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{{Short description|none}} 
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1998 United States Senate election in Illinois
| country = Illinois
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1992 United States Senate election in Illinois
| previous_year = 1992
| next_election = 2004 United States Senate election in Illinois
| next_year = 2004
| election_date = November 3, 1998
| image1 = Peter Fitzgerald cropped.jpg
| image_size = 150x150px
| nominee1 = '''[[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]]'''
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = '''1,709,042'''
| percentage1 = '''50.35%'''
| image2 = Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (1).jpg
| nominee2 = [[Carol Moseley Braun]]
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 1,610,496
| percentage2 = 47.44%
| map_image = 1998 United States Senate election in Illinois results map by county.svg
| map_size = 170px
| map_caption = County results '''Fitzgerald''': {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}} '''Braun''': {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
| title = U.S. Senator
| before_election = [[Carol Moseley Braun]]
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = [[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]]
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
| turnout = 50.25%
}}

{{ElectionsIL}}
The '''1998 United States Senate election in Illinois''' was held November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator [[Carol Moseley Braun]] decided to run for re-election, despite the number of controversies that she had in her first term. Republican State Senator [[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]] won his party's primary with a slim margin of victory. Fitzgerald won with a margin of victory of approximately 3%. He won all but five counties and became the only Republican Senate candidate to defeat a Democratic incumbent in 1998.

==Background==
The primaries and general elections coincided with those for [[1998 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois|House]] and as those for state offices.

For the primary elections, turnout was 20.55%, with 1,386,694 votes cast.<ref>{{cite web |title=Voter Turnout |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/VoterTurnout.aspx?MID=fVf30XCcBCY%3d&T=637204877664537563 |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=22 March 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="result">{{cite web |title=Election Results |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=23 March 2020 |archive-date=22 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222093629/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> For the general election, turnout was 50.25%, with 3,394,521 votes cast.<ref name="result"/><ref name=turnoutgen>{{cite web |title=Voter Turnout |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/VoterTurnout.aspx?MID=fVf30XCcBCY%3d&T=637204879738085590 |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=22 March 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Democratic primary ==
=== Candidates ===
* [[Carol Moseley Braun]], incumbent U.S. Senator

=== Results ===
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary results<ref name="result"/>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = [[Carol Moseley Braun]] (incumbent)
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 666,419
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 666,419
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}

== Republican primary ==
=== Candidates ===
* [[Loleta Didrickson]], [[Illinois Comptroller]]
* [[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]], State Senator from [[Inverness, Illinois|Inverness]]

=== Results ===
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results<ref name="result"/>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = [[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]]
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 372,916
| percentage = 51.83%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = [[Loleta Didrickson]]
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 346,606
| percentage = 48.17%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 719,522
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}

[[File:1998 Senate Republican Primary in Illinois results by county.svg|thumb|248x248px| Republican Primary Results{{collapsible list
| title = Map legend|{{legend|#C21B18|Fitzgerald—80–90%}}|{{legend|#D72F30|Fitzgerald—70–80%}}|{{legend|#D75D5D|Fitzgerald—60–70%}}|{{legend|#E27F7F|Fitzgerald—50–60%}}|{{legend|#FF9A50|Didrickson—50–60%}}
}}]]

== Reform primary ==
=== Candidates ===
* Steve Denarie
* Don A. Torgersen

=== Results ===
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Reform primary results<ref name="result"/>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Don A. Torgersen
| party = Reform Party (United States)
| votes = 403
| percentage = 53.52%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Steve Denari
| party = Reform Party (United States)
| votes = 350
| percentage = 46.48%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 753
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}

==General election==
=== Campaign ===
During Moseley Braun's first term as U.S. senator, she was plagued by several major controversies. Moseley Braun was the subject of a 1993 [[Federal Election Commission]] investigation over $249,000 in unaccounted-for campaign funds. The agency found some small violations, but took no action against Moseley Braun, citing a lack of resources. Moseley Braun only admitted to bookkeeping errors. The [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]] turned down two requests for investigations from the [[IRS]].<ref name="Braun_Koerner_Slate">''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'', [http://www.slate.com/id/2078924/ Is Carol Moseley-Braun a Crook?"], February 19, 2003</ref>

In 1996, Moseley Braun made a private trip to [[Nigeria]], where she met with dictator [[Sani Abacha]]. Despite U.S. [[economic sanctions|sanctions]] against that country due to Abacha's actions, the senator did not notify, nor register her trip with, the [[State Department]]. She subsequently defended Abacha's human rights records in Congress.<ref name="Braun_Ruden_NPR">''[[NPR]]'', [https://www.npr.org/programs/specials/democrats2004/braun.html "2004 Democratic Presidential Candidates: Carol Moseley Braun"], Npr.org, May 6, 2003</ref>

