The 1996 United States Senate election in Maine was held November 5, 1996. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator William Cohen decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. To replace him, U.S. Representative Joseph E. Brennan won the Democratic primary while political consultant Susan Collins won the Republican primary. A competitive general election ensued, but Collins ultimately won out over Brennan, keeping the seat in the Republican column. With Collins' election to the Senate in 1996, Maine became only the second state after California to have two sitting female senators, and the first to have two sitting female Republican senators. Brennan and Collins both ran in the 1994 gubernatorial election, and each won their respective party's nomination, but lost the general election to independent Angus King, who would be elected in Maine's other Senate seat in 2012 and become a Senator in 2013. Democratic primary Candidates Joseph E. Brennan, former U.S. Representative from Maine's 1st congressional district and former Governor of Maine Jean Hay Bright, activist Sean Faircloth, State Senator Jerald Leonard Richard A. Spencer, former congressional candidate Results Republican primary Candidates Susan Collins, former Deputy Treasurer of Maine and nominee for Governor in 1994 W. John Hathaway, State Senator Robert A. G. Monks, nominee for the United States Senate in 1976 Results General election Results See also 1996 United States Senate elections References 1996 Maine elections Maine 1996