1996 United States Senate special election in Oregon

1996 United States Senate special election in Oregon

← 1992 January 30, 1996 1998 →

Nominee Ron Wyden Gordon Smith Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 571,739 553,519 Percentage 47.8% 46.3%

County results Wyden:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Smith:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%

U.S. senator before election Vacant Elected U.S. Senator Ron Wyden Democratic

Elections in Oregon
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Portland General elections 2006 Mayoral elections 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Commission elections 2020
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The 1996 United States Senate special election in Oregon was held on January 30, 1996 to fill the seat vacated by Republican Bob Packwood, who had resigned from the Senate due to sexual misconduct allegations.

In the primaries held on December 5, 1995, Democratic U.S. Representative Ron Wyden and Republican President of the Oregon State Senate Gordon H. Smith were nominated. Wyden then defeated Smith in the general election.^[1] Smith would win the regularly-scheduled election to the Senate later that year and serve alongside Wyden until 2009. Wyden's victory made him the first Democratic Senator from Oregon since 1969.

Democratic primary[]

Candidates[]

• Peter DeFazio, U.S. Representative^[2]
• Michael Donnelly, businessman and President of Wild Oregon Water^[3]
• Anna Nevenic, nurse and perennial candidate^[4]
• J.J.T. Van Dooremolen
• Ron Wyden, U.S. Representative^[5]

Results[]

Republican primary[]

Candidates[]

• Sam Berry, attorney^[7]
• Brian Boquist, businessman and rancher^[8]
• Jeffrey Brady, dentist^[9]
• Valentine Christian, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992
• Robert J. Fenton
• Lex Loeb
• Norma Paulus, Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction, former Oregon Secretary of State, and nominee for Governor of Oregon in 1986^[10]
• Jack Roberts, Commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries^[11]
• Gordon H. Smith, President of the Oregon State Senate^[12]
• John Thomas, policeman^[13]
• Tony G. Zangaro

Results[]

General election[]

Results[]

See also[]

• 1996 United States Senate elections

References[]