Las elecciones al Senado de los Estados Unidos de 1992 , celebradas el 3 de noviembre de 1992, fueron elecciones para el Senado de los Estados Unidos . Los 34 escaños de la Clase 3 se disputaron en elecciones regulares, junto con elecciones especiales para cubrir vacantes. Coincidieron con la victoria de Bill Clinton en las elecciones presidenciales . Esta fue la primera vez desde 1956 que el equilibrio del Senado permaneció igual.
Ambos partidos intercambiaron un par de escaños, lo que no produjo cambios netos en la distribución partidaria, que había sido de 57-43 desde que los demócratas ganaron un escaño en Pensilvania en una elección especial. Las victorias demócratas sobre los republicanos John F. Seymour en la carrera especial de California y Bob Kasten en Wisconsin se vieron anuladas por las derrotas de los demócratas Wyche Fowler en Georgia y Terry Sanford en Carolina del Norte.
La elección de 4 nuevas mujeres demócratas para el Senado fue notable y la prensa lo denominó el " Año de la Mujer ". Debido a una elección especial en California, ambos escaños del Senado de California estaban en juego en 1992, y estos escaños fueron ganados por Dianne Feinstein y Barbara Boxer . Por lo tanto, California se convirtió en el primer estado en haber elegido mujeres para ocupar sus dos escaños en el Senado. La demócrata Carol Moseley Braun de Illinois, se convirtió en la primera mujer afroamericana en el Senado de los Estados Unidos. A partir de 2023 [update], este fue el último ciclo electoral en el que los republicanos ganaron una elección al Senado en Nueva York y los demócratas en Kentucky .
Los totales de escaños incluyen las elecciones especiales de California y Dakota del Norte, pero los totales de votos excluyen el total de Dakota del Norte.
Fuente: Oficina del Secretario de la Cámara de Representantes de los Estados Unidos [1]
Tres republicanos y cuatro demócratas se retiraron en lugar de buscar la reelección. Un demócrata también se retiró en lugar de completar el mandato restante.
Un republicano y tres demócratas buscaron la reelección, pero perdieron en las elecciones primarias o generales. Un republicano también buscó la reelección para terminar su mandato, pero perdió en las elecciones especiales.
Dos demócratas renunciaron y fueron reemplazados por candidatos designados. En Texas, se celebraron elecciones especiales en 1993 antes de las elecciones al Senado de los Estados Unidos de 1994 , en las que Kay Bailey Hutchison ganó las elecciones especiales para suceder al candidato demócrata Bob Krueger, quien perdió las elecciones para terminar el mandato.
En estas elecciones especiales, los ganadores fueron elegidos y tomaron posesión del cargo en el otoño de 1992. Las elecciones se clasifican por fecha de elección, luego por estado y clase.
En estas elecciones generales, los ganadores fueron elegidos para el período que comenzaba el 3 de enero de 1993; ordenados por estado.
Todas las elecciones involucraron los escaños de la Clase 3.
En trece carreras, el margen de victoria fue inferior al 10%.
Illinois fue el estado decisivo, decidido por un margen del 10%.
El demócrata en el cargo, Richard Shelby, ganó la reelección para un segundo mandato, venciendo a Richard Sellers , un activista conservador. [2]
El republicano Frank Murkowski, que ocupaba el cargo en el Senado de los Estados Unidos , buscó la reelección para un tercer mandato . Tony Smith, el candidato demócrata y ex Comisionado de Desarrollo Económico , ganó la nominación de su partido en una primaria concurrida y se enfrentó a Murkowski en las elecciones generales. Aunque Murkowski obtuvo un porcentaje de votos inferior al que había obtenido seis años antes , finalmente fue reelegido.
El actual republicano John McCain ganó la reelección para un segundo mandato frente a la demócrata Claire Sargent, la activista comunitaria [6] y el ex gobernador independiente Evan Mecham .
El senador demócrata en ejercicio Dale Bumpers fue reelegido para un cuarto mandato. Su oponente republicano fue el futuro vicegobernador de Arkansas, gobernador y dos veces candidato presidencial Mike Huckabee , pastor de una iglesia de Texarkana .
