1992 United States Senate elections
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
36 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The 1992 United States Senate elections, held November 3, 1992, were elections for the United States Senate. The 34 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections, along with special elections to fill vacancies. They coincided with Bill Clinton's victory in the presidential election. This was the first time since 1956 that the balance of the Senate remained the same.
Both parties swapped a pair of seats, resulting in no net change in the partisan breakdown, which had been at 57–43 since Democrats flipped a seat in Pennsylvania in a special election. Democratic victories over Republicans John F. Seymour in the special California race and Bob Kasten in Wisconsin were canceled out by the defeats of Democrats Wyche Fowler in Georgia and Terry Sanford in North Carolina.
The election of 4 new Democratic women to the Senate was notable with it being referred to in the press as the "Year of the Woman". Due to a special election in California, both of California's Senate seats were up for election in 1992, and these seats were won by Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. Thus, California became the first state to have elected women to occupy both of its Senate seats. Democrat Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois, became the first African-American woman in the United States Senate. As of 2023[update], this was the last election cycle in which Republicans won a Senate election in New York and Democrats in Kentucky.
Results summary
[edit]57 | 43 |
Democratic | Republican |
Seat totals include both the special elections in California and North Dakota, but vote totals exclude the North Dakota total.
Parties | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Republican | Libertarian | Independent | Other | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last elections (1990) | 56 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before these elections | 57 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Not up | 36 | 28 | — | — | — | 64 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Up | 21 | 15 | — | — | — | 36 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class 3 (1986→1992) | 20 | 14 | — | — | — | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Special: Class 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Incumbent retired | 5[b] | 3 | — | — | — | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Held by same party | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Replaced by other party | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Result | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Incumbent ran | 16[c] | 12[d] | — | — | — | 28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Won re-election | 13 | 10 | — | — | — | 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lost re-election | 2 Republicans replaced by 2 Democrats 2 Democrats replaced by 2 Republicans |
— | — | — | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lost renomination, but held by same party |
1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Result | 16 | 12 | — | — | — | 28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total elected | 21 | 15 | — | — | — | 36 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net gain/loss | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationwide vote | 40,589,727 | 35,449,473 | 1,234,416 | 624,673 | 3,486,729 | 81,385,018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Share | 49.87% | 43.56% | 1.52% | 0.77% | 4.28% | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Result | 57 | 43 | — | — | — | 100 |
Source: Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives[1]
Gains and losses
[edit]Retirements
[edit]Three Republicans and four Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election. One Democrat also retired instead of finishing the unexpired term.
Defeats
[edit]One Republican and three Democrats sought re-election but lost either in the primary or general election. One Republican also sought election to finish the term but lost in the special election.
Post-election changes
[edit]Two Democrats resigned and were replaced by appointees. In Texas, a 1993 special election was held prior to the 1994 United States Senate elections, where Kay Bailey Hutchison won the special election to succeed Democratic appointee Bob Krueger, who lost election to finish the term.
State | Senator | Replaced by |
---|---|---|
Tennessee (Class 2) |
Al Gore | Harlan Mathews |
Texas (Class 1) |
Lloyd Bentsen | Bob Krueger |
Texas (Class 1) |
Bob Krueger | Kay Bailey Hutchison |
Change in composition
[edit]Before the elections
[edit]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 Colo. Retired |
D39 Calif. (reg) Retired |
D38 Ark. Ran |
D37 Ala. Ran |
D36 | D35 | D34 | D33 | D32 | D31 |
D41 Conn. Ran |
D42 Fla. Ran |
D43 Ga. Ran |
D44 Hawaii Ran |
D45 Ill. Ran |
D46 Ky. Ran |
D47 La. Ran |
D48 Md. Ran |
D49 Nev. Ran |
D50 N.C. Ran |
Majority → | D51 N.D. (reg) Retired | ||||||||
R41 Pa. Ran |
R42 Utah Retired |
R43 Wisc. Ran |
D57 Wash. Retired |
D56 Vt. Ran |
D55 S.D. Ran |
D54 S.C. Ran |
D53 Ohio Ran |
D52 N.D. (sp) Retired | |
R31 Calif. (sp) Ran |
R32 Idaho Retired |
R33 Ind. Ran |
R34 Iowa Ran |
R35 Kan. Ran |
R36 Mo. Ran |
R37 N.H. Retired |
R38 N.Y. Ran |
R39 Okla. Ran |
R40 Ore. Ran |
R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | R26 | R27 | R28 | R29 Ariz. Ran |
R30 Alaska Ran |
R20 | R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 |
R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 |
Result of the elections
[edit]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 Colo. Hold |
D39 Calif. (reg) Hold |
D38 Ark. Re-elected |
D37 Ala. Re-elected |
D36 | D35 | D34 | D33 | D32 | D31 |
D41 Conn. Re-elected |
D42 Fla. Re-elected |
D43 Hawaii Re-elected |
D44 Ill. Hold |
D45 Ky. Re-elected |
D46 La. Re-elected |
D47 Md. Re-elected |
D48 Nev. Re-elected |
D49 N.D. (reg) Hold |
D50 N.D. (sp) Hold |
Majority → | D51 Ohio Re-elected | ||||||||
R41 Utah Hold |
R42 Ga. Gain |
R43 N.C. Gain |
D57 Wisc. Gain |
D56 Calif. (sp) Gain[e] |
D55 Wash. Hold |
D54 Vt. Re-elected |
D53 S.D. Re-elected |
D52 S.C. Re-elected | |
R40 Pa. Re-elected |
R39 Ore. Re-elected |
R38 Okla. Re-elected |
R37 N.Y. Re-elected |
R36 N.H. Hold |
R35 Mo. Re-elected |
R34 Kan. Re-elected |
R33 Iowa Re-elected |
R32 Ind. Re-elected |
R31 Idaho Hold |
R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | R26 | R27 | R28 | R29 Alaska Re-elected |
R30 Ariz. Re-elected |
R20 | R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 |
R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 |
Beginning of the first session
[edit]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 | D48 | D49 | D50 |
Majority → | D51 | ||||||||
R41 | R42 | R43 | R44 Texas Gain |
D56 | D55 | D54 | D53 | D52 | |
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 |
|
---|
Race summary
[edit]Special elections
[edit]In these special elections, the winners were elected and seated in the fall of 1992. Elections are sorted by election date then state and class.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
California (Class 1) |
John Seymour | Republican | 1991 (appointed) | Interim appointee lost election. New senator elected November 3, 1992 and seated November 4, 1992. Democratic gain. |
|
North Dakota (Class 1) |
Jocelyn Burdick | Democratic-NPL | 1992 (appointed) | Interim appointee retired. New senator elected December 4, 1992 and seated December 14, 1992. Democratic-NPL hold. |
|
Elections leading to the next Congress
[edit]In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1993; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Alabama | Richard Shelby | Democratic | 1986 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Alaska | Frank Murkowski | Republican | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Arizona | John McCain | Republican | 1986 | Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
Arkansas | Dale Bumpers | Democratic | 1974 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
California | Alan Cranston | Democratic | 1968 1974 1980 1986 |
Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
|
Colorado | Tim Wirth | Democratic | 1986 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
Others
|
Connecticut | Chris Dodd | Democratic | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Florida | Bob Graham | Democratic | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Georgia | Wyche Fowler | Democratic | 1986 | Incumbent lost re-election. Republican gain. |
|
Hawaii | Daniel Inouye | Democratic | 1962 1968 1974 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Idaho | Steve Symms | Republican | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
|
Illinois | Alan J. Dixon | Democratic | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent lost renomination. Democratic hold. |
Others
|
Indiana | Dan Coats | Republican | 1989 (appointed) 1990 (special) |
Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
Iowa | Chuck Grassley | Republican | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
Kansas | Bob Dole | Republican | 1968 1974 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Kentucky | Wendell Ford | Democratic | 1974 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Louisiana | John Breaux | Democratic | 1986 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Maryland | Barbara Mikulski | Democratic | 1986 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Missouri | Kit Bond | Republican | 1986 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Nevada | Harry Reid | Democratic | 1986 | Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
New Hampshire | Warren Rudman | Republican | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
|
New York | Al D'Amato | Republican | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
North Carolina | Terry Sanford | Democratic | 1986 (special) 1986 |
Incumbent lost re-election. Republican gain. |
|
North Dakota | Kent Conrad | Democratic-NPL | 1986 | Incumbent retired. Democratic-NPL hold. Incumbent resigned December 14, 1992 to move to the other seat. Winner appointed December 15, 1992. |
|
Ohio | John Glenn | Democratic | 1974 1974 (appointed) 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Oklahoma | Don Nickles | Republican | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Oregon | Bob Packwood | Republican | 1968 1974 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Pennsylvania | Arlen Specter | Republican | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
South Carolina | Fritz Hollings | Democratic | 1966 (special) 1968 1974 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
South Dakota | Tom Daschle | Democratic | 1986 | Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
Utah | Jake Garn | Republican | 1974 1980 1986 |
Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
|
Vermont | Patrick Leahy | Democratic | 1974 1980 1986 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
Washington | Brock Adams | Democratic | 1986 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
|
Wisconsin | Bob Kasten | Republican | 1980 1986 |
Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
Others
|
Closest races
[edit]In thirteen races, the margin of victory was under 10%.
