1996 United States Senate special election in Kansas

1996 United States Senate special election in Kansas

← 1992 November 5, 1996 1998 →

Nominee Sam Brownback Jill Docking Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 574,021 461,344 Percentage 53.9% 43.3%

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

Elections in Kansas
Federal government Presidential elections 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Presidential Primaries Democratic Caucuses 2004 2008 2016 2020 Republican Caucuses 2008 2012 U.S. Senate Elections 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1996 special 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 U.S. House Elections 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 Special elections 4th district, 2017
State government Gubernatorial elections 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 Senate elections 2020 House of Representatives elections 2020 State elections by year 2012 2014 2018 2020
Ballot measures 2005 Amendment 1
Wichita Mayoral elections 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019
Kansas City Mayoral elections 2013 2017 2021
Overland Park Mayoral elections 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021
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The 1996 United States Senate special election in Kansas was held 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.

In the 2014 Kansas gubernatorial election, Docking ran for Lieutenant Governor on the Democratic ticket attempting to oust Brownback, who ultimately prevailed by a margin of 3.7%.

Democratic primary[]

Candidates[]

• Jill Docking, businesswoman and daughter-in-law of former Kansas Governor Robert Docking
• Joan Finney, former Governor of Kansas and former Kansas State Treasurer

Results[]

Republican primary[]

Candidates[]

• Sam Brownback, U.S. Congressman and former Kansas Secretary of Agriculture
• Sheila Frahm, incumbent U.S. Senator and former Lieutenant Governor of Kansas
• Christina Campbell-Cline, accountant

Results[]

General election[]

Candidates[]

• Sam Brownback (R), U.S. Congressman and former Kansas Secretary of Agriculture
• Jill Docking (D), businesswoman and daughter-in-law of former Kansas Governor Robert Docking
• Donald Klaassen (Reform), businessman

Results[]

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 senator Paul Davis, in the 2014 election.

See also[]

• 1996 United States Senate elections

References[]