1992 Indiana gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1992 United States gubernatorial elections.

1992 Indiana gubernatorial election

←  1988 November 3, 1992 (1992-11-03) 1996  →

Nominee Evan Bayh Linley E. Pearson Party Democratic Republican Running mate Frank O'Bannon Robert D. Green Popular vote 1,382,151 822,533 Percentage 62.0% 36.9%

County results Bayh:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Pearson:      40–50%     50–60%

Governor before election Evan Bayh Democratic Elected Governor Evan Bayh Democratic

The 1992 Indiana gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1992. Incumbent Governor Evan Bayh, a Democrat, won reelection over his Republican challenger, Linley E. Pearson with 62% of the vote, despite the fact that George H. W. Bush carried Indiana by 6 points in the concurrent presidential election. He was the first Democratic governor of Indiana to win reelection since governors became eligible for election to consecutive terms in office in 1972.

Bayh carried all but two counties (Clinton and Jasper). As of 2025, this would be the last occasion that the following counties have voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election: Boone, Daviess, Elkhart, Hamilton, Hendricks, Huntington, Johnson, Kosciusko, Lawrence, Miami, Morgan, Union, Wabash, and Wells.

Primaries

Democratic

Incumbent Governor Evan Bayh was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Democratic primary results^{[ citation needed ]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Evan Bayh (incumbent)	298,478	100.00
Total votes			298,478	100.00

Republican

Candidates

• Linley E. Pearson, Indiana Attorney General
• H. Dean Evans, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
• John A. Johnson, former Republican nominee for Congress in the 5th District

Republican primary results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Linley E. Pearson	223,373	48.9
	Republican	H. Dean Evans	153,089	33.5
	Republican	John A. Johnson	80,784	17.7
Total votes			457,246	100.00

Minor parties

New Alliance

The New Alliance Party nominated Mary Barton to be its gubernatorial candidate in 1992. Elmetta Wellington became the nominee for lieutenant governor.

General election

Bayh won the election with 62% of the popular vote to Pearson's 37%. Bayh's total in the popular vote was the largest in recent history.

Indiana gubernatorial election, 1992

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Evan Bayh (incumbent)	1,382,151	62.0
	Republican	Linley E. Pearson	822,533	36.9
	New Alliance	Mary Barton	24,378	1.1
Total votes			2,229,062	100.0
	Democratic hold

References

1. "Our Campaigns - IN Governor - R Primary Race - May 05, 1992".