Las elecciones de 1992 coincidieron con la elección del gobernador de Arkansas, Bill Clinton , como presidente de los Estados Unidos , en la que también ganó en su estado natal. En contraste con la victoria aplastante de Bumpers, que obtuvo más del 60% de los votos, Clinton sólo obtuvo el 53,21% de los votos. Bumpers cumpliría otro mandato en el Senado de los Estados Unidos antes de decidir retirarse en 1998.
Debido a la renuncia de Pete Wilson a la gobernación de California , se celebraron dos elecciones al Senado en California, ya que ambos escaños estaban en juego y ambos fueron ganados por mujeres. California se convirtió en el primer estado en tener dos senadoras en funciones.
El demócrata Alan Cranston decidió retirarse. La congresista demócrata Barbara Boxer ganó el escaño vacante frente al comentarista conservador republicano Bruce Herschensohn . Ambos senadores de California fueron elegidos por primera vez. No se trata de un hecho único; volvería a ocurrir en Tennessee en 1994 , Kansas en 1996 y Georgia en 2020-2021 . Su compañera demócrata Dianne Feinstein , la otra senadora de California, ganó las elecciones especiales y asumió el cargo en noviembre de 1992.
La elección entre Boxer y Herschensohn fue muy reñida. En el último momento surgió la controversia de que el candidato republicano había asistido a un club de striptease, algo que algunos activistas republicanos culparon más tarde de la derrota de Herschensohn. [8]
Cuatro días antes de las elecciones, las encuestas mostraban que Herschensohn había reducido su déficit de dos dígitos, quedando tres puntos por detrás. El operador político Bob Mulholland interrumpió una aparición de campaña con un gran cartel que anunciaba un club de striptease en el que gritaba: "¿Deberían los votantes de California elegir a alguien que recorre con frecuencia los locales de striptease de Hollywood?". Herschensohn admitió que había visitado un club de striptease una vez, con su novia y otra pareja. Con la cobertura de la prensa sobre la historia, Herschensohn pasó los últimos días de la campaña negando las acusaciones relacionadas. Cuando se emitieron y contaron los votos, Barbara Boxer ganó las elecciones por cinco puntos. [9] Aunque los republicanos han culpado de la derrota a las tácticas deshonestas de la campaña de Boxer, nunca salió a la luz la evidencia de la conexión entre el arrebato de Mulholland y la campaña. [10] [11] [12]
La elección fue muy reñida. La Associated Press declaró a Boxer ganador a la 1:22 a. m., hora de la costa del Pacífico.
En las elecciones para gobernador de 1990 , el senador republicano Pete Wilson había vencido a la demócrata Dianne Feinstein para gobernadora. Nombró a John F. Seymour para el Senado en su lugar. En estas elecciones especiales celebradas simultáneamente con las elecciones regulares para el Senado, Feinstein derrotó a Seymour para cumplir los 2 años restantes del mandato y asumió el cargo el 4 de noviembre, solo un día después de las elecciones. Su compañera demócrata Barbara Boxer ganó las elecciones regulares y juró su cargo en enero de 1993.
Ambos senadores de California fueron elegidos por primera vez. No se trata de un hecho único; volvería a suceder en Tennessee en 1994 , Kansas en 1996 y Georgia en 2020 .
El demócrata Tim Wirth, que ocupaba el cargo en el cargo , decidió retirarse en lugar de buscar un segundo mandato. El congresista demócrata Ben Nighthorse Campbell ganó el escaño vacante, venciendo al senador estatal republicano Terry Considine .
El demócrata en el cargo Christopher Dodd ganó la reelección para un tercer mandato frente al empresario republicano Brook Johnson.
Johnson, un empresario millonario que nunca se había presentado a un cargo público antes, gastó unos 900.000 dólares durante la campaña de las primarias. Sus anuncios de radio y televisión decían que aportaría "una dosis de éxito que Washington necesita". Dodd tenía dos millones de dólares en efectivo a mano después de las primarias. [14]
El demócrata en el cargo Bob Graham ganó la reelección para un segundo mandato, venciendo al ex representante republicano Bill Grant .
Graham derrotó a Grant de manera aplastante, ya que Grant ganó solo en un condado del estado ( el condado de Okaloosa, Florida ). No hubo candidatos independientes ni de terceros partidos.
