# 1996 United States Senate election in Montana

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The 1996 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 5, 1996. Incumbent United States Senator Max Baucus, who was first elected in 1978 and was re-elected in 1984 and 1990, ran for re-election. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary, and moved on to the general election, where he faced a stiff challenge in Denny Rehberg, the Lieutenant Governor of Montana and the Republican nominee. Despite Bob Dole's victory over Bill Clinton and Ross Perot in the state that year in the presidential election, Baucus managed to narrowly win re-election over Rehberg to secure a fourth term in the Senate.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Max Baucus, incumbent United States Senator

### Results

Democratic Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Max Baucus (incumbent) | 85,976 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 85,976 | 100.00% |

## Reform primary
### Candidates

* Becky Shaw, student loan investigator and 1994 candidate for the Democratic Senate nomination
* Webb Sullivan, retired railroad worker

### Results

Reform Party Primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Reform | Becky Shaw | 930 | 68.03% |
| | Reform | Webb Sullivan | 437 | 31.97% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,367 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Denny Rehberg, Lieutenant Governor of Montana
* Ed Borcherdt, businessman
* John K. McDonald, former State Senator

### Results

Republican Primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Denny Rehberg | 82,158 | 73.81% |
| | Republican | Ed Borcherdt | 14,670 | 13.18% |
| | Republican | John K. McDonald | 14,485 | 13.01% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 111,313 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Results

United States Senate election in Montana, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Max Baucus (incumbent) | 201,935 | 49.56% | −18.57% |
| | Republican | Denny Rehberg | 182,111 | 44.69% | +15.31% |
| | Reform | Becky Shaw | 19,276 | 4.73% | |
| | Natural Law | Stephen Heaton | 4,168 | 1.02% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,824 | 4.86% | −33.88% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 407,490 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | | |