1998 Georgia gubernatorial election

Last updated

1998 Georgia gubernatorial election
Flag of the State of Georgia (1956-2001).svg
  1994 November 3, 1998 2002  
  Roy Barnes concession speech (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Roy Barnes Guy Millner
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote941,076790,201
Percentage52.49%44.08%

1998 Georgia gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Barnes:      40-50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Millner:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

Zell Miller
Democratic

Elected Governor

Roy Barnes
Democratic

The 1998 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democratic governor Zell Miller was unable to seek re-election due to term limits, therefore creating an open seat. To replace him, State Representative Roy Barnes won the Democratic Party's nomination after a close and highly contested primary election, while businessman Guy Millner, who had run for governor and the United States Senate in the previous four years, won the nomination of the Republican Party.

Contents

In the general election, Barnes was able to defeat Millner by a margin of victory larger than Governor Miller's victory over Millner four years prior, which was in part due to the unpopularity and controversy of Mitch Skandalakis, the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. As of 2024, this is the most recent time a Democrat was elected Governor of Georgia.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Primary results by county:
.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}
Barnes
Barnes--30-40%
Barnes--40-50%
Barnes--50-60%
Barnes-->60%
Massey
Massey--30-40%
Massey--40-50%
Massey--50-60%
Massey-->60%
Lanford
Langford-->30% 1998 Georgia gubernatorial election Democratic Primary.svg
Primary results by county:
  Barnes
  •   Barnes—30–40%
  •   Barnes—40–50%
  •   Barnes—50–60%
  •   Barnes—>60%
  Massey
  •   Massey—30–40%
  •   Massey—40–50%
  •   Massey—50–60%
  •   Massey—>60%
  Lanford
  •   Langford—>30%
Democratic primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Roy Barnes 239,517 49.20
Democratic Lewis A. Massey 135,920 27.92
Democratic David Poythress 65,86013.53
Democratic Steve Langford31,5436.48
Democratic Morris James9,1481.88
Democratic Carlton Myers4,8531.00
Total votes486,841 100.00

Runoff results

Runoff results by county:
Barnes
Barnes--60%-70%
Barnes--70%-80%
Barnes--80%-90%
Barnes-->90% 1998 Georgia gubernatorial election Democratic runoff.svg
Runoff results by county:
  Barnes
  •   Barnes—60%–70%
  •   Barnes—70%–80%
  •   Barnes—80%–90%
  •   Barnes—>90%
Democratic primary runoff results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Roy Barnes 221,651 82.90
Democratic Lewis A. Massey 45,73517.10
Total votes267,386 100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Campaign

Bowers's campaign was derailed when he admitted to a fifteen-year extramarital affair with Anne Davis, his secretary and a former Playboy Club waitress. Davis publicly stated that the romance had been active as recently as April 1997, six weeks prior to Bowers' June 5 announcement. [3]

Results

Primary results by county:
Millner
Millner--40-50%
Millner--50-60%
Millner--60-70%
Millner-->70%
Bowers
Bowers--40-50%
Bowers-->50%
Tie
Tie between Bowers and Millner-40-50%
Tie between Bowers, Millner, and Hatfield-33% 1998 Georgia gubernatorial election Republican primary.svg
Primary results by county:
  Millner
  •   Millner—40–50%
  •   Millner—50–60%
  •   Millner—60–70%
  •   Millner—>70%
  Bowers
  •   Bowers—40–50%
  •   Bowers—>50%
  Tie
  •   Tie between Bowers and Millner–40–50%
  •   Tie between Bowers, Millner, and Hatfield–33%

Millner narrowly avoided a run-off by just 1,573 votes. However, Bowers conceded before a recount finalized the result, admitting that all indications pointed to a victory for Millner. [4]

Republican primary results [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Guy Millner 210,845 50.38
Republican Mike Bowers 167,07439.92
Republican Nancy Schaefer 32,3157.72
Republican Bruce Hatfield8,3081.98
Total votes418,542 100.00

General election

Results

1998 Georgia gubernatorial election [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Roy Barnes 941,076 52.49% +1.44%
Republican Guy Millner 790,20144.08%−4.87%
Libertarian Jack Cashin61,5313.43%
Majority150,8758.42%+6.31%
Turnout 1,792,808
Democratic hold Swing

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Isakson</span> American politician (1944–2021)

John Hardy Isakson was an American businessman and politician who served as a United States senator from Georgia from 2005 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the Georgia legislature and the United States House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Barnes</span> Governor of Georgia from 1999 to 2003

Roy Eugene Barnes is an American attorney and politician who served as the 80th governor of Georgia from 1999 to 2003. As of 2024, he is the most recent Democrat to serve as governor of Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1996 United States Senate elections were held on November 5, 1996, with the 33 seats of Class 2 contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies. They coincided with the presidential election of the same year, in which Democrat Bill Clinton was re-elected president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1988 United States Senate elections were elections for the United States Senate. Held on November 8, 1988, the 33 seats of Class 1 were contested in regular elections. In spite of the Republican victory by George H. W. Bush in the presidential election, the Democrats gained a net of 1 seat in the Senate. 7 seats changed parties, with 4 incumbents being defeated. The Democratic majority in the Senate increased by one to 55–45.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1986 United States Senate elections were elections for the United States Senate. Held on November 4, in the middle of Ronald Reagan's second presidential term, the 34 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections. The Republicans had to defend an unusually large number of freshman Senate incumbents who had been elected on President Ronald Reagan's coattails in 1980. Democrats won a net of eight seats, defeating seven freshman incumbents, picking up two Republican-held open seats, and regaining control of the Senate for the first time since January 1981. This remains the most recent midterm election cycle in which the sitting president's party suffered net losses while still flipping a Senate seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1978 United States Senate elections were held on November 7, in the middle of Democratic President Jimmy Carter's term. The 33 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1936 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1936 United States Senate elections coincided with the reelection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The 32 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies. The Great Depression continued and voters backed progressive candidates favoring Roosevelt's New Deal in races across the country. The Democrats gained 5 net seats during the election, and in combination with Democratic and Farmer–Labor interim appointments and the defection of George W. Norris from the Republican Party to become independent, the Republicans were reduced to 16 seats. Democrats gained a further two seats due to mid-term vacancies. The Democrats' 77 seats and their 62-seat majority remain their largest in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1932 United States Senate elections</span> Clickable imagemap for the 1932 US Senate elections