El demócrata Wyche Fowler no obtuvo una mayoría simple en las elecciones generales, que exigían una segunda vuelta. Paul Coverdell , exdirector del Cuerpo de Paz y exsenador estatal, superó a Fowler en la segunda vuelta por un estrecho margen. [5]
Las primarias generales se celebraron el 21 de julio de 1992. [18] El 11 de agosto se celebró una segunda vuelta entre los dos principales contendientes republicanos, en la que Paul Coverdell derrotó a Bob Barr .
Los resultados [19] de la primera vuelta mostraron que, dado que Paul Coverdell no obtuvo la mayoría de los votos, se celebró una segunda vuelta entre él y Barr. Coverdell ganó posteriormente la segunda vuelta.
Como ningún candidato alcanzó la mayoría el 3 de noviembre, se celebró una segunda vuelta el 24 de noviembre, que ganó Coverdell.
El demócrata en el cargo Daniel Inouye ganó la reelección para un sexto mandato contra el senador estatal republicano Rick Reed. [20]
El republicano Steve Symms, que ocupaba el cargo en el cargo , decidió retirarse en lugar de buscar un tercer mandato. El alcalde republicano de Boise, Dirk Kempthorne, ganó el escaño vacante, venciendo al congresista demócrata Richard H. Stallings .
El demócrata en el cargo, Alan J. Dixon, decidió presentarse a la reelección para un tercer mandato, pero fue derrotado en las primarias contra Carol Moseley Braun , registradora de escrituras del condado de Cook y ex representante estatal, quien luego ganó las elecciones generales contra el republicano Richard S. Williamson , ex secretario de estado adjunto para Asuntos de Organizaciones Internacionales . Braun (cuya victoria coincidió con la victoria de Bill Clinton en las elecciones presidenciales y en Illinois ) hizo historia en estas elecciones al convertirse en la primera mujer afroamericana elegida para el Senado de los EE. UU., y también la primera afroamericana elegida para el Senado de los EE. UU. como demócrata.
Esta derrota sorprendió a los observadores; en ese momento ningún senador había sido derrotado en una primaria en más de una década y Dixon tenía un largo historial de éxito electoral. Era un demócrata moderado, que recientemente votó para confirmar a Clarence Thomas para la Corte Suprema . [23] Braun, una mujer negra y conocida liberal reformista, obtuvo una gran proporción de votantes negros, liberales y mujeres ("El año de la mujer").
Además, ganó en el condado de Cook, Illinois , con diferencia el condado más poblado del estado. Otro factor fue el tercer candidato en la carrera, el abogado multimillonario Al Hofeld. Hofeld alejó a algunos de los demócratas moderados y conservadores que normalmente apoyaban a Dixon. También gastó mucho dinero en publicar anuncios que atacaban a Dixon, lo que debilitó su apoyo.
Moseley Braun ganó la carrera al Senado de Illinois en 1992 por un margen bastante cómodo. Moseley Braun tuvo un buen desempeño, como se esperaba, en el condado de Cook , donde se encuentra Chicago . Williamson tuvo un buen desempeño en los condados aledaños a Chicago y en la mayor parte del norte del estado. Moseley Braun tuvo un desempeño sorprendentemente sólido en el sur de Illinois, que los republicanos habían llegado a dominar en las últimas décadas. Braun también tuvo un buen desempeño en el condado de Rock Island .
El republicano en el cargo, Dan Coats, ganó la reelección para su primer mandato completo, venciendo al secretario de estado demócrata de Indiana, Joe Hogsett . [24]
Cuando el republicano Dan Quayle renunció al Senado tras ser elegido vicepresidente de los Estados Unidos en 1988, Coats fue designado para ocupar el antiguo escaño de Quayle. Luego ganó las elecciones para ocupar el resto del mandato en 1990.
Coats ganó 79 de los condados de Indiana en comparación con los 13 de Hogsett. [25]
El actual republicano Chuck Grassley se presentó a la reelección para un tercer mandato en el Senado de los Estados Unidos , que ganó fácilmente contra su oponente demócrata, la senadora estatal Jean Hall Lloyd-Jones.
