1996 Iowa Senate election

1996 Iowa Senate election

← 1994 November 5, 1996 1998 →

25 out of 50 seats in the Iowa State Senate
26 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Mary Kramer Leonard Boswell
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat 37th 44th
(retired)
Last election 23 27
Seats before 23 27
Seats after 29 21
Seat change Increase6 Decrease6

President of the Senate before election

Leonard Boswell
Democratic

Elected President of the Senate

Mary Kramer
Republican

The 1996 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1996 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in half of the state senate's districts—the 25 even-numbered state senate districts. State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate, with half of the seats up for election each cycle. A statewide map of the 50 state Senate districts in the year 1996 is provided by the Iowa General Assembly here.

The primary election on June 4, 1996 determined which candidates appeared on the November 5, 1996 general election ballot. Primary election results can be obtained here.[1] General election results can be obtained here.[2]

Following the previous election, Democrats had control of the Iowa state Senate with 27 seats to Republicans' 23 seats.

To take control of the chamber from Democrats, the Republicans needed to net 3 Senate seats.

Republicans claimed control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1996 general election by netting 6 seats, resulting in Republicans holding 29 seats and Democrats having 21 seats.

Summary of Results

  • NOTE: The 25 odd-numbered districts did not have elections in 1996 so they are not listed here.
State Senate District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party
2nd Bradly C. Banks Rep John Redwine Republican
4th Jack Kibbie Dem Jack Kibbie Democratic
6th Wayne D. Bennett Rep Steve King Republican
8th Berl Priebe Dem James E. Black Republican
10th Merlin Bartz Rep Merlin Bartz Republican
12th Donald Redfern Rep Donald Redfern Republican
14th Larry Murphy Dem Kitty Rehberg Republican
16th Lyle Zieman Rep Lyle Zieman Republican
18th Mike Connolly Dem Mike Connolly Democratic
20th Jack Rife Rep Jack Rife Republican
22nd Patrick J. Deluhery Dem Patrick J. Deluhery Democratic
24th Richard F. Drake Rep Richard F. Drake Republican
26th Mary Lundby Rep Mary Lundby Republican
28th Andy McKean Rep Andy McKean Republican
30th Emil J. Husak Dem Neal Schuerer Republican
32nd Randal Giannetto Dem Larry McKibben Republican
34th Tony Bisignano Dem Matt McCoy Democratic
36th Elaine Szymoniak Dem Elaine Szymoniak Democratic
38th Gene Maddox Rep Gene Maddox Republican
40th Albert Sorensen Dem Jerry Behn Republican
42nd Michael Gronstal Dem Michael Gronstal Democratic
44th Leonard Boswell Dem Jeff Angelo Republican
46th Patty Judge Dem Patty Judge Democratic
48th H. Kay Hedge Rep H. Kay Hedge Republican
50th Gene Fraise Dem Gene Fraise Democratic

Source:[3]

Detailed Results

  • Reminder: Only even-numbered Iowa Senate seats were up for election in 1996; therefore, odd-numbered seats did not have elections in 1996 & are not shown.

District 2District 4District 6District 8District 10District 12District 14District 16District 18District 20District 22District 24District 26District 28District 30District 32District 34District 36District 38District 40District 42District 44District 46District 48District 50

  • Note: If a district does not list a primary, then that district did not have a competitive primary (i.e., there may have only been one candidate file for that district).

District 2

Iowa Senate, District 2 Democratic Primary Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sandra K. Atkinson 378 56.7
Democratic Fred J. Sparr 289 43.3
Total votes 667 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 2 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Redwine 14,437 63.5
Democratic Sandra K. Atkinson 6,915 30.4
Independent Fred Sparr 1,397 6.1
Total votes 22,749 100.0
Republican hold

District 4

Iowa Senate, District 4 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack Kibbie (incumbent) 13,810 57.8
Republican Dan Payne 10,074 42.2
Total votes 23,884 100.0
Democratic hold

District 6

Iowa Senate, District 6 Republican Primary Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve King 3,570 68.4
Republican Wayne D. Bennett (incumbent) 1,651 31.6
Total votes 5,221 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 6 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve King 14,440 64.5
Democratic Eileen Heiden 7,936 35.5
Total votes 22,376 100.0
Republican hold

District 8

Iowa Senate, District 8 Democratic Primary Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Berl Priebe (incumbent) 1,641 63.3
Democratic Doug Thompson 951 36.7
Total votes 2,592 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 8 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James Edward Black 13,150 53.3
Democratic Berl Priebe (incumbent) 11,536 46.7
Total votes 24,686 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 10

Iowa Senate, District 10 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Merlin Bartz (incumbent) 16,031 63.2
Democratic Robert Perry 9,340 36.8
Total votes 25,371 100.0
Republican hold

