United States Senate elections, 1996

United States Senate elections, 1996

November 5, 1996
Class 2 (33 of the 100) seats in the United States Senate and one mid-term vacancy from Class 3 51 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Trent Lott Tom Daschle Party Republican Democratic Leader's seat Mississippi South Dakota Last election 52 seats 48 seats Seats before 53 47 Seats won 55 45 Seat change 2 2 Popular vote 24,211,395 23,490,651 Percentage 49.4% 47.9% Swing 0.5% 3.9% Seats up 19 15
Democratic gain   Democratic hold   Republican hold   Republican gain
Majority Leader before election Trent Lott Republican Elected Majority Leader Trent Lott Republican

The 1996 elections to the United States Senate coincided with the 1996 presidential election, in which Democrats Bill Clinton and Al Gore were reelected President and Vice President of the United States, respectively.

Despite the reelection of Clinton and Gore, and despite Democrats picking up a net two seats in the elections to the United States House of Representatives held the same day, the Republicans had a net gain of two seats in the Senate, following major Republican gains two years previously in the 1994 elections.

The Republicans captured open seats in Alabama, Arkansas, and Nebraska. In South Dakota, Democrat Tim Johnson defeated incumbent Republican Larry Pressler.

Results summary

Does not include Oregon's January 1996 special election, which was not held at the same time as this election.

Parties						Total
		Democratic	Republican	Libertarian	Other
Last election: 1994		47	53	—	—	100
End of last (104th) Congress		47	53	—	—	100
Not Up		32	34	—	—	66
Up		15	19	—	—	34
Incumbent retired	Held by same party	5	4	—	—	9
	Replaced by other party	3	0	—	—	3
Incumbent ran	Won re-election	7	13	—	—	20
	Lost re-election	0	1	—	—	1
	Lost renomination, but held by same party	0	1	—	—	1
Summary	Won	12	18	—	—	30
	Lost	3	1	—	—	4
	Gained	1	3	—	—	4
Elected		13	21	—	—	34
Result		45	55	—	—	100
Change		2	2
Popular Vote	Votes	23,490,651	24,211,395	362,208	939,895	49,004,149
	Share	47.94%	49.41%	0.74%	1.92%	100%

Sources:

• Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov
• Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 5, 1996, via Clerk.House.gov

Change in Senate composition

Senate composition before the elections

D1	D2	D3	D4	D5	D6	D7	D8	D9	D10
D20	D19	D18	D17	D16	D15	D14	D13	D12	D11
D21	D22	D23	D24	D25	D26	D27	D28	D29	D30
D40	D39	D38	D37	D36	D35	D34	D33	D32	D31
D41	D42	D43	D44	D45	D46	D47	R53	R52	R51
Majority→
R41	R42	R43	R44	R45	R46	R47	R48	R49	R50
R40	R39	R38	R37	R36	R35	R34	R33	R32	R31
R21	R22	R23	R24	R25	R26	R27	R28	R29	R30
R20	R19	R18	R17	R16	R15	R14	R13	R12	R11
R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10

Senate composition as a result of the elections

D1	D2	D3	D4	D5	D6	D7	D8	D9	D10
D20	D19	D18	D17	D16	D15	D14	D13	D12	D11
D21	D22	D23	D24	D25	D26	D27	D28	D29	D30
D40 O	D39 √	D38 √	D37 √	D36 √	D35 √	D34 √	D33 √	D32	D31
D41 O	D42 O	D43 O	D44 O	D45 +	R55 +	R54 +	R53 +	R52 O	R51 O
Majority→
R41 √	R42 √	R43 √	R44 √	R45 √	R46 √	R47 O	R48 O	R49 O	R50 O
R40 √	R39 √	R38 √	R37 √	R36 √	R35 √	R34	R33	R32	R31
R21	R22	R23	R24	R25	R26	R27	R28	R29	R30
R20	R19	R18	R17	R16	R15	R14	R13	R12	R11
R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10

Key:	D# Democratic R# Republican		√ Incumbent re-elected or appointee elected to finish term O Party hold: New senator elected from same party + Party gain: New senator elected from different party

Gains, losses, and holds

Democratic gains

• South Dakota: Three-term Sen. Larry Pressler (R) faced a tough challenge from Rep. Tim Johnson (D). Johnson would defeat Pressler by 2 points and become the only candidate to defeat an incumbent in this year's election cycle.

Democratic holds

• Georgia: Incumbent Senator Sam Nunn decided not to run for re-election and gave his endorsements to Max Cleland the democratic nominee, however Cleland faced a tough election against Republican Businessman Guy Milner who accused Cleland on rejecting war request and raising taxes for the rich. However Cleland claimed Milner was rich already and if elected would use the advantage of the senate for his wealth.

