1998 Hawaii gubernatorial election

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1998 Hawaii gubernatorial election
Flag of Hawaii.svg
←  1994 November 3, 1998 2002  →
  Hawaii Governor Benjamin Cayetano.jpg Linda Lingle navy 1-cropped.jpg
Nominee Ben Cayetano Linda Lingle
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate Mazie Hirono Stan Koki
Popular vote204,206198,952
Percentage50.1%48.8%
1998 Hawaii gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Cayetano:     50–60%
Lingle:     40–50%     50–60%
Governor before election

Ben Cayetano
Democratic

Elected Governor

Ben Cayetano
Democratic

The 1998 Hawaii gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democratic Governor of Hawaii Ben Cayetano ran for re-election to a second and final term, and he was contested by Maui Mayor Linda Lingle. The race between Cayetano and Lingle was close, with Lingle holding a sizable polling advantage. [1] Ultimately, Cayetano narrowly won re-election to a second term in the closest gubernatorial election in Hawaii's history.

Contents

This, alongside the 1966 elections, is the only time a Democrat was elected governor without sweeping every county in the state. Lingle later won Hawaii's governorship in 2002 when Cayetano was term-limited; she was re-elected in 2006.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Ben Cayetano (incumbent) 95,797 86.40
Democratic Jim Brewer6,1695.56
Democratic Richard C. S. Ho3,0242.73
Democratic Fred K. Tamura2,7402.47
Democratic Raymond N. Onaga1,6511.49
Democratic Miles F. Shiratori1,4991.35
Total