1996 United States Senate election in Minnesota

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 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 ;Wellstone vs. Moreno vs. Barkley ;Wellstone vs. Young vs. Barkley Debates Results == See also ==