1996 United States Senate election in Maine

1996 United States Senate election in Maine

← 1990 November 5, 1996 2002 →

Nominee Susan Collins Joseph E. Brennan Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 298,422 266,226 Percentage 49.18% 43.88%

County results Collins:      40–50%      50–60% Brennan:      40–50%

U.S. senator before election William Cohen Republican Elected U.S. Senator Susan Collins Republican

Elections in Maine
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v t e

The 1996 United States Senate election in Maine was held November 5, 1996. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator William Cohen decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. To replace him, U.S. Representative Joseph E. Brennan won the Democratic primary while political consultant Susan Collins won the Republican primary. A competitive general election ensued, but Collins ultimately won out over Brennan, keeping the seat in the Republican column. With Collins' election to the Senate in 1996, Maine became the third state after California and Kansas to have two sitting female senators, and the first to have two elected female Republican senators.

Brennan and Collins both ran in the 1994 gubernatorial election, and each won their respective party's nomination, but lost the general election to independent Angus King, who would be elected in Maine's other Senate seat in 2012 and become a Senator in 2013, serving alongside Collins.