, and Bill Clinton, Hillary's husband and the former president.

But over time during the Midterms, Clinton became more comfortable on the stump.

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2014: Did Hillary Clinton got her groove back despite Democrats' loss?

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