| Election Name: | 1996 United States Senate election in Texas |
| Country: | Texas |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1990 United States Senate election in Texas |
| Previous Year: | 1990 |
| Next Election: | 2002 United States Senate election in Texas |
| Next Year: | 2002 |
| Election Date: | November 5, 1996 |
| Image1: | File:PhilGramm (1).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Phil Gramm |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 3,027,680 |
| Percentage1: | 54.78% |
| Nominee2: | Victor Morales |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 2,428,776 |
| Percentage2: | 43.94% |
| Map Size: | 310px |
| U.S. Senator | |
| Before Election: | Phil Gramm |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Phil Gramm |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1996 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Phil Gramm won re-election to a third term.
Morales, who never ran for public office before, pulled a major upset in the primary by defeating three politicians: U.S. Congressman John Wiley Bryant, U.S. Congressman Jim Chapman, and former State Supreme Court litigator John Odam. In the March run-off, he defeated Bryant with 51% of the vote. He became the first minority in Texas history to become a United States Senate nominee from either major party. Despite having no staff, raising only $15,000, and not accepting any special interest money he obtained 2.5 million votes.[1] [2]
Gramm previously ran for President earlier in the year, but lost to fellow U.S. Senator Bob Dole in the Republican presidential primary. Gramm was the heavy favorite. A September poll showed Gramm leading 50% to 40%. A late October poll showed him leading with 53% to 31%.[3]
Exit Polls showed that Gramm performed well with Anglos (68% to 31%), while Morales won African Americans (79% to 19%) and Latinos (79% to 20%) respectively.