The 1932 United States Senate elections coincided with Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt's landslide victory over incumbent Herbert Hoover in the presidential election. The 32 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 5, 2002, in 36 states and two territories. The Republicans won eight seats previously held by the Democrats, as well as the seat previously held by Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, who was elected on the Reform Party ticket but had since renounced his party affiliation. The Democrats won 10 seats previously held by the Republicans, as well as the seat previously held by Maine governor Angus King, an independent. The elections were held concurrently with the other United States elections of 2002.

Guy W. Millner is an American multi-millionaire businessman who ran as a Republican for Governor of Georgia in 1994 and 1998, and United States Senator from Georgia in 1996, losing all three races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1966 Florida gubernatorial election</span>

The 1966 Florida gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1966. During the primary election, the results from the Democratic Party were close among three of the four candidates. Thus, the top two Democrat candidates – incumbent Governor of Florida William "Haydon" Burns and Mayor of Miami Robert King High – competed in a runoff election on May 24, 1966. In an upset outcome, Robert King High was chosen over W. Haydon Burns as the Democratic Gubernatorial nominee. In contrast, the Republican primary was rather uneventful, with businessman Claude Roy Kirk Jr. easily securing the Republican nomination against Richard Muldrew. This was the first time a Republican was elected governor since Reconstruction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garland T. Byrd</span> American politician

Garland Turk Byrd was United States Democratic politician from Georgia, who served as the fourth Lieutenant Governor of Georgia from 1959 to 1963, and as Senator from the 17th District in 1963-4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 Georgia gubernatorial election</span>

The 2002 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic governor Roy Barnes sought re-election to a second term as governor. State Senator Sonny Perdue emerged as the Republican nominee from a crowded and hotly contested primary, and he faced off against Barnes, who had faced no opponents in his primary election, in the general election. Though Barnes had been nicknamed "King Roy" due to his unique ability to get his legislative priorities passed, he faced a backlash among Georgia voters due to his proposal to change the state flag from its Confederate design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1990 Georgia gubernatorial election</span>

The 1990 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990. Lieutenant Governor Zell Miller ran for governor after incumbent Joe Frank Harris was term-limited, defeating Andrew Young, Roy Barnes, and Lester Maddox for the Democratic nomination, and defeated Johnny Isakson, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. As of 2022, this is the last time that Dade, Walker, Whitfield, Murray, Gilmer, Fannin, Floyd, Gordon, Pickens, Dawson, Forsyth, Hall, Barrow, Jackson, Madison, White, Walton, Paulding, Carroll, Coweta, Troup, Spalding, Pike, Harris, Glynn, Camden, Bryan, and Effingham counties voted for the Democratic candidate for governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 United States Senate election in Georgia</span>

The 1980 United States Senate election in Georgia was held on November 4, 1980. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator and former Governor of Georgia Herman Talmadge ran for reelection to a fifth term, but lost narrowly to Mack Mattingly, Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 United States Senate election in Georgia</span>

The 1996 United States Senate election in Georgia was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Democratic United States Senator Sam Nunn decided to retire instead of seeking a fifth term. Democratic Secretary of State Max Cleland won the open seat over Republican businessman Guy Millner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 United States presidential election in Georgia</span>

The 1996 United States presidential election in Georgia took place on November 5, 1996, as part of the 1996 United States presidential election. Voters chose 13 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 Georgia gubernatorial election</span>

The 1994 Georgia gubernatorial election occurred on November 8, 1994, to elect the next governor of Georgia from 1995 to 1999. Incumbent Democratic governor Zell Miller, first elected in 1990, ran for a second term. In his party's primary, Miller received three challengers, but easily prevailed with just over 70% of the vote. The contest for the Republican nomination, however, was a competitive race. As no candidate received a majority of the vote, John Knox and Guy Millner advanced to a run-off election. Millner was victorious and received the Republican nomination after garnering 59.41% of the vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 Georgia lieutenant gubernatorial election</span>

The 1998 Georgia lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998, to elect the lieutenant governor of Georgia, concurrently with the 1998 gubernatorial election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Georgia is one of 21 states that elects its lieutenant governor separately from its governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 Georgia lieutenant gubernatorial election</span>

The 1994 Georgia lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, to elect the lieutenant governor of Georgia, concurrently with the 1994 gubernatorial election, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Georgia is one of 21 states that elects its lieutenant governor separately from its governor.

References

  1. "Our Campaigns - GA Governor - D Primary Race - Jul 21, 1998". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  2. "Our Campaigns - GA Governor - D Runoff Race - Aug 11, 1998". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  3. Our Georgia History
  4. "National News Briefs; Republican Concedes in Georgia Primary", The New York Times , July 29, 1998.
  5. "Our Campaigns - GA Governor - R Primary Race - Jul 21, 1998". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  6. "11/3/98 - Governor". January 12, 2004. Archived from the original on December 14, 2006. Retrieved January 7, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)