1984 North Carolina gubernatorial election

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1984 North Carolina gubernatorial election
Flag of North Carolina (1885-1991).svg
  1980 November 6, 1984 1988  
  James G. Martin (cropped).jpg EdmistenRL.jpg
Nominee James G. Martin Rufus L. Edmisten
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote1,208,1671,011,209
Percentage54.26%45.41%

1984 North Carolina gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results

Martin:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%

Edmisten:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%

Governor before election

Jim Hunt
Democratic

Elected Governor

James G. Martin
Republican

The 1984 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1984. Democratic incumbent Jim Hunt was unable to run for a third consecutive term under the North Carolina Constitution. He ran instead for the U.S. Senate against Jesse Helms and narrowly lost. Popular 9th District Congressman James G. Martin ran as the Republican gubernatorial nominee against Democratic Attorney General Rufus L. Edmisten, who defeated Hunt's Lt. Governor, James Green, among other candidates, in a hotly contested primary.

Contents

Martin won by a comfortable margin on Election Day thanks to the surprise endorsement of Green, and to President Ronald Reagan's coattails (see also 1984 United States presidential election ). Martin became just the second Republican elected to the state's highest office in the 20th century. Hunt later served as North Carolina’s Governor again from 1993 to 2001.

An offhand remark by Edmisten during the 1984 campaign became part of the state's political lore. He was quoted as complaining about all the barbecue pork he had to eat on the campaign trail, saying he could not eat anymore of "that damnable stuff", which is widely popular. [1] Edmisten later said he was joking. [2]

Primary election results

Democratic primary

1984 NC Governor Democratic primary election results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rufus L. Edmisten 295,05130.87%
Democratic H. Edward Knox 249,28626.08%
Democratic Lauch Faircloth 153,21016.03%
Democratic Thomas O. Gilmore 82,2998.61%
Democratic James C. Green 80,7758.45%
Democratic John R. Ingram 75,2487.87%
Democratic Robert L. Hannon9,4760.99%
Democratic Frazier Glenn Miller 5,7900.61%
Democratic Andy Barker 3,1480.33%
Democratic J. D. Whaley1,5160.16%
1984 NC Governor Democratic primary runoff election results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rufus L. Edmisten 352,35151.91%
Democratic H. Edward Knox 326,27848.08%−3.83%

Republican primary

1984 NC Governor Republican primary election results [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Jim Martin 128,71491.71%
Republican Ruby T. Hooper 11,6408.29%

General election results

1984 NC Governor election results [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican James G. Martin 1,208,16754.26%
Democratic Rufus L. Edmisten 1,011,20945.41%−9.49%
Libertarian H. Fritz Prochnaw4,6100.21%
Socialist Workers Gregory McCartan2,7400.12%
Turnout 2,226,743100%

Footnotes

  1. "Swing". The Washington Post . August 27, 2012. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016.
  2. WBUR
  3. "Our Campaigns - NC Governor - D Primary Race - May 08, 1984".
  4. "Our Campaigns - NC Governor - D Runoff Race - Jun 05, 1984".
  5. "Our Campaigns - NC Governor - R Primary Race - May 08, 1984".
  6. "Atlas Forum Index". Atlas Forum. March 2011. Retrieved June 12, 2009.