United States Senate election in Alaska, 1996

United States Senate election in Alaska, 1996

November 5, 1996

Nominee Ted Stevens Jed Whittaker Theresa Obermeyer Party Republican Green Democratic Popular vote 177,893 29,037 24,133 Percentage 76.71% 12.52% 10.51%

Senator before election Ted Stevens Republican Elected Senator Ted Stevens Republican

The 1996 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Republican United States Senator Ted Stevens ran for re-election to a fifth term in the United States Senate. Stevens faced off against Democratic nominee Theresa Obermeyer, a former member of the Anchorage School Board,^[1] and Green Party nominee Jed Whittaker, a commercial fisherman.

The race drew national attention for Obermeyer's erratic behavior: she blamed Stevens for her husband's failure to pass the bar exam and contended that he had passed the bar by fraud. She "trailed" him to campaign events, frequently wearing a prisoner's outfit and once dragging a ball and chain behind her. During the campaign, she was arrested and served 30 days in prison in California and Oregon for probation violations.^[2]

Stevens was re-elected in an overwhelming landslide and Whittaker finished ahead of Obermeyer.

Open primary

Candidates

Democratic

• Michael Beasley, perennial candidate
• Henry J. Blake, Jr.
• Lawrence Freiberger, former congressional candidate
• Robert Alan Gigler
• Theresa Obermeyer, former Anchorage School Board member
• Joseph A. Sonneman, perennial candidate
• Frank Vondersaar, perennial candidate

Republican

• Ted Stevens, incumbent United States Senator
• David Cuddy, former Alaska State Representative
• Charles E. McKee

Green

• Jed Whittaker, commercial fisherman

Results

Open primary results^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Ted Stevens (inc.)	71,043	58.87
	Republican	Dave W. Cuddy	32,994	27.34
	Democratic	Theresa Obermeyer	4,072	3.37
	Green	Jed Whittaker	3,751	3.11
	Democratic	Joseph A. Sonneman	2,643	2.19
	Democratic	Michael Beasley	1,968	1.63
	Democratic	Henry J. Blake, Jr.	1,157	0.96
	Democratic	Lawrence Freiberger	921	0.76
	Republican	Charles E. McKee	842	0.70
	Democratic	Frank Vondersaar	655	0.54
	Democratic	Robert Alan Gigler	631	0.52
Total votes			138,492	100.00

General election

Remnant of Whittaker's campaign bumper sticker, photographed on a light pole on South Cushman Street in Fairbanks in 2014. The bumper sticker read "Tired of Ted? Vote for Jed!".

Results

United States Senate election in Alaska, 1996^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Ted Stevens (inc.)	177,893	76.71%	+10.48%
	Green	Jed Whittaker	29,037	12.52%
	Democratic	Theresa Obermeyer	23,977	10.34%	-21.85%
	Write-ins		1,009	0.44%
Majority			148,856	64.19%	+30.15%
Turnout			231,916
	Republican hold		Swing

References

1. Kirtley, Jane. "Gag Her with an Injunction | American Journalism Review". Ajr.org. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
2. "Aliens From Outer Space and Other Election Tales". The New York Times. November 7, 1996. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
3. "Official State of Alaska - Primary : August 27, 1996". Elections.alaska.gov. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
4. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 5, 1996" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved 2013-09-16.