[[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]], a state senator, won the Republican primary, defeating [[Illinois Comptroller]] [[Loleta Didrickson]] with 51.8% of the vote, to Didrickson's 48.2%.<ref>[http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionResults.aspx?ID=ja0yDQ6QgdA%3d Election Results: General Primary - 3/17/1998] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130153048/http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionResults.aspx?ID=ja0yDQ6QgdA%3d |date=November 30, 2016 }}, [[Illinois State Board of Elections]]. Retrieved October 30, 2016.</ref> Fitzgerald spent nearly $7 million in the Republican primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/27530977.html?dids=27530977:27530977&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+19%2C+1998&author=Jon+Jeter&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Moseley-Braun%27s+Rich+Foe+May+Be+Surprisingly+Strong&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714231350/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/27530977.html?dids=27530977:27530977&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+19,+1998&author=Jon+Jeter&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Moseley-Braun's+Rich+Foe+May+Be+Surprisingly+Strong&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 14, 2012 |title=Moseley-Braun's Rich Foe May Be Surprisingly Strong |publisher=Pqasb.pqarchiver.com |date=March 19, 1998 |access-date=April 4, 2015}}</ref> He had a major financial advantage, as he was a multimillionaire. He ended up spending $12 million in his election victory.<ref name=Epithet>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-senator-apologizes-for-e/158021325/ |title=Senator Apologizes For Epithet Moseley-Braun Uses Slur In Calling Columnist Racist |first1=Rick |last1=Pearson |first2=Graeme |last2=Zielinski |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-senator-apologizes-for-e/158021449/ 7] |date=September 8, 1998 |access-date=April 4, 2015}}</ref>

In September, Moseley Braun created controversy again by using the word "[[nigger]]" to describe how she claims to be a victim of racism.<ref name=Epithet/>

Most polls over the first few months showed Moseley-Braun trailing badly. However, after she was helped in the final month by notable Democrats such as [[First Lady of the United States|first lady]] [[Hillary Clinton]] and U.S. Representative [[Luis Gutiérrez]], three polls published in the last week showed her within the margin of error, and, in one poll, running even with Fitzgerald.<ref>{{cite news |last=Belluck |first=Pam |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/03/us/the-1998-campaign-illinois-moseley-braun-trailing-pushes-hard.html?pagewanted=1 |title=The 1998 Campaign – Illinois – Moseley-Braun, Trailing, Pushes Hard |location=Illinois |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |page=A23 |date=November 3, 1998 |access-date=April 4, 2015 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250622040753/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/03/us/the-1998-campaign-illinois-moseley-braun-trailing-pushes-hard.html |archive-date=22 June 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Polling===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|- valign=bottom
! Poll source
! Date(s) administered
! Sample size{{efn|Key: A – all adults RV – registered voters LV – likely voters V – unclear}}
! Margin of error
! style="width:100px;"| Carol Moseley Braun (D)
! style="width:100px;"| Peter Fitzgerald (R)
! Undecided
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Zogby International<ref name=polls>{{cite web |title=CNN AllPolitics Election '98 - Illinois 1998 Polls |url=https://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/1998/states/IL/polls/IL98S.html |publisher=[[CNN]] |access-date=22 June 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250622052250/https://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/1998/states/IL/polls/IL98S.html |archive-date=22 June 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{Efn-ua|name=Zogby}}
|October 28–29, 1998
|703 (LV)
|± 4.0%
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''45%'''
|42%
|13%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Mason-Dixon<ref name=polls/>
|October 24–26, 1998
|813 (LV)
|± 3.5%
|41%
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''49%'''
|10%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Market Shares Corp.<ref name=polls/>{{Efn-ua|name=Tribune}}
|October 17–20, 1998
|1,009 (LV)
|± 3.0%
|38%
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''48%'''
|14%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Mason-Dixon<ref name=polls/>
|October 10–12, 1998
|830 (LV)
|± 3.5%
|37%
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''49%'''
|14%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Market Shares Corp.<ref name=polls/>{{Efn-ua|name=Tribune}}
|October 3–6, 1998
|1,009 (LV)
|± 3.0%
|36%
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''49%'''
|15%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Market Shares Corp.<ref name=polls/>{{Efn-ua|name=Tribune}}
|September 19–22, 1998
|1,102 (LV)
|± 3.0%
|38%
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''48%'''
|14%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Mason-Dixon<ref name=polls/>
|September 11–14, 1998
|811 (LV)
|± 3.5%
|37%
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''46%'''
|17%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|KRC Communications Research<ref name=polls/>{{Efn-ua|Poll sponsored by the [[Chicago Sun-Times]] & [[WBBM-TV]]}}
|September 8–10, 1998
|400 (LV)
|± 4.8%
|35%
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''50%'''
|15%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Zogby International<ref name=polls/>{{Efn-ua|name=Zogby|Poll sponsored by the [[St. Louis Post-Dispatch|St. Louis Dispatch]] and [[KMOV|KMOV TV]]}}
|August 31 – September 1, 1998
|726 (LV)
|± 4.0%
|35%
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''46%'''
|19%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Market Shares Corp.<ref name=polls/>{{Efn-ua|name=Tribune}}
|August 11–17, 1998
|1,109 (RV)
|± 4.0%
|39%
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''46%'''
|15%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Mason-Dixon<ref name=polls/>
|July 10–13, 1998
|807 (LV)
|± 3.5%
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''46%'''
|42%
|12%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[University of Illinois]]<ref name=polls/>{{Efn-ua|Poll sponsored by the [[University of Illinois at Chicago]]}}
|June 9 – July 3, 1998
|465 (LV)
|± 5.0%
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''49%'''
|31%
|20%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Mason-Dixon<ref name=polls/>
|March 8–10, 1998
|831 (LV)
|± 3.0%
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''42%'''
|41%
|17%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|?<ref name=polls/>{{Efn-ua|Poll sponsored by [[WCIA-TV]]}}
|March 5–10, 1998
|952 (RV)
|± 3.0%
|'''41%'''
|'''41%'''
|18%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Mason-Dixon<ref name=polls/>
|February 6–8, 1998
|804 (RV)
|± 3.5%
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''43%'''
|38%
|19%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Market Shares Corp.<ref name=polls/>{{Efn-ua|name=Tribune|Poll sponsored by the [[Chicago Tribune]]}}
|January 28–29, 1998
|700 (RV)
|± 3.7%
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''41%'''
|35%
|24%
|}