El senador republicano Bob Dole fue reelegido para un quinto mandato, derrotando a la candidata demócrata Gloria O'Dell, profesora y ex periodista. [27] Casi dos décadas después de su fallida candidatura a la vicepresidencia en 1976 , esta sería la última elección de Dole para el Senado. Dimitiría en 1996 mientras se postulaba para la presidencia de los Estados Unidos . Dole también se convirtió en el líder republicano del Senado de los Estados Unidos siete años antes.
El senador demócrata en ejercicio de los Estados Unidos, Wendell Ford, ganó la reelección para un cuarto mandato, superando fácilmente al senador estatal republicano David L. Williams . En 2023 [update], esta fue la última elección al Senado en Kentucky en la que ganó un demócrata.
Denny Ormerod, un maquinista de Louisville, abandonó la carrera antes de las elecciones primarias. [29] Aunque Williams y Thompson representaban a facciones opuestas en el Partido Republicano estatal (Williams dirigió la campaña primaria de 1991 de Larry Hopkins mientras que Thompson trabajaba a tiempo completo para el oponente de Hopkins en las primarias, Larry Forgy ), los dos prácticamente se ignoraron mutuamente en la campaña primaria, y optaron en cambio por centrar su retórica contra Ford. [29] Thompson cuestionó las credenciales conservadoras de Williams con el argumento de que votó a favor del aumento de impuestos asociado con la Ley de Reforma Educativa de Kentucky. [29] La campaña de Ormerod se centró en gran medida en cuestiones socialmente conservadoras , pero fue Williams quien consiguió el respaldo de Kentucky Right to Life , que citó su demanda para liberar del comité tres proyectos de ley antiabortistas en la sesión legislativa de 1992. [29] Como resultado de las campañas primarias en gran medida poco inspiradoras, solo hubo una participación electoral del 18% en las primarias republicanas. Williams ganó la nominación. [30]
Ford, the Senate Majority Whip and a former governor, raised $2.4 million for his campaign, about eight times the amount Williams raised.[32] Given his limited finances, Williams relied on news conferences and interviews on small town radio stations to get his message out.[32] Williams repeatedly lamented that Ford would not agree to a formal debate; Ford said that could not be arranged because Congress was still in session and he needed to be in Washington.[33] During the campaign, Williams attempted to paint Ford as too liberal for Kentucky voters, citing his votes against the Gulf War and Clarence Thomas' confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court.[34] Both candidates declared their support for a Balanced Budget Amendment, but Williams said that Ford's support of pork barrel projects for the state and a procedural vote that kept the amendment from a vote in 1991 were evidence that Ford's support was not genuine.[34]
Ford had no trouble winning on election night. Ford won easily, despite the fact that fellow Democrat Bill Clinton was not declared the winner of the presidential race in Kentucky until around 10:00 E.S.T. Ford pulled big margins out of the majority of Kentucky's 124 counties. This would be Ford's last term in the senate. He served his final term from January 3, 1993, to January 3, 1999. Ford died some fifteen years after his retirement at the age of 90.
Incumbent Democrat John Breaux won a majority in Louisiana's jungle primary on October 3, 1992, winning re-election to another term.
Incumbent Democrat Barbara Mikulski won re-election to a second term over Republican Alan Keyes, former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs.
Incumbent Republican Kit Bond won re-election to a second term over Democratic St. Louis County Councilwoman Geri Rothman-Serot.[5]
Although nearly 10% of the electorate voted for neither of the two major U.S. political parties, incumbent Democrat Harry Reid ultimately beat Republican cattle rancher and President of Nevada Cattlemen's Association Demar Dahl.[5]
Incumbent Republican Warren Rudman decided to retire. Republican Governor Judd Gregg won the open seat, beating Democrat John Rauh, former CEO of Griffon Corporation.[38]
Incumbent Republican Al D'Amato won re-election to a third term over Democrat Robert Abrams, New York State Attorney General and former Borough president of the Bronx. As of 2023[update], this was the last Senate election in New York won by a Republican.
Early in the campaign, environmentalist attorney, Laurance S. Rockefeller, Jr. nephew of the former governor Nelson, tried to challenge D'Amato in the Republican primary,[40] but fell short of the required signatures to get onto the primary ballot. D'Amato summarily went unchallenged.
