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United States Senate election, 1996

United States Senate elections, 1996
United States
← 1994 November 5, 1996 1998 →

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
  Trent Lott official portrait.jpg Tom Daschle, official Senate photo.jpg
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 Increase 2 Decrease 2
Popular vote 24,211,395 23,490,651
Percentage 49.4% 47.9%
Swing Decrease 0.5% Increase 3.9%
Seats up 19 15

1996 Senate election map.svg
  Democratic gain
  Democratic hold
  Republican hold
  Republican gain

Majority Leader before election

Trent Lott
Republican

Elected Majority Leader

Trent Lott
Republican


Trent Lott
Republican

Trent Lott
Republican

The United States Senate elections, 1996 coincided with the presidential election, in which Democrat Bill Clinton was re-elected President.

Despite the re-election 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. As such, Clinton became the first president re-elected since Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 to win either of his terms without any Senate coattails.

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

The 1996 election marked the first time since 1980 that the Republican party made gains in the Senate for at least two consecutive election cycles.

Notable freshmen included future United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

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

Sources:


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Wikipedia

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