The 1996 United States Senate election in Nebraska was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator
J. James Exon decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. Republican nominee
Chuck Hagel won the open seat by 14 points, defeating incumbent Democratic governor
Ben Nelson. Nelson would later be elected to Nebraska's other U.S. Senate seat in
2000 when
Bob Kerrey retired and served alongside Hagel until 2009, when Hagel left the Senate after retiring.
As of 2024, this is the last time an incumbent governor failed to hold a Senate seat for his party. This was also the first time since
Carl Curtis was elected to his final term
in 1972 that a Republican was elected to either of Nebraska's Senate seats.[a]
^David Karnes was appointed to the Senate seat left vacant following the 1987 death of Democratic Senator
Ed Zorinsky but was defeated in his bid for
a full term by Democratic candidate and former Governor
Bob Kerrey.