1996Final results
1996 election for U.S. Senate in Minnesota
U.S. Senate · Minnesota
Paul Wellstone (D) won with 50.3% of the vote, defeating Rudy Boschwitz (R) by 9.0 points.
Paul WellstoneDemocrat · winner
50.3%1,098,430
Rudy BoschwitzRepublican
41.3%901,194
Dean BarkleyReform
7.0%152,328
Tim DavisOther party
0.6%14,139
Roy Ezra CarltonLibertarian
0.2%5,428
Howard B. HansonOther party
0.2%4,381
Steve JohnsonNatural Law
0.2%4,321
Thomas A. FiskeSocialist Workers
0.1%1,554
2,182,905 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.
Paul WellstoneRudy Boschwitz
$6M
Raised by the campaign
$4.5M
$6M
Spent by the campaign
$4.4M
$66.9K
Cash on hand
$43.5K
Other candidates' campaigns: Howard B. Hanson $82.5K · Dean Barkley $45.1K.
Campaign money: FEC, through Dec 31, 1996.
Source: FEC campaign filingsUpdated Dec 31, 1996
The candidates
Paul Wellstone (D)Rudy Boschwitz (R)Dean Barkley (REF)
Also on the ballot: Tim Davis (Other party), 0.6%; Roy Ezra Carlton (Libertarian), 0.2%; Howard B. Hanson (Other party), 0.2%; Steve Johnson (Natural Law), 0.2%; Thomas A. Fiske (Socialist Workers), 0.1%