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 County results Bunning: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Baesler: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1998 United States Senate election in Kentucky was held November 3, 1998. It was concurrent with elections to theUnited States House of Representatives. Incumbent Democratic U.S. SenatorWendell Ford decided to retire, instead of seeking a fifth term. Republican U.S. RepresentativeJim Bunning narrowly won the open seat, defeating Democratic U.S. RepresentativeScotty Baesler. By a margin of 0.59%, this election was the second-closest race of the 1998 Senate election cycle, behind onlythe election in Nevada.Bunning's swearing-in marked the first time since 1973 that Republicans held both United States Senate seats from Kentucky. This was the first open-seat United States Senate election in Kentucky since1972 and the first open-seat election for this seat since1968.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Scotty Baesler | 194,125 | 34.16% | |
| Democratic | Charlie Owen | 166,472 | 29.29% | |
| Democratic | Steve Henry | 156,576 | 27.55% | |
| Democratic | Jim Brown | 19,975 | 3.51% | |
| Democratic | David L. Williams | 16,366 | 2.88% | |
| Democratic | Ken Buchanan Thompson | 14,778 | 2.60% | |
| Total votes | 568,292 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Bunning | 152,493 | 74.28% | |
| Republican | Barry Metcalf | 52,798 | 25.72% | |
| Total votes | 205,291 | 100.00% | ||
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size[a] | Margin of error | Scotty Baesler (D) | Jim Bunning (R) | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Dixon[3] | October 26–27, 1998 | 823 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 46% | 45% | 9% |
| The Courier-Journal[3] | October 20–25, 1998 | 589 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 43% | 44% | 13% |
| TMR Research[3][A] | October 15–21, 1998 | 800 (RV) | ± 3.5% | 39% | 44% | 17% |
| Mason Dixon[3] | September 28–30, 1998 | 818 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 42% | 44% | 14% |
| The Courier-Journal[3] | September 25–30, 1998 | 575 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 37% | 41% | 22% |
| Mason Dixon[3] | August 31 – September 1, 1998 | 833 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 42% | 41% | 17% |
| Mason Dixon[3] | July 9–11, 1998 | 811 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 44% | 38% | 18% |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Bunning | 569,817 | 49.75% | +13.94% | |
| Democratic | Scotty Baesler | 563,051 | 49.16% | −13.73% | |
| Reform | Charles R. Arbegust | 12,546 | 1.10% | ||
| Majority | 6,766 | 0.59% | −26.48% | ||
| Total votes | 1,145,414 | 100.00% | |||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | Swing | ||||
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See also:Political party strength in Kentucky | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
