1998 United States Senate elections

1998 United States Senate elections

← 1996 November 3, 1998 2000 →

34 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate
51 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Trent Lott Tom Daschle
Party Republican Democratic
Leader since June 12, 1996 January 3, 1995
Leader's seat Mississippi South Dakota
Seats before 55 45
Seats after 55 45
Seat change Steady Steady
Popular vote 25,346,613 26,768,699
Percentage 46.8% 49.5%
Swing Decrease 2.7% Increase 1.6%
Seats up 16 18
Races won 16 18

1998 United States Senate election in Alabama1998 United States Senate election in Alaska1998 United States Senate election in Arizona1998 United States Senate election in Arkansas1998 United States Senate election in California1998 United States Senate election in Colorado1998 United States Senate election in Connecticut1998 United States Senate election in Florida1998 United States Senate election in Georgia1998 United States Senate election in Hawaii1998 United States Senate election in Idaho1998 United States Senate election in Illinois1998 United States Senate election in Indiana1998 United States Senate election in Iowa1998 United States Senate election in Kansas1998 United States Senate election in Kentucky1998 United States Senate election in Louisiana1998 United States Senate election in Maryland1998 United States Senate election in Missouri1998 United States Senate election in Nevada1998 United States Senate election in New Hampshire1998 United States Senate election in New York1998 United States Senate election in North Carolina1998 United States Senate election in North Dakota1998 United States Senate election in Ohio1998 United States Senate election in Oklahoma1998 United States Senate election in Oregon1998 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania1998 United States Senate election in South Carolina1998 United States Senate election in South Dakota1998 United States Senate election in Utah1998 United States Senate election in Vermont1998 United States Senate election in Washington1998 United States Senate election in Wisconsin
Results of the elections:
     Democratic gain      Democratic hold
     Republican gain      Republican hold
     No election

Majority leader before election

Trent Lott
Republican

Elected Majority leader

Trent Lott
Republican

The 1998 United States Senate elections were held on November 3, 1998, with the 34 seats of Class 3 contested in regular elections. This was seen as an even contest between the Republican Party and Democratic Party. While the Democrats had to defend more seats up for election, Republican attacks on the morality of President Bill Clinton failed to connect with voters and anticipated Republican gains did not materialize. The Republicans picked open seats up in Ohio and Kentucky and narrowly defeated Democratic incumbent Carol Moseley Braun (Illinois), but these were cancelled out by the Democrats' gain of an open seat in Indiana and defeats of Republican Senators Al D'Amato (New York) and Lauch Faircloth (North Carolina). The balance of the Senate remained unchanged at 55–45 in favor of the Republicans.

With Democrats gaining five seats in the House of Representatives, this marked the first time since 1934 that the party not in control of the White House failed to gain congressional seats in mid-term election cycles, which would also happen in 2002. These are the last Senate elections that resulted in no net change in the balance of power, the last time Democrats won a U.S. Senate race in South Carolina, and the last time both major parties were on the general election ballot in every race.