The 1995 California's 15th congressional district special election took place on December 12, 1995, to replace Democratic Congressman Norman Mineta, who resigned from Congress on October 10, 1995, to accept a position at Lockheed Martin. All candidates appeared on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and a runoff election would have been held if no candidate received a majority of the vote.
While many prominent Democrats considered running in the special election, stockbroker Jerry Estruth was the only Democratic candidate to file. State Senator Tom Campbell, who represented California's 12th congressional district from 1989 to 1993 before unsuccessfully running for the U.S. Senate in 1992, was likewise the only Republican candidate to file. Estruth campaigned on his opposition to the policies of Speaker Newt Gingrich, attacking Campbell for "vot[ing] with Newt Gingrich 76 percent of the time" that they served in Congress together. Campbell ultimately won the election by a wide margin, receiving 59 percent of the vote to Estruth's 36 percent, flipping the seat to Republican control.
Contents
General election
Candidates
Tom Campbell, State Senator, former Congressman from California's 12th congressional district (1989–1993), 1992 Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate (Republican)
Jerry Estruth, stockbroker (Democratic)
Linh Keiu Dao, computer engineer (Independent)
Karin Dowdy, West Valley–Mission Community College District trustee (Republican)
Susan Hammer, Mayor of San Jose (Democratic)