The 1990 United States Senate elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 1990, with the 33 seats of Class 2 contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies. The Democratic Party increased its majority with a net gain of one seat from the Republican Party. The election cycle took place in the middle of President George H. W. Bush's term, and, as with most other midterm elections, the party not holding the presidency gained seats in Congress. Until 2022, this had been the only election cycle where only one U.S. Senate seat flipped parties.

Quick Facts 35 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...

1990 United States Senate elections

← 1988 November 6, 1990 1992 →
1991 (PA) →
35 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader George Mitchell Bob Dole Party Democratic Republican Leader since January 3, 1989 January 3, 1985 Leader's seat Maine Kansas Seats before 55 45 Seats after 56 44 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 17,907,544[lower-alpha 1] 16,494,624[lower-alpha 1] Percentage 51.1% 47.1% Seats up 17 18 Races won 18 17
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold      No election
Majority Leader before election George Mitchell Democratic Elected Majority Leader George Mitchell Democratic

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These elections, along with 2022, featured the smallest seat change in history since the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913 with only one seat changing parties. That election featured Democrat Paul Wellstone defeating incumbent Republican Rudy Boschwitz in Minnesota. To date, this is the last cycle in which Democratic candidates won U.S. Senate elections in Oklahoma and Tennessee.

More information Parties, Total ...

Parties							Total
		Democratic	Republican	Libertarian	Independent	Other
Last elections (1988) Before these elections		55	45	0	0	0	100
Not up		38	27	—	—	—	65
Up		17	18	—	—	—	35
	Class 2 (1984→1990)	16	17	—	—	—	33
	Special: Class 1	1	—	—	—	—	1
	Special: Class 3	—	1	—	—	—	1
Incumbent retired		0	3	—	—	—	3
	Held by same party	0	3	—	—	—	3
	Replaced by other party	0	0	—	—	—	0
	Result	0	3	—	—	—	3
Incumbent ran		17	15	—	—	—	32
	Won election	17	14	—	—	—	31
	Lost re-election	1 Republican replaced by 1 Democrat		—	—	—	1
	Lost renomination, but held by same party	0	0	—	—	—	0
	Result	18	14	—	—	—	32
Total elected		18	17	—	—	—	35
Net gain/loss		1	1				1
Nationwide vote[lower-alpha 1]		17,907,544	16,494,624	142,003	222,534	260,665	35,027,370
	Share	51.12%	47.09%	0.41%	0.64%	0.74%	100%
Result		56	44	0	0	0	100

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Source: Clerk of the United States House of Representatives^[1]

In eight races the margin of victory was under 10%.

Michigan was the tipping point state with a margin of 16.3%.

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Alabama election

← 1984 November 6, 1990 1996 →

Nominee Howell Heflin Bill Cabaniss Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 717,814 467,190 Percentage 60.6% 39.4%

County results Heflin:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Cabaniss:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Howell Heflin Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Howell Heflin Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat Howell Heflin won re-election to a third term over Republican Bill Cabaniss, State Senator and former State Representative. This was the last time the Democrats have won the Class 2 Senate Seat from Alabama until Doug Jones won the seat in 2017.

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Alaska election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee Ted Stevens Michael Beasley Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 125,806 61,152 Percentage 66.23% 32.19%

Results by state house district Stevens:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Ted Stevens Republican Elected U.S. Senator Ted Stevens Republican

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Incumbent Republican United States Senator Ted Stevens sought re-election to a fifth term in the United States Senate, which he won easily, besting his opponents in a landslide.

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Arkansas election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee David Pryor Party Democratic Popular vote 493,910 Percentage 99.83%

County results Pryor:      100% No data/No votes:

re-election before election David Pryor Democratic Elected re-election David Pryor Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat David Pryor won re-election uncontested.^[4]

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Colorado election

← 1984 November 6, 1990 1996 →

Nominee Hank Brown Josie Heath Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 569,048 425,746 Percentage 55.7% 41.7%

County results Brown:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Heath:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election William L. Armstrong Republican Elected U.S. Senator Hank Brown Republican

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Incumbent Republican senator William L. Armstrong did not seek re-election to another term. Republican congressman Hank Brown won the open seat, defeating Democratic nominee Josie Heath, former Boulder County Commissioner^[5]

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Delaware election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee Joe Biden M. Jane Brady Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 112,918 64,554 Percentage 62.68% 35.83%

County results Biden:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Joe Biden Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Joe Biden Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat Joe Biden won re-election to a fourth term, defeating Republican challenger M. Jane Brady, Deputy Attorney General of Delaware.