=== Results ===
The incumbent Moseley Braun was narrowly defeated by Republican [[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]]. Moseley Braun only won five of Illinois's 102 counties. Despite this, the race was kept close by Moseley Braun running up massive margins in [[Cook County]], which is home to the city of [[Chicago]]. However, it wasn't quite enough to win. Fitzgerald would only serve one term in the Senate. Fitzgerald initially intended to run for a second term.

However, after many Republicans and Democrats announced their intentions to run, Fitzgerald decided to retire. Fitzgerald served from January 3, 1999, to January 3, 2005. On January 3, 2005, Fitzgerald was succeeded by Democrat [[Barack Obama]].
{{Election box begin
| title =1998 United States Senate election in Illinois<ref name="result"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Pear |first=Robert |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/04/us/the-1998-elections-state-by-state-midwest-illinois.html |title=The 1998 Elections – State by State – Midwest – Illinois |location=Illinois |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |page=B8 |date=November 4, 1998 |access-date=2024-10-28}}</ref>}}<ref name=1998ballots>[http://www.elections.illinois.gov/ElectionInformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType =GE&ElectionID=11&SearchType =OfficeSearch&OfficeID=1305&QueryType =Office& Illinois State Board of Elections Ballots Cast for U.S. Senator 11/3/1998] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107023408/http://www.elections.illinois.gov/ElectionInformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType |date=2017-11-07 }} Retrieved October 17, 2015.</ref>
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = [[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]]
| votes = 1,709,041
| percentage = 50.35%
| change = +7.4%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = [[Carol Moseley Braun]] (incumbent)
| votes = 1,610,496
| percentage = 47.44%
| change = -5.6%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Reform Party (United States)
| candidate = Don Torgersen
| votes = 74,704
| percentage = 2.20%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate
| party = [[Constitution Party (United States)|US Taxpayers]]
| candidate = Raymond Stalker
| votes = 280
| percentage = 0.01%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box total
| votes = 3,394,521
| percentage = 100.00%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no swing
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
| loser = Democratic Party (United States)
| swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}

== See also ==
* [[1998 United States Senate elections]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
;Partisan clients
{{notelist-ua}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Illinois elections}}
{{United States elections, 1998}}

[[Category:United States Senate elections in Illinois|1998]]
[[Category:1998 United States Senate elections|Illinois]]
[[Category:1998 Illinois elections|United States Senate]]

1998 United States Senate election in Illinois - Revision history

imported>GreenC bot: Reformat 2 URLs (Wayback Medic 2.5)