State | Party of winner | Margin |
---|---|---|
New York | Republican | 1.25% |
Georgia | Republican (flip) | 1.30% |
Pennsylvania | Republican | 2.77% |
New Hampshire | Republican | 2.82% |
South Carolina | Democratic | 3.12% |
North Carolina | Republican (flip) | 4.03% |
California (regular) | Democratic | 4.90% |
Oregon | Republican | 5.64% |
Wisconsin | Democratic (flip) | 6.56% |
Missouri | Republican | 6.96% |
Washington | Democratic | 7.98% |
Ohio | Democratic | 8.66% |
Colorado | Democratic | 9.07% |
Illinois was the tipping point state, decided by a margin of 10%.
Alabama
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Shelby: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100% Sellers: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Richard Shelby won re-election to a second term, beating Richard Sellers, a conservative activist.[2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Richard Shelby (incumbent) | 1,022,698 | 64.8% | |
Republican | Richard Sellers | 522,015 | 33.1% | |
Libertarian | Jerome Shockley | 31,811 | 2.0% | |
Independent | Write Ins | 1,275 | 0.1% | |
Majority | 500,683 | 31.7% | ||
Turnout | 1,577,799 | |||
Democratic hold |
Alaska
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Results by state house district Murkowski: 40–50% 50–60% Smith: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Frank Murkowski sought re-election to a third term in the United States Senate. Tony Smith, the Democratic nominee and a former Commissioner of Economic Development, won his party's nomination in a crowded primary and faced off against Murkowski in the general election. Though Murkowski was held to a lower vote percentage than he received six years prior, he was ultimately re-elected.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Tony Smith | 33,162 | 44.81% | |
Democratic | William L. Hensley | 29,586 | 39.98% | |
Green | Mary Jordan | 5,989 | 8.09% | |
Democratic | Michael Beasley | 2,657 | 3.59% | |
Democratic | Joseph Sonneman | 1,607 | 2.17% | |
Democratic | Frank Vondersaar | 1,000 | 1.35% | |
Total votes | 74,001 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Frank Murkowski (Incumbent) | 37,486 | 80.53% | |
Republican | Jed Whittaker | 9,065 | 19.47% | |
Total votes | 46,551 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Frank Murkowski (Incumbent) | 127,163 | 53.05% | −0.98% | |
Democratic | Tony Smith | 92,065 | 38.41% | −5.69% | |
Green | Mary Jordan | 20,019 | 8.35% | ||
Write-ins | 467 | 0.19% | |||
Majority | 35,098 | 14.64% | +4.72% | ||
Turnout | 239,714 | ||||
Republican hold | Swing |
Arizona
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
County results
McCain: 40–50% 50–60% Sargent: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican John McCain won re-election to a second term over Democrat Claire Sargent, community activist[6] and Independent former Governor Evan Mecham.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John McCain (Incumbent) | 771,395 | 55.82% | −4.66% | |
Democratic | Claire Sargent | 436,321 | 31.57% | −7.94% | |
Independent | Evan Mecham | 145,361 | 10.52% | ||
Libertarian | Kiana Delamare | 22,613 | 1.64% | ||
New Alliance | Ed Finkelstein | 6,335 | 0.46% | ||
Write-ins | 26 | 0.00% | |||
Majority | 335,074 | 24.24% | +3.28% | ||
Turnout | 1,382,051 | ||||
Republican hold | Swing |
Arkansas
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results
Bumpers: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democratic senator Dale Bumpers won re-election to a fourth term. His Republican opponent was future Arkansas lieutenant governor, governor, and two-time presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, a church pastor from Texarkana.
The 1992 election coincided with Arkansas governor Bill Clinton's election as President of the United States, in which he also won his home state. In contrast with Bumpers' landslide where he won over 60% of the vote, Clinton won only 53.21% of the vote. Bumpers would serve another term in the U.S. Senate before deciding to retire in 1998.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Dale Bumpers (Incumbent) | 553,635 | 60.2% | |
Republican | Mike Huckabee | 366,373 | 39.8% | |
Majority | 187,262 | 20.4% | ||
Turnout | 920,008 | |||
Democratic hold |
California
[edit]Due to the resignation of Pete Wilson to become Governor of California, there were two senate elections in California as both seats were up for election and both won by women. California ultimately become the first state to have two sitting women senators.
California (regular)
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Boxer: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Herchensohn: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Alan Cranston decided to retire. Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Boxer won the open seat over Republican conservative TV talk show commentator Bruce Herschensohn. Both of California's senators were elected for the first time. This is not a unique occurrence; it would happen again in Tennessee in 1994, Kansas in 1996 and Georgia in 2020-2021. Fellow Democrat Dianne Feinstein, California's other senator, won the special election and was inaugurated in November 1992.
The election between Boxer and Herschensohn was very close. At the eleventh hour, controversy emerged that the Republican nominee attended a strip club, which some Republican operatives later blamed for Herschensohn's loss.[8]
Four days before Election Day polls showed Herschensohn had narrowed a double digit deficit, trailing by 3 points. Political operative Bob Mulholland disrupted a campaign appearance with a large poster advertising a strip club shouting "Should the voters of California elect someone who frequently travels the strip joints of Hollywood?" Herschensohn admitted he had visited a strip club once, with his girlfriend and another couple. With press coverage of the story, Herschensohn spent the waning days of the campaign denying related allegations. When the votes were cast and counted, Barbara Boxer won the election by five points.[9] Although Republicans have blamed the defeat on the underhanded tactics of the Boxer campaign, evidence of the connection between Mulholland's outburst and the campaign never surfaced.[10][11][12]
The election was very close. Boxer was declared the winner by the Associated Press at 1:22 A.M. Pacific Coast Time.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Barbara Boxer | 5,173,467 | 47.90 | |
Republican | Bruce Herschensohn | 4,644,182 | 43.00 | |
American Independent | Jerome N. McCready | 373,051 | 3.45 | |
Peace and Freedom | Genevieve Torres | 372,817 | 3.45 | |
Libertarian | June R. Genis | 235,919 | 2.18 | |
No party | Write-ins | 267 | 0.00 | |
Invalid or blank votes | 574,862 | 5.05 | ||
Total votes | 11,374,565 | 100.00 | ||
Turnout | 54.52 | |||
Democratic hold |
California (special)
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Feinstein: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Seymour: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
In the 1990 gubernatorial election, Republican senator Pete Wilson had beaten Democrat Dianne Feinstein for governor. He appointed John F. Seymour to the Senate to replace himself. In this special election held simultaneously with the regular Senate election, Feinstein defeated Seymour to serve the remaining 2 years of the term and took office November 4, only 1 day after the election. Fellow Democrat Barbara Boxer won the regular election and was sworn in in January 1993.
Both of California's senators were elected for the first time. This is not a unique occurrence; it would happen again in Tennessee in 1994, Kansas in 1996, and Georgia in 2020.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Dianne Feinstein | 5,853,651 | 54.29% | |||
Republican | John F. Seymour (Incumbent) | 4,093,501 | 37.96% | |||
Peace and Freedom | Gerald Horne | 305,697 | 2.84% | |||
American Independent | Paul Meeuwenberg | 281,973 | 2.62% | |||
Libertarian | Richard Benjamin Boddie | 247,799 | 2.30% | |||
No party | Write-ins | 122 | 0.00% | |||
Invalid or blank votes | 591,822 | 5.20% | ||||
Total votes | 11,374,565 | 100.00% | ||||
Turnout | 54.52 | |||||
Democratic gain from Republican |
Colorado
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Nighthorse Campbell: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Considine: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Tim Wirth decided to retire instead of seeking a second term. Democratic congressman Ben Nighthorse Campbell won the open seat, beating Republican State senator Terry Considine.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ben Nighthorse Campbell | 117,634 | 45.48% | |
Democratic | Dick Lamm | 93,599 | 36.19% | |
Democratic | Josie Heath | 47,418 | 18.33% | |
Total votes | 258,651 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ben Nighthorse Campbell | 803,725 | 51.78% | +1.86% | |
Republican | Terry Considine | 662,893 | 42.70% | −5.66% | |
Independent | Richard O. Grimes | 42,455 | 2.73% | ||
Pro-Life | Matt Noah | 22,846 | 1.47% | ||
Independent | Dan Winters | 20,347 | 1.31% | ||
Libertarian | Hue Futch | 23 | 0.00% | ||
Majority | 140,832 | 9.07% | +7.52% | ||
Turnout | 1,552,289 | ||||
Democratic hold | Swing |
Connecticut
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
Dodd: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Johnson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Christopher Dodd won re-election for a third term over Republican businessman Brook Johnson.