Republican gains

• Alabama: Sen. Howell Heflin (D), one of the last conservative Democrats in the Senate, retired after three terms. Republican nominee Jeff Sessions, the state Attorney General, defeated Democratic State Senator Roger Bedford in the general election
• Arkansas: Popular Sen. David Pryor (D) chose not to seek a fourth term. The Democratic Party in Arkansas had been badly damaged by the resignation of Governor Jim Guy Tucker after being convicted of mail fraud. This helped Rep. Tim Hutchinson (R) defeat Democratic state Attorney General Winston Bryant to become Arkansas' first Republican Senator since Reconstruction.
• Nebraska: Democratic Governor Ben Nelson was expected to easily win the race to succeed retiring Sen. J. James Exon (D). Republican businessman Chuck Hagel, however, made it a highly competitive race and pulled off a huge fourteen point upset over the popular governor (Nelson won election to Nebraska's other Senate seat four years later).

Summary of contests

Separate election

Date	State (Linked to individual election articles in bold)	Incumbent	Party	Result	Candidates
January 30, 1996	Oregon Special: Class 3	Bob Packwood	Republican	Resigned Winner elected to finish term ending January 3, 1999 Democratic gain	Ron Wyden (Democratic) 47.8% Gordon H. Smith (Republican) 46.2% Karen Shilling (American Independent) 2.1% Gene Nanni (Libertarian) 1.3% Vickie Valdez (Socialist) 0.7% Lou Gold (Pacific Green) 0.6%

