Here Are Photos Of The Most Iconic Moments In U.S. Politics This Year

The year 2014 saw shocking political defeats and pivotal gay marriage victories, embarrassing political scandals and unforgettable debate appearances.

The Huffington Post rounded up photos capturing some of the most iconic moments in U.S. politics this year. Take a look below:

Colorado Legalizes Recreational Marijuana

RJ Sangosti / The Denver Post / Getty Images

Sean Azzariti, of Denver, an Iraq war veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder made the first purchase of recreational marijuana under the new law at 3D Cannabis Center in Denver, January, 01 2014. Colorado became the first U.S. state to allow the selling of recreational marijuana.

John Wark / AP

A long line of buyers trails from a store selling marijuana in Pueblo West, Colo., Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014.

Janet Yellen Becomes First Female Fed Chair

Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty Images

Janet Yellen takes the oath of office as chairwoman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System by Fed Governor Daniel Tarullo on Feb. 3, 2014, at the Eccles Building in Washington, D.C.

Veterans Affairs Scandal

Mark Wilson / Getty Images

U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki arrives at a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing that is focusing on wait times veterans face to get medical care May 15, 2014 in Washington, D.C.

Andrew Harrer / Bloomberg / Getty Images

Eric Shinseki, U.S. secretary of Veterans Affairs, adjusts his glasses during a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, May 15, 2014.

Bowe Bergdahl Released

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl sits in a vehicle guarded by the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan. Bergdahl, who had been a prisoner of war in Afghanistan for five years, was freed in a swap in which the U.S. freed five Taliban detainees.

J.H. Owen / Getty Images

President Barack Obama walks with the parents of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, Jani Bergdahl (L) and Bob Bergdahl (R) back to the Oval Office after making a statement regarding the release of Sgt. Bergdahl from captivity May 31, 2014 in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C.

Crisis at the Border

Ross D. Franklin / AP

Two young girls watch a World Cup soccer match on a television from their holding area where hundreds of mostly Central American immigrant children are being processed and held at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Nogales Placement Center on Wednesday, June 18, 2014, in Nogales, Ariz. CPB provided media tours of two locations in Brownsville, Texas, and Nogales, that have been central to processing the more than 47,000 unaccompanied children who have entered the country illegally since Oct. 1.

Eric Cantor Defeated

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) center, joined at left by Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) arrives to meet reporters after a Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 10, 2014.

Hillary Clinton Promotes Book On Nationwide Tour

Bebeto Matthews / AP

HiIlary Rodham Clinton, center, waves to a gathering as she arrives for a book signing on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, at Barnes and Noble bookstore in New York.

@hillarybook / Twitter

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor visits Hillary Clinton during Clinton's book signing at an Arlington, Va. Costco on June 14, 2014.

Ferguson Protests

Jeff Roberson / AP

In this Aug. 11, 2014 file photo, police wearing riot gear walk toward a man with his hands raised in Ferguson, Mo. The response to Michael Brown’s death turned violent because of a convergence of factors, observers said.

Robert Cohen / St. Louis Post-Dispatch / MCT / Landov

A demonstrator throws back a tear gas container after tactical officers worked to break up a group of bystanders on Chambers Road near West Florissant on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014.

Scott Olson / Getty Images

Demonstrators protest the killing of teenager Michael Brown on Aug. 12, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.

Scott Olson / Getty Images

An Al Jazeera television crew, covering demonstrators protesting the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown, scramble for cover as police fire tear gas into their reporting position on Aug. 13, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.

Rick Perry Turns Himself In For Booking Process

Travis County Sheriff's Office

In this handout provided by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Gov. Rick Perry poses for a mug shot photo after turning himself in to authorities at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center on Aug. 19, 2014 in Austin, Texas. Perry was indicted last Friday on felony charges of abuse of power and coercion of a public servant.

Bob McDonnell Is Convicted For Corruption

Marvin Joseph / Washington Post / Getty Images

Former Governor Robert F. McDonnell wades through several members of the media after being found guilty of corruption at the Federal Courthouse in Richmond, Virginia on Sept. 4, 2014. McDonnell was convicted of 11 corruption-related counts, while his wife Maureen McDonnell was convicted of eight, along with obstruction of justice.

Vice President Joe Biden Enjoys Some Ice Cream

Don Ryan / AP

Vice President Joe Biden, right, and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley enjoy ice cream cones after a campaign rally in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014. Biden was in Portland campaigning for Merkley who was being challenged by Republican Monica Wehby.

Florida Governor's Debate "Fangate"

CBS 4 / AP

This video frame grab, made available by CBS 4, shows a fan at the bottom of the lectern near Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist in Davie, Fla., Wednesday Oct. 15, 2014. The fan caused a delay in the gubernatorial debate between Crist and Governor Rick Scott after the Scott campaign considered the fan a violation of the rules prohibiting the use of electronic devices.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Democratic candidate for Governor Charlie Crist (R) walks back to his podium as Republican Florida Governor Rick Scott (L) enters after he delayed his entry onto the stage due to an electric fan that Crist had at his podium as they participate in a televised debate at Broward College on October 15, 2014 in Davie, Florida.

President Obama Hugs Ebola Survivor

Olivier Douliery / Getty Images

U.S. President Barack Obama gives a hug to Dallas nurse Nina Pham in the Oval Office of the White House Oct. 24, 2014 in Washington, D.C. Pham, a nurse who was infected with Ebola from treating patient Thomas Eric Duncan at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas and was first diagnosed on Oct. 12, was declared free of the virus.

Voter Gives Thumbs Down To McConnell

Aaron P. Bernstein / Getty Images

A voter gestures as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) votes in the midterm elections at Bellarmine University Nov. 4, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Elizabeth Warren Joins Democratic Leadership

Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call / Getty Images

From left, Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), leave a news conference after the Senate Democratic leadership election in the Capitol's Old Senate Chamber, Nov. 13, 2014. Warren's title in leadership will be strategic policy advisor to the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.

Obama Enacts Immigration Legislation

Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images

The audience at the 15th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, watches as US President Barack Obama delivers a speech on immigration on Nov. 20, 2014.

Sarah L. Voisin / The Washington Post / Getty Images

A family from D.C. helped by the action cries and hugs after hearing Obama's announcement. From left to right is Enriqueta Juarez, 38, of Mexico, her husband, Oscar Alfaro, 39 of Honduras and one of their children, Gelin Alfaro, 16. They qualify because of their 5-year-old U.S.-born child. Gelin has DACA status.

Gay Marriage Victories Across The Nation

Mike Hutmacher / Wichita Eagle / Getty Images

Krista Casmaer, left, and Mindy Kufahl trade wedding bands with Kufahl's daughter Phoebe Edgerton-Kufahl, 7, as witness during a mass same-sex marriage ceremony Monday, Nov. 17, 2014 on the steps of the Historic Sedgwick County Courthouse in Wichita, Kansas.

Otto Kitsinger / AP

Rachael Beierle, left, and Boise City Council President Maryanne Jordan, center, laugh at a joke in Amber Beierle's wedding vows at City Hall in Boise, Idaho, on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014. With Mayor Dave Bieter out of town, Jordan officiated the wedding ceremony as acting mayor.

John Locher / AP

Dayvin Bartolome, right, kisses his husband Daniel Carroll after they got married at the Vegas Weddings chapel Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Las Vegas.

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