The1996 United States Senate election in Maine was held November 5, 1996. IncumbentRepublicanU.S. SenatorWilliam Cohen decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. To replace him,U.S. RepresentativeJoseph E. Brennan won theDemocratic primary while political consultantSusan Collins won theRepublican primary. A competitive general election ensued, but Collins ultimately won out over Brennan, keeping the seat in the Republican column. With Collins' election to the Senate in 1996, Maine became the third state after California and Kansas to have two sitting female senators, and the first to have two elected female Republican senators.
Brennan and Collins both ran in the1994 gubernatorial election, and each won their respective party's nomination, but lost the general election to independentAngus King, who would be elected in Maine's other Senate seat in2012 and become a Senator in 2013, serving alongside Collins.
This would be the last U.S. Senate election in Maine that would see a Democrat carry any Maine county until2020, when Collins would loseCumberland andKnox counties toSara Gideon; Collins would be re-elected in 16 county landslides in2002,2008, and2014, while Maine's other seat would see similar landslides for RepublicanOlympia Snowe in2000 and2006 and for Independent Angus King in2012,2018, and2024.
County results
Municipality results
Elections and referendums in Maine
