1996 United States Senate special election in Oregon

United States Senate special election in Oregon, 1996

January 30, 1996

Nominee Ron Wyden Gordon H. Smith Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 571,739 553,519 Percentage 47.8% 46.3%

County results

U.S. senator before election Robert Packwood Republican Elected U.S. Senator Ron Wyden Democratic

The 1996 United States Senate special election in Oregon was held on January 30, 1996 to fill the seat vacated by Republican Bob Packwood, who had resigned from the Senate due to sexual misconduct allegations.

In the primaries held on December 5, 1995, Democratic U. S. Representative Ron Wyden and Republican President of the Oregon State Senate Gordon H. Smith were nominated. Wyden then defeated Smith in the general election. Smith would win the regularly-scheduled election to the Senate later that year and serve alongside Wyden until 2009.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Peter DeFazio, U.S. Representative
• Michael Donnelly, businessman and President of Wild Oregon Water
• Anna Nevenic, nurse and perennial candidate
• J.J.T. Van Dooremolen
• Ron Wyden, U.S. Representative

Results

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ron Wyden	212,532	49.46
	Democratic	Peter DeFazio	187,411	43.61
	Democratic	Anna Nevenic	11,201	2.61
	Democratic	Michael Donnelly	8,340	1.94
	Democratic	Write-in Candidates	7,959	1.85
	Democratic	J.J.T. Van Dooremolen	2,279	0.53
Majority			25,121	5.85%
Total votes			429,722	100

Republican primary

Candidates

• Sam Berry, attorney
• Brian Boquist, businessman and rancher
• Jeffrey Brady, dentist
• Valentine Christian, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992
• Robert J. Fenton
• Lex Loeb
• Norma Paulus, former Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction, former Oregon Secretary of State, and nominee for Governor of Oregon in 1986
• Jack Roberts, Commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
• Gordon H. Smith, President of the Oregon State Senate
• John Thomas, policeman
• Tony G. Zangaro

Results

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gordon H. Smith	246,060	63.63
	Republican	Norma Paulus	98,158	25.38
	Republican	Jack Roberts	29,687	7.68
	Republican	John Thomas	3,272	0.85
	Republican	Brian Boquist	3,228	0.84
	Republican	Tony G. Zangaro	1,638	0.42
	Republican	Sam Berry	1,426	0.37
	Republican	Jeffrey Brady	1,160	0.3
	Republican	Valentine Christian	943	0.24
	Republican	Robert J. Fenton	632	0.16
	Republican	Lex Loeb	508	0.13
Majority			147,902	38.25%
Total votes			386,712	100

General election

Results

General election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ron Wyden	571,739	47.78
	Republican	Gordon H. Smith	553,519	46.26
	American Independent	Karen Shilling	25,597	2.14
	Libertarian	Gene Nanni	15,698	1.31
	Write-In	Write-In Candidates	14,958	1.25
	Socialist	Vickie Valdez	7,872	0.66
	Pacific Green	Lou Gold	7,225	0.60
Majority			18,220	1.52
Total votes			1,196,608	100
	Democratic gain from Vacant