The 1996 US Election saw the re-election of the incumbent President Bill Clinton over his nearest Republican Party rival Bob Dole. The 1996 US election was conducted in an atmosphere of no known foreign threats and a stable economic climate.
The Democratic Party nomination was a straightforward affair. President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore was chosen as the party’s presidential nominee and his running mate almost unanimously.
The Republican Party nomination was an interesting affair. The list of probable candidates included the likes of Virginia resident and former presidential adviser Pat Buchanan, the Texas Senator Phil Graham, the Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, the billionaire publisher Steve Forbes, and Kansas origin Senator Bob Dole among others. Bob Dole won the Presidential nomination for the Republican Party. The party chose Jack Kemp as Dole’s running mate for the 1996 United States election.
The Reform Party nominated its founder and billionaire Ross Perot as its Presidential nominee. Patrick Jeffrey Choate was nominated as Perot’s running mate.
The 1996 US election campaign trail saw Bill Clinton taking a decisive lead in the popular vote ratings from the very start. Clinton stressed on the booming US economy. He also made potshots at the age of his nearest rival – the Republican Party nominee Bob Dole. The Republicans reiterated by allegations of illegal political fund raising by Bill Clinton and fellow Democratic Party candidates. Bill Clinton cemented his possible victory by winning all public debates against his rival candidates.
The incumbent President Bill Clinton won the 1996 US elections easily. He garnered 49.2% of the popular votes compared to 40.7% collected by his nearest political rival Bob Dole. Ross Perot won 8.4% of the popular vote. Clinton also captured a substantial chunk of the Electoral votes – 379 compared to 159 of Dole. Perot did not win any Electoral votes.