Johnson, a millionaire businessman who had never run for public office before, spent about $900,000 during the primary campaign. His television and radio commercials said that he would bring "a dose of success Washington needs." Dodd had $2 million cash on hand following the primaries.[14]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Christopher Dodd (Incumbent) | 882,569 | 58.81% | ||
Republican | Brook Johnson | 572,036 | 38.12% | ||
Concerned Citizens | Richard D. Gregory | 35,315 | 2.35% | ||
Libertarian | Howard A. Grayson Jr. | 10,741 | 0.72% | ||
Total votes | 1,500,661 | 100.00% | |||
Democratic hold |
Florida
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
Graham: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Grant: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Bob Graham won re-election to a second term, beating Republican former U.S. Representative Bill Grant.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Bob Graham (Incumbent) | 968,618 | 84.3% | |
Democratic | Jim Mahorner | 180,405 | 15.7% | |
Total votes | 1,149,023 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Grant | 413,457 | 56.1% | |
Republican | Rob Quartel | 196,524 | 26.7% | |
Republican | Hugh Brotherton | 126,878 | 17.2% | |
Total votes | 736,859 | 100.0% |
Graham defeated Grant in a landslide, as Grant won just one county in the state (Okaloosa County, Florida). There were no third party or independent candidates.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Bob Graham (incumbent) | 3,245,565 | 65.40% | +10.66% | |
Republican | Bill Grant | 1,716,505 | 34.59% | −10.67% | |
Write-ins | Marie Davis | 220 | 0.01% | ||
Majority | 1,529,060 | 30.81% | |||
Total votes | 4,962,290 | 100.00% | |||
Democratic hold | Swing |
Georgia
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Coverdell: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Fowler: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Wyche Fowler did not receive a simple majority in the general election, which demanded a runoff. Paul Coverdell, former Director of the Peace Corps and former State senator, edged out Fowler in the runoff with a narrow margin.[5]
The general primary was held July 21, 1992.[18] A run-off between the top two Republican contenders was held on August 11, in which Paul Coverdell defeated Bob Barr.
Results[19] for the first round showed that since Paul Coverdell did not win a majority of the vote, a runoff was held between him and Barr. Coverdell subsequently won the runoff.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Coverdell | 100,016 | 37.05% | |
Republican | Bob Barr | 65,471 | 24.25% | |
Republican | John Knox | 64,514 | 23.90% | |
Republican | Charlie Tanksley | 32,590 | 12.07% | |
Republican | Dean Parkison | 7,352 | 2.72% | |
Turnout | 269,943 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Coverdell | 80,435 | 50.49% | |
Republican | Bob Barr | 78,887 | 49.51% | |
Turnout | 159,332 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Wyche Fowler (Incumbent) | 1,108,416 | 49.23% | |
Republican | Paul Coverdell | 1,073,282 | 47.67% | |
Libertarian | Jim Hudson | 69,878 | 3.10% | |
Write-In Votes | 11 | 0.00% | ||
Majority | 35,134 | 1.56% | ||
Turnout | 2,251,587 |
As no candidate reached a majority on November 3, a runoff election was held on November 24, which Coverdell won.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Coverdell | 635,118 | 50.65% | |
Democratic | Wyche Fowler (Incumbent) | 618,774 | 49.35% | |
Majority | 16,344 | 1.30% | ||
Turnout | 1,253,892 | |||
Republican gain from Democratic |
Hawaii
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
County results Inouye: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Daniel Inouye won re-election to a sixth term over Republican State senator Rick Reed.[20]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Daniel Inouye (Incumbent) | 208,266 | 57.3% | |
Republican | Rick Reed | 97,928 | 26.9% | |
Green | Linda Martin | 49,921 | 13.7% | |
Libertarian | Richard O. Rowland | 7,547 | 2.1% | |
Total votes | 363,662 | 100.0% | ||
Majority | 110,338 | 30.4% | ||
Democratic hold |
Idaho
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Kempthorne: 50–60% 60–70% Stallings: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Steve Symms decided to retire instead of seeking a third term. Republican Mayor of Boise Dirk Kempthorne won the open seat, beating Democratic congressman Richard H. Stallings.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Richard H. Stallings | 40,102 | 71.66 | |
Democratic | Matt Schaffer | 8,976 | 16.04 | |
Democratic | David W. Sheperd | 6,882 | 12.30 | |
Total votes | 55,960 | 100.00 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Dirk Kempthorne | 67,001 | 57.43 | |
Republican | Rod Beck | 26,977 | 23.12 | |
Republican | Milt Erhart | 22,682 | 19.44 | |
Total votes | 116,660 | 100.00 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Dirk Kempthorne | 270,468 | 56.52 | +4.97 | |
Democratic | Richard H. Stallings | 208,036 | 43.48 | −4.97 | |
Majority | 62,432 | 13.05 | +9.93 | ||
Turnout | 478,504 | ||||
Republican hold | Swing |
Illinois
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County Results Braun: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Williamson: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Alan J. Dixon decided to run for re-election a third term, but was defeated in the primary against Carol Moseley Braun, Cook County Recorder of Deeds and former State Representative, who then won the general election over Republican Richard S. Williamson, former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs. Braun (whose victory coincided with Bill Clinton's win in the presidential election and Illinois) made history in this election by becoming the first African-American woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate, and also the first African-American elected to the U.S. Senate as a Democrat.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Carol Moseley Braun | 557,694 | 38.0% | |
Democratic | Alan J. Dixon (Incumbent) | 504,077 | 35.0% | |
Democratic | Albert Hofeld | 394,497 | 18.0% |
This defeat shocked observers; at the time no senator had been defeated in a primary in over a decade and Dixon had a long record of electoral success. He was a moderate Democrat, who recently voted to confirm Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court.[23] Braun, a black woman and known reformist liberal, got a large share of black, liberal, and women voters ("The Year of the Woman").
In addition, she carried Cook County, Illinois, by far the most populated county in the state. Another factor was the third candidate in the race, multi-millionaire attorney Al Hofeld. Hofeld drew away some of the moderate and conservative Democrats who normally supported Dixon. He also spent a lot of money running advertisements attacking Dixon, weakening his support.
Moseley Braun won the 1992 Illinois Senate Race by a fairly comfortable margin. Moseley Braun did well as expected in Cook County home of Chicago. Williamson did well in the Chicago collar counties, and most northern parts of the state. Moseley Braun had a surprisingly strong showing in southern Illinois, which Republicans had come to dominate in the last several decades. Braun also did well in Rock Island County.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Carol Moseley Braun | 2,631,229 | 53.3% | −3.8% | |
Republican | Richard S. Williamson | 2,126,833 | 43.1% | +9.3% | |
Independent | Chad Koppie | 100,422 | 2.0% | ||
Libertarian | Andrew B. Spiegel | 34,527 | 0.7% | ||
Natural Law | Charles A. Winter | 15,118 | N/A% | ||
New Alliance | Alan J. Port | 12,689 | N/A% | ||
Socialist Workers | Kathleen Kaku | 10,056 | N/A% | ||
Populist | John Justice | 8,656 | N/A% | ||
Total votes | 4,935,530 | 100.0% | |||
Majority | 504,396 | 10.2% | |||
Democratic hold |
Indiana
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Coats: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Hogsett: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Dan Coats won re-election to his first full term, beating the Democratic Indiana Secretary of State Joe Hogsett.[24]
When incumbent Republican Dan Quayle resigned from the Senate after being elected Vice President of the United States in 1988, Coats was appointed to Quayle's former seat. He then won election to serve the remainder of the term in 1990.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Dan Coats (Incumbent) | 1,267,972 | 57.3% | ||
Democratic | Joseph Hogsett | 900,148 | 40.8% | ||
Libertarian | Steve Dillon | 35,733 | 1.6% | ||
New Alliance | Raymond Tirado | 7,474 | 0.3% | ||
No party | Write-Ins | 99 | 0.0% | ||
Majority | 367,824 | ||||
Turnout | 2,211,426 | ||||
Republican hold | Swing |
Coats won 79 of Indiana's counties compared to 13 for Hogsett.[25]
Iowa
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Grassley: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% >90% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Chuck Grassley ran for re-election to a third term in the United States Senate, which he won easily against his Democratic opponent, State senator Jean Hall Lloyd-Jones.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jean Hall Lloyd-Jones | 60,615 | 60.80 | |
Democratic | Rosanne Freeburg | 38,774 | 38.89 | |
Democratic | Write-ins | 307 | 0.31 | |
Turnout | 99,696 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Chuck Grassley (Incumbent) | 109,273 | 99.70 | |
Republican | Write-ins | 324 | 0.30 | |
Turnout | 109,597 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Chuck Grassley (Incumbent) | 899,761 | 69.61 | +3.58 | |
Democratic | Jean Hall Lloyd-Jones | 351,561 | 27.20 | −6.37 | |
Natural Law | Stuart Zimmerman | 16,403 | 1.27 | ||
Independent | Sue Atkinson | 6,277 | 0.49 | ||
Independent | Mel Boring | 5,508 | 0.43 | ||
Independent | Rosanne Freeburg | 4,999 | 0.39 | ||
Grassroots | Carl Eric Olsen | 3,404 | 0.26 | ||
Independent | Richard O'Dell Hughes | 2,918 | 0.23 | ||
Socialist Workers | Cleve Andrew Pulley | 1,370 | 0.11 | ||
Write-ins | 293 | 0.02 | |||
Majority | 548,200 | 42.41 | +9.95 | ||
Turnout | 1,292,494 | ||||
Republican hold | Swing |
Kansas
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Dole: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican senator Bob Dole won re-election to a fifth term, defeating Democratic nominee Gloria O'Dell, teacher and former journalist.[27] Nearly two decades after his failed vice-presidential bid in 1976, this would be Dole's last election to the Senate. He would resign in 1996 while running for President of the United States. Dole also became the Republican Leader of the United States Senate seven years prior.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bob Dole (Incumbent) | 706,246 | 62.70% | |
Democratic | Gloria O'Dell | 349,525 | 31.03% | |
Independent | Christina Campbell-Cline | 45,423 | 4.03% | |
Libertarian | Mark B. Kirk | 25,253 | 2.24% | |
Majority | 356,721 | 31.67% | ||
Turnout | 1,126,447 | |||
Republican hold |
Kentucky
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Ford: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Williams: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democratic U.S. senator Wendell Ford won re-election to a fourth term, easily beating Republican State senator David L. Williams. As of 2023[update], this was the last Senate election in Kentucky in which a Democrat won.
