1996 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont

none February 2026 September 2023 1996 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont's at-large district Vermont presidential no 1994 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont 1994 1998 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont 1998 November 5, 1996 File:Bernie Sanders 104th Congress.jpg 150x150px Bernie Sanders Independent 140,678 55.23% File:3x4.svg Susan Sweetser Republican Party (United States) 83,021 32.59% File:3x4.svg Jack Long Democratic Party (United States) 23,830 9.36% 220px County results 220px Municipality results 1 220px Sanders: #E6E6E6 30–40% #d3d3d3 40–50% #BDBDBD 50–60% #969696 60–70% #737373 70–80% Sweetser: #FFC8CD 30–40% #FFB2B2 40–50% #E27F7F 50–60% #D72F30 70–80% U.S. Representative Bernie Sanders Independent (politician) Bernie Sanders Independent (politician) The 1996 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont was held on Tuesday, November 5, 1996, to elect the U.S. representative from the state's at-large congressional district. The election coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election. Incumbent Independent Bernie Sanders won re-election to a fourth term, defeating Republican Susan Sweetser and Democrat Jack Long. Republican primary Republican primary resultshttps://www.sec.state.vt.us/media/62908/p1996.pdf 1996 Primary Election Results Vermont Secretary of State January 9, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20141231010640/https://www.sec.state.vt.us/media/62908/p1996.pdf December 31, 2014 dead Republican Party (United States) Susan Sweetser 18,829 95.27 Republican Party (United States) Write-ins 935 4.73 19,764 100.00 Democratic primary Democratic primary results Democratic Party (United States) Jack Long 9,291 67.95 Democratic Party (United States) Bernie Sanders (Write-in) 4,037 29.52 Democratic Party (United States) Susan Sweetser (Write-in) 203 1.48 Democratic Party (United States) Write-ins 143 1.05 13,674 100.00 Liberty Union primary Liberty Union primary results Liberty Union Party Peter Diamondstone 237 88.76 Liberty Union Party Write-ins 30 11.24 267 100.00 General election Candidates Peter Diamondstone (Liberty Union), perennial candidate and socialist activist Norio Kushi (Natural Law), organic foods consultanthttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/107421679/norio-kushi/ Commuter rail on fast track April 19, 1996 August 12, 2022 The Burlington Free Press Wallace Anne Jack Long (Democratic), lawyerhttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/107421140/candidates-page-21/ Congress Brattleboro Reformer 21 November 1, 1996 August 11, 2022 Newspapers.com Robert Melamede (Grassroots), associate research professor at the University of Vermont Thomas J. Morse (Libertarian), businessman Bernie Sanders (Independent), incumbent U.S. Representative Susan Sweetser (Republican), state senator Campaign National Republicans were eager to unseat Sanders, and had placed him on a list of 10 incumbent Representatives they would most heavily target in the 1996 cycle.https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/gop-throws-in-the-towel/Content?oid=2433270 GOP Throws In the Towel Seven Days VT Freyne Peter November 4, 1998 December 29, 2021 Sanders had only narrowly won re-election to a third term in 1994, amidst a national red wave. The Republican nominee, state senator Susan Sweetser, was viewed as a rising star within the party and campaigned as a "social moderate and fiscal conservative", though she was viewed as a strictly conservative Republican.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108963623/susan-sweetser-campaign/ Sweetser takes aim at Congress Bennington Banner Miller Group Nelson Andrew August 23, 1996 September 5, 2022 1 Sweetser's gender was viewed as a potential advantage by University of Vermont political analyst Garrison Nelson, who felt that it would prevent Sanders from utilizing his traditional aggressive campaign style.https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/ho-ho-come-home/Content?oid=2432407 Ho-Ho Come Home Seven Days VT Freyne Peter November 15, 1995 December 29, 2021 There was also a prominent Democratic candidate in the form of Jack Long, former commissioner of the Vermont Environmental Conservation Department, who campaigned as a moderate alternative to the other major candidates. Long's campaign faced staunch opposition from national Democratic strategists, with Rob Engel, political director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, accusing him of being a spoiler candidate attempting to throw the election to Sweetser.https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1996/07/09/candidate-has-his-party-to-contend-with/1ce60765-de59-43f8-bd29-5602372debb4/ Candidate has his party to contend with The Washington Post Gugliotta Guy July 9, 1996 April 21, 2022 Sweetser's campaign faced a major scandal after it was revealed that she had hired private investigator Cathy Riggs, the wife of California Congressman Frank Riggs, to perform opposition research on Sanders, with Riggs proceeding to investigate Sanders' first marriage by calling his ex-wife.