1996 - Senate Election

VS.  

 

The 1996 Illinois Senate race between Dick Durbin and Al Salvi is the second race that Pat Hughes references in his essay on why he should be the Republican candidate for Senate instead of Mark Kirk.  He says “In 1996, conservative lawyer Al Salvi won the Republican nomination and nearly won the general election even though popular Democratic incumbent President Bill Clinton was on the ballot,” again making the case for a more “conservative” Senate candidate.

However facts do not agree with Hughes’ version of history.  While Salvi did defeat the moderate lieutenant Governor Bob Kustra (not through any support from Hughes, who DID NOT vote in the 1996 Republican Primary), Salvi did not “nearly win” the general election.  He lost to Dick Durbin by 15%.  Salvi’s poor performance was not helped by the fact that Patrick Hughes himself DID NOT vote in the General election either.