Denny Ormerod, a machinist from Louisville dropped out before the primary election.[29] Though Williams and Thompson represented opposing factions in the state Republican Party – Williams managed Larry Hopkins' 1991 primary campaign while Thompson worked full-time for Hopkins' primary opponent Larry Forgy – the two virtually ignored each other in the primary campaign, choosing instead to focus their rhetoric against Ford.[29] Thompson did question Williams' conservative credentials on grounds that he voted in favor of the tax increase associated with the Kentucky Education Reform Act.[29] Ormerod's campaign largely focused on socially conservative issues, but it was Williams who secured the endorsement of Kentucky Right to Life, who cited his lawsuit to free three anti-abortion bills from committee in the 1992 legislative session.[29] As a result of the largely uninspiring primary campaigns, there was only an 18% voter turnout in the Republican primary. Williams won the nomination.[30]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David Williams | 49,880 | 60.9% | |
Republican | Phillip Thompson | 25,026 | 30.5% | |
Republican | Denny Ormerod | 7,066 | 8.6% |
Ford, the Senate Majority Whip and a former governor, raised $2.4 million for his campaign, about eight times the amount Williams raised.[32] Given his limited finances, Williams relied on news conferences and interviews on small town radio stations to get his message out.[32] Williams repeatedly lamented that Ford would not agree to a formal debate; Ford said that could not be arranged because Congress was still in session and he needed to be in Washington.[33] During the campaign, Williams attempted to paint Ford as too liberal for Kentucky voters, citing his votes against the Gulf War and Clarence Thomas' confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court.[34] Both candidates declared their support for a Balanced Budget Amendment, but Williams said that Ford's support of pork barrel projects for the state and a procedural vote that kept the amendment from a vote in 1991 were evidence that Ford's support was not genuine.[34]
Ford had no trouble winning on election night. Ford won easily, despite the fact that fellow Democrat Bill Clinton was not declared the winner of the presidential race in Kentucky until around 10:00 E.S.T. Ford pulled big margins out of the majority of Kentucky's 124 counties. This would be Ford's last term in the senate. He served his final term from January 3, 1993, to January 3, 1999. Ford died some fifteen years after his retirement at the age of 90.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Wendell H. Ford (Incumbent) | 836,888 | 62.9% | |
Republican | David L. Williams | 476,604 | 35.8% | |
Libertarian | James A. Ridenour | 17,366 | 1.3% | |
Total votes | 1,330,858 | 100.00% | ||
Majority | 360,208 | 27.1% | ||
Democratic hold |
Louisiana
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parish results Breaux: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat John Breaux won a majority in Louisiana's jungle primary on October 3, 1992, winning re-election to another term.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | John Breaux (Incumbent) | 616,021 | 73.07% | |
Independent | Jon Khachaturian | 74,785 | 8.87% | |
Republican | Lyle Stocksill | 69,986 | 8.30% | |
Democratic | Nick Joseph Accardo | 45,839 | 5.44% | |
Republican | Fred Clegg Strong | 36,406 | 4.32% | |
Majority | 541,236 | 64.20% | ||
Turnout | 843,037 | |||
Democratic hold |
Maryland
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Mikulski: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Keyes: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Barbara Mikulski won re-election to a second term over Republican Alan Keyes, former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Barbara A. Mikulski (Incumbent) | 376,444 | 76.75% | |
Democratic | Thomas M. Wheatley | 31,214 | 6.36% | |
Democratic | Walter Boyd | 26,467 | 5.40% | |
Democratic | Don Allensworth | 19,731 | 4.02% | |
Democratic | Scott David Britt | 13,001 | 2.65% | |
Democratic | James Leonard White | 12,470 | 2.54% | |
Democratic | B. Emerson Sweatt | 11,150 | 2.27% | |
Total votes | 490,477 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Alan L. Keyes | 95,831 | 45.94% | |
Republican | Martha Scanlan Klima | 20,758 | 9.95% | |
Republican | Joseph I. Cassilly | 16,091 | 7.71% | |
Republican | Ross Z. Pierpont | 12,658 | 6.07% | |
Republican | S. Rob Sobhani | 12,423 | 5.96% | |
Republican | John J. Bishop, Jr. | 9,451 | 4.53% | |
Republican | Eugene R. Zarwell | 6,535 | 3.13% | |
Republican | James Henry Berry | 6,282 | 3.01% | |
Republican | Romie Allen Songer | 6,030 | 2.89% | |
Republican | Joyce Friend-Nalepka | 5,835 | 2.80% | |
Republican | Edward Robert Shannon | 4,578 | 2.19% | |
Republican | Scott L. Meredith | 4,372 | 2.10% | |
Republican | Stuart Hopkins | 3,717 | 1.78% | |
Republican | Herman J. Hannan | 2,771 | 1.33% | |
Republican | William H. Krehnbrink | 1,258 | 0.60% | |
Total votes | 208,590 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Barbara A. Mikulski (Incumbent) | 1,307,610 | 71.02% | +10.33% | |
Republican | Alan L. Keyes | 533,688 | 28.98% | −10.33% | |
Majority | 773,922 | 42.03% | +20.66% | ||
Total votes | 1,841,298 | 100.00% | |||
Democratic hold | Swing |
Missouri
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Bond: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% R-Serot: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Kit Bond won re-election to a second term over Democratic St. Louis County Councilwoman Geri Rothman-Serot.[5]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Kit Bond (incumbent) | 1,221,901 | 51.2% | |
Democratic | Geri Rothman-Serot | 1,057,967 | 44.9% | |
Libertarian | Jeanne Bojarski | 75,048 | 3.2% | |
Total votes | 2,354,916 | 100.00% | ||
Majority | 163,934 | 6.3% | ||
Republican hold |
Nevada
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Reid: 40–50% 50–60% Dahl: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Although nearly 10% of the electorate voted for neither of the two major U.S. political parties, incumbent Democrat Harry Reid ultimately beat Republican cattle rancher and President of Nevada Cattlemen's Association Demar Dahl.[5]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Harry Reid (Incumbent) | 253,150 | 51.05% | +1.05% | |
Republican | Demar Dahl | 199,413 | 40.21% | −4.30% | |
None of These Candidates | 13,154 | 2.65% | -0.96% | ||
Independent American Party (Nevada) | Joe S. Garcia | 11,240 | 2.27% | ||
Natural Law | Lois Avery | 7,279 | 1.47% | ||
Libertarian | Kent Cromwell | 7,222 | 1.46% | −0.41% | |
Populist | Harry Tootle | 4,429 | 0.89% | ||
Majority | 53,737 | 10.84% | +5.36% | ||
Turnout | 495,887 | ||||
Democratic hold | Swing |
New Hampshire
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
Gregg: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
80–90% >90% Rauh: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 80–90% Brady: >90% Tie: 50% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Warren Rudman decided to retire. Republican Governor Judd Gregg won the open seat, beating Democrat John Rauh, former CEO of Griffon Corporation.[38]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Judd Gregg | 249,591 | 48.2% | |
Democratic | John Rauh | 234,982 | 45.4% | |
Libertarian | Katherine M. Alexander | 18,214 | 3.5% | |
Independent | Larry Brady | 9,340 | 1.8% | |
Independent | Ken Blevens | 4,752 | 0.9% | |
Natural Law | David Haight | 1,291 | 0.3% | |
Total votes | 518,170 | 100.00% | ||
Majority | 14,609 | 2.8% | ||
Republican hold |
New York
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results D'Amato: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% Abrams: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Al D'Amato won re-election to a third term over Democrat Robert Abrams, New York State Attorney General and former Borough president of the Bronx. As of 2023[update], this was the last Senate election in New York won by a Republican.
Early in the campaign, environmentalist attorney, Laurance S. Rockefeller, Jr. nephew of the former governor Nelson, tried to challenge D'Amato in the Republican primary,[40] but fell short of the required signatures to get onto the primary ballot. D'Amato summarily went unchallenged.