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Georgia election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee Sam Nunn Party Democratic Popular vote 1,033,439 Percentage 100.0%

County results Nunn:      100%

U.S. senator before election Sam Nunn Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Sam Nunn Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat Sam Nunn won re-election to a fourth term uncontested.^[4]

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Hawaii special election

← 1988 1994 →

Nominee Daniel Akaka Pat Saiki Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 188,901 155,978 Percentage 53.7% 44.3%

County results Akaka:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Daniel Akaka Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat Daniel Akaka was elected to finish the term ending in 1995 over Republican U.S. Representative Pat Saiki. Akaka had been appointed by Governor John Waihee in April 1990 to serve temporarily after the death of Spark Matsunaga.^[7]

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Idaho election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee Larry Craig Ron Twilegar Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 193,641 122,295 Percentage 61.29% 38.71%

County results Craig:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Twilegar:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Jim McClure Republican Elected U.S. Senator Larry Craig Republican

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Republican Rep. Larry Craig defeated Democratic former state legislator Ron Twilegar for the seat of U.S. Senator Jim McClure, who did not seek re-election.

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Illinois election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee Paul Simon Lynn Morley Martin Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,115,377 1,135,628 Percentage 65.07% 34.93%

County results Simon:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Martin:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Paul Simon Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Paul Simon Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat Paul Simon sought re-election to the United States Senate. Simon was opposed by Republican nominee Lynn Morley Martin, a United States Congresswoman from Illinois's 16th congressional district, whom he easily defeated to win a second and final term in the Senate.

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Indiana special election

← 1986 1992 →

Nominee Dan Coats Baron Hill Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 806,048 696,639 Percentage 53.6% 46.4%

County results Coats:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Hill:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Dan Coats Republican Elected U.S. Senator Dan Coats Republican

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Incumbent Republican Dan Coats, who was recently appointed to this seat two years prior, won election to serve out the remainder of the term, beating Democratic State Representative Baron Hill.

During the 1988 presidential election, Republican nominee Vice President George H. W. Bush selected U.S. Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana as his vice presidential nominee. The Bush-Quayle ticket defeated the Dukakis-Bentsen ticket in the general election by a 53%-46% margin, capturing 40 states and 426 electoral votes.

In preparation for the pending vacancy, Governor Robert D. Orr appointed four-term U.S. Representative Dan Coats to fill Quayle's seat on December 12, 1988. Coats was a former aide to Quayle, whom he had succeeded as U.S. Representative for Indiana's 4th congressional district in 1981. Quayle eventually resigned his Senate seat on January 3, 1989, and Coats was immediately sworn into office.

Coats used television commercials that raised questions about Hill's consistency in opposing new taxes, and Hill gained notoriety for walking the length of the state to meet voters.

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Iowa election

← 1984 November 5, 1990 1996 →

Nominee Tom Harkin Tom Tauke Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 535,975 446,869 Percentage 54.5% 45.4%

County results Harkin:      50–60%      60–70% Tauke:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Tom Harkin Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Tom Harkin Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat Tom Harkin sought re-election to a second term in the United States Senate. Harkin was opposed by Republican United States Congressman Tom Tauke, from Iowa's 2nd congressional district, and both Harkin and Tauke won their primaries uncontested. Though Harkin performed slightly worse than he had six years earlier, he was successful in his re-election bid and defeated Tauke.

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Kansas election

← 1984 November 6, 1990 1996 →

Nominee Nancy Kassebaum Dick Williams Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 578,605 207,491 Percentage 73.6% 26.4%

County results Kassebaum:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Nancy Kassebaum Republican Elected U.S. Senator Nancy Kassebaum Republican

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Incumbent Republican Nancy Kassebaum won re-election to her third full term, over Democrat Dick Williams, an educator at Wichita State University^[12]

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Kentucky election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee Mitch McConnell Harvey Sloane Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 478,034 437,976 Percentage 52.2% 47.8%

County results McConnell:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Sloane:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Mitch McConnell Republican Elected U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell Republican

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Incumbent Republican Mitch McConnell won re-election to a second term over Democrat Harvey Sloane, former Mayor of Louisville

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Louisiana election

← 1984 November 6, 1990 1996 →

Nominee J. Bennett Johnston David Duke Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 753,198 607,051 Percentage 53.95% 43.48%

Parish results Johnston:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Duke:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election J. Bennett Johnston Democratic Elected U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat J. Bennett Johnston Jr. won re-election to a fourth term and avoided a runoff, beating Republican David Duke, State Representative and former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

