1996 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

none February 2019 March 2026 September 2023 1996 United States Senate election in Massachusetts Massachusetts presidential no 1990 United States Senate election in Massachusetts 1990 2002 United States Senate election in Massachusetts 2002 November 5, 1996 150x150px JohnKerry (1).jpg John Kerry Democratic Party (United States) 1,334,345 52.21% File:Bill Weld Cummings Center (cropped2).png Bill Weld Republican Party (United States) 1,142,837 44.41% 300px County results 300px| Municipality results 1 250px Kerry: #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% Weld: #FFB2B2 40–50% #E27F7F 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% U.S. Senator John Kerry Democratic Party (United States) John Kerry Democratic Party (United States) The 1996 United States Senate election in Massachusetts took place on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John Kerry won re-election to a third term over Republican Bill Weld, the governor of Massachusetts. General election Candidates Susan C. Gallagher (Conservative) John Kerry, incumbent U.S. senator since 1985 (Democratic) Robert C. Stowe (Natural Law) Bill Weld, governor of Massachusetts (Republican) Campaign On November 29, 1995, incumbent Governor Bill Weld announced his candidacy for the Senate seat occupied by U.S. Senator John Kerry with a formal announcement on March 27, 1996. Kerry's previous two general election opponents in 1984 and 1990 had no prior experience in elected office. At the federal level, Democrats controlled both of the state's U.S. Senate seats and eight of its ten U.S. House seats. No Republican had won a Senate election since Ed Brooke in 1972. In 1994, incumbent Democrat Ted Kennedy won re-election against businessman Mitt Romney with 58% of the vote—a comfortable margin, but his lowest percentage of the vote since his first Senate election campaign in 1962. However, Weld, a fiscal conservative and social liberal, was a very popular governor; he had won reelection in 1994 with over 70% of the vote in spite of the state's Democratic lean. Therefore, the general election was expected to be highly competitive. This was one of many competitive U.S. Senate elections in 1996. The first debate between Weld and Kerry was held in Faneuil Hall on April 8, with a second debate held on June 3. A third debate was held at the Emerson Majestic Theater on July 2. The Weld and Kerry campaigns agreed to eight debates and a spending cap of $6.9 million negotiated at Senator Kerry's Beacon Hill home on August 7; Senator Kerry later mortgaged his house to raise funds in October. On the same day the spending cap was agreed upon, Governor Weld jumped into the Charles River. He later spoke at the 1996 Republican National Convention on August 14 before debating Senator Kerry again on August 19. Senator Kerry spoke at the 1996 Democratic National Convention and debated Governor Weld again on September 16. Debates + 1996 United States Senate election in Massachusetts debates No. Number Date Host Moderator Link Democratic RepublicanKey:black #90ff90  P  Participant  black #FFFFDD  A  Absent  black #ff9090  N  Not invited  black #CCFFCC  I  Invited #f0e68c W Withdrawn John Kerry Bill Weld1 Apr. 8, 1996 The Boston GlobeWBZ-TV C-SPANC-SPAN P P2 Jun. 3, 1996 WHDH-TV John MarlerC-SPANC-SPAN P P3 Jul. 2, 1996 Emerson CollegeWBZ-TV Liz WalkerC-SPANC-SPAN P P4 Aug. 19, 1996 The Boston GlobeBoston HeraldWCVB-TV C-SPANC-SPAN P P5 Sep. 16, 1996 The Boston GlobeBoston HeraldWCVB-TV Charles OgletreeC-SPANC-SPAN P P6 Oct. 15, 1996 WHDH-TV Christopher LydonC-SPANC-SPAN P P7 Oct. 23, 1996 WGBY-TV Jim MadiganC-SPANC-SPAN P P8 Oct. 28, 1996 WCVB-TV Ken BodeC-SPANC-SPAN P P Results 1996 U.S. Senate election in Massachusettshttp://electionstats.state.ma.us/elections/view/7116/ Massachusetts Elections Division PD43+ >> 1996 U.S. Senate General Election July 23, 2018 Democratic Party (United States) John Kerry (incumbent) 1,334,345 52.21% 1.77 Republican Party (United States) Bill Weld 1,142,837 44.41% 4.22 Conservative Party (United States) Susan C. Gallagher 70,013 2.74% N/A Natural Law Party Robert C. Stowe 7,176 0.28% N/A 1,515 0.06% 0.01 2,555,886 100.00% See also 1996 United States presidential election 1996 United States Senate elections References External links Kerry-Weld debates of 1996 "The Good Fight" by James Carney Kranish, Michael, Brian C. Mooney, and Nina J. Easton. John F. Kerry: The Complete Biography by the Boston Globe Reporters Who Know Him Best, PublicAffairs, 2004. 1-58648-273-4. Massachusetts Category:John Kerry Category:Bill Weld 1996 Category:1996 Massachusetts elections