1991 United States elections

none February 2026 February 2026 1991 Off-year elections November 5 1 mid-term vacancy Democratic +1 House elections 6 mid-term vacancies Democratic +1 3 0 1991 gubernatorial election results map #0272B1 Democratic gain #94C6DF Democratic hold#CB001A Republican gain Elections were held in the United States on November 5, 1991, consisting of three gubernatorial races, six House special elections, many local elections and a Senate special election following the death of Republican senator John Heinz in Pennsylvania, won by Democrat Harris Wofford, the first time the seat had been won by a Democrat since 1940. Federal elections Senate Pennsylvania 1991 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania On April 4, 1991, incumbent senator John Heinz was killed when his Piper Aerostar aircraft collided with a helicopter over Merion Elementary School in Lower Merion Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, killing Heinz, along with four others.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-iseAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7JYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5880%2C938314 Pittsburgh Press Associated Press Sen. Heinz killed in Philly plane crash April 4, 1991 A1 Governor Bob Casey appointed Harris Wofford as the interim senator. Because of how close Heinz's death was to the typical primary election, both Wofford and Republican nominee Dick Thornburgh were selected without primaries. Campaigning in favor of increased healthcare access, often criticizing increasingly unpopular president George H. W. Bush, Wofford defeated Thornburgh, despite early polling deficits.https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/06/us/1991-election-wofford-wins-senate-race-turning-back-thornburgh-gop-gains-edge.html Wofford Wins Senate Race, Turning Back Thornburgh; G.O.P. Gains Edge In Trenton Michael DeCourcy Hinds The New York Times November 6, 1991 United States House of Representatives special elections 1991 United States House of Representatives elections In 1991, six special elections were held to fill vacancies to the United States Congress. They were for MA 1, IL 15, TX 3, AZ 2, PA 2 and VA 7. |- ! MA 1 X | data-sort-value="Conte, Silvio O." | Silvio O. Conte | | Republican | 1958 | data-sort-value=-1 | Incumbent died February 8, 1991.New member elected June 18, 1991.Democratic gain. | nowrap | Democratic Party (US) John Olver (Democratic) 49.6% Republican Party (US)Steven PierceDan Ring The Republican 2010-08-28 Judge Steven Pierce of Westfield back at center of Massachusetts political storm https://www.masslive.com/news/2010/08/judge_steven_pierce_of_westfie_1.html 2022-09-30 masslive en (Republican) 48.2% Others Independent (US)Patrick Joseph Armstrong (Independent) 1.3% Pro-Democracy Reform Party Dennis M. Kelly (Pro-Democracy Reform) 0.6% none Thomas Boynton (Unenrolled) 0.2% |- ! IL 15 X | data-sort-value="Madigan, Edward Rell." | Edward Rell Madigan | | Republican | 1972 | data-sort-value=0 | Incumbent resigned upon appointment as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. New member elected July 2, 1991.Republican hold. | nowrap | Republican Party (US) Thomas W. Ewing (Republican) 66.3% Democratic Party (US)Gerald A. Bradley (Democratic) 33.6% |- ! TX 3 X | data-sort-value="Bartlett, Steve." | Steve Bartlett | | Republican | 1982 | data-sort-value=0 | Incumbent resigned March 11, 1991 to become Mayor of Dallas. New member elected May 18, 1991.Republican hold. | nowrap | Republican Party (US) Sam Johnson (Republican) 52.6% Republican Party (US)Tom Pauken (Republican) 47.4% |- ! AZ 2 X | data-sort-value="Udall, Mo" | Mo Udall | | Democratic | 1961 (Special) | data-sort-value=0 | Incumbent resigned for health reasons.New member elected October 3, 1991.Democratic hold. | nowrap | Democratic Party (US) Ed Pastor (Democratic) 55.5% Republican Party (US)Pat Conner (Republican) 44.4% |- ! PA 2 X | data-sort-value="Gray, William H." | William H. Gray III | | Democratic | 1978 | data-sort-value=0 | Incumbent resigned to become director of the UNCF.New member elected November 5, 1991.Democratic hold. | nowrap | Democratic Party (US) Lucien E. Blackwell (Democratic) 39.2% Consumer PartyChaka Fattah (Consumer) 28.0% OtherJohn F. White Jr. (John F. White Jr. Party) 27.6% Republican Party (US)Nadine G. Smith-Bulford (Republican) 5.2% |- ! VA 7 X | data-sort-value="Slaughter, D. French." | D. French Slaughter Jr. | | Republican | 1984 | data-sort-value=0 | Incumbent resigned due to ill health (stroke).New member elected November 5, 1991.Republican hold. | nowrap | Republican Party (US) George Allen (Republican) 63.9% Democratic Party (US)Kay E. Slaughter (Democratic) 35.7% |} State and local elections Gubernatorial elections 1991 United States gubernatorial elections Three gubernatorial elections were held in 1991 in Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi. The Louisiana gubernatorial election was notable for the runoff, which pitted Democratic former governor Edwin Edwards against Republican former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, David Duke. Edwards won following an unusually toxic campaign, largely due to the endorsement of incumbent Republican governor Buddy Roemer, who had not advanced to the runoff. Mississippi elected its first Republican governor since 1873. State Incumbent Party Firstelected Result Candidates Kentucky Wallace Wilkinson Democratic 1987 Incumbent term-limited.New governor elected.Democratic hold. Brereton C. Jones (Democratic) 64.7% Larry J. Hopkins (Republican) 35.3% Louisiana Buddy Roemer Republican 1987Roemer Louisiana governor Buddy Roemer was elected as a Democrat in 1987, but switched to the Republican Party in March 1991. Incumbent eliminated in primary.New governor elected.Democratic gain. Edwin Edwards (Democratic) 61.2% David Duke (Republican) 38.8% Mississippi Ray Mabus Democratic 1987 Incumbent lost re-election.New governor elected.Republican gain. Kirk Fordice (Republican) 50.8% Ray Mabus (Democratic) 47.6% Shawn O'Hara (Independent) 1.6% Notes References Category:1991 elections in the United States Category:General elections in the United States Category:November 1991 in the United States