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      Data: MIT Election Lab, VEST, Census Bureau
      Home/Elections/1996/US Senate/Iowa
      1996·US Senate·Iowa

      Iowa US Senate

      Winner
      DEM
      Tom Harkin
      51.8%634,166 votes
      Runner-up
      REP
      Jim Ross Lightfoot
      46.7%571,807 votes
      Margin
      D+5.1
      1,224,054 total votes
      3 candidates1,224,054 total votes
      CandidatePartyVotes ▼%Vote Share
      Tom HarkinDEM✓
      		DEM634,16651.8%
      Jim Ross LightfootREP
      		REP571,80746.7%
      OtherOTH
      		OTH18,0811.5%

      Seat History

      US Senate in Iowa(Class I)

      2022
      Charles E GrassleyREP
      R+12.2
      2020
      Joni K ErnstREP
      R+6.6
      2016
      Charles E GrassleyREP
      R+24.4
      2014
      Joni K ErnstREP
      R+8.3
      2010
      Charles E GrassleyREP
      R+31.1
      2008
      Tom HarkinDEM
      D+25.4
      2004
      Charles E GrassleyREP
      R+42.3
      2002
      Tom HarkinDEM
      D+10.4
      1998
      Charles E GrassleyREP
      R+37.9
      1992
      Charles E GrassleyREP
      R+42.4
      1990
      Tom HarkinDEM
      D+9.1
      1986
      Charles E GrassleyREP
      R+32.5
      1984
      Tom HarkinDEM
      D+11.8
      1980
      Charles E GrassleyREP
      R+8.0
      View all US Senate history for Iowa →

      Candidates

      Jim Ross LightfootREP
      Record6W-2L
      Avg MarginD+5.5
      Career1984-1998
      Governor / US Senate / US House
      Full profile →
      Tom HarkinDEM
      Record9W-0L
      Avg MarginD+12.3
      Career1976-2008
      US Senate / US House
      Full profile →

      Also in Iowa, 1996

      President1 contest →US House5 contests →
      ← All 1996 US Senate races1996 overviewIowa profileAll elections