The Democratic primary campaign featured State Attorney General Robert Abrams, former U.S. Congresswoman and 1984 vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro, Reverend Al Sharpton, Congressman Robert J. Mrazek, and New York City Comptroller and former Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman. Abrams was considered the early front-runner.[41] Ferraro emphasized her career as a teacher, prosecutor, congresswoman, and mother, and talked about how she was tough on crime.[42] Ferraro drew attacks from the media and her opponents over her husband John Zaccaro's finances and business relationships.[43]
Ferraro became the front-runner, capitalizing on her star power from 1984 and using the campaign attacks against her as an explicitly feminist rallying point for women voters.[43] As the primary date neared, her lead began to dwindle under the charges, and she released additional tax returns from the 1980s to try to defray the attacks.[44] Holtzman ran a negative ad accusing Ferraro and Zaccaro of taking more than $300,000 in rent in the 1980s from a pornographer with purported ties to organized crime.[45] The final debates were nasty, and Holtzman in particular constantly attacked Ferraro's integrity and finances.[46][47] In an unusual election-eve television broadcast, Ferraro talked about the ethnic slurs made against her as an Italian-American.[48] In the September 15, 1992 primary, Abrams edged out Ferraro by less than percentage point, winning 37 percent of the vote to 36 percent.[47] Ferraro did not concede she had lost for two weeks.[49]
After Abrams emerged as the nominee, the Democrats remained divided. In particular, Abrams spent much of the remainder of the campaign trying to get Ferraro's endorsement.[50] Ferraro, enraged and bitter after the nature of the primary,[46][49] ignored Abrams and accepted Bill Clinton's request to campaign for his presidential bid instead. She was eventually persuaded by state party leaders into giving an unenthusiastic endorsement with just three days to go before the general election, in exchange for an apology by Abrams for the tone of the primary.[50]
Abrams was also criticized for calling D'Amato a fascist, and he narrowly lost the general election as a result of these controversies.[51]
Incumbent Democrat Terry Sanford lost re-election to a second term to Republican Lauch Faircloth, former State Secretary of Commerce.
In 1990, after 40 years as a Democrat, Faircloth switched his party registration and began preparations to seek the Republican Senate nomination in 1992. Enjoying the support of senator Jesse Helms's political organization, Faircloth defeated Charlotte mayor Sue Myrick and former congressman Walter E. Johnston, III in the primary. His opponent in the general election was his former ally, Terry Sanford. Although Sanford had helped Faircloth raise money for his failed gubernatorial bid in 1984, he angered Faircloth two years later when he allegedly dismissed Faircloth's chances in a statewide contest if the two ran against each other for the Democratic nomination for the Senate.[54] Faircloth withdrew from the 1986 race after Sanford "blindsided" him by announcing his candidacy.[55]
Faircloth attacked Sanford as a tax-and-spend liberal, and despite a poor performance in a September televised debate, Faircloth won the seat by a 100,000-vote margin. Sanford may have been weakened by his unpopular vote against authorizing military force in the Persian Gulf War, and he suffered health problems in the summer of 1992.[56]
Due to the death of Quentin Burdick in September of that year, there were two senate elections in North Dakota.
Incumbent North Dakota Democratic NPL Party incumbent Kent Conrad retired, having given a pledge that he would not run for re-election if the federal budget deficit was higher than when he was first elected; however when the other Senate seat became vacant, he ran in the special election. Dem-NPL U.S. Congressman Byron Dorgan won the open seat, beating Republican Steve Sydness, CEO of Endurance International Group.[5]
The special election was held December 4, 1992 to fill the United States Senate seat vacated by the late Quentin Burdick. Burdick's widow, Jocelyn Burdick, was appointed as a temporary replacement until the election was held. Dem-NPLer Kent Conrad, who held North Dakota's other senate seat for one term since 1986, had not run for re-election to his own seat, holding himself to a campaign promise pledging to reduce the federal deficit. U.S. senator Kent Conrad won the election over Republican State Representative Jack Dalrymple.
Burdick's death provided an opportunity for Conrad to return to the Senate in a fight for an open seat. However, some, particularly his political opponents, saw this as a breach of his promise in spirit if not letter, Conrad's high approval ratings as senator carried through to a victory against Republican state legislator Jack Dalrymple.[57]
Incumbent Democrat John Glenn won re-election to a fourth term,[58] coinciding with Bill Clinton's narrow win during the presidential election. Glenn's voting percentage of 51% over Republican Lieutenant Governor of Ohio Mike DeWine represented the worst performance of his four runs for the Senate, likely due to the presence of third-party candidate Martha Grevatt of the far-left Workers World Party. As of 2023[update], this is the last time the Democrats have won the Class 3 Senate Seat from Ohio.
Incumbent Republican Don Nickles won re-election to his third term, beating Democratic former State Representative Steve Lewis.[59]
Incumbent Republican Bob Packwood won re-election to his fifth term.
As the election season got underway, analysts from both major parties predicted that Packwood would have one of the toughest seats to defend in what was anticipated to be a volatile election year.[61] Packwood was regarded as one of the nation's "most powerful elected officials"[62] with "extraordinary political instincts."[63] But the state's largest newspaper, The Oregonian, had described AuCoin (Packwood's presumed main challenger) as having "persistence, imagination and clout [that] have made him the most powerful congressman in Oregon and one of the most influential members from the Northwest."[64]
For AuCoin, however, first came the Democratic primary. He faced Portland attorney Joe Wetzel and Bend businessman Harry Lonsdale in what became a "brutal, bitter"[65] contest.[66] Lonsdale, who had run a close race against incumbent Mark Hatfield for Oregon's other Senate seat in 1990, emerged as AuCoin's principal rival; Wetzel, who criticized Packwood and AuCoin as long-term, ineffective members of Congress,[67] trailed throughout the race, and was not invited to an April debate sponsored by the City Club of Portland.[68] Lonsdale took on "the Les AuCoin-Mark Hatfield-Bob Packwood coalition" as his primary cause, stating "I consider Les AuCoin a good man who has been corrupted by PAC money over the years".[69]
In a race the Seattle Times called "as negative as many voters can remember,"[65] Lonsdale attacked AuCoin as "corrupt"[65] and tied to the timber industry.[70] Lonsdale's environmental credentials also came under scrutiny,[71] and AuCoin noted Lonsdale's reversal of support for nuclear power and belated opposition to the re-opening of Trojan Nuclear Power Plant.[72] AuCoin turned accusations of undue influence back on Lonsdale, pointing out that his company (Bend Research) had received millions in federal defense contracts.[73]
Even during the primary, Packwood and AuCoin traded barbs on various issues.[74] Packwood joined Lonsdale in criticizing AuCoin for his involvement in what was reported as a rash of check-bouncing among members of Congress; AuCoin characterized the issue as a series of mistakes, rather than gross abuses.[75] In what was believed to be an unprecedented move, Packwood attempted to influence the Democratic primary's outcome by running television ads against AuCoin.[76]
Ultimately, the results of the Democratic primary were so close that an automatic recount was triggered.[76] AuCoin held a news conference on May 23 in the South Park Blocks stating he would wait for the recount, but the margin was currently 248 votes in his favor.[77] On June 18, over a month after the primary election, AuCoin was certified as having won by 330 votes.[78] Upon conceding the race, Lonsdale pondered mounting a write-in campaign, reiterating that Oregon needed an "outsider" in the Senate.[79][80]
Packwood had gone through a divorce in 1991, and his ex-wife threatened to run against him amid mounting concerns about his "eye for the ladies." The socially conservative Oregon Citizens Alliance (OCA) was at the apex of its statewide prominence with 1992's anti-gay Measure 9 and its newly formed American Heritage Party (AHP). The group endorsed Republican challenger Joe Lutz, who had run against Packwood in the past on a family values platform; but Lutz soon withdrew, announcing a divorce of his own. As early as January, the OCA considered backing former gubernatorial candidate Al Mobley as an independent or as a member of the AHP.[82][83] Mobley ultimately decided in mid-August not to run, stating that he could not bear the idea that he might be responsible for causing AuCoin to be elected.[84] Packwood's most significant challenge thus came from little-known conservative Medford attorney John DeZell, who campaigned on the family values issue.[85] Packwood cruised to victory over DeZell and several other candidates.
By the end of June, when the recount was complete, AuCoin was nearly out of campaign funds; Packwood entered the general election race with $3.2 million[87][88] and was ranked sixth nationwide among senators raising funds outside their home state during the 1990–1992 election season.[89]
AuCoin opposed weakening the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to erase the Northern Spotted Owl's impact on the timber industry, but Packwood (“one of the timber industry’s chief allies,” according to Oregon State University political scientist William Lunch[90]) assailed “environmental extremists” and introduced legislation to convene a presidential cabinet committee to exempt the endangered owl from the ESA.[91]
In September, Packwood pulled ads that had falsely criticized AuCoin for missing votes while speaking to special interest groups.[92] By October, Packwood had raised $8 million,[93] spending $5.4 million more than AuCoin, and leading all Senate incumbents.[94] Yet that fall, the two candidates were in a dead heat, with Packwood continuing to criticize AuCoin on attendance, his House bank account and the spotted owl, and AuCoin echoing the campaign of popular Presidential candidate Bill Clinton by accusing Packwood of favoring the wealthy over the middle class.[95]
The outcome of the bruising race was too close to call on election night, but on the following day, Packwood emerged as the winner with about 52% of the vote to AuCoin's 47. In his victory press conference, Packwood endorsed AuCoin for Secretary of the Interior in the Clinton administration.[96][97] When told of Packwood's comments, AuCoin responded by saying "I think that's real special."[98]
Incumbent Republican Arlen Specter won re-election to a third term over Democratic millionaire Lynn Yeakel[100] director of women's studies at Drexel University College of Medicine and daughter of former U.S. Congressman Porter Hardy of Virginia[101] (from Montgomery County).
Despite his powerful position in the Senate, Specter had numerous problems entering the election. A moderate who generally received only tepid support from his party's conservative wing, he was criticized by the right for opposing Ronald Reagan's nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. Specter subsequently faced a primary challenge from an ultra-conservative State Representative named Stephen Freind; although the incumbent won handily, the battle was expensive and featured many damaging attack ads. The senator was also highly targeted by women's groups for his involvement in the Clarence Thomas proceedings; in his questioning of Anita Hill, Specter appeared to show no sympathy for her allegations of sexual harassment. Furthermore, President Bush's popularity was rapidly declining in the state over high unemployment rates and was subsequently dragging down Republican candidates.[102]
Yeakel won the five-way primary with 45% of the vote, easily defeating the endorsed candidate, Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel, in an election cycle dubbed by pundits as the "year of the woman." Polls put her ahead of Specter by double digits. But Specter ran a campaign that was praised by political analysts for being almost flawless.[102] Despite Yeakel's personal wealth, her inexperience in politics led to fund raising problems; in turn, Specter ran television ads long before the Democrat. The moderate Specter portrayed Yeakel, despite her liberal attitude, as a member of an elitist blue-blood family; he emphasized her father's votes against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 while in Congress, her affiliation with an all-white country club, and her church's minister's vocal criticism of the Israeli government.[103][104]
Despite her mistakes, including a frequent tendency to mispronounce the names of places in which she was campaigning, Yeakel continued to perform solidly, and on Election Day, she captured by large numbers the traditional Democratic strongholds of the state, such as Pittsburgh, Scranton, and Erie. However, Specter undercut Yeakel's support in the state's most critical Democratic county: Philadelphia. Specter campaigned hard in black neighborhoods and received the endorsement of the NAACP. Furthermore, he capitalized on the ambivalence of many Philadelphia Democratic leaders to Yeakel, a self-described reform candidate; as a result, the hugely Democratic city featured a higher than anticipated vote for Specter. Also critical to the campaign was Specter's grassroots involvement in Yeakel's base, the traditionally GOP but Democratic-trending suburbs of Philadelphia.[102]
Incumbent Democrat Fritz Hollings won re-election to his fifth full term, over Republican former Congressman Thomas Hartnett.
The race between Hollings and Hartnett was between two politicians from the Lowcoutry. Hartnett attacked Hollings for co-sponsoring a bill in 1983 that would have outlawed discrimination against homosexuals and Hollings shot back about questions of Hartnett's integrity for pushing for military contracts with a firm he had ties with in North Charleston. The anti-incumbency mood helped to bring Hartnett close to topping Hollings in the general election, but South Carolina voters traditionally support their incumbent politicians and Hollings was elected for another six-year term, albeit with a much reduced margin.
