1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota

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1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota
Flag of Minnesota (1983-2024).svg
  1990 November 5, 1996 2002  
  Paul Wellstone (cropped).jpg Boschwitz Rudy.jpg Dean Barkley.jpg
Nominee Paul Wellstone Rudy Boschwitz Dean Barkley
Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Reform
Popular vote1,098,430901,194152,328
Percentage50.32%41.28%6.98%

1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota results map by county.svg
1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota results map by precinct.svg
Wellstone:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Boschwitz:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Other:     >90%
Tie:     20–30%     30–40%     40–50%     50%     No votes

U.S. senator before election

Paul Wellstone
Democratic (DFL)

Elected U.S. Senator

Paul Wellstone
Democratic (DFL)

The 1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Democrat Paul Wellstone won reelection to a second term defeating former Republican Senator Rudy Boschwitz in a rematch. [1]

Contents

Primary elections

The primary election was held on September 10, 1996.

DFL

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Paul Wellstone (incumbent) 194,699 86.41%
Democratic (DFL) Richard Franson 16,4657.31%
Democratic (DFL) Ed Hansen 9,9904.43%
Democratic (DFL) Oloveuse S. Savior4,1801.86%
Turnout 225,334

Republican

Republican primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Rudy Boschwitz 158,678 80.59%
Republican Stephen Young16,3248.29%
Republican Bert McKasy12,7116.46%
Republican Monti Moreno6,5363.32%
Republican John J. Zeleniak2,6551.35%
Turnout 196,904

General election

Major candidates

Campaign

Wellstone had unseated the two-term senator Boschwitz in the 1990 election. Boschwitz filed for a rematch. [3] He released ads calling Wellstone "embarrassingly liberal" and "Senator Welfare", [4] and accused Wellstone of supporting flag burning, a move some believe backfired. [5] As in 1990, Wellstone had a massive grassroots campaign that inspired college students, poor people and minorities to get involved in politics for the first time. Boschwitz significantly outspent Wellstone on campaign advertising and the race was closely contested, but Wellstone defeated Boschwitz by a nine-point margin in a three-way race. Dean Barkley received 7% of the vote [6] and was appointed by Governor Jesse Ventura to serve the last 60 days of Wellstone's term after Wellstone died in a plane crash 11 days before the 2002 election.

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [a]
Margin
of error
Paul
Wellstone (D)
Rudy
Boschwitz (R)
Dean
Barkley (Rf)
Undecided
Mason-Dixon [7] [A] September 1–3, 1996803 (RV)± 3.5%46%37%4%13%
Hypothetical polling
Wellstone vs. Moreno vs. Barkley
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [a]
Margin
of error
Paul
Wellstone (D)
Monte
Moreno (R)
Dean
Barkley (Rf)
Undecided
Mason-Dixon [7] [A] September 1–3, 1996803 (RV)± 3.5%51%20%6%23%
Wellstone vs. Young vs. Barkley
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [a]
Margin
of error
Paul
Wellstone (D)
Steve
Young (R)
Dean
Barkley (Rf)
Undecided
Mason-Dixon [7] [A] September 1–3, 1996803 (RV)± 3.5%50%21%5%24%

Debates

1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota debates
No.DateHostModeratorLink Democratic Republican Reform
Key:
 P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited  W  Withdrawn
Paul Wellstone Rudy Boschwitz Dean Barkley
1Sep. 16, 1996Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Chris Conangla C-SPAN PPN
2Oct. 29, 1996Minnesota League of Women Voters
WCCO-TV
Virginia Sweeney C-SPAN PPP

Results

General election results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Paul Wellstone (incumbent) 1,098,430 50.32%
Republican Rudy Boschwitz 901,19441.28%
Reform Dean Barkley 152,3286.98%
Grassroots Tim Davis 14,1390.65%
Libertarian Roy Ezra Carlton5,4280.25%
Resource PartyHoward Hanson4,3810.20%
Natural Law Steve Johnson4,3210.20%
Socialist Workers Thomas A. Fiske1,5540.07%
Write-in 1,1300.05%
Total votes2,182,905 100.00%
Democratic (DFL) hold

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
Partisan clients

References

  1. "Our Campaigns - MN US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1996".
  2. 1 2 "Primary Election Results". OurCampaigns.
  3. "Star Tribune Archives".
  4. Welch, William M. (September 11, 1996). "A classic, clear choice in Minnesota Liberal Wellstone vs. conservative Boschwitz". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012.
  5. "Pioneer Press: Search Results". September 25, 1996.
  6. Banisky, Sandy (October 14, 1996). "Incumbent is liberal and proud; Campaign: In Hubert H. Humphrey's home state, a former Republican senator, Rudy Boschwitz, is using his incumbent opponent's views against him.; CAMPAIGN 1996". The Sun. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 "MPR: Election 1996". Minnesota Public Radio. September 5, 1996. Archived from the original on June 30, 2025. Retrieved June 30, 2025.