Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, announced his candidacy for re-election as president on April 14, 1995. On August 29, 1996, he again became the nominee of the Democratic Party for the 1996 presidential election. Along with his running mate, Vice President Al Gore, Bill Clinton was opposed in the general election by former U.S. Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, minor candidates from other parties. The election took place on Tuesday, November 5, 1996.
This was the first time since 1944, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt won re-election, that a Democratic president had won two consecutive presidential elections.
Convention
The 1996 Democratic National Convention held in Chicago sparked protests, such as the one whereby Civil Rights Movement historian Randy Kryn and 10 others were arrested by the Federal Protective Service, and Clinton won the party's nomination.
Election and victory
The election took place on November 5, 1996, and ended with Clinton gaining 379 electoral votes and Dole garnering 159 electoral votes.
With 379 electoral votes, President Bill Clinton won the 1996 presidential election. Clinton received over 47 million popular votes.