United States Senate election in Texas, 1996

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United States Senate election in Texas, 1996

← 1990 November 5, 1996 2002 →
  PhilGramm.jpg
Nominee Phil Gramm Victor Morales
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 3,027,680 2,428,776
Percentage 54.8% 43.9%

96TXSenateCounties.PNG
County Results

U.S. senator before election

Phil Gramm
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Phil Gramm
Republican

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The 1996 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Phil Gramm won re-election to a third term.

Major candidates

Democratic

  • Victor Morales, Navy veteran

Republican

Campaign

Morales, who never ran for public office before, pulled a major upset in the primary by defeated three politicians: U.S. Congressman John Wiley Bryant, U.S. Congressman Jim Chapman, and former State Supreme Court litigator John Odam. In the March run-off, he defeated Bryant with 51% of the vote. He became the first minority in Texas history to become a United States Senate nominee from either major party. Despite having no staff, raising only $15,000, and not accepting any special interest money he obtained 2.5 million votes.[1]

Gramm previously ran for President earlier in the year, but lost to fellow U.S. Senator Bob Dole in the Republican presidential primary. Gramm was the heavy favorite. A September poll showed Gramm leading 50% to 40%. A late October poll showed him leading with 53% to 31%.[2]

Exit Polls showed that Gramm performed well with Anglos (68% to 31%), while Morales won African Americans (79% to 19%) and Latinos (79% to 20%) respectively.

Results

General election results[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Phil Gramm 3,027,680 54.8
Democratic Victor M. Morales 2,428,776 43.9
Libertarian Michael Bird 51,516 0.9
Natural Law John Huff 19,469 0.4

References

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  3. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=187