1996Flipped from RepublicanFinal results
1996 election for Massachusetts's 3rd District
U.S. House · Massachusetts
Jim McGovern (D) won with 52.9% of the vote, defeating Peter Blute (R) by 7.6 points, a seat Republicans won last time.
Jim McGovernDemocrat · winner
52.9%135,044
Peter BluteRepublican
45.4%115,694
Dale E. FriedgenNatural Law
1.3%3,362
255,097 votes
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 AM ET
The seat over time
D − R margin in this seat's races around 1996
Races before and after
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 AM ET
Money in this race
Each line compares the two campaigns on one scale.
Jim McGovernPeter Blute
$812K
Raised by the campaign
$1.2M
$806.9K
Spent by the campaign
$1.1M
$5.6K
Cash on hand
$19.3K
Campaign money: FEC, through Dec 31, 1996.
Source: FEC campaign filingsUpdated Dec 31, 1996