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108963728/investigator/ Is there dirt on Sanders? Sweetser hires private eye to investigate The Brattleboro Reformer Sneyd Ross Associated Press Miller Group September 12, 1996 September 5, 2022 This tactic was denounced by both Sanders and Long as a violation of privacy and political etiquette. Sweetser quickly apologized and claimed that she was not aware of Riggs' activities, but the event severely damaged her campaign nonetheless, as it was largely viewed as unacceptable "dirty campaigning" by the electorate.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108963800/bfp-investigation/ Sweetser: Investigation prompts apology Lisberg Adam The Burlington Free Press Gannett September 13, 1996 5 September 5, 2022 Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BernieSanders SusanSweetser JackLong Other UndecidedBecker InstituteBecker InstituteOctober 199652%33%5%10% Endorsements Jack Long (D) State officials Howard Dean, Governor of Vermonthttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/91526964/jack-long-endorsed-by-howard-dean/ Long struggles to catch up The Burlington Free Press Lisberg Adam October 14, 1996 December 31, 2021 Newspapers and publications The Burlington Free Presshttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/91526194/long/ Congressional candidates in high gear; Long gets endorsement Sneyd Ross Associated Press October 28, 1996 Brattleboro Reformer December 31, 2021 Bernie Sanders (I) Executive officials George Stephanopoulos, Senior Advisor to the Presidenthttps://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/06/us/northeast.html Northeast Bradsher Keith et al November 6, 1996 The New York Times July 19, 2021 Federal officials Barney Frank, U.S. Representative from MA-04https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91556476/barney-frank-endorses-sanders/ Frank crosses party lines, endorses Sanders Schmaler Tracy August 10, 1996 Brattleboro Reformer December 31, 2021 State officials Sally Conrad, former state senatorhttps://jacobinmag.com/2016/01/bernie-sanders-clinton-outsider-house-democratic-president-primary-socialist Bernie in the Age of Clinton Jacobin Karp Matt January 24, 2016 December 29, 2021 Peter Shumlin, state senatorhttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/92482074/dissed/ Long: The Lonely Candidate Rutland Daily Herald Derby Diane July 28, 1996 January 13, 2022 Individuals Fred Tuttle, farmer (Co-endorsement with Sweetser)https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1996/11/18/the-vital-center-part-ii The Vital Center, Part II The New Yorker Singer Mark November 18, 1996 July 19, 2021 Jane Sanders, congressional staffer and wife of Bernie Sandershttps://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1996/07/09/candidate-has-his-party-to-contend-with/1ce60765-de59-43f8-bd29-5602372debb4/ Candidate has his party to contend with The Washington Post Gugliotta Guy July 9, 1996 November 23, 2021 Gloria Steinem, activisthttps://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/02/bernie-sanders-madeleine-kunin-feminism/ That Time Bernie Sanders Said He Was a Bigger Feminist Than His Female Opponent Mother Jones Murphy Tim February 4, 2016 July 19, 2021 Organizations Sierra Clubhttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/91526356/sierra/ Sanders wins endorsement of the national Sierra Club Hoffman Jack Rutland Herald Vermont Press Bureau July 16, 1996 December 31, 2021 Susan Sweetser (R) Executive officials Haley Barbour, Chair of the Republican National Committee and former White House Director of Political Affairshttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/108964003/sweetser-fundraising/ GOP chief sets sights on Sanders Liley Betsy July 18, 1996 September 5, 2022 The Burlington Free Press Gannett 11 Federal officials Dick Armey, U.S. Representative from TX-26 and House Majority Leaderhttps://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/politics-politics-politics/Content?oid=2433682 Politics, Politics, Politics Seven Days VT Freyne Peter May 22, 1996 December 29, 2021 Susan Molinari, U.S. Representative from NY-13https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107315789/molinari-sweetser/ New York congresswoman stumps for Sweetser Allen Anne Wallace Associated Press Bennington Banner October 23, 1996 August 10, 2022 Individuals Steve Forbes, publishing executive and former candidate for Presidenthttps://www.csmonitor.com/1996/0708/070896.us.us.4.html Flat-Tax King Is Back On Chicken-Pie Circuit The Christian Science Monitor Scherer Ron July 8, 1996 December 29, 2021 Fred Tuttle, farmer (Co-endorsement with Sanders) Results Vermont's at-large congressional district election, 1996https://www.sec.state.vt.us/media/684385/generalelection_USRep_1932on_1D.pdf United States Representative (One District): 1932-2014 Vermont Secretary of State January 8, 2015 March 4, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113627/https://www.sec.state.vt.us/media/684385/generalelection_USRep_1932on_1D.pdf dead Independent (politician) Bernie Sanders (incumbent) 140,678 55.23 Republican Party (United States) Susan Sweetser 83,021 32.59 Democratic Party (United States) Jack Long 23,830 9.36 Libertarian Party (United States) Thomas J. Morse 2,693 1.06 Liberty Union Party Peter Diamondstone 1,965 0.77 Grassroots Party Robert Melamede 1,350 0.53 Natural Law Party (United States) Norio Kushi 812 0.32 Write-ins N/A 357 0.14 254,706 100.00 Independent (politician) References 1996 Vermont Category:1996 Vermont elections Category:Bernie Sanders