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United States Senate election in Alaska, 1996

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Jed Whittaker
  
Theresa Obermeyer

29,037
  
24,133

12.52%
  
10.51%

177,893
  
29,037

76.71%
  
12.52%

Start date
  
November 5, 1996

United States Senate election in Alaska, 1996

Winner
  
Theodore Stevens

The 1996 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Republican United States Senator Ted Stevens ran for re-election to a fifth term in the United States Senate. Stevens faced off against Democratic nominee Theresa Obermeyer, a former member of the Anchorage School Board, and Green Party nominee Jed Whittaker, a commercial fisherman.

Contents

The race drew national attention for Obermeyer's erratic behavior: she blamed Stevens for her husband's failure to pass the bar exam and contended that he had passed the bar by fraud. She "trailed" him to campaign events, frequently wearing a prisoner's outfit and once dragging a ball and chain behind her. During the campaign, she was arrested and served 30 days in prison in California and Oregon for probation violations.

Stevens was re-elected in an overwhelming landslide and Whittaker finished ahead of Obermeyer.

Democratic

  • Michael Beasley, perennial candidate
  • Henry J. Blake, Jr.
  • Lawrence Freiberger, former congressional candidate
  • Robert Alan Gigler
  • Theresa Obermeyer, former Anchorage School Board member
  • Joseph A. Sonneman, perennial candidate
  • Frank Vondersaar, perennial candidate
  • Republican

  • Ted Stevens, incumbent United States Senator
  • David Cuddy, former Alaska State Representative
  • Charles E. McKee
  • Green

  • Jed Whittaker, commercial fisherman
  • References

    United States Senate election in Alaska, 1996 Wikipedia