1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota

none March 2026 September 2023 1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota Minnesota File:Flag of Minnesota (1983-2024).svg 1983 presidential no 1990 United States Senate election in Minnesota 1990 2002 United States Senate election in Minnesota 2002 November 5, 1996 150x150px Paul Wellstone (cropped).jpg Paul Wellstone Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party 1,098,430 50.32% Rudy Boschwitz 1996 (3x4 cropped).jpg Rudy Boschwitz Republican Party of Minnesota 901,194 41.28% Dean Barkley official portrait (cropped).jpg Dean Barkley Reform Party (Minnesota) 152,328 6.98% 280px County results 280px Precinct results 1 280px Wellstone: #BDD3FF 30–40% #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% #3933e5 80–90% #0D0596 >90%Boschwitz: #FFC8CD 30–40% #FFB2B2 40–50% #E27F7F 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #D72F30 70–80% #C21B18 80–90%Other: #165016 >90%Tie: #EFE7F5 20–30% #DECDE6 30–40% #d2b1d9 40–50% #ae8bb1 50% #808080 No votes U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Paul Wellstone Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party The 1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Democratic senator Paul Wellstone won re-election to a second term defeating Republican former senator Rudy Boschwitz in a rematch.http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=173 Our Campaigns - MN US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1996 Primary elections were held on September 10. Both Wellstone and Boschwitz were easily nominated. DFL primary Candidates Richard Franson, perennial candidate Ed Hansen, nudie film director and editor Ole Savior, perennial candidate Paul Wellstone, incumbent U.S. senator since 1991 Results Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary resultshttp://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=173 Primary Election Results OurCampaigns Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Paul Wellstone (incumbent) 194,699 86.41% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Richard Franson 16,465 7.31% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Ed Hansen 9,990 4.43% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Oloveuse S. Savior 4,180 1.86% 225,334 Republican primary Candidates Rudy Boschwitz, former U.S. senator (197991) Bert McKasy, former Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce and state representative from Mendota Heights Monti Moreno, Stillwater businessman and salon ownerMPR: Election 1996: Story Archive https://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199611/05_newsroom_election/scripts/96_0607.htm 2025-10-14 news.minnesota.publicradio.org Stephen Young John J. Zeleniak Campaign The Minnesota Republican convention declined to endorse a candidate, having deadlocked on fourteen ballots over two days. Although McKasy led on every ballot, he never received more than 56 percent of the delegates' vote. 60 percent was required for an endorsement.1996-06-02 POLITICS: MINNESOTA G.O.P.;Party Is Split And Endorses No Candidate (Published 1996) https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/02/us/politics-minnesota-gop-party-is-split-and-endorses-no-candidate.html 2025-10-14 en The non-endorsement was seen as a victory for Boschwitz, who was better known and more popular among the general Republican electorate.N P R 1996-06-09 . Minnesota Gop https://www.npr.org/1996/06/09/1003597/-minnesota-gop 2025-10-14 NPR en Results Republican primary results Republican Party of Minnesota Rudy Boschwitz 158,678 80.59% Republican Party of Minnesota Stephen Young 16,324 8.29% Republican Party of Minnesota Bert McKasy 12,711 6.46% Republican Party of Minnesota Monti Moreno 6,536 3.32% Republican Party of Minnesota John J. Zeleniak 2,655 1.35% 196,904 General election Candidates Dean Barkley, attorney and Independence Party nominee for U.S. Senate in 1994 (Reform) Rudy Boschwitz, former U.S. Senator (Republican) Roy Ezra Carlton (Libertarian) Tim Davis, marijuana legalization activist (Grassroots) Thomas A. Fiske (Socialist Workers) Howard Hanson (Resource) Steve Johnson (Natural Law) Paul Wellstone, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1991 (DFL) Predictions SourceRatingAs of The Cook Political Report1996 Senate Race ratings https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings/465551 January 11, 2026 Cook Political Report en Toss Up October 23, 1996 Campaign Wellstone had unseated the two-term senator Boschwitz in the 1990 election. Boschwitz filed for a rematch.http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MN&p_theme=mn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=11E2D96AEE7F07C8&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Star Tribune Archives He released ads calling Wellstone "embarrassingly liberal" and "Senator Welfare",https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/16360499.html?dids=16360499:16360499&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+11%2C+1996&author=William+M.