1980 Washington gubernatorial election

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1980 Washington gubernatorial election
Flag of Washington.svg
  1976 November 4, 1980 1984  
  JohnDSpellman.jpg Jim McDermott 1980.jpg
Nominee John Spellman Jim McDermott
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote981,083749,813
Percentage56.68%43.32%

1980 Washington gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Spellman:     50–60%     60–70%
McDermott:     50–60%

Governor before election

Dixy Lee Ray
Democratic

Elected Governor

John Spellman
Republican

The 1980 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1980. Incumbent Democratic governor Dixy Lee Ray ran for a second term, but lost in the primary to State Representative Jim McDermott. McDermott was defeated in the general election by Republican candidate John Spellman, the King County Executive. As of 2025, this is the last time a Republican was elected Governor of Washington, thus beginning the longest Democratic streak in any of the 50 state governorships once Spellman left office.

Contents

Primary election

Candidates

Democratic

  • Robert L. Baldwin, Sr.
  • Douglas P. Bestle
  • Caroline "Hope" Diamond
  • Lloyd G. Isley
  • Jef Jaisum
  • Jim McDermott, psychiatrist, state senator, and candidate for governor in 1972
  • Dixy Lee Ray, incumbent governor of Washington

Republican

Results

Blanket primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jim McDermott 321,256 33.04%
Democratic Dixy Lee Ray (incumbent)234,25224.09%
Republican John Spellman 162,426 16.70%
Republican Duane Berentson 154,72415.91%
Republican Bruce Chapman 70,8757.29%
Republican Patrick Sean McGowan7,3240.75%
Democratic Caroline Diamond4,1840.43%
Democratic Robert L. Baldwin Sr.3,5780.37%
Socialist Workers Mary Nell Bockman2,8330.29%
Democratic Lloyd G. Isley2,7230.28%
Republican Louise A. Saluteen2,6220.27%
Democratic Douglas P. Bestle2,4810.26%
Republican Rabbine Matthew Sutich1,6060.17%
Democratic Jef Jaisun1,4760.15%
Total votes972,360 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

1980 Washington gubernatorial election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John Spellman 981,083 56.68% +12.25%
Democratic Jim McDermott 749,81343.32%−9.82%
Majority 231,27013.36%
Total votes1,730,896 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic Swing +22.08%

Results by county

John Spellman was the first Republican to carry Franklin County, Mason County, and Pierce County since Roland H. Hartley in 1928. Franklin County has voted Republican in every subsequent gubernatorial election. Spellman is the most recent Republican to have won King County and Thurston County. Snohomish County and Whatcom County have voted Republican only once since this election. [a]

County [2] John Spellman
Republican
Jim McDermott
Democratic
MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%
Adams 3,25968.08%1,52831.92%1,73136.16%4,787
Asotin 3,81757.17%2,85942.83%95814.35%6,676
Benton 30,71069.25%13,63730.75%17,07338.50%44,347
Chelan 11,73460.47%7,67039.53%4,06420.94%19,404
Clallam 12,72957.09%9,56742.91%3,16214.18%22,296
Clark 39,22554.79%32,36445.21%6,8619.58%71,589
Columbia 1,35266.86%67033.14%68233.73%2,022
Cowlitz 14,16050.45%13,91049.55%2500.89%28,070
Douglas 5,24860.25%3,46239.75%1,78620.51%8,710
Ferry 95647.26%1,06752.74%-111-5.49%2,023
Franklin 7,24961.94%4,45438.06%2,79523.88%11,703
Garfield 97465.99%50234.01%47231.98%1,476
Grant 10,83960.80%6,98939.20%3,85021.60%17,828
Grays Harbor 12,97149.76%13,09850.24%-127-0.49%26,069
Island 11,28561.72%6,99838.28%4,28723.45%18,283
Jefferson 3,96149.11%4,10550.89%-144-1.79%8,066
King 327,94155.10%267,21844.90%60,72310.20%595,159
Kitsap 36,37260.10%24,15039.90%12,22220.19%60,522
Kittitas 5,78354.53%4,82245.47%9619.06%10,605
Klickitat 2,94448.29%3,15251.71%-208-3.41%6,096
Lewis 14,23062.38%8,58037.62%5,65024.77%22,810
Lincoln 3,47164.52%1,90935.48%1,56229.03%5,380
Mason 7,41453.84%6,35746.16%1,0577.68%13,771
Okanogan 6,71053.89%5,74146.11%9697.78%12,451
Pacific 3,37942.08%4,65057.92%-1,271-15.83%8,029
Pend Oreille 2,04554.78%1,68845.22%3579.56%3,733
Pierce 98,28956.62%75,30543.38%22,98413.24%173,594
San Juan 2,58752.77%2,31547.23%2725.55%4,902
Skagit 17,00355.41%13,68344.59%3,32010.82%30,686
Skamania 1,36145.92%1,60354.08%-242-8.16%2,964
Snohomish 75,20355.38%60,58744.62%14,61610.76%135,790
Spokane 84,40059.76%56,82740.24%27,57319.52%141,227
Stevens 7,17862.42%4,32237.58%2,85624.83%11,500
Thurston 31,80357.90%23,12242.10%8,68115.81%54,925
Wahkiakum 76745.30%92654.70%-159-9.39%1,693
Walla Walla 11,99363.30%6,95436.70%5,03926.60%18,947
Whatcom 23,72251.64%22,21548.36%1,5073.28%45,937
Whitman 9,77357.60%7,19542.40%2,57815.19%16,968
Yakima 36,24660.55%23,61239.45%12,63421.11%59,858
Totals981,08356.68%749,81343.32%231,27013.36%1,730,896

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Notes

  1. In 2004 and 1992, respectively

References

  1. "Elections Search Results September 1980 Primary". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Elections Search Results November 1980 General". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved August 12, 2024.