election. It was also the last time Arizona had voted for a Democratic candidate until 2020. Five states switched party predominance in 1996 with their presidential voting: Montana, Colorado, and Georgia were flipped by Senator Dole, while Florida and Arizona were flipped by President Clinton. This is also the last time a third-party candidate finished with over 5% of the vote nationwide. Background In 1995, the Republican Party was riding high on the significant gains made in the 1994 mid-term elections. In those races, the Republicans, led by whip Newt Gingrich, captured the majority of seats in the House for the first time in forty years and the majority of seats in the Senate for the first time in eight years. Gingrich became Speaker of the House, while Bob Dole was elevated to Senate Majority leader. The Republicans of the 104th Congress pursued an ambitious agenda, highlighted by their Contract with America, but were often forced to compromise with President Clinton, who wielded veto power. A budget impasse between Congress and the Clinton Administration eventually resulted in a government shutdown. Clinton, meanwhile, was praised for signing the GOP's welfare reform, and other notable bills, but was forced to abandon his own health care plan. Democratic Party nomination Democratic Candidates Bill Clinton, President of the United States Lyndon LaRouche, Activist from Virginia Jimmy Griffin, Former Mayor of Buffalo from New York Candidates gallery With the advantage of incumbency, Bill Clinton's path to renomination by the Democratic Party was uneventful. At the 1996 Democratic National Convention, Clinton and incumbent Vice President Al Gore were renominated with token opposition. Formerly incarcerated fringe candidate Lyndon LaRouche won a few Arkansas delegates who were barred from the convention. Jimmy Griffin, former Mayor of Buffalo, New York, mounted a brief campaign but withdrew after a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary. Former Pennsylvania governor Bob Casey contemplated a challenge to Clinton, but health problems forced Casey to abandon a bid. Clinton easily won primaries nationwide, with margins consistently higher than 80%. Popular primaries vote: Bill Clinton (inc.) – 9,730,184 (88.5%) Lyndon LaRouche – 597,081 (5.4%) Unpledged – 423,265 (3.8%) Convention tally: Bill Clinton (inc.) – 4,277 Not voting – 12 Republican Party nomination Republican Candidates Bob Dole, U.S. Senator from Kansas and Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1976 Pat Buchanan, conservative columnist from Virginia Steve Forbes, newspaper and magazine publisher