+Welch&pub=USA+TODAY+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=A+classic%2C+clear+choice+in+Minnesota+Liberal+Wellstone+vs.+conservative+Boschwitz&pqatl=google https://web.archive.org/web/20121105111104/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/16360499.html?dids=16360499:16360499&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+11,+1996&author=William+M.+Welch&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=A+classic,+clear+choice+in+Minnesota+Liberal+Wellstone+vs.+conservative+Boschwitz&pqatl=google dead November 5, 2012 USA TODAY William M. Welch A classic, clear choice in Minnesota Liberal Wellstone vs. conservative Boschwitz September 11, 1996 and accused Wellstone of supporting flag burning, a move some believe backfired.http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PD&s_site=twincities&p_multi=SP&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB5E0D452D68298&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Pioneer Press: Search Results September 25, 1996 As in 1990, Wellstone had a massive grassroots campaign that inspired college students, poor people and minorities to get involved in politics for the first time. Boschwitz significantly outspent Wellstone on campaign advertising and the race was closely contested, but Wellstone defeated Boschwitz by a nine-point margin in a three-way race. Dean Barkley received 7% of the votehttps://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/49542591.html?dids=49542591:49542591&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+14%2C+1996&author=Sandy+Banisky&pub=The+Sun&desc=Incumbent+is+liberal+and+proud%3B+Campaign%3A+In+Hubert+H.+Humphrey%27s+home+state%2C+a+former+Republican+senator%2C+Rudy+Boschwitz%2C+is+using+his+incumbent+opponent%27s+views+against+him.%3B+CAMPAIGN+1996&pqatl=google https://archive.today/20120715111322/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/49542591.html?dids=49542591:49542591&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+14,+1996&author=Sandy+Banisky&pub=The+Sun&desc=Incumbent+is+liberal+and+proud;+Campaign:+In+Hubert+H.+Humphrey's+home+state,+a+former+Republican+senator,+Rudy+Boschwitz,+is+using+his+incumbent+opponent's+views+against+him.;+CAMPAIGN+1996&pqatl=google dead July 15, 2012 Sandy Banisky Incumbent is liberal and proud; Campaign: In Hubert H. Humphrey's home state, a former Republican senator, Rudy Boschwitz, is using his incumbent opponent's views against him.; CAMPAIGN 1996 October 14, 1996 The Sun and was appointed by Governor Jesse Ventura to serve the last 60 days of Wellstone's term after Wellstone died in a plane crash 11 days before the 2002 election. Polling Poll source Date(s)administered SamplesizeKey:A – all adultsRV – registered votersLV – likely votersV – unclear "Key" Marginof error PaulWellstone (D) RudyBoschwitz (R) DeanBarkley (Rf) UndecidedMason-DixonMPR: Election 1996 https://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199611/05_newsroom_election/docs/poll_sen.htm Minnesota Public Radio 30 June 2025 https://archive.today/20250630214219/https://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199611/05_newsroom_election/docs/poll_sen.htm 30 June 2025 5 September 1996 liveMPRKPP Poll commissioned by Minnesota Public Radio, KARE (TV) & the St. Paul Pioneer PressSeptember 1–3, 1996803 (RV)± 3.5%46%37%4%13% background:#cff Hypothetical polling border:solid 1px silver; padding:8px; background:var(--background-color-base); color:var(--color-base); Wellstone vs. Moreno vs. Barkley Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize"Key" Marginof error PaulWellstone (D) MonteMoreno (R) DeanBarkley (Rf) UndecidedMason-DixonMPRKPPSeptember 1–3, 1996803 (RV)± 3.5%51%20%6%23% Wellstone vs. Young vs. Barkley Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize"Key" Marginof error PaulWellstone (D) SteveYoung (R) DeanBarkley (Rf) UndecidedMason-DixonMPRKPPSeptember 1–3, 1996803 (RV)± 3.5%50%21%5%24% Debates + 1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota debates No. Number Date Host Moderator Link Democratic Republican ReformKey:black #90ff90  P  Participant  black #FFFFDD  A  Absent  black #ff9090  N  Not invited  black #CCFFCC  I  Invited #f0e68c W Withdrawn Paul Wellstone Rudy Boschwitz Dean Barkley1 Sep. 16, 1996 Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Chris Conangla C-SPAN P P N2 Oct. 29, 1996 Minnesota League of Women VotersWCCO-TV Virginia Sweeney C-SPAN P P P Results General election results Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Paul Wellstone (incumbent) 1,098,430 50.32% Republican Party of Minnesota Rudy Boschwitz 901,194 41.28% Reform Party (Minnesota) Dean Barkley 152,328 6.98% Grassroots Party Tim Davis 14,139 0.65% Libertarian Party (United States) Roy Ezra Carlton 5,428 0.25% Resource Party Howard Hanson 4,381 0.20% Natural Law Party (United States) Steve Johnson 4,321 0.20% Socialist Workers Party (United States) Thomas A. Fiske 1,554 0.07% 1,130 0.05% 2,182,905 100.00% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party See also 1996 United States Senate elections Notes Partisan clients References Category:1996 Minnesota elections Minnesota 1996