November elections

State (Linked to individual election articles)	Incumbent Senator	Incumbent party	Result	Candidates (Winning candidates in bold)
Alabama	Howell Heflin	Democratic	Retired Republican gain	Jeff Sessions (Republican) 52.5% Roger Bedford (Democratic) 45.5% Mark Thornton (Libertarian) 1.4% Charles R. Hebner (Natural Law) 0.6%
Alaska	Ted Stevens	Republican	Re-elected	Ted Stevens (Republican) 76.7% Jeff Whittaker (Green) 12.5% Theresa Obermeyer (Democratic) 10.3%
Arkansas	David Pryor	Democratic	Retired Republican gain	Tim Hutchinson (Republican) 52.7% Winston Bryant (Democratic) 47.3%
Colorado	Hank Brown	Republican	Retired Republican hold	Wayne Allard (Republican) 51.4% Tom Strickland (Democratic) 45.7% Randy MacKenzie (Natural Law) 2.9%
Delaware	Joe Biden	Democratic	Re-elected	Joe Biden (Democratic) 60% Raymond J. Clatworthy (Republican) 38.1% Mark Jones (Libertarian) 1.2% Jacqueline Kossoff (Natural Law) 0.6%
Georgia	Sam Nunn	Democratic	Retired Democratic hold	Max Cleland (Democratic) 48.9% Guy Millner (Republican) 47.5% John Gregory Cashin (Libertarian) 3.6%
Idaho	Larry E. Craig	Republican	Re-elected	Larry E. Craig (Republican) 57.0% Walt Minnick (Democratic) 39.9% Mary J. Charbonneau (Independent) 2.0% Susan Vegors (Natural Law) 1.0%
Illinois	Paul Simon	Democratic	Retired Democratic hold	Dick Durbin (Democratic) 56.1% Al Salvi (Republican) 40.7% Steven H. Perry (Reform) 1.4% Robin J. Miller (Libertarian) 1% Chad Koppie (U.S. Taxpayers) 0.4% James E. Davis (Natural Law) 0.3%
Iowa	Tom Harkin	Democratic	Re-elected	Tom Harkin (Democratic) 51.8% Jim Ross Lightfoot (Republican) 46.7% Sue Atkinson (Independent) 0.8% Fred Gratzon (Natural Law) 0.3% Joe Sulentic (Independent) 0.2% Shirley E. Pena (Socialist Workers) 0.2%
Kansas	Nancy Kassebaum	Republican	Retired Republican hold	Pat Roberts (Republican) 62.0% Sally Thompson (Democratic) 34.4% Mark S. Marney (Reform) 2.3% Steven Rosile (Libertarian) 1.2%
Kansas Special: Class 3	Bob Dole (resigned June 11, 1996) Sheila Frahm	Republican	Appointee lost renomination Winner elected to finish term ending January 3, 1999 Republican hold	Sam Brownback (Republican) 53.9% Jill Docking (Democratic) 43.3% Donald R. Klaassen (Reform) 2.8%
Kentucky	Mitch McConnell	Republican	Re-elected	Mitch McConnell (Republican) 55.5% Steve Beshear (Democratic) 42.8% Dennis L. Lacy (Libertarian) 0.7% Patricia Jo Metten (Natural Law) 0.6% Mac McElroy (U.S. Taxpayers) 0.4%
Louisiana	Bennett Johnston, Jr.	Democratic	Retired Democratic hold	Mary Landrieu (Democratic) 50.1% (21.51% in jungle primary) Woody Jenkins (Republican) 49.9% (26.23% in jungle primary)
Maine	William Cohen	Republican	Retired Republican hold	Susan M. Collins (Republican) 49.2% Joseph E. Brennan (Democratic) 43.8% John Rensenbrink (Green) 4% William P. Clarke (U.S. Taxpayers) 3%
Massachusetts	John Kerry	Democratic	Re-elected	John Kerry (Democratic) 52.2% William Weld (Republican) 44.7% Susan Gallagher (Conservative) 2.7% Robert Stowe (Natural Law) 0.3%
Michigan	Carl Levin	Democratic	Re-elected	Carl Levin (Democratic) 58.4% Ronna Romney (Republican) 39.9% Kenneth L. Proctor (Libertarian) 1.0% William Roundtree (Workers World) 0.3% Joseph S. Mattingly (Natural Law) 0.3% Martin P. McLaughlin (Socialist Equality) 0.2%
Minnesota	Paul Wellstone	Democratic (DFL)	Re-elected	Paul Wellstone (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) 50.3% Rudy Boschwitz (Republican) 41.3% Dean Barkley (Reform) 7% Tim Davis (Grass Roots) 0.6% Roy Ezra Carlton (Libertarian) 0.2% Steve Johnson (Natural Law) 0.2% Thomas A. Fiske (Socialist Workers) 0.1%
Mississippi	Thad Cochran	Republican	Re-elected	Thad Cochran (Republican) 71.0% James Hunt (Democratic) 27.4% Ted Weill (Independence) 1.6%
Montana	Max Baucus	Democratic	Re-elected	Max Baucus (Democratic) 49.5% Dennis Rehberg (Republican) 44.7% Becky Shaw (Reform) 4.7% Stephen Heaton (Natural Law) 1%
Nebraska	J. James Exon	Democratic	Retired Republican gain	Chuck Hagel (Republican) 56.1% Ben Nelson (Democratic) 41.7%
New Hampshire	Bob Smith	Republican	Re-elected	Bob Smith (Republican) 49.3% Dick Swett (Democratic) 46.2% Ken Blevens (Libertarian) 4.5%
New Jersey	Bill Bradley	Democratic	Retired Democratic hold	Robert Torricelli (Democratic) 52.7% Dick Zimmer (Republican) 42.5% Richard J. Pezzullo (Independent) 1.8% Mary Jo Christian (Independent) 0.8% Paul A. Woomer (Independent) 0.5% Olga L. Rodriguez (Independent) 0.5% Mark Wise (Independent) 0.5% Wilburt Kornegay (Independent) 0.4% Steven J. Baeli (Independent) 0.3%
New Mexico	Pete Domenici	Republican	Re-elected	Pete Domenici (Republican) 64.7% Art Trujillo (Democratic) 29.8% Abraham Guttman (Green) 4.4% Bruce M. Bush (Libertarian) 1.1%
North Carolina	Jesse Helms	Republican	Re-elected	Jesse Helms (Republican) 52.6% Harvey Gantt (Democratic) 45.9% Ray Ubinger (Libertarian) 1.0% J. Victor Pardo (Natural Law) 0.4%
Oklahoma	Jim Inhofe	Republican	Re-elected	Jim Inhofe (Republican) 56.7% James Boren (Democratic) 40.1% Bill Maguire (Independent) 1.3% Agnes Marie Regier (Libertarian) 1.2% Chris Nedbalek (Independent) 0.7%
Oregon	Mark Hatfield	Republican	Retired Republican hold	Gordon H. Smith (Republican) 49.8% Tom Bruggere (Democratic) 45.9% Brent Thompson (Reform) 1.5% Gary Kutcher (Green) 1.0% Paul Mohn (Libertarian) 0.9% Christopher Phelps (Socialist) 0.4% Michael L. Hoyes (Natural Law) 0.3%
Rhode Island	Claiborne Pell	Democratic	Retired Democratic hold	Jack Reed (Democratic) 63.3% Nancy J. Mayer (Republican) 35% Donald W. Lovejoy (Independent) 1.7%
South Carolina	Strom Thurmond	Republican	Re-elected	Strom Thurmond (Republican) 53.4% Elliot Close (Democratic) 44.0% Richard T. Quillian (Libertarian) 1.1% Peter J. Ashy (Reform) 0.8% Annette C. Estes (Natural Law) 0.7%
South Dakota	Larry Pressler	Republican	Lost re-election Democratic-gain	Tim Johnson (Democratic) 51.3% Larry Pressler (R) 48.7%
Tennessee	Fred Thompson	Republican	Re-elected	Fred Thompson (Republican) 61.4% J. Houston Gordon (Democratic) 36.8% John Jay Hooker (Independent) 0.8% Bruce Gold (Independent) 0.3% Robert O. Watson (Independent) 0.3% Greg Samples (Independent) 0.2% Philip L. Kienlen (Independent) 0.1%
Texas	Phil Gramm	Republican	Re-elected	Phil Gramm (Republican) 54.8% Victor Morales (Democratic) 43.9% Michael Bird (Libertarian) 0.9% John Huff (Natural Law) 0.4%
Virginia	John Warner	Republican	Re-elected	John Warner (Republican) 52.5% Mark Warner (Democratic) 47.4%
West Virginia	Jay Rockefeller	Democratic	Re-elected	Jay Rockefeller (Democratic) 76.6% Betty Burkes (Republican) 23.4%
Wyoming	Alan K. Simpson	Republican	Retired Republican hold	Mike Enzi (Republican) 54.1% Kathy Karpan (Democratic) 42.2% W. David Herbert (Libertarian) 2.5% Lloyd Marsden (Natural Law) 1.2%

See also

• 105th United States Congress (1997–1999)