1996 United States presidential election

The 1996 United States presidential election happened on November 5, 1996. Bill Clinton, the incumbent president and Democratic candidate, won reelection. He defeated Bob Dole, the Republican candidate, who was the former Senator of Kansas for president, and Ross Perot, the Reform Party candidate, who was a businessman. 

Perot received less media attention and was not included in the presidential debates and, while still getting large results for a third-party candidate, by U.S. standards, did not renew his success in the 1992 election.

Clinton benefited from an economy that recovered from the early 1990s recession, and a relatively stable world stage. On November 5, 1996, President Clinton went on to win re-election by a substantial popular vote margin with a large electoral college victory.

Election statistics
President Clinton went on to win re-election relatively easily despite becoming the first sitting president since Woodrow Wilson in 1916 to do so with under 50% of the National Vote (49%), while winning enough states to earn him 379 electoral votes. Senator Bob Dole from Kansas ran for the Republicans and was at the mercy of peaceful overseas relations and a thriving economy. He gained (41%) of the vote while winning enough states to win 159 electoral votes. The GOP did well in the congressional races however thus effectively positioning themselves for the 1998 midterms and the subsequent 2000 race for the White House.

 Candidates 

 Democratic Party 

 Nominees 
link=Democratic_Party_(United_States)|center|65x65px|Democratic Party (United States)Democratic Party Ticket, 1996for Presidentfor Vice Presidentcenter|200x200pxcenter|200x200px42ndPresident of the United States(1993–2001)45thVice President of the United States(1993-2001)

 Candidates: 

 Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States (1993-2001) (Nominee)
 Jimmy Griffin, former mayor of Buffalo from New York (1978-1993)
 Lyndon LaRouche, activist and perennial candidate from Virginia 

Republican Party
Nominees
65px|center|link=Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party (United States)Republican Party Ticket, 1996  for Presidentfor Vice President center|200x200px center|200x200px U.S. Senator from Kansas(1969–1996) 9thU.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development(1989–1993)center|200x200px

 Bob Dole, US Senator from Kansas (1969-1996) and 1976 vice presidential nominee (Nominee)
 Pat Buchanan, former White House Communications Director from Virginia (1985-1987) 
 Steve Forbes, newspaper and magazine publisher from New Jersey (1990-present)
 Lamar Alexander, former Governor of Tennessee (1979-1987) and former US Secretary of Education (1991-1993)
 Richard Lugar, US Senator from Indiana (1977–2013)
 Phil Gramm, US Senator from Texas (1985–2002)
 Alan Keyes, former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (1985-1987) from Maryland
 Bob Dornan, U.S. representative from California (1977-1983, 1985-1997)
 Arlen Specter, US Senator from Pennsylvania (1981-2011)
 Pete Wilson, Governor of California (1991-1999)

 Withdrawn candidates 
Candidates in this section are sorted by popular vote from the primariesPat BuchananSteve ForbesLamar AlexanderRichard LugarPhil Grammlink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pat_Buchanan_1985b_(cropped).jpg|center|120x120pxlink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Steve_Forbes,_2007.jpg|center|120x120pxlink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lamar_Alexander_(TN_2).png|center|120x120pxlink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dick_Lugar_official_photo.jpg|center|120x120pxlink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PhilGramm_(1).jpg|center|120x120pxWhite House Communications Director
(1985–1987)Publisher and editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine
(1990–)United States Secretary of Education
(1991–1993)United States Senator     from Indiana
(1977–2013)United States Senator from Texas
(1985–2002)link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pat_Buchanan_presidential_campaign,_1996.png|center|120x120pxlink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Forbespres.gif|center|120x120pxlink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lamar1996.jpg|center|120x120pxlink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_Lugar_presidential_campaign,_1996.png|center|120x120pxlink=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phil_Gramm_presidential_campaign,_1996.png|center|120x120pxLN: August 15
3,184,943 votesW: March 14
1,751,187 votesW: March 9
495,590 votesW: March 9
127,111 votes

 Candidates gallery 

Reform Party
Nominees
Reform Party Ticket, 1996  for Presidentfor Vice President center|200x200px center|200x200px President and CEO of Perot Systems (1988–2009) Economistcenter|200x200px

 Ross Perot, founder of the Reform Party and 1992 Independent nominee for President of the United States (Nominee)
 Richard Lamm, former Governor of Colorado (1975-1987)

 Candidates gallery 

 References 

 Other websites 

Category:1996 in the United States
Category:1996 events
Category:1996 elections
1996