The Democratic primary campaign featured State Attorney General Robert Abrams, former U.S. Congresswoman and 1984 vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro, Reverend Al Sharpton, Congressman Robert J. Mrazek, and New York City Comptroller and former Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman. Abrams was considered the early front-runner.[41] Ferraro emphasized her career as a teacher, prosecutor, congresswoman, and mother, and talked about how she was tough on crime.[42] Ferraro drew attacks from the media and her opponents over her husband John Zaccaro's finances and business relationships.[43]
Ferraro became the front-runner, capitalizing on her star power from 1984 and using the campaign attacks against her as an explicitly feminist rallying point for women voters.[43] As the primary date neared, her lead began to dwindle under the charges, and she released additional tax returns from the 1980s to try to defray the attacks.[44] Holtzman ran a negative ad accusing Ferraro and Zaccaro of taking more than $300,000 in rent in the 1980s from a pornographer with purported ties to organized crime.[45] The final debates were nasty, and Holtzman in particular constantly attacked Ferraro's integrity and finances.[46][47] In an unusual election-eve television broadcast, Ferraro talked about the ethnic slurs made against her as an Italian-American.[48] In the September 15, 1992 primary, Abrams edged out Ferraro by less than percentage point, winning 37 percent of the vote to 36 percent.[47] Ferraro did not concede she had lost for two weeks.[49]
After Abrams emerged as the nominee, the Democrats remained divided. In particular, Abrams spent much of the remainder of the campaign trying to get Ferraro's endorsement.[50] Ferraro, enraged and bitter after the nature of the primary,[46][49] ignored Abrams and accepted Bill Clinton's request to campaign for his presidential bid instead. She was eventually persuaded by state party leaders into giving an unenthusiastic endorsement with just three days to go before the general election, in exchange for an apology by Abrams for the tone of the primary.[50]
Abrams was also criticized for calling D'Amato a fascist, and he narrowly lost the general election as a result of these controversies.[51]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Al D'Amato | 2,652,822 | ||
Conservative | Al D'Amato | 289,258 | ||
Right to Life | Al D'Amato | 224,914 | ||
Total | Al D'Amato (Incumbent) | 3,166,994 | 49.0% | |
Democratic | Robert Abrams | 2,943,001 | ||
Liberal | Robert Abrams | 143,199 | ||
'Total' | Robert Abrams | 3,086,200 | 47.8% | |
Libertarian | Norma Segal | 108,530 | 1.7% | |
New Alliance | Mohammad T. Mehdi | 56,631 | 0.9% | |
Natural Law | Stanley Nelson | 23,747 | 0.4% | |
Socialist Workers | Eddie Warren | 16,724 | 0.3% | |
Total votes | 6,458,826 | 100.00% | ||
Majority | 80,794 | 1.2% | ||
Republican hold |
North Carolina
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Faircloth: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Sanford: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Tie: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Terry Sanford lost re-election to a second term to Republican Lauch Faircloth, former State Secretary of Commerce.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Lauch Faircloth | 129,159 | 47.74% | |
Republican | Sue Wilkins Myrick | 81,801 | 30.23% | |
Republican | Eugene Johnston | 46,112 | 17.04% | |
Republican | Larry Harrington | 13,496 | 4.99% | |
Turnout | 270,568 |
In 1990, after 40 years as a Democrat, Faircloth switched his party registration and began preparations to seek the Republican Senate nomination in 1992. Enjoying the support of senator Jesse Helms's political organization, Faircloth defeated Charlotte mayor Sue Myrick and former congressman Walter E. Johnston, III in the primary. His opponent in the general election was his former ally, Terry Sanford. Although Sanford had helped Faircloth raise money for his failed gubernatorial bid in 1984, he angered Faircloth two years later when he allegedly dismissed Faircloth's chances in a statewide contest if the two ran against each other for the Democratic nomination for the Senate.[54] Faircloth withdrew from the 1986 race after Sanford "blindsided" him by announcing his candidacy.[55]
Faircloth attacked Sanford as a tax-and-spend liberal, and despite a poor performance in a September televised debate, Faircloth won the seat by a 100,000-vote margin. Sanford may have been weakened by his unpopular vote against authorizing military force in the Persian Gulf War, and he suffered health problems in the summer of 1992.[56]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Lauch Faircloth | 1,297,892 | 50.35% | +2.11% | |
Democratic | Terry Sanford (Incumbent) | 1,194,015 | 46.32% | –5.44% | |
Libertarian | Bobby Yates Emory | 85,948 | 3.33% | N/A | |
Turnout | 2,577,855 | ||||
Majority | 103,877 | 4.03% | |||
Republican gain from Democratic | Swing |
North Dakota
[edit]Due to the death of Quentin Burdick in September of that year, there were two senate elections in North Dakota.
North Dakota (regular)
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Dorgan: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Sydness: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent North Dakota Democratic NPL Party incumbent Kent Conrad retired, having given a pledge that he would not run for re-election if the federal budget deficit was higher than when he was first elected; however when the other Senate seat became vacant, he ran in the special election. Dem-NPL U.S. Congressman Byron Dorgan won the open seat, beating Republican Steve Sydness, CEO of Endurance International Group.[5]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic–NPL | Byron Dorgan | 179,347 | 59.00% | |
Republican | Steve Sydness | 118,162 | 38.87% | |
Independent | Tom Asbridge | 6,448 | 2.12% | |
Turnout | 303,957 | |||
Total votes | 6,458,826 | 100.00% | ||
Majority | 61,185 | 20.13% | ||
Democratic hold |
North Dakota (special)
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Conrad: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Dalrymple: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
The special election was held December 4, 1992 to fill the United States Senate seat vacated by the late Quentin Burdick. Burdick's widow, Jocelyn Burdick, was appointed as a temporary replacement until the election was held. Dem-NPLer Kent Conrad, who held North Dakota's other senate seat for one term since 1986, had not run for re-election to his own seat, holding himself to a campaign promise pledging to reduce the federal deficit. U.S. senator Kent Conrad won the election over Republican State Representative Jack Dalrymple.
Burdick's death provided an opportunity for Conrad to return to the Senate in a fight for an open seat. However, some, particularly his political opponents, saw this as a breach of his promise in spirit if not letter, Conrad's high approval ratings as senator carried through to a victory against Republican state legislator Jack Dalrymple.[57]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic–NPL | Kent Conrad (incumbent) | 103,246 | 63.22 | 73.57 | |
Republican | Jack Dalrymple | 55,194 | 33.80 | ||
Independent | Darold Larson | 4,871 | 2.98 | ||
Majority | |||||
Turnout | 163,311 | ||||
Democratic hold | Swing |
Ohio
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
County results Glenn: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% DeWine: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat John Glenn won re-election to a fourth term,[58] coinciding with Bill Clinton's narrow win during the presidential election. Glenn's voting percentage of 51% over Republican Lieutenant Governor of Ohio Mike DeWine represented the worst performance of his four runs for the Senate, likely due to the presence of third-party candidate Martha Grevatt of the far-left Workers World Party. As of 2023[update], this is the last time the Democrats have won the Class 3 Senate Seat from Ohio.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | John Glenn (Incumbent) | 2,444,419 | 50.99% | |
Republican | Mike DeWine | 2,028,300 | 42.31% | |
Workers World | Martha Grevatt | 321,234 | 6.70% | |
Majority | 416,119 | 8.68% | ||
Turnout | 4,793,953 | |||
Democratic hold |
Oklahoma
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Nickles: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Lewis: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Don Nickles won re-election to his third term, beating Democratic former State Representative Steve Lewis.[59]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Don Nickles (Incumbent) | 757,876 | 58.6% | |
Democratic | Steve Lewis | 494,350 | 38.2% | |
Independent | Roy V. Edwards | 21,225 | 1.6% | |
Independent | Thomas D. Ledgerwood II | 20,972 | 1.6% | |
Total votes | 1,294,423 | 100.00% | ||
Majority | 263,526 | 20.4% | ||
Republican hold |
Oregon
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Packwood: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% AuCoin: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Bob Packwood won re-election to his fifth term.
As the election season got underway, analysts from both major parties predicted that Packwood would have one of the toughest seats to defend in what was anticipated to be a volatile election year.[61] Packwood was regarded as one of the nation's "most powerful elected officials"[62] with "extraordinary political instincts."[63] But the state's largest newspaper, The Oregonian, had described AuCoin (Packwood's presumed main challenger) as having "persistence, imagination and clout [that] have made him the most powerful congressman in Oregon and one of the most influential members from the Northwest."[64]
For AuCoin, however, first came the Democratic primary. He faced Portland attorney Joe Wetzel and Bend businessman Harry Lonsdale in what became a "brutal, bitter"[65] contest.[66] Lonsdale, who had run a close race against incumbent Mark Hatfield for Oregon's other Senate seat in 1990, emerged as AuCoin's principal rival; Wetzel, who criticized Packwood and AuCoin as long-term, ineffective members of Congress,[67] trailed throughout the race, and was not invited to an April debate sponsored by the City Club of Portland.[68] Lonsdale took on "the Les AuCoin-Mark Hatfield-Bob Packwood coalition" as his primary cause, stating "I consider Les AuCoin a good man who has been corrupted by PAC money over the years".[69]
In a race the Seattle Times called "as negative as many voters can remember,"[65] Lonsdale attacked AuCoin as "corrupt"[65] and tied to the timber industry.[70] Lonsdale's environmental credentials also came under scrutiny,[71] and AuCoin noted Lonsdale's reversal of support for nuclear power and belated opposition to the re-opening of Trojan Nuclear Power Plant.[72] AuCoin turned accusations of undue influence back on Lonsdale, pointing out that his company (Bend Research) had received millions in federal defense contracts.[73]
Even during the primary, Packwood and AuCoin traded barbs on various issues.[74] Packwood joined Lonsdale in criticizing AuCoin for his involvement in what was reported as a rash of check-bouncing among members of Congress; AuCoin characterized the issue as a series of mistakes, rather than gross abuses.[75] In what was believed to be an unprecedented move, Packwood attempted to influence the Democratic primary's outcome by running television ads against AuCoin.[76]
Ultimately, the results of the Democratic primary were so close that an automatic recount was triggered.[76] AuCoin held a news conference on May 23 in the South Park Blocks stating he would wait for the recount, but the margin was currently 248 votes in his favor.[77] On June 18, over a month after the primary election, AuCoin was certified as having won by 330 votes.[78] Upon conceding the race, Lonsdale pondered mounting a write-in campaign, reiterating that Oregon needed an "outsider" in the Senate.[79][80]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Les AuCoin | 153,029 | 42.18% | |
Democratic | Harry Lonsdale | 152,699 | 42.09% | |
Democratic | Joseph Wetzel | 31,183 | 8.87% | |
Democratic | Bob Bell | 23,700 | 6.53% | |
Democratic | miscellaneous | 1,194 | 0.33% | |
Total votes | 361,805 | 100.00% |
Packwood had gone through a divorce in 1991, and his ex-wife threatened to run against him amid mounting concerns about his "eye for the ladies." The socially conservative Oregon Citizens Alliance (OCA) was at the apex of its statewide prominence with 1992's anti-gay Measure 9 and its newly formed American Heritage Party (AHP). The group endorsed Republican challenger Joe Lutz, who had run against Packwood in the past on a family values platform; but Lutz soon withdrew, announcing a divorce of his own. As early as January, the OCA considered backing former gubernatorial candidate Al Mobley as an independent or as a member of the AHP.[82][83] Mobley ultimately decided in mid-August not to run, stating that he could not bear the idea that he might be responsible for causing AuCoin to be elected.[84] Packwood's most significant challenge thus came from little-known conservative Medford attorney John DeZell, who campaigned on the family values issue.[85] Packwood cruised to victory over DeZell and several other candidates.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bob Packwood (incumbent) | 176,939 | 59.10% | |
Republican | John DeZell | 61,128 | 20.42% | |
Republican | Stephanie J. Salvey | 27,088 | 9.05% | |
Republican | Randy Prince | 20,358 | 6.80% | |
Republican | Valentine Christian | 10,501 | 3.51% | |
Republican | miscellaneous | 3,397 | 1.14% | |
Total votes | 299,411 | 100.00% |
By the end of June, when the recount was complete, AuCoin was nearly out of campaign funds; Packwood entered the general election race with $3.2 million[87][88] and was ranked sixth nationwide among senators raising funds outside their home state during the 1990–1992 election season.[89]
AuCoin opposed weakening the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to erase the Northern Spotted Owl's impact on the timber industry, but Packwood (“one of the timber industry’s chief allies,” according to Oregon State University political scientist William Lunch[90]) assailed “environmental extremists” and introduced legislation to convene a presidential cabinet committee to exempt the endangered owl from the ESA.[91]
In September, Packwood pulled ads that had falsely criticized AuCoin for missing votes while speaking to special interest groups.[92] By October, Packwood had raised $8 million,[93] spending $5.4 million more than AuCoin, and leading all Senate incumbents.[94] Yet that fall, the two candidates were in a dead heat, with Packwood continuing to criticize AuCoin on attendance, his House bank account and the spotted owl, and AuCoin echoing the campaign of popular Presidential candidate Bill Clinton by accusing Packwood of favoring the wealthy over the middle class.[95]
The outcome of the bruising race was too close to call on election night, but on the following day, Packwood emerged as the winner with about 52% of the vote to AuCoin's 47. In his victory press conference, Packwood endorsed AuCoin for Secretary of the Interior in the Clinton administration.[96][97] When told of Packwood's comments, AuCoin responded by saying "I think that's real special."[98]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bob Packwood (Incumbent) | 717,455 | 52.14% | |
Democratic | Les AuCoin | 639,851 | 46.50% | |
Write-In | Miscellaneous | 12,934 | 0.94% | |
Independent | Harry Lonsdale | 5,793 | 0.42% | |
Total votes | 1,376,033 | 100.00% | ||
Majority | 77,604 | 5.64% | ||
Republican hold |
Pennsylvania
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
Specter: 40–50% 50–60% Yeakel: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Arlen Specter won re-election to a third term over Democratic millionaire Lynn Yeakel[100] director of women's studies at Drexel University College of Medicine and daughter of former U.S. Congressman Porter Hardy of Virginia[101] (from Montgomery County).
Despite his powerful position in the Senate, Specter had numerous problems entering the election. A moderate who generally received only tepid support from his party's conservative wing, he was criticized by the right for opposing Ronald Reagan's nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. Specter subsequently faced a primary challenge from an ultra-conservative State Representative named Stephen Freind; although the incumbent won handily, the battle was expensive and featured many damaging attack ads. The senator was also highly targeted by women's groups for his involvement in the Clarence Thomas proceedings; in his questioning of Anita Hill, Specter appeared to show no sympathy for her allegations of sexual harassment. Furthermore, President Bush's popularity was rapidly declining in the state over high unemployment rates and was subsequently dragging down Republican candidates.[102]
Yeakel won the five-way primary with 45% of the vote, easily defeating the endorsed candidate, Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel, in an election cycle dubbed by pundits as the "year of the woman." Polls put her ahead of Specter by double digits. But Specter ran a campaign that was praised by political analysts for being almost flawless.[102] Despite Yeakel's personal wealth, her inexperience in politics led to fund raising problems; in turn, Specter ran television ads long before the Democrat. The moderate Specter portrayed Yeakel, despite her liberal attitude, as a member of an elitist blue-blood family; he emphasized her father's votes against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 while in Congress, her affiliation with an all-white country club, and her church's minister's vocal criticism of the Israeli government.[103][104]
Despite her mistakes, including a frequent tendency to mispronounce the names of places in which she was campaigning, Yeakel continued to perform solidly, and on Election Day, she captured by large numbers the traditional Democratic strongholds of the state, such as Pittsburgh, Scranton, and Erie. However, Specter undercut Yeakel's support in the state's most critical Democratic county: Philadelphia. Specter campaigned hard in black neighborhoods and received the endorsement of the NAACP. Furthermore, he capitalized on the ambivalence of many Philadelphia Democratic leaders to Yeakel, a self-described reform candidate; as a result, the hugely Democratic city featured a higher than anticipated vote for Specter. Also critical to the campaign was Specter's grassroots involvement in Yeakel's base, the traditionally GOP but Democratic-trending suburbs of Philadelphia.[102]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Arlen Specter (Incumbent) | 2,358,125 | 49.10% | |
Democratic | Lynn Yeakel | 2,224,966 | 46.33% | |
Libertarian | John Perry | 219,319 | 4.57% | |
Total votes | 4,822,410 | 100.00% | ||
Majority | 113,159 | 2.3% | ||
Republican hold |
South Carolina
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Hollings: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Hartnett: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Fritz Hollings won re-election to his fifth full term, over Republican former Congressman Thomas Hartnett.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Thomas F. Hartnett | 123,572 | 76.8% | |
Republican | Charlie E. Thompson | 37,352 | 23.2% | |
Total votes | 160,924 | 100.00% |
The race between Hollings and Hartnett was between two politicians from the Lowcoutry. Hartnett attacked Hollings for co-sponsoring a bill in 1983 that would have outlawed discrimination against homosexuals and Hollings shot back about questions of Hartnett's integrity for pushing for military contracts with a firm he had ties with in North Charleston. The anti-incumbency mood helped to bring Hartnett close to topping Hollings in the general election, but South Carolina voters traditionally support their incumbent politicians and Hollings was elected for another six-year term, albeit with a much reduced margin.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Fritz Hollings (Incumbent) | 591,030 | 50.1% | −13.0% | |
Republican | Thomas F. Hartnett | 554,175 | 46.9% | +11.3% | |
Libertarian | Mark Johnson | 16,987 | 1.9% | +1.2% | |
American | Robert Barnwell Clarkson II | 11,568 | 1.0% | +0.4% | |
No party | Write-Ins | 703 | 0.1% | +0.1% | |
Majority | 36,855 | 3.2% | −24.3% | ||
Turnout | 1,180,438 | 76.8% | +20.2% | ||
Democratic hold | Swing |
South Dakota
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Daschle: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Haar: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Tom Daschle won re-election to a second term, beating Republican educator Charlene Haar.[105]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Tom Daschle (Incumbent) | 217,095 | 64.90% | +13.30% | |
Republican | Charlene Haar | 108,733 | 32.51% | −15.89% | |
Libertarian | Gus Hercules | 4,353 | 1.30% | ||
Independent | Kent Hyde | 4,314 | 1.29% | ||
Majority | 108,362 | 32.40% | +29.19% | ||
Turnout | 334,495 | ||||
Democratic hold | Swing |
Utah
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Bennett: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Owens: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Jake Garn decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. Republican Bob Bennett won the open seat over Democratic congressman Wayne Owens.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bob Bennett | 420,069 | 55.38% | |
Democratic | Wayne Owens | 301,228 | 39.72% | |
Populist | Anita Morrow | 17,549 | 2.31% | |
Libertarian | Maury Modine | 14,341 | 1.89% | |
Socialist Workers | Patricia Grogan | 5,292 | 0.7% | |
Total votes | 758,479 | 100.00% | ||
Majority | 118,841 | 15.66% | ||
Republican hold |
Vermont
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
Leahy: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Douglas: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Democrat Patrick Leahy won re-election to a fourth term, beating Republican Secretary of State of Vermont Jim Douglas.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Patrick Leahy (Incumbent) | 24,721 | 97.59% | |
Democratic | Write-ins | 610 | 2.41% | |
Total votes | 25,331 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Liberty Union | Jerry Levy | 311 | 91.20% | |
Liberty Union | Write-ins | 30 | 8.80% | |
Total votes | 341 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jim Douglas | 28,693 | 78.24% | |
Republican | John L. Gropper | 7,395 | 20.16% | |
Republican | Write-ins | 586 | 1.60% | |
Total votes | 36,674 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Patrick Leahy (Incumbent) | 154,762 | 54.16% | −8.99% | |
Republican | Jim Douglas | 123,854 | 43.35% | +8.85% | |
Liberty Union | Jerry Levy | 5,121 | 1.79% | +0.99% | |
Freedom for LaRouche | Michael B. Godeck | 1,780 | 0.62% | ||
Write-ins | 222 | 0.08% | |||
Majority | 30,908 | 10.82% | −17.84% | ||
Turnout | 285,739 | ||||
Democratic hold | Swing |
Washington
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Murray: 50–60% 60–70% Chandler: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Serving one term, incumbent senator Brock Adams was strongly supportive of his party's leadership[citation needed]. In 1992 he chose not to be a candidate for re-election after eight women made statements to The Seattle Times alleging that Adams had committed various acts of sexual misconduct, ranging from sexual harassment to rape.[108] Adams denied the allegations, but his popularity statewide was weakened considerably by the scandal and he chose to retire rather than risk losing the seat for his party. Chandler seemed to have the upper hand in one of the debates until for some unknown reason he quoted the Roger Miller song "Dang Me."[109] He was further damaged by the unpopularity of President George H.W. Bush in the Pacific Northwest.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Patty Murray | 1,197,973 | 54.0% | |
Republican | Rod Chandler | 1,020,829 | 46.0% | |
Majority | 177,144 | 8.0% | ||
Total votes | 2,218,802 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic hold |
Wisconsin
[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Feingold: 50–60% 60–70% Kasten: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Incumbent Republican Bob Kasten ran for re-election to a third term, but was defeated by Democratic State senator Russ Feingold.
Feingold, who had little name recognition in the state and was campaigning in a primary against a pair of millionaire opponents, U.S. Congressman Jim Moody and Milwaukee businessman Joe Checota, adopted several proposals to gain the electorate's attention. The most memorable of these was a series of five promises written on Feingold's garage door in the form of a contract.[111] Also noted was Feingold's advertising campaign, which was widely compared to that used by progressive candidate Paul Wellstone in his victorious Senate campaign in Minnesota. Shot in the form of home movies, the ads attempted to portray Feingold, who always referred to himself as "the underdog running for U.S. senate," as a down-to-earth, Capra-esque figure, taking the audience on a guided tour of the candidate's home and introducing them to his children, all of whom were enrolled in public school.[112]
The ads also contained a significant amount of humor. One featured Feingold meeting with an Elvis Presley impersonator, who offered Feingold his endorsement.[113] (Bob Kasten responded to the Elvis endorsement with an advertisement featuring an Elvis impersonator attacking Feingold's record.[114]) Another showed Feingold standing next to a pair of half-sized cardboard cut-outs of his opponents, refusing to "stoop to their level" as the two were shown literally slinging mud at one another.[112]
During the primary campaign, Feingold unveiled an 82-point plan that aimed to eliminate the deficit by the end of his first term.[115] The plan, which called for, among other things, a raise in taxes and cuts in the defense budget, was derided as "extremist" by Republicans and "too liberal" by his Democratic opponents. Feingold also announced his support for strict campaign finance reform and a national health care system and voiced his opposition to term limits and new tax cuts.[116]
Feingold won by positioning himself as a quirky underdog who offered voters an alternative to what was seen by many as negative campaigning of opponents Jim Moody and Joe Checota.[117] On primary day, Feingold, whose support had shown in the single digits throughout much of the campaign, surged to victory with 70 percent of the vote.[116] Seven weeks later, while Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Ross Perot split the Wisconsin presidential vote 41%-37%-21%, Feingold beat Kasten by a margin of 53 percent to 46 percent.[117]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Russell Feingold | 1,290,662 | 52.6% | |
Republican | Robert W. Kasten, Jr. (Incumbent) | 1,129,599 | 46.0% | |
Independent | Patrick Johnson | 16,513 | 0.7% | |
Libertarian | William Bittner | 9,147 | 0.4% | |
Independent | Mervin A. Hanson, Sr. | 3,264 | 0.1% | |
Grassroots | Robert L. Kundert | 2,747 | 0.1% | |
Independent Populist | Joseph Selliken | 2,733 | 0.1% | |
Total votes | 2,454,665 | 100.00% | ||
Majority | 161,063 | 6.6% | ||
Democratic gain from Republican |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c Seat totals account for the special elections in both California and North Dakota, but nationwide vote totals exclude the North Dakota special election that was held in December, as the 1992 elections report prepared by the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives also excludes that latter election entirely. However, vote totals for the Georgia runoff are counted to the total.
- ^ In North Dakota, interim appointee Jocelyn Burdick did not seek election to finish the term.
- ^ Alan J. Dixon lost renomination to represent Illinois. Carol Moseley Braun became the party's new nominee.
- ^ Includes the interim appointee who ran for election.
- ^ Appointee defeated
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Clerk of the United States House of Representatives (May 31, 1993). "STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3, 1992" (PDF). United States House of Representatives. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ "One for The Gipper; Loyalists Toast Reagan Amid Nostalgia for '80s". The Washington Post. August 18, 1992. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "Federal Elections 92" (PDF). Washington D.C.: Federal Election Commission. June 1993. p. 37. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
- ^ a b "Primary Results" (PDF). elections.alaska.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 18, 2017. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Clerk of the House of Representatives (1993). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional election of November 3, 1992". Archived from the original on February 14, 2020.
- ^ "The Prescott Courier - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - AR US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ Eu, March Fong (December 12, 1992). "Statement of Vote General Election November 3, 1992" (PDF). p. 14 (24 in PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 30, 2008. Retrieved December 11, 2008.
- ^ Murphy, Dean E.; Shuit, Douglas P. (October 31, 1992). "U.S. Senate Candidates Crisscross State for Votes Politics: Herschensohn reacts angrily to accusation that he went to strip joint, frequented adult newsstand". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
A clearly shaken Herschensohn, who has embraced the GOP "family values" platform, at first refused to comment on the accusations, calling them "a pretty desperate thing." But he later conceded that he once visited the Seventh Veil nude-dance club in Hollywood…
- ^ Steinberg, Arnold (November 17, 2000). "Beware the Trickster: Bob Mulholland oversees the recounting of the ballots in Florida". National Review. Archived from the original on January 4, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
That vintage Mulholland maneuver made it all but impossible for Herschensohn to stay on-message during the campaign's crucial closing days.
Steinberg is a Republican political strategist in Sherman Oaks. - ^ Fund, John (December 5, 2005). "Arnold's 'Harriet Miers Moment' - Has Gov. Schwarzenegger jumped the shark?". John Fund on the Trail - WSJ.com. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
- ^
Salladay, Robert (December 7, 2005). "Governor Faces Revolt in GOP". Los Angeles Times. p. A-1. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
Bob Mulholland, publicly accused Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Herschensohn of visiting a Sunset Boulevard strip club. Herschensohn had been running as the traditional-values candidate.
Amid the controversy, Herschensohn lost the Senate race to Democrat Barbara Boxer, and the GOP was outraged at what it called a "smear campaign." Kennedy suspended Mulholland, but he soon returned to the party. - ^ "Our Campaigns - CO US Senate - D Primary Race - Aug 11, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ Hays, Constance L. (September 16, 1992). "THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: CONNECTICUT; Brook Johnson Captures Republican Senate Race". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012.
- ^ "CT US Senate". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved August 19, 2010.
- ^ "Florida Department of State - Election Results". Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
- ^ "Florida Department of State - Election Results". Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
- ^ 1992 Republican Primary OurCampaigns
- ^ "Our Campaigns - GA US Senate - R Primary Race - Jul 21, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ Gross, Jane (December 14, 1992). "Accusations Against Hawaii Senator Meet a Silence in His Seat of Power". The New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ a b "Results". sos.idaho.gov. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
- ^ "IL US Senate - D Primary Race - Mar 17, 1992". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
- ^ Charles Babington and Dan Balz (August 17, 2005). "Democrats Feel Heat From Left On Roberts". The Washington Post. Washington Post Company. p. A01.
Nan Aron, president of the Alliance for Justice, said [...] 'History shows us that voters turned on Alan Dixon for his vote on Clarence Thomas and voters gave Arlen Specter the toughest re-election of his life.'
- ^ "Midwest Senate roundup". USA TODAY. October 6, 1992. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012.
- ^ "United States senator by County". USA Elections. November 3, 1992. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
- ^ a b "Primary Election" (PDF). sos.iowa.gov.
- ^ Johnson, Dirk (October 29, 1992). "THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: Senate Races; Uphill Fights for 4 Women in Midwest". The New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ Leip, David. "1992 Senatorial General Election Results - Kansas". U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Straub, "GOP Candidates: Ford Ripe Target as Incumbent"
- ^ Straub, "Campaign '92: Primary Results"
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 13, 2010. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b Gibson, "Election Results 1992"
- ^ Straub, "Williams Jabs Ford on Legislative Record"
- ^ a b Straub, "Campaign '92: U.S. House and Senate"
- ^ "Our Campaigns - KY US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "Louisiana Secretary of State - Election Results". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ a b Maryland State Board of Elections. Elections.state.md.us (February 16, 2001). Retrieved on June 17, 2011.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - John Rauh". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - NH US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ Purdum, Todd S. (July 12, 1992). "JULY 5-11: Rockefeller vs. D'Amato; A Powerful Political Name Reappears in New York". The New York Times.
- ^ Kolbert, Elizabeth (October 21, 1991). "In Senate Campaign, Ferraro Picks Up Where She Left Off". The New York Times.
- ^ Braden, Maria (1996). Women Politicians and the Media. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. p. 135. ISBN 0-8131-1970-7.
- ^ a b Mitchell, Alison (September 1, 1992). "For Ferraro, Cheers of '84 Are Still Resonating". The New York Times.
- ^ Blumenthal, Ralph (September 11, 1992). "Ferraro Releases Tax Returns for 2 Missing Years to Offset Attacks by Rivals". The New York Times.
- ^ Mitchell, Alison (August 27, 1992). "Holtzman Draws Criticism From Feminists Over Ads". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Lurie, Leonard (1994). Senator Pothole: The Unauthorized Biography of Al D'Amato. Birch Lane Press. pp. 465, 467. ISBN 1-55972-227-4.
- ^ a b Purdum, Todd S. (September 16, 1992). "Abrams, In Tight Senate Vote, Appears to Edge Out Ferraro". The New York Times.
- ^ Purdum, Todd S. (September 15, 1992). "Senate Race Ends in Whirl Of Appeals". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Verhovek, Sam Howe (October 1, 1992). "Abrams Gets A Concession From Ferraro". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Manegold, Catherine S. (November 1, 1992). "Ferraro Gets An Apology From Abrams". The New York Times.
- ^ Attorney General Abrams to Quit To Join a Law Firm in Manhattan. New York Times. September 9, 1993.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - NY US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ a b "North Carolina DataNet #46" (PDF). University of North Carolina. April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
- ^ Howard E. Covington, Jr. and Marion A. Ellis, Terry Sanford: Politics, Progress, and Outrageous Ambitions. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1999, 489
- ^ Rob Christensen. The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics. pp. 280–281.
- ^ Applebome, Peter (September 27, 1992). "Prospects Looking Up For 7 Southern Senators". The New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - ND US Senate Special Race - Dec 04, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - OH US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "THE 1992 ELECTIONS: STATE BY STATE; THE SOUTHWEST". The Washington Post. November 5, 1992. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - OK US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1992". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ Ulrich, Roberta (December 21, 1991). "Demos, GOP look to the West for vote gains". The Oregonian.
- ^ "Bob Packwood". Willamette Week. September 16, 2009.
- ^ Egan, Timothy (September 9, 1995). "Packwood Is Leaving As a Pariah In His State". The New York Times.
- ^ The Oregonian, June 13, 1988.
- ^ a b c Matassa, Mark (May 18, 1992). "Great political lineup in Oregon primary, but it's not the NBA – is voters' mood a pregame show for Washington?". The Seattle Times.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (December 31, 1991). "Senate aspirant proposes restoring tax deductions". The Oregonian.
- ^ Hortsch, Dan (January 30, 1992). "U.S. Senate candidate urges tax law reforms". The Oregonian.
- ^ Duin, Steve (January 28, 1992). "No debate for Wetzel? Inconceivable!". The Oregonian.
- ^ Duin, Steve (September 19, 1991). "The return of a career candidate". The Oregonian. pp. B07.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (February 9, 1992). "Demo Senate primary gets rough". The Oregonian.
- ^ Walth, Brent (March 21, 1992). "Lonsdale Firm's Hazardous Waste Violated No Rules". The Register – Guard – Eugene, Or. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved October 8, 2009.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (January 5, 1992). "Lonsdale, in about-face, opposes nuclear power, Trojan restart". The Oregonian.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (March 29, 1992). "AuCoin takes Lonsdale's role in debate". The Oregonian.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (February 18, 1992). "Packwood, AuCoin exchange accusations". The Oregonian.
- ^ Ota, Alan K.; Roberta Ulrich (March 14, 1992). "Oregonians check books". The Oregonian.
- ^ a b "The 1992 Campaign; Close Vote for Oregon Senate Seat Insures Recount". The New York Times. May 24, 1992. Retrieved October 8, 2009.
- ^ Hamilton, Don (May 24, 1992). "Aucoin waits for official declaration of victory". The Oregonian. pp. D05.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (June 18, 1992). "State puts its seal on AuCoin's victory". The Oregonian.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (June 9, 1992). "A recount in the Democratic Senate primary is…". The Oregonian.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (June 19, 1992). "Lonsdale concedes primary loss with attack on AuCoin, Packwood". The Oregonian.
- ^ "Oregon US Senate Democratic Primary Race, May 19, 1992". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (January 16, 1992). "Mobley, OCA consider independent Senate race". The Oregonian.
- ^ Sarasohn, David (July 26, 1992). "OCA party needs more normal name". The Oregonian.
- ^ Schwartz, Maralee; Thomas B. Edsall (August 16, 1992). "Big break for Sen. Packwood". The Washington Post.
- ^ Wolf, Richard (December 3, 1992). "Capitol to Cabinet: Some potential picks". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ "Oregon US Senate Republican Primary Race, May 19, 1992". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ "Let's make a deal". The Oregonian. June 26, 1992.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (June 23, 1992). "Packwood rejects AuCoin's spending-lid plan". The Oregonian.
- ^ Ota, Alan K. (July 2, 1992). "Packwood ranked sixth in Senate in raising money outside of state". The Oregonian.
- ^ Tumulty, Karen (November 3, 1993). "Catching a 'Chameleon': Senate Wrestles With Packwood". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Packwood Wants Changes In Endangered Species Act". Spokane Chronicle. October 18, 1990.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (September 26, 1992). "Inaccuracy found". The Oregonian.
- ^ Ota, Alak K. (October 30, 1992). "Data sparse on Packwood's donors". The Oregonian.
- ^ Hamilton, Don (May 25, 1993). "Packwood sets '92 campaign spending record". The Oregonian. Retrieved October 8, 2009.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (October 29, 1992). "Packwood, AuCoin in dead heat, new poll finds". The Oregonian.
- ^ "Sen. Packwood Backs Foe For Cabinet". The San Francisco Chronicle. Associated Press. November 5, 1992.
- ^ Cain, Brad (November 5, 1992). "Packwood: defeated foe would be good Interior chief". The Bulletin (Bend). Retrieved April 10, 2010.
- ^ Mapes, Jeff (November 5, 1992). "Victorious Packwood boosts foe for cabinet". The Oregonian.
- ^ "Oregon US Senate Race, Nov 3, 1992". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ "Yeakel to oppose Specter, main target in Senate race". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 29, 1992. Retrieved August 20, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Yeakel, Lynn". OurCampaigns. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
- ^ a b c Kennedy, John J. (2006). Pennsylvania Elections: Statewide Contests from 1950-2004. United Press of America. ISBN 9780761832799.
- ^ Kornacki, Steve (April 30, 2009). "Lynn Yeakel Isn't Angry Anymore". New York Observer. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
- ^ "Archives - Philly.com". articles.philly.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Charlene Haar". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "UT US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1992". Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
- ^ a b c Elections | Home | Vermont Secretary of State
- ^ Boardman, D., Gilmore, S., Nalder, E., and Pryne, E. (March 1, 1992). "8 More Women Accuse Adams--Allegations of Two Decades of Sexual Harassment, Abuse - And a Rape". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 3, 2009.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Cantwell snubs McGavick on debates By Joel Connelly Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- ^ "Election Search Results - Elections & Voting - WA Secretary of State". Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ "Promises Made, Promises Kept". Archived from the original on December 29, 2006. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
- ^ a b "Russ Feingold for United States Senate Multimedia". Archived from the original on December 29, 2006. Retrieved June 5, 2007.
- ^ "Wisconsin Senate: The Candidates". Washington Post. September 9, 1998. Retrieved June 5, 2007.
- ^ Marcus, Greil (January 17, 1993). "The Elvis Test". San Francisco Examiner. Eye Candy Promotions. Archived from the original on April 5, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
- ^ Odegard, Sue (1999). "Feingold tackles health care, capital punishment, COPS grants at River Falls Listening Session". River Falls Journal. Archived from the original on May 30, 2001. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
- ^ a b Sykes, Charles J. (November 2, 1992). "The next Bill Proxmire? — US Senate race between Democrat Russ Feingold and Republican Robert W. Kasten in Wisconsin". National Review. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
- ^ a b Wagner, Jeff (September 17, 2004). "A Republican Senator from Wisconsin in 2004?". WTMJ-AM. Archived from the original on January 3, 2006. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
Sources
[edit]- Clerk of the House of Representatives (1993). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional election of November 3, 1992".
- Krauss, Clifford (October 30, 1992). "THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: Senate Race; A BITTER RIVALRY IN SOUTH CAROLINA". The New York Times. Retrieved February 2, 2008.
- State Election Commission (1993). South Carolina Election Commission Annual Report 1992-1993. Columbia, SC: The Commission. p. 80.