District 12

Iowa Senate, District 12 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Donald Redfern (incumbent) 13,692 57.1
Democratic Michael James Carroll 10,286 42.9
Total votes 23,978 100.0
Republican hold

District 14

Iowa Senate, District 14 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kitty Rehberg 12,064 51.2
Democratic Larry Murphy (incumbent) 11,478 48.8
Total votes 23,542 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 16

Iowa Senate, District 16 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lyle Zieman (incumbent) 13,092 57.6
Democratic Arthur Walter Moellering 9,632 42.4
Total votes 22,724 100.0
Republican hold

District 18

Iowa Senate, District 18 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Connolly (incumbent) 14,501 63.0
Republican Greg Yoko 8,522 37.0
Total votes 23,023 100.0
Democratic hold

District 20

Iowa Senate, District 20 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jack Rife (incumbent) 12,813 59.9
Democratic Jill Cirivello 8,589 40.1
Total votes 21,402 100.0
Republican hold

District 22

Iowa Senate, District 22 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Patrick J. Deluhery (incumbent) 10,669 50.5
Republican Neil P. Harrison 10,445 49.5
Total votes 21,114 100.0
Democratic hold

District 24

Iowa Senate, District 24 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard F. Drake (incumbent) 15,269 100.0
Total votes 15,269 100.0
Republican hold

District 26

Iowa Senate, District 26 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mary Lundby (incumbent) 18,068 63.6
Democratic Charlie Brown 10,330 36.4
Total votes 28,398 100.0
Republican hold

District 28

Iowa Senate, District 28 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Andy McKean (incumbent) 19,632 100.0
Total votes 19,632 100.0
Republican hold

District 30

Iowa Senate, District 30 Republican Primary Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Neal Schuerer 1,403 50.4
Republican Wayne T. Newton 1,378 49.6
Total votes 2,781 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 30 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Neal Schuerer 13,060 52.0
Democratic Emil J. Husak (incumbent) 12,053 48.0
Total votes 25,113 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 32

Iowa Senate, District 32 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry McKibben 13,706 53.6
Democratic Randy Giannetto (incumbent) 11,393 44.5
Reform Ronn Young 480 1.9
Total votes 25,579 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 34

Iowa Senate, District 34 Republican Primary Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chuck Austin 819 60.4
Republican Rose Scarpino 536 39.6
Total votes 1,355 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 34 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Matt McCoy 13,262 68.5
Republican Chuck Austin 6,102 31.5
Total votes 19,364 100.0
Democratic hold

District 36

Iowa Senate, District 36 Republican Primary Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ronald N. Langston 1,857 67.5
Republican Pat Anderson 896 32.5
Total votes 2,753 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 36 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Elaine Szymoniak (incumbent) 12,541 53.0
Republican Ronald N. Langston 11,116 47.0
Total votes 23,657 100.0
Democratic hold

District 38

Iowa Senate, District 38 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Gene Maddox (incumbent) 20,682 64.8
Democratic Frank Steinbach 11,241 35.2
Total votes 31,923 100.0
Republican hold

District 40

Iowa Senate, District 40 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jerry Behn 12,561 52.3
Democratic Albert Sorensen (incumbent) 11,455 47.7
Total votes 24,016 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 42

Iowa Senate, District 42 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael Gronstal (incumbent) 9,911 50.4
Republican Carl L. Heinrich 9,761 49.6
Total votes 19,672 100.0
Democratic hold

District 44

Iowa Senate, District 44 Republican Primary Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jeff Angelo 4,109 55.9
Republican Pete Wenstrand 3,241 44.1
Total votes 7,350 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 44 Democratic Primary Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic J. Kelly Tobin 1,743 52.8
Democratic Kevin L. Wynn 1,557 47.2
Total votes 3,300 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 44 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jeff Angelo 14,517 60.6
Democratic J. Kelly Tobin 9,437 39.4
Total votes 23,954 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 46

Iowa Senate, District 46 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Patty Judge (incumbent) 14,181 61.1
Republican Claude R. Neill 9,012 38.9
Total votes 23,193 100.0
Democratic hold

District 48

Iowa Senate, District 48 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican H. Kay Hedge (incumbent) 15,325 69.9
Democratic John A. Peterson 6,606 30.1
Total votes 21,931 100.0
Republican hold

District 50

Iowa Senate, District 50 General Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Fraise (incumbent) 12,721 56.4
Republican Mike Fesler 9,817 43.6
Total votes 22,538 100.0
Democratic hold

See also

References

  1. ^ "Primary Election 1996 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  2. ^ "General Election 1996 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  3. ^ "Legislators". Iowa State Senate. Retrieved April 14, 2020.