# 1996 United States Senate election in Tennessee

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Government :
vte :
The 1996 Tennessee United States Senate election was held on November 5, 1996, to elect the U.S. Senator from the state of Tennessee. Republican Senator Fred Thompson ran for re-election to a full six-year term. Thompson defeated the Democratic challenger, Covington lawyer Houston Gordon in the general election. This is the last time that Tennessee voted for a Senate candidate and a presidential candidate of different political parties.

## Candidates
### Democratic Party

* Houston Gordon, attorney

### Republican Party

* Fred Thompson, incumbent U.S. Senator

## Election results

United States Senate election in Tennessee, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Fred Thompson (Incumbent) | 1,091,554 | 61.37% | +0.93% |
| | Democratic | Houston Gordon | 654,937 | 36.82% | −1.79% |
| | Independent | John Jay Hooker | 14,401 | 0.81% | |
| | Independent | Bruce Gold | 5,865 | 0.33% | |
| | Independent | Robert O. Watson | 5,569 | 0.31% | |
| | Independent | Greg Samples | 4,104 | 0.23% | |
| | Independent | Philip L. Kienlen | 2,173 | 0.12% | |
| | Write-ins | | 61 | 0.00% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 436,617 | 24.55% | +2.71% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,778,664 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |