1996Flipped from RepublicanFinal results
1996 election for Michigan's 8th District
U.S. House · Michigan
Debbie Stabenow (D) won with 53.8% of the vote, defeating Dick Chrysler (R) by 9.6 points, a seat Republicans won last time.
Debbie StabenowDemocrat · winner
53.8%141,086
Dick ChryslerRepublican
44.1%115,836
Doug MacdonaldLibertarian
1.5%3,811
Patricia Rayfield AllenNatural Law
0.6%1,679
262,421 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.
Debbie StabenowDick Chrysler
$1.5M
Raised by the campaign
$1.5M
$1.5M
Spent by the campaign
$1.5M
$10.9K
Cash on hand
$1.1K
Campaign money: FEC, through Dec 31, 1996.
Source: FEC campaign filingsUpdated Dec 31, 1996
The candidates
Debbie Stabenow (D)Dick Chrysler (R)
Also on the ballot: Doug Macdonald (Libertarian), 1.5%; Patricia Rayfield Allen (Natural Law), 0.6%