1998 United States Senate election in Kentucky

The 1998 United States Senate election in Kentucky was held November 3, 1998. It was concurrent with elections to the United States House of Representatives. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Wendell Ford decided to retire, instead of seeking a fifth term. Republican U.S. Representative Jim Bunning narrowly won the open seat, defeating Democratic U.S. Representative Scotty Baesler. By a margin of 0.59%, this election was the second-closest race of the 1998 Senate election cycle, behind only the 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 since 1972 and the first open-seat election for this seat since 1968.

1998 United States Senate election in Kentucky

← 1992 November 3, 1998 2004 →
 
Nominee Jim Bunning Scotty Baesler
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 569,817 563,051
Percentage 49.75% 49.16%

County results
Bunning:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Baesler:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election

Wendell Ford
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Jim Bunning
Republican

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic Primary results[1]
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%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Bunning 152,493 74.28%
Republican Barry Metcalf 52,798 25.72%
Total votes 205,291 100.00%

General election

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Candidates

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Results

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General election results[3]
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%
Republican gain from Democratic Swing

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 13, 2010. Retrieved April 17, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 13, 2010. Retrieved April 17, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 13, 2010. Retrieved April 17, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)