Elections / 1996 · Senate · TN
The Republican candidate won Tennessee's Senate seat R+24.5.
Tennessee, 1996. Candidate results and statewide totals below. The presidential race shared this ballot.
Tennessee — 1996 Senate result
Source: MIT Election Data + Science Lab, 1976–2024 Senate returns (party-classified by literal ballot party).
Democratic (D)
654,937
36.8%
Republican (R)
1,091,554
61.4%
All others
32,112
1.8%
Margin
R+24.5
Candidates
Statewide candidate totals — MIT Election Data + Science Lab, 1996 Senate returns.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Thompson | RRepublican | 1,091,554 | 61.4% |
| Houston Gordon | DDemocrat | 654,937 | 36.8% |
| John Jay Hooker | OIndependent | 14,401 | 0.8% |
| Bruce Gold | OIndependent | 5,865 | 0.3% |
| Robert O. Watson | OIndependent | 5,569 | 0.3% |
| Greg Samples | OIndependent | 4,104 | 0.2% |
| Philip L. Kienlen | OIndependent | 2,173 | 0.1% |
Tennessee's Senate margins
Every contest in our store, 1976–2024
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1976 | +5.4% |
| 1978 | −15.2% |
| 1982 | +23.9% |
| 1984 | +26.9% |
| 1988 | +30.6% |
| 1990 | +37.9% |
| 1994 | −14.3% |
| 1996 | −24.5% |
| 2000 | −32.9% |
| 2002 | −9.9% |
| 2006 | −2.7% |
| 2008 | −33.5% |
| 2012 | −34.5% |
| 2014 | −30.0% |
| 2018 | −10.8% |
| 2020 | −27.0% |
| 2024 | −29.6% |