This election was viewed at the onset as potentially competitive, as Senator Johnston was viewed as vulnerable in light of Louisiana's economic troubles at the time and Senator Johnston's voting record viewed by Republicans as too liberal. The Republican Party leadership endorsed the candidacy of State Senator Ben Bagert, who was picked over Secretary of State Fox McKeithen, State Representative Quentin Dastugue and State Representative David Duke.^[15] David Duke, however, continued his candidacy and slowly overtook Bagert in attention and in the polls. Duke attracted national attention to the race with his involvement with white supremacist groups and his appeals to white resentment over affirmative-action programs. With Bagert failing to gain traction, the National Republican Senatorial Committee tried to recruit former Governor David Treen to jump into the race. When Treen passed, the effort turned from supporting Bagert to stopping Duke.^[16]

As the election drew near, polls showed Johnston firmly in first place, with Duke in second place and Bagert trailing far behind at third. National Republicans grew fearful that Bagert's candidacy would only serve to force a runoff and that a potential runoff election with Duke being the de facto Republican nominee would hurt the national brand. On October 4, eight Republican Senators endorsed Johnston, with Senator John Danforth saying at the press conference that "all of us would be embarrassed and mortified to have to serve in the United States Senate with David Duke masquerading as a Republican." Bagert dropped out of the race the next day, announcing that "it became more and more apparent, that instead of forcing a runoff between myself and Bennett Johnston, I might very well be forcing a runoff between somebody else and Bennett Johnston." He announced he would "reluctantly" vote for Johnston.^[17] Bagert's name remained on the ballot, but under state law his votes could not be counted as part of the official tally.^[18] After Bagert dropped out, HUD Secretary Jack Kemp endorsed Johnston, saying "there's no place in the Republican Party for someone who has practiced and practices racism, bigotry and anti-Semitism."^[19]

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Maine election

← 1984 November 6, 1990 1996 →

Nominee William Cohen Neil Rolde Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 319,167 201,053 Percentage 61.3% 38.6%

County results Cohen:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election William Cohen Republican Elected U.S. Senator William Cohen Republican

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Incumbent Republican William Cohen won re-election to a third term over Democratic State Representative Neil Rolde.

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Massachusetts election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee John Kerry Jim Rappaport Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,321,712 992,917 Percentage 54.5% 41.0%

County results Municipality results Kerry   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90% Rappaport   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%

U.S. senator before election John Kerry Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John Kerry Democratic

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Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John Kerry was re-elected to his second term over Republican real estate developer Jim Rappaport.

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Michigan election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee Carl Levin Bill Schuette Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,471,753 1,055,695 Percentage 57.5% 41.2%

County results Levin:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Schuette:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Carl Levin Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Carl Levin Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat Carl Levin won re-election to a third term, beating Republican U.S. Representative Bill Schuette.

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Minnesota election

← 1984 November 6, 1990 1996 →

Nominee Paul Wellstone Rudy Boschwitz Party Democratic (DFL) Ind.-Republican Popular vote 911,999 864,375 Percentage 50.5% 47.9%

County results Wellstone:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Boschwitz:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Rudy Boschwitz Ind.-Republican Elected U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone Democratic (DFL)

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Incumbent Republican Rudy Boschwitz was defeated by Democratic challenger Paul Wellstone in a tight race. Widely considered an underdog and outspent by a 7-to-1 margin, Wellstone, a professor at Carleton College and nominee for Minnesota State Auditor in 1982 was the only candidate to defeat an incumbent senator in the 1990 election cycle and gained national attention after his upset victory.

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Mississippi election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee Thad Cochran Party Republican Popular vote 274,244 Percentage 100.0%

County results Cochran:      >90% No vote:

U.S. senator before election Thad Cochran Republican Elected U.S. Senator Thad Cochran Republican

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Incumbent Republican Thad Cochran won re-election to a third term.^[4]

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Montana election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee Max Baucus Allen Kolstad Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 217,563 93,836 Percentage 68.13% 29.38%

County results Baucus:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Kostad:      40–50%

U.S. senator before election Max Baucus Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Max Baucus Democratic

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Incumbent United States Senator Max Baucus, who was first elected in 1978 and was re-elected in 1984, ran for re-election. After winning the Democratic primary, he moved on to the general election, where he was opposed by Allen Kolstad, the Lieutenant Governor of Montana and the Republican nominee. Baucus ultimately ended up defeating Kolstad in a landslide, winning his third term with ease.

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Nebraska election

← 1984 1996 →

Nominee J. James Exon Hal Daub Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 349,779 243,013 Percentage 58.9% 40.9%

County results Exon:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Daub:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

U.S. senator before election J. James Exon Democratic Elected U.S. Senator J. James Exon Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat J. James Exon won re-election to a third term, beating Republican U.S. Representative Hal Daub.