The 1996 United States Senate special election in Oregon was held on January 30, 1996, to fill the seat vacated by Republican Bob Packwood, who had resigned from the Senate due to sexual misconduct allegations. Governor at the time John Kitzhaber was not permitted by state law to appoint anyone to temporarily fill in for the rest of Packwood's term and called for a special election on January 30, 1996.
In the primaries held on December 5, 1995, Democratic U.S. Representative Ron Wyden and Republican Oregon State Senate President Gordon H. Smith were nominated. Wyden then defeated Smith in the general election. Smith won the regularly-scheduled election to OregonâÂÂs other Senate seat later that year and served alongside Wyden until 2009. Wyden's victory made him the first Democratic senator from Oregon since 1969, when Wayne Morse left office after narrowly losing re-election to Packwood.