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1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota

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Field	Value
election_name	1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota
country	Minnesota
flag_image	File:Flag of Minnesota (1983-2024).svg
flag_year	1983
type	presidential
ongoing	no
previous_election	1990 United States Senate election in Minnesota
previous_year	1990
next_election	2002 United States Senate election in Minnesota
next_year	2002
election_date	November 5, 1996
image_size	x150px
image1	File:Paul Wellstone (cropped).jpg
nominee1	Paul Wellstone
party1	Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party
popular_vote1	1,098,430
percentage1	50.32%
image2	Rudy Boschwitz 1996 (3x4 cropped).jpg
nominee2	Rudy Boschwitz
party2	Republican Party of Minnesota
popular_vote2	901,194
percentage2	41.28%
image3	File:Dean Barkley.jpg
nominee3	Dean Barkley
party3	Reform Party (Minnesota)
popular_vote3	152,328
percentage3	6.98%
map_image
map_size	280px
map_caption	Wellstone:
Boschwitz:
Other:
Tie:
title	U.S. Senator
before_election	Paul Wellstone
before_party	Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party
after_election	Paul Wellstone
after_party	Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

Boschwitz:
Other: Tie:
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.

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

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 owner
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. The non-endorsement was seen as a victory for Boschwitz, who was better known and more popular among the general Republican electorate.

Results

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

Source	Rating	As of
The Cook Political Report		October 23, 1996

Campaign

Wellstone had unseated the two-term senator Boschwitz in the 1990 election. Boschwitz filed for a rematch. He released ads calling Wellstone "embarrassingly liberal" and "Senator Welfare", and accused Wellstone of supporting flag burning, a move some believe backfired. 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 vote 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	Sample
size	Margin
of error	Paul
Wellstone (D)	Rudy
Boschwitz (R)	Dean
Barkley (Rf)	Undecided
Mason-Dixon	September 1–3, 1996	803 (RV)	± 3.5%	46%	37%	4%	13%

;Wellstone vs. Moreno vs. Barkley

Poll source	Date(s)
administered	Sample
size	Margin
of error	Paul
Wellstone (D)	Monte
Moreno (R)	Dean
Barkley (Rf)	Undecided
Mason-Dixon	September 1–3, 1996	803 (RV)	± 3.5%	51%	20%	6%	23%

;Wellstone vs. Young vs. Barkley

Poll source	Date(s)
administered	Sample
size	Margin
of error	Paul
Wellstone (D)	Steve
Young (R)	Dean
Barkley (Rf)	Undecided
Mason-Dixon	September 1–3, 1996	803 (RV)	± 3.5%	50%	21%	5%	24%

Debates

No.	Date	Host	Moderator	Democratic	Reform	Key:
Participant Absent Not invited Invited Withdrawn	Democratic Party (US)}}"		Republican Party (US)}}"	Reform Party (US)}}"	Paul Wellstone	Rudy Boschwitz	Dean Barkley	1	2
Sep. 16, 1996	Minnesota Chamber of Commerce	Chris Conangla	[C-SPAN](https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/minnesota-senatorial-debate/58965)
Oct. 29, 1996	Minnesota League of Women Voters
WCCO-TV	Virginia Sweeney	[C-SPAN](https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/minnesota-senatorial-debate/60148)

Results

Notes

;Partisan clients

References

"Our Campaigns - MN US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1996".
"Primary Election Results". OurCampaigns.
"MPR: Election 1996: Story Archive".
(1996-06-02). "POLITICS: MINNESOTA G.O.P.;Party Is Split And Endorses No Candidate (Published 1996)".
N. (1996-06-09). ". Minnesota Gop". NPR.
"1996 Senate Race ratings".
"Star Tribune Archives".
Welch, William M.. (September 11, 1996). "A classic, clear choice in Minnesota Liberal Wellstone vs. conservative Boschwitz". USA TODAY.
(September 25, 1996). "Pioneer Press: Search Results".
Banisky, Sandy. (October 14, 1996). "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". The Sun.
(5 September 1996). "MPR: Election 1996". [[Minnesota Public Radio]].

Info: Wikipedia Source

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