1998 United States Senate election in Arkansas

1998 United States Senate election in Arkansas

November 3, 1998
 
Nominee Blanche Lincoln Fay Boozman
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 385,878 295,870
Percentage 55.07% 42.23%

County results
Lincoln:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Boozman:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Dale Bumpers
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Blanche Lincoln
Democratic

The 1998 United States Senate election in Arkansas was held on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democratic Senator Dale Bumpers chose to retire instead of running for reelection to a fifth term. Making this was the first open seat with no incumbent held in this seat since the 1884 election. Democratic former U.S. Representative Blanche Lincoln won the open seat against Republican State Senator Fay Boozman. Lincoln did not seek re-election to Congress in 1996 because she wanted prioritize her family having welcomed twin boys in mid 1996, thus, she took 2 years off before re-entering the political arena as a Senate candidate. At 38, Lincoln was the youngest woman ever elected to the United States Senate. In 2010, Lincoln would lose re-election to a third term by Fay Boozman's brother, John Boozman.