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U.S. Senate election, 1996
The U.S. Senate election, 1996 followed the major Republican gains of 1994. Because of the staggered nature of the Senate, some of the alignment shift of 1994 carried over to this year, even though the Republicans lost seats in the House.
Notable Races
The Republicans made a net gain of two seats by capturing the open seats in Alabama, Arkansas, and Nebraska, but Democrat Tim Johnson defeated incumbent Larry Pressler (R-SD).
Senate contests in 1996
| State | Incumbent | Party | Status | Opposing Candidates |
| Alabama | Howell Heflin | Democrat | Retired: Republican victory, 52 - 46 | Jeff Sessions (Republican)
Roger Bedford (Democrat) |
| Alaska | Ted Stevens | Republican | Re-elected, 77 - 13 - 10 | Jeff Whittaker (Green)
Theresa Obermeyer (Democrat) |
| Arkansas | David Pryor | Democrat | Retired: Republican victory, 53 - 47 | Tim Hutchinson (Republican)
Winston Bryant (Democrat) |
| Colorado | Hank Brown | Republican | Retired: Republican victory, 51 - 46 | Wayne Allard (Republican)
Tom Strickland (Democrat) |
| Delaware | Joe Biden | Democrat | Re-elected, 60 - 38 | Raymond J. Clatworthy (Republican) |
| Georgia | Sam Nunn | Democrat | Retired: Democratic victory, 49 - 48 | Max Cleland (Democrat)
Guy Millner (Republican) |
| Idaho | Larry E. Craig | Republican | Re-elected, 57 - 40 | Walt Minnick (Democrat) |
| Illinois | Paul Simon | Democrat | Retired: Democratic victory, 56 - 41 | Richard J. Durbin (Democrat)
Al Salvi (Republican) |
| Iowa | Tom Harkin | Democrat | Re-elected, 52 - 47 | Jim Ross Lightfoot (Republican) |
| Kansas | Nancy Kassebaum | Republican | Retired: Republican victory, 62 - 34 | Pat Roberts (Republican)
Sally Thompson (Democrat) |
| Kansas1 | Sheila Frahm | Republican | Defeated in Primary: Republican victory, 54 - 43 | Sam Brownback (Republican)
Jill Docking (Democrat) |
| Kentucky | Mitch McConnell | Republican | Re-elected, 55 - 43 | Steve Beshear (Democrat) |
| Louisiana | Bennett Johnston Jr. | Democrat | Retired: Democratic victory, 50 - 50 | Mary Landrieu (Democrat)
Woody Jenkins (Republican) |
| Maine | William Cohen | Republican | Retired: Republican victory, 49 - 44 | Susan M. Collins (Republican)
Joe Brennan (Democrat) |
| Massachusetts | John Kerry | Democrat | Re-elected, 53 - 45 | William Weld (Republican) |
| Michigan | Carl Levin | Democrat | Re-elected, 58 - 40 | Ronna Romney (Republican) |
| Minnesota | Paul Wellstone | Democrat (DFL) | Re-elected, 50 - 41 - 7 | Rudy Boschwitz (Republican)
Dean Barkley (Reform) |
| Mississippi | Thad Cochran | Republican | Re-elected, 71 - 27 | James Hunt (Democrat) |
| Montana | Max Baucus | Democrat | Re-elected, 50 - 45 | Dennis Rehberg (Republican) |
| Nebraska | J. James Exon | Democrat | Retired: Republican victory, 56 - 42 | Chuck Hagel (Republican)
Ben Nelson (Democrat) |
| New Hampshire | Bob Smith | Republican | Re-elected, 49 - 46 | Dick Swett (Democrat) |
| New Jersey | Bill Bradley | Democrat | Retired: Democratic victory, 53 - 43 | Robert Torricelli (Democrat)
Dick Zimmer (Republican) |
| New Mexico | Pete Domenici | Republican | Re-elected, 64 - 30 | Art Trujillo (Democrat) |
| North Carolina | Jesse Helms | Republican | Re-elected, 53 - 46 | Harvey Gantt (Democrat) |
| Oklahoma | Jim Inhofe | Republican | Re-elected, 57 - 40 | James Boren (Democrat) |
| Oregon | Mark Hatfield | Republican | Retired: Republican victory, 49 - 47 | Gordon H. Smith (Republican)
Tom Bruggere (Democrat) |
| Rhode Island | Claiborne Pell | Democrat | Retired: Democratic victory, 63 - 35 | John F. Reed (Democrat)
Nancy Mayer (Republican) |
| South Carolina | Strom Thurmond | Republican | Re-elected, 53 - 44 | Elliot Close (Democrat) |
| South Dakota | Larry Pressler | Republican | Defeated, 51 - 49 | Tim Johnson (Democrat) |
| Tennessee | Fred Thompson | Republican | Re-elected, 61 - 37 | Houston Gordon (Democrat) |
| Texas | Phil Gramm | Republican | Re-elected, 55 - 44 | Victor Morales (Democrat) |
| Virginia | John Warner | Republican | Re-elected, 53 - 47 | Mark Warner (Democrat) |
| West Virginia | Jay Rockefeller | Democrat | Re-elected, 77 - 23 | Betty Burkes (Republican) |
| Wyoming | Alan Simpson | Republican | Retired: Republican victory, 54 - 42 | Michael B. Enzi (Republican)
Joyce Jansa Corcoran (Democrat) |
1 special election due to resignation of Robert Dole to pursue the presidency -- next regular election held in 1998
See also
Senate composition before and after elections
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