1992 United States Senate election in Illinois

1992 United States Senate election in Illinois

← 1986 November 3, 1992 1998 →
Turnout74.84%
 
Nominee Carol Moseley Braun Richard S. Williamson
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,631,229 2,162,833
Percentage 53.27% 43.06%

County results

Moseley Braun:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Williamson:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election

Alan J. Dixon
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Carol Moseley Braun
Democratic

The 1992 United States Senate election in Illinois was held on November 3, 1992. Incumbent Senator Alan J. Dixon decided to run for re-election a third term, but he was defeated in the Democratic primary by Carol Moseley Braun, who won the general election. Until 2022, this was the last time a single party won Illinois's Class 3 Senate seat in two or more consecutive elections.

Braun, whose victory coincided with Bill Clinton's win in Illinois and the overall presidential election, made history in this election by becoming the first African American woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate, and also the first African American elected to the Senate as a Democrat. Braun was also both the first African American and the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from the state of Illinois.

Primaries were held March 17.[1]

  1. ^ "State of Illinois official vote cast at the primary election held on ..." Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 7, 2020.