1996Final results
1996 election for U.S. Senate in Iowa
U.S. Senate · Iowa
Tom Harkin (D) won with 51.8% of the vote, defeating James Lightfoot (R) by 5.1 points.
Tom HarkinDemocrat · winner
51.8%634,166
James LightfootRepublican
46.7%571,807
Sue AtkinsonIndependent
0.8%9,768
Fred GratsonNatural Law
0.3%4,248
Joe SulenticIndependent
0.2%1,941
Shirley E. PenaSocialist Workers
0.2%1,844
1,224,054 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.
Tom HarkinJames Lightfoot
$4.7M
Raised by the campaign
$2.5M
$5.3M
Spent by the campaign
$2.4M
$49.4K
Cash on hand
$35.2K
Other candidates' campaigns: Fred Gratson $55.2K · Shirley E. Pena $890.
Campaign money: FEC, through Dec 31, 1996.
Source: FEC campaign filingsUpdated Dec 31, 1996
The candidates
Tom Harkin (D)James Lightfoot (R)
Also on the ballot: Sue Atkinson (Independent), 0.8%; Fred Gratson (Natural Law), 0.3%; Joe Sulentic (Independent), 0.2%; Shirley E. Pena (Socialist Workers), 0.2%