The United States Presidential election, 1996, was a democratic election held in 1996 to decide the next president of the United States. Candidates were the incumbent President, Socialist Tom Harkin, former Senator from Iowa, was able to run for reelection and did. Harkin was incredibly popular entering the election of 1996, and many assumed he would win reelection, and he did. His running mate was incumbent Vice President Bill Clinton, former governor of Arkansas.