1996 United States Senate election in Nebraska

1996 United States Senate election in Nebraska

←  1990 November 5, 1996 2002  →

Nominee Chuck Hagel Ben Nelson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 379,933 281,904 Percentage 56.14% 41.65%

County results Hagel:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% Nelson:     40–50%     50–60%

U.S. senator before election J. James Exon Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Republican

The 1996 United States Senate election in Nebraska was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator J. James Exon decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. Republican nominee Chuck Hagel won the open seat by 14 points, defeating incumbent Democratic governor Ben Nelson. Nelson would later be elected to Nebraska's other U.S. Senate seat in 2000 when Bob Kerrey retired and served alongside Hagel until 2009, when Hagel left the Senate after retiring.

As of 2025, this is the last time an incumbent governor failed to hold a Senate seat for his party. This was also the first time since Carl Curtis was elected to his final term in 1972 that a Republican was elected to either of Nebraska's Senate seats. ^[a]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Ben Nelson, Governor of Nebraska

Results

Democratic primary results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ben Nelson	93,140	96.97%
	Democratic	Write-ins	2,912	3.03%
Total votes			96,052	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Chuck Hagel, businessman
• Don Stenberg, Attorney General of Nebraska

Results

Republican primary results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Chuck Hagel	112,953	62.24%
	Republican	Don Stenberg	67,974	37.46%
	Republican	Write-ins	544	0.30%
Total votes			181,471	100.00%

Libertarian primary

Results

Libertarian primary results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Libertarian	Chuck Hagel (write-in)	14	23.33%
	Libertarian	John DeCamp (write-in)	11	18.33%
	Libertarian	Write-ins	35	58.33%
Total votes			60	100.00%

Nomination

No candidates filed for the Libertarian Party's nomination, but a primary election was still held, and 60 write-in votes were cast. Of those, 14 votes were cast for Republican Chuck Hagel and 11 for former State Senator John DeCamp. The Nebraska Board of State Canvassers voted 3-2 to certify Hagel as the nominee, ^[2] but Hagel ultimately declined the nomination, which then went to DeCamp, who accepted it. ^[3] Though the Nebraska Republican Party filed a lawsuit seeking to block DeCamp's nomination, the lawsuit was dismissed by a state trial court judge and DeCamp was placed on the ballot. ^[4]

General election

Candidates

• Chuck Hagel (Republican), businessman
• Ben Nelson (Democratic), Governor of Nebraska
• John DeCamp (Libertarian), former state senator
• Bill Dunn (Natural Law)

Results

1996 United States Senate election in Nebraska ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Chuck Hagel	379,933	56.14%	+15.21%
	Democratic	Ben Nelson	281,904	41.65%	−17.25%
	Libertarian	John DeCamp	9,483	1.40%
	Natural Law	Bill Dunn	4,806	0.71%
	Write-in		663	0.10%	—
Majority			98,029	14.48%	−3.49%
Total votes			676,958	100.00%
	Republican gain from Democratic

See also

• 1996 United States Senate elections

Notes

1. David Karnes was appointed to the Senate seat left vacant following the 1987 death of Democratic Senator Ed Zorinsky but was defeated in his bid for a full term by Democratic candidate and former Governor Bob Kerrey.

References

1. Moore, Scott (1996). Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska (PDF).
2. Kotok, C. David; Brennan, Joe (June 26, 1996). "Hagel Mulls Libertarian Decision". Omaha World-Herald . Omaha, Nebraska. p. 24. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
3. "Senate campaign begins to heat up". Star-Herald . Scottsbluff, Nebraska. July 31, 1996. p. 3. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
4. Barrette, John (September 13, 1996). "State GOP loses bid to remove candidates". Lincoln Journal Star . Lincoln, Nebraska. p. 3B. Retrieved February 25, 2025.