1998 United States Senate election in Alaska

1998 United States Senate election in Alaska

November 3, 1998

Nominee Frank Murkowski Joseph Sonneman Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 165,227 43,743 Percentage 74.49% 19.72%

Results by state house district Murkowski:      40–50%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Frank Murkowski Republican Elected U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski Republican

The 1998 United States Senate election in Alaska was held November 3, 1998. Incumbent Republican United States Senator Frank Murkowski sought re-election to a fourth term in the United States Senate. Murkowski easily won re-election against Democratic nominee Joseph Sonneman, a perennial candidate, earning nearly 75% of the vote.

This is the last time any one won this seat with a majority of the vote in the first round. As of 2023, this is the last time a male or a man was elected to the United States Senate from Alaska for the Class 3 Senate seat.

Open primary

Candidates

Democratic

• Joseph Sonneman, perennial candidate
• Frank Vondersaar, perennial candidate

Republican

• Frank Murkowski, incumbent United States Senator since 1981
• William L. Hale

Green

• Mary Jordan

Libertarian

• Scott A. Kohlhaas, perennial candidate

Results

Open primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frank Murkowski (incumbent)	76,649	71.76%
	Democratic	Joseph Sonneman	10,721	10.04%
	Democratic	Frank Vondersaar	6,342	5.94%
	Republican	William L. Hale	6,313	5.91%
	Green	Jeffrey Gottlieb	4,796	4.49%
	Libertarian	Scott A. Kohlhaas	1,987	1.86%
Total votes			106,808	100.00%

General election

Results

1998 United States Senate election in Alaska^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Frank Murkowski (incumbent)	165,227	74.49%	+21.44%
	Democratic	Joe Sonneman	43,743	19.72%	−18.68%
	Green	Jeffrey Gottlieb	7,126	3.21%	−5.14%
	Libertarian	Scott A. Kohlhaas	5,046	2.27%
	Write-ins		665	0.30%
Majority			121,484	54.77%	+40.13%
Turnout			221,807
	Republican hold		Swing

See also

• 1998 United States Senate elections

References

1. "Election Summary Report State of Alaska Primary '98 Official Results" (PDF). Alaska Division of Elections.
2. Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1998" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 3.