United States Senate election in Missouri, 2000

United States Senate election in Missouri, 2000

November 7, 2000

Nominee Mel Carnahan (deceased) John Ashcroft Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,191,812 1,142,852 Percentage 50.5% 48.4%

County results

U.S. Senator before election John Ashcroft Republican Elected U.S. Senator Mel Carnahan Democratic

Elections in Missouri
Federal government Presidential elections 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Missouri bellwether Presidential primaries Democratic 2000 2004 2008 Republican 2000 2004 2008 2012 U.S. Senate elections 1934 1940 1986 1988 1992 1994 1998 2000 2004 2006 2010 2012 2016 U.S. House elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 Special elections Senate, 2002 8th, 2013
State government Gubernatorial elections 1820 1824 1825 (special) 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1857 (special) 1860 1864 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Lieutenant gubernatorial elections 2004 2008 2012 2016 Attorney General elections 2012 2016 State Auditor elections 2010 2014 State Treasurer elections 2012 2016 Secretary of State elections 2012 2016 Missouri Senate elections 2010 Missouri House elections 2010
Ballot measures 2004 Amendment 2 2006 Amendment 2
St. Louis Mayoral elections 2017

The 2000 United States Senate election in Missouri was held on November 7, 2000, to select the next U.S. Senator from Missouri. Incumbent Senator John Ashcroft lost re-election to Mel Carnahan, despite the fact Carnahan had died in a plane crash several weeks before election day.

Background

In 1998, incumbent US Senator from Missouri John Ashcroft (R) briefly considered running for president but on January 5, 1999, he announced that he would not seek the presidency and would instead defend his Senate seat in his 2000 re-election.^[1] Ashcroft was first challenged in the Republican primary, defeating Marc Perkel.^[2]

Candidates

Major candidates

Democratic

• Mel Carnahan, Governor of Missouri (deceased)

Republican

• John Ashcroft, incumbent U.S. Senator

Other Candidates

Green

• Evaline Taylor

Libertarian

• Grant Samuel Stauffer

Reform

• Hugh Foley

Natural Law

• Charles Dockins

Campaign

In the general election, Ashcroft faced a challenge from then-Governor Mel Carnahan. In the midst of a tight race, Carnahan died in a plane crash only two weeks before the November general election. However, Carnahan's name remained on the ballot due to Missouri state election laws. Lieutenant Governor Roger B. Wilson became Governor upon Carnahan's death. He announced that, if Carnahan should be elected, he would appoint his widow Jean Carnahan to serve in his place, to which she agreed to this arrangement. Ashcroft suspended all campaigning after the plane crash in light of the tragedy.

Results

Aftermath

Voters elected Mel Carnahan, although dead, by a narrow margin. No one had ever posthumously won election to the Senate, though voters on at least three occasions chose deceased candidates for the House (Nick Begich, Hale Boggs, and Patsy Mink).

This loss was despite Ashcroft having a larger budget than Carnahan that included controversial contributions from corporations such as Monsanto Company (headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri), which contributed five times more to Ashcroft than to any other congressional hopeful at the time. He thereby became the first Senate incumbent ever defeated for re-election by a dead man's name on the ballot (it was understood that Mel Carnahan's wife, Jean Carnahan, would assume the position if he won election).

References