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The 1996 Senate Election in Virginia, a contest between a Political Titan, and a man who would become one was the closest reelection of John Warner's Senate career, a fight forced upon him by future governor—and eventual 2008 successor—Mark Warner.
J. Warner, a moderate National Security Republican who had come undes severe fire from the GOP's right flank and had opposed Oliver North in 1994, faced opposition from the VA GOP's right flank (nearly forcing a convention), however in the primary, due to a strong campaign by J. Warner he won by 66-34%.
In the general, he would face NoVA Businessman Mark Warner—a former VA Dems Chair who John Warner criticised over the latter using his VA Democratic Party Connections to win Cell phone licenses to amass a $100 Million Fortune.
Here, because M. Warner spent $11 Million, $10 Million his own money, mostly attacking J. Warner on being too alike the unpopular House Speaker Newt Gingrich and emphasizing his own moderation, despite J. Warner emphasizing his seniority and "Common Sense conservatism" held the incumbent to a 5% win.
Something that aided M. Warner in this was an ad from J. Warner which backfired on the senator where one of his media consultants superimposed Mark Warner's face on a photo of then Senator Chuck Robb, while J. Warner did not repudiate the ad wholely it did end up placing him on the defensive.
In the end, John Warner led throughout the campaign—hovering around 50%—so despite these setbacks; he still won by a narrow 5% against Mark Warner
Compared to the presidential election, John Warner did better Better than Bod Dole in Richmond, the growing NoVA suburbs, in and around Charlottesville and Hampton roads, while Dole did better in Southwestern Virginia, the richmond suburbs, Southside and the Shenandoah Valley
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