Incumbent Democrat Tom Daschle won re-election to a second term, beating Republican educator Charlene Haar.[105]
Incumbent Republican Jake Garn decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. Republican Bob Bennett won the open seat over Democratic congressman Wayne Owens.
Incumbent Democrat Patrick Leahy won re-election to a fourth term, beating Republican Secretary of State of Vermont Jim Douglas.
Serving one term, incumbent senator Brock Adams was strongly supportive of his party's leadership[citation needed]. In 1992 he chose not to be a candidate for re-election after eight women made statements to The Seattle Times alleging that Adams had committed various acts of sexual misconduct, ranging from sexual harassment to rape.[108] Adams denied the allegations, but his popularity statewide was weakened considerably by the scandal and he chose to retire rather than risk losing the seat for his party. Chandler seemed to have the upper hand in one of the debates until for some unknown reason he quoted the Roger Miller song "Dang Me."[109] He was further damaged by the unpopularity of President George H.W. Bush in the Pacific Northwest.
Incumbent Republican Bob Kasten ran for re-election to a third term, but was defeated by Democratic State senator Russ Feingold.
Feingold, who had little name recognition in the state and was campaigning in a primary against a pair of millionaire opponents, U.S. Congressman Jim Moody and Milwaukee businessman Joe Checota, adopted several proposals to gain the electorate's attention. The most memorable of these was a series of five promises written on Feingold's garage door in the form of a contract.[111] Also noted was Feingold's advertising campaign, which was widely compared to that used by progressive candidate Paul Wellstone in his victorious Senate campaign in Minnesota. Shot in the form of home movies, the ads attempted to portray Feingold, who always referred to himself as "the underdog running for U.S. senate," as a down-to-earth, Capra-esque figure, taking the audience on a guided tour of the candidate's home and introducing them to his children, all of whom were enrolled in public school.[112]
The ads also contained a significant amount of humor. One featured Feingold meeting with an Elvis Presley impersonator, who offered Feingold his endorsement.[113] (Bob Kasten responded to the Elvis endorsement with an advertisement featuring an Elvis impersonator attacking Feingold's record.[114]) Another showed Feingold standing next to a pair of half-sized cardboard cut-outs of his opponents, refusing to "stoop to their level" as the two were shown literally slinging mud at one another.[112]
During the primary campaign, Feingold unveiled an 82-point plan that aimed to eliminate the deficit by the end of his first term.[115] The plan, which called for, among other things, a raise in taxes and cuts in the defense budget, was derided as "extremist" by Republicans and "too liberal" by his Democratic opponents. Feingold also announced his support for strict campaign finance reform and a national health care system and voiced his opposition to term limits and new tax cuts.[116]
Feingold won by positioning himself as a quirky underdog who offered voters an alternative to what was seen by many as negative campaigning of opponents Jim Moody and Joe Checota.[117] On primary day, Feingold, whose support had shown in the single digits throughout much of the campaign, surged to victory with 70 percent of the vote.[116] Seven weeks later, while Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Ross Perot split the Wisconsin presidential vote 41%-37%-21%, Feingold beat Kasten by a margin of 53 percent to 46 percent.[117]
A clearly shaken Herschensohn, who has embraced the GOP "family values" platform, at first refused to comment on the accusations, calling them "a pretty desperate thing." But he later conceded that he once visited the Seventh Veil nude-dance club in Hollywood…
That vintage Mulholland maneuver made it all but impossible for Herschensohn to stay on-message during the campaign's crucial closing days.Steinberg is a Republican political strategist in Sherman Oaks.
Bob Mulholland, publicly accused Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Herschensohn of visiting a Sunset Boulevard strip club. Herschensohn had been running as the traditional-values candidate.
Amid the controversy, Herschensohn lost the Senate race to Democrat Barbara Boxer, and the GOP was outraged at what it called a "smear campaign." Kennedy suspended Mulholland, but he soon returned to the party.
Nan Aron, president of the Alliance for Justice, said [...] 'History shows us that voters turned on Alan Dixon for his vote on Clarence Thomas and voters gave Arlen Specter the toughest re-election of his life.'
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