# 1996 United States Senate election in Maine

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vte :
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.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Joseph E. Brennan, former U.S. Representative from Maine's 1st congressional district and former Governor of Maine
* Jean Hay Bright, activist
* Sean Faircloth, State Senator
* Jerald Leonard
* Richard A. Spencer, former congressional candidate

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Joseph E. Brennan | 48,335 | 56.68% |
| | Democratic | Sean Faircloth | 21,204 | 24.87% |
| | Democratic | Richard A. Spencer | 10,236 | 12.00% |
| | Democratic | Jean Hay Bright | 4,524 | 5.31% |
| | Democratic | Jerald Leonard | 939 | 1.10% |
| | Democratic | Write-ins | 35 | 0.04% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 85,273 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Susan Collins, former Deputy Treasurer of Massachusetts and nominee for Governor in 1994
* W. John Hathaway, State Senator
* Robert A. G. Monks, nominee for the United States Senate in 1976

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Susan Collins | 53,339 | 55.50% |
| | Republican | W. John Hathaway | 29,792 | 31.00% |
| | Republican | Robert A. G. Monks | 12,943 | 13.47% |
| | Republican | Write-ins | 33 | 0.03% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 96,107 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Results

United States Senate election in Maine, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Susan Collins | 298,422 | 49.18% | −12.16% |
| | Democratic | Joseph E. Brennan | 266,226 | 43.88% | +5.24% |
| | Independent | John C. Rensenbrink | 23,441 | 3.86% | N/A |
| | Constitution | William P. Clarke | 18,618 | 3.07% | N/A |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 70 | 0.01% | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32,196 | 5.31% | −17.39% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 606,777 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |