1990 Wyoming gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:1990 Wyoming gubernatorial election
Country:Wyoming
Type:presidential
Turnout:71.99% Registered 2.00%
35.30% of Total Population 0.22%
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1986 Wyoming gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1986
Next Election:1994 Wyoming gubernatorial election
Next Year:1994
Image1:File:WY Governor Mike Sullivan WSA OH-2104.jpg
Nominee1:Mike Sullivan
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:104,638
Percentage1:65.35%
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Nominee2:Mary Mead
Popular Vote2:55,471
Percentage2:34.65%
Map Size:250px
Governor
Before Election:Mike Sullivan
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Mike Sullivan
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 1990 Wyoming gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 1990. Incumbent Democratic Governor Mike Sullivan ran for re-election. In the general election, he faced Republican nominee Mary Mead, a businesswoman and the daughter of former U.S. Senator and Governor Clifford Hansen. Owing to Sullivan's personal popularity, he won re-election over Mead in a landslide, marking the fifth straight Democratic victory in Wyoming's gubernatorial races, a streak that has yet to be broken by either party.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Sullivan's campaign was managed by Rich Lindsey.[2]

Results

Republican

Candidates

Won

Lost

Withdrew

Declined

Speculated

The central committee of the Wyoming Republican Party interviewed Hugh Duncan, Jack Sidi, Charles Scott, and Carroll Miller and scored them as possible gubernatorial nominees. Duncan received a rating of 83%, Sidi received 79%, Scott received 66%, and Miller received 23%.[11] Duncan withdrew from the election on March 2, 1990, stating that he was unable to convince people of the differences between him and Sullivan.[12]

Tom Thorson, a Republican committeeman from Natrona County, announced Mary Mead's candidacy at the Natrona County Republican Convention on March 6, as Mead was unable to attend due to snow.[13] Mead formally announced her campaign on March 9, after Duncan and Mike Lindsey both dropped out and announced their support of her.[14] Stanley K. Hathaway, a former governor, served as her campaign manager.[15] Cynthia Lummis later served as her campaign manager.[16] Nyla Murphy, a member of the state house who lost her committee leadership positions due to policy disagreement with Republican leaders, announced that she would run for one of five statewide offices in Wyoming.[17] She launched her gubernatorial campaign on June 8, with Charles Huff and Linda Burkhart as her campaign managers.[18] Mead spent over $280,000 during the primary, twenty times greater than Murphy's expenditure of $7,200.[19]

Results

General election

Sullivan recorded a message for a test of Wyoming's Emergency Broadcast System, but it was replaced as some radio stations would not air it due to the equal-time rule.[20] The National Organization for Women declined to endorse either of the candidates and instead supported a write-in candidacy for Murphy.[21] Mead and Sullivan participated in a debate hosted by KTWO-TV on October 23, 1990, and KTWO-TV stated that Mead violated the rules by using notes.[22]

Mark Hughes, the chair of the Wyoming Republican Party, criticized Mead as being unprepared after she lost the election, but also criticized the media for giving Sullivan front-page coverage while "Mead was on the B-section".[23] Hughes later apologized for criticizing Mead.[24] He did not seek reelection as chair, but stated that he made that decision months before his criticism of Mead.[25]

Mead received $158,798 and Sullivan received $154,562 from individual contributions. Mead paid $183,104 to consultant Sandler-Innocenzi and $12,441 to Tony Payton, accounting for around half of her expenditure.[26] Sullivan received almost $57,900 from political action committees compared to $21,600 for Mead. The Republican Party of Wyoming contributed $43,200 to Mead while the Democratic Party of Wyoming contributed $8,763 to Sullivan. Mead received $157,000 in loans from her father and brother while Sullivan borrowed nothing. During the campaign Sullivan raised $225,681 and spent $196,733 for an ending surplus of $28,948. Mead raised $395,532 and spent $416,313 for an ending deficit of $20.[27] [28]

Endorsements

Notes and References

  1. News: April 17, 1990. Cheyenne Democrat will run for governor. Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo.. A1.
  2. News: October 13, 1990 . Flurry of political ads on way from candidate camps . A3 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240813223113/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102966695/ . August 13, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: March 7, 1990. Mead to be candidate, county GOP told. Moulton. Candy. Barron. Joan. Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo.. A1, A16.
  4. News: June 8, 1990. Murphy to challenge Mead for GOP gubernatorial nomination. Rea. Tom. Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo.. A1, A10.
  5. News: March 6, 1990 . Lindsey says he won't run for governor . A1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240809180758/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102949992/ . August 9, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  6. News: April 3, 1990 . Mader says he won't run for governor . A1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240812181926/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102959760/ . August 12, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  7. News: April 19, 1990 . Perry won't run for governor . B1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240812182520/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102959967/ . August 12, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  8. News: April 12, 1990 . Scott again runs for state Senate . A3 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240812182136/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102959872/ . August 12, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  9. News: January 4, 2023 . Budd, William (Bill) . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240809173941/https://www.wyomingnews.com/milestones/obituaries/budd-william-bill/article_ae187abf-d820-576e-aa0b-1e6413583fe3.html . August 9, 2024.
  10. News: October 29, 1989 . 3 wishes: GOP contributors survey 17 as gov . A8 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240809175540/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/152957823/ . August 9, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  11. News: November 26, 1989 . Duncan isn't afraid of being unknown . B1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240809175942/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102918447/ . August 9, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  12. News: March 4, 1990 . Duncan says he couldn't shake perception he was too much like Sullivan . A3 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240809180546/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102949970/ . August 9, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  13. News: March 7, 1990 . Mead to be candidate, county GOP told . A1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240820185023/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102950030/ . August 20, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  14. News: March 10, 1990 . Mead to announce formally for governor . B1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240809181257/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102950071/ . August 9, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  15. News: March 7, 1990 . Mary Mead will run for governor . A1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240812181625/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jackson-hole-guide/102950078/ . August 12, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  16. News: May 12, 1990 . S-T reporter hired by Mead campaign . 3 . . live . https://archive.today/20210722094123/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81947509/casper-star-tribune/ . July 22, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  17. News: June 3, 1990 . Race stays mystery, and Murphy is in it . A3 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240812183056/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102961278/ . August 12, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  18. News: June 13, 1990 . Mead sees 'no change' in gov's race . A3 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240820185826/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jackson-hole-guide/102961363/ . August 20, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  19. News: June 13, 1990 . Mead campaign has spent $280,000 . A1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240820190444/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102963441/ . August 20, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  20. News: September 23, 1990 . Sullivan message taken off air by several major radio stations . B1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240813222302/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102965925/ . August 13, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  21. News: September 29, 1990 . NOW: No candidate endorsements in Wyo races for governor, senator . A1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240820193600/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102966147/ . August 20, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  22. News: October 25, 1990 . Mead broke debate rules, KTWO says . A1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240813223441/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102967169/ . August 13, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  23. News: November 8, 1990 . Mead campaign: What went wrong? . A3 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240813223711/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102976276/ . August 13, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  24. News: November 15, 1990 . Hughes apologizes for Mead criticism . A1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240813224306/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102976835/ . August 13, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  25. News: April 13, 1991 . Republicans geared to elect new officers . A3 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240813225704/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/103098852/ . August 13, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  26. News: December 12, 1990 . Gubernatorial campaign enriched state businesses/Supporters coughed up lots of bucks . A3 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240813224820/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jackson-hole-guide/103039667/ . August 13, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  27. News: December 2, 1990 . PAC soup feeds political campaigns . A10 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240820193451/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/103039408/ . August 20, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  28. News: December 12, 1990 . Campaign . A23 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240820193340/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jackson-hole-guide/153675194/ . August 20, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  29. News: October 3, 1990 . Mead poll finds her 16 points behind . A1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240820191848/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/102966472/ . August 20, 2024 . Newspapers.com.

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