1996 United States Senate election in Illinois

1996 United States Senate election in Illinois
Turnout	63.79%
	County results; Durbin: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%; Salvi: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%
U.S. senator before election; Paul Simon; Democratic	Elected U.S. Senator ; Dick Durbin; Democratic

The 1996 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Paul Simon chose to retire rather than seek a third term in office. In the Democratic primary, U.S. Representative Dick Durbin emerged victorious, while state representative Al Salvi won the Republican primary. Though the election was initially anticipated to be close, Durbin ended up defeating Salvi by a comfortable double-digit margin of victory, allowing him to win what would be the first of several terms in the Senate.

Background

The primaries and general elections coincided with those for other federal offices (president and House), as well as those for state offices.

For the primaries, turnout was 25.85%, with 1,583,406 votes cast.^[1] For the general election, turnout was 63.79%, with 4,250,722 votes cast.^[2]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Jalil Ahmad, real estate agent
Dick Durbin, incumbent U.S. Representative from Illinois's 20th congressional district
Ronald F. Gibbs, advisor to former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington
Paul H. D. Park, member of Chicago's Economic Development Commission^[3]
Pat Quinn, former Illinois State Treasurer

Declined

Neil Hartigan, former Illinois Attorney General (1983–1991), former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois (1973–1977), and Democratic nominee for Governor in 1990^[4]^[5]
William M. Daley, attorney, political consultant, and member of the Daley family (endorsed Hartigan)^[6]

Results

Democratic primary results^[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Dick Durbin	512,520	64.87%
	Democratic	Pat Quinn	233,138	29.51%
	Democratic	Ronald F. Gibbs	17,681	2.24%
	Democratic	Jalil Ahmad	17,211	2.18%
	Democratic	Paul H. D. Park	9,505	1.20%
Total votes			790,055	100

Republican primary

Candidates

Al Salvi, incumbent State Representative
Martin Paul Gallagher
Wayne S. Kurzeja
Bob Kustra, incumbent Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
Robert Marshall, perennial candidate

Results

Republican primary results^[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Al Salvi	377,141	47.64%
	Republican	Bob Kustra	342,935	43.32%
	Republican	Robert Marshall	43,937	5.55%
	Republican	Martin Paul Gallagher	17,276	2.18%
	Republican	Wayne S. Kurzeja	10,356	1.31%
Total votes			791,645	100

Libertarian primary

Candidates

David F. Hoscheidt, attorney from Bloomington^[3]
Robin J. Miller, businessman from East Peoria, Illinois^[3]

Results

Libertarian primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Libertarian	Robin J. Miller	1,258	73.74
	Libertarian	David F. Hoscheidt	448	26.26
Total votes			1,706	100

General election

Results

Durbin won the election easily.

United States Senate election in Illinois, 1996^[2]^[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Dick Durbin	2,384,028	56.09%	−8.98%
	Republican	Al Salvi	1,728,824	40.67%	+5.74%
	Reform	Steven H. Perry	61,023	1.44%
	Libertarian	Robin J. Miller	41,218	0.97%
	Constitution	Chad N. Koppie	17,563	0.40%
	Natural Law	James E. Davis	13,838	0.33%
	Write-ins		4,228	0.10%
Majority			655,204	15.41%	−14.72%
Turnout			4,250,722	63.79
	Democratic hold		Swing

References

^ ^a ^b "State of Illinois official vote cast at the primary election held on ..." Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
^ ^a ^b "State of Illinois official vote cast at the general election ." Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c Man, Anthony (March 1996). "Replacing Our Favorite Son". Illinois Issues. 22 (3). University of Illinois at Springfield: 27. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
^ Tribune, Chicago (May 18, 1995). "HARTIGAN MOVES EVER CLOSER TO RUN FOR SIMON'S SEAT". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
^ Berke, Richard L. (June 11, 1995). "THE NATION; Democrats Find Out Things Can Get Worse". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
^ "DEMS PUSH HARTIGAN TO RUN FOR SENATE". Crain's Chicago Business. March 25, 1995.
^ ^a ^b "Federal Elections 96: 1996 U.S. Senate Results by State". Fec.gov. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
^ "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 5, 1996" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved April 4, 2015.

[primary-1] "State of Illinois official vote cast at the primary election held on ..." Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 6, 2020.

[general-2] "State of Illinois official vote cast at the general election ." Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 6, 2020.

[Man_1996-3] Man, Anthony (March 1996). "Replacing Our Favorite Son". Illinois Issues. 22 (3). University of Illinois at Springfield: 27. Retrieved June 16, 2024.

[4] Tribune, Chicago (May 18, 1995). "HARTIGAN MOVES EVER CLOSER TO RUN FOR SIMON'S SEAT". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 27, 2024.

[5] Berke, Richard L. (June 11, 1995). "THE NATION; Democrats Find Out Things Can Get Worse". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 2, 2024.

[6] "DEMS PUSH HARTIGAN TO RUN FOR SENATE". Crain's Chicago Business. March 25, 1995.

[Primary_election_results-7] "Federal Elections 96: 1996 U.S. Senate Results by State". Fec.gov. Retrieved April 4, 2015.

[8] "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 5, 1996" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved April 4, 2015.

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v t e Elections in Illinois
By year	1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1969 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1998 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Presidential	1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 (Dem primary, Rep primary) 2012 2016 (Dem primary) 2020 (Dem primary) 2024 (Dem primary, Rep primary)
U.S. Senate	1885 1913 1914 1918 1920 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022
U.S. House	2000 (1st) 2006 2008 2010 (17th) 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Special	2nd congressional, 1995 14th congressional, 2008 5th congressional, 2009 2nd congressional, 2013 18th congressional, 2015 Comptroller, 2016
Gubernatorial	1818 1822 1826 1830 1834 1838 1842 1846 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Lieutenant gubernatorial	1818 1822 1826 1830 1834 1838 1842 1846 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968
Other state executive offices	Attorney General 2018 2022 Secretary of State 2022 Comptroller 2016
State Senate	2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
State House	2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
State judicial	1936 1938 1940 1942 1948 1960 1962 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Ballot measures and referendums	State capitol referendum (1834) Cutback Amendment (1980) Crime Victim Rights Amendment (1992) Governor Recall Amendment (2010) Public Pension Amendment (2012) Marsy's Law (2014) Right to Vote Amendment (2014) Transportation Taxes and Fees Lockbox Amendment (2016) Fair Tax (2020) Right to Collective Bargaining Amendment (2022)
Chicago mayoral	1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 (Mar) 1844 (Apr) 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1876 (Apr) 1876 (Jul) 1877 1879 1881 1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1893 (Apr) 1893 (Dec) 1895 1897 1899 1901 1903 1905 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1935 1939 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1977 1979 1983 1987 1989 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Chicago City Council	1923 1925 1927 1929 1931 1933 1935 1939 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Other municipal	1924 Cicero
Cook County	1946 1980 (State's Attorney) 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022

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Background

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declined

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Results

General election

Results

See also

References