1998 United States gubernatorial elections explained

Election Name:1998 United States gubernatorial elections
Country:United States
Type:legislative
Ongoing:No
Previous Election:1997 United States gubernatorial elections
Previous Year:1997
Next Election:1999 United States gubernatorial elections
Next Year:1999
Seats For Election:38 governorships
36 states; 2 territories
Election Date:November 3, 1998
1Blank:Seats up
2Blank:Seats won
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Seats Before1:32
Seats After1:31
Seat Change1: 1
1Data1:24
2Data1:23
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Seats Before2:17
Seats After2:17
1Data2:11
2Data2:11
Party4:Reform Party of the United States of America
Seats Before4:0
Seats After4:1
Seat Change4: 1
1Data4:0
2Data4:1
Party5:Independent (United States)
Seats Before5:1
Seats After5:1
1Data5:1
2Data5:1
Map Size:324px

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 3, 1998, in 36 states and two territories. Going into the election cycle, 24 of the seats were held by Republicans, 11 by Democrats, and one by an Independent. The elections changed the national balance of power by the loss of one Republican and the gain of one Independent, although political party dominance was shifted in nine states. Democrats gained open seats in California and Iowa and defeated incumbents Fob James of Alabama and David Beasley of South Carolina, while Republicans won open seats in Colorado, Florida, Nebraska, and Nevada and the Reform Party won an open Republican governorship in Minnesota. By the end of the election, 23 seats were held by Republicans, 11 by Democrats, one by the Reform Party, and one by an Independent.

The elections coincided with the mid-term elections for the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. With the exception of two states (New Hampshire and Vermont), the governors elected in this election served four-year terms. New Hampshire and Vermont's governors would serve two-year terms.

As of, this election marked the most recent cycle in which Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, and South Carolina elected Democrats to their respective governorships, and by extension, any even-year gubernatorial election in the Deep South. This is also the last time that someone other than a Democrat or a Republican was elected governor in Maine and Minnesota. This would be the last time a third-party candidate (not an independent) would be elected governor of any state, as well as the last time an independent would be elected governor of a state until the 2010 election in Rhode Island. This was the last midterm election until 2022 in which the non-incumbent political party suffered net losses of governorships.

Summary of results

States

StateIncumbentPartyFirst
elected
ResultCandidates
AlabamaFob JamesRepublican1978
1982
1994
Incumbent lost re-election.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
nowrap
AlaskaTony KnowlesDemocratic1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
ArizonaJane Dee HullRepublican1997Incumbent elected to full term.nowrap
ArkansasMike HuckabeeRepublican1996Incumbent elected to full term.nowrap
  • Mike Huckabee (Republican) 59.8%
  • Bill Bristow (Democratic) 38.7%
  • Keith Carle (Reform) 1.6%
CaliforniaPete WilsonRepublican1990Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
nowrap
ColoradoRoy RomerDemocratic1986Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
nowrap
ConnecticutJohn G. RowlandRepublican1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
FloridaLawton ChilesDemocratic1990Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
nowrap
GeorgiaZell MillerDemocratic1990Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
nowrap
HawaiiBen CayetanoDemocratic1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
IdahoPhil BattRepublican1994Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Republican hold.
nowrap
IllinoisJim EdgarRepublican1990Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Republican hold.
nowrap
IowaTerry BranstadRepublican1982Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
nowrap
KansasBill GravesRepublican1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
  • Bill Graves (Republican) 73.4%
  • Tom Sawyer (Democratic) 22.6%
  • Kirt Poovey (Constitution) 2.9%
  • Darrel King (Reform) 1.1%
MaineAngus KingIndependent1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
MarylandParris GlendeningDemocratic1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
MassachusettsPaul CellucciRepublican1997Incumbent elected to full term.nowrap
MichiganJohn EnglerRepublican1990Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
MinnesotaArne CarlsonRepublican1990Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Reform gain.
nowrap
  • Jesse Ventura (Reform) 37.0%
  • Norm Coleman (Republican) 34.3%
  • Skip Humphrey (Democratic) 28.1%
NebraskaBen NelsonDemocratic1990Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
nowrap
  • Mike Johanns (Republican) 53.9%
  • Bill Hoppner (Democratic) 46.0%
NevadaBob MillerDemocratic1989Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
nowrap
New HampshireJeanne ShaheenDemocratic1996Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
  • Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic) 66.1%
  • Jay Lucas (Republican) 30.9%
  • Ken Blevens (Libertarian) 2.7%
New MexicoGary JohnsonRepublican1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
New YorkGeorge PatakiRepublican1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
OhioGeorge VoinovichRepublican1990Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican hold.
nowrap
  • Bob Taft (Republican) 50.0%
  • Lee Fisher (Democratic) 44.7%
  • John R. Mitchel (Reform) 3.3%
  • Zanna Feitler (Natural Law) 1.9%
OklahomaFrank KeatingRepublican1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
OregonJohn KitzhaberDemocratic1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
PennsylvaniaTom RidgeRepublican1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
  • Tom Ridge (Republican) 57.4%
  • Ivan Itkin (Democratic) 31.0%
  • Peg Luksik (Constitution) 10.4%
  • Ken Krawchuk (Libertarian) 1.1%
Rhode IslandLincoln AlmondRepublican1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
South CarolinaDavid BeasleyRepublican1994Incumbent lost re-election.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
nowrap
South DakotaBill JanklowRepublican1978
1986
1994
Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
TennesseeDon SundquistRepublican1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
TexasGeorge W. BushRepublican1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
VermontHoward DeanDemocratic1991Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
  • Howard Dean (Democratic) 55.7%
  • Ruth Dwyer (Republican) 41.1%
  • Joel Williams (Grassroots) 1.5%
  • Amy Berkey (Libertarian) 1.0%
WisconsinTommy ThompsonRepublican1986Incumbent re-elected.nowrap
WyomingJim GeringerRepublican1994Incumbent re-elected.nowrap

Territories and federal district

TerritoryIncumbentPartyFirst
elected
ResultCandidates
District of ColumbiaMarion BarryDemocratic1994Incumbent retired.
New mayor elected.
Democratic hold.
nowrap
GuamCarl GutierrezDemocratic1994Incumbent re-elected.[1] nowrap
U.S. Virgin IslandsRoy SchneiderIndependent1994Incumbent lost re-election.
New governor elected.[2]
Democratic gain.
nowrap

Closest races

States where the margin of victory was under 1%:

Colorado, 0.6%

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:

Hawaii, 1.3%
Minnesota, 2.7%
Massachusetts, 3.4%
Illinois, 3.5%

States where the margin of victory was under 10%:

Ohio, 5.3%
Iowa, 5.8%
Guam, 6.4%
Nebraska, 7.9%
South Carolina, 8.0%
Georgia, 8.4%
Rhode Island, 8.9%
New Mexico, 9.0%
Nevada, 9.6%

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Guam Governor Race - Nov 03, 1998 . Our Campaigns . May 19, 2011 .
  2. Web site: USVI Governor Race - Nov 03, 1998 . Our Campaigns . January 19, 2006 .