1996 United States Senate special election in Kansas

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1996 United States Senate special election in Kansas
Flag of Kansas.svg
←  1992 November 5, 1996 1998  →
  Head shot of Senator Sam Brownback.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Sam Brownback Jill Docking
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote574,021461,344
Percentage53.91%43.33%
1996 United States Senate special election in Kansas results map by county.svg
County results
Brownback:     40–50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%
Docking:     50–60%     60–70%
U.S. senator before election

Sheila Frahm
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Sam Brownback
Republican

The 1996 United States Senate special election in Kansas was held on November 5, 1996, concurrently with the presidential election and the regularly scheduled election for the state's Class 2 seat. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, the Republican nominee for president, had resigned on June 11, 1996, in order to focus on his presidential campaign. Lieutenant Governor Sheila Frahm was appointed to the seat upon Dole's resignation, but she was defeated in the primary by Representative Sam Brownback, who went on to win the general election over Democrat Jill Docking.

Contents

Brownback served in the U.S. Senate from 1996 to 2011 and later as governor of Kansas from 2011 to 2018; in his successful 2014 gubernatorial re-election campaign, he had faced off again against Docking when she was the unsuccessful Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial nominee.

As of 2025, this is the last time a Democratic candidate won Cowley County as well as Ellis County in a US Senate election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Sam Brownback 187,914 54.82%
Republican Sheila Frahm (incumbent)142,48741.57%
Republican Christina Campbell-Cline12,3783.61%
Total votes342,779 100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jill Docking 127,012 74.39%
Democratic Joan Finney 43,72625.61%
Total votes170,738 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

General election results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Sam Brownback 574,021 53.91% −8.78%
Democratic Jill Docking461,34443.33%+12.30%
Reform Donald R. Klaassen29,3512.76%
Majority 112,67710.58%−21.08%
Turnout 1,064,716
Republican hold Swing

Aftermath

Brownback was elected to a full term in 1998, and was re-elected to a second full term in 2004. In 2010, Brownback was elected governor, and won a second term in 2014. He resigned as governor on January 31, 2018, to accept an ambassadorship, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer.

Brownback's seat is now held by Jerry Moran, a U.S. representative from Kansas' 1st district for seven terms (1997-2011).

Docking was the running mate of the Democratic nominee, state representative and Minority Leader Paul Davis, in the 2014 gubernatorial election.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "1996 Primary Election US Senate Races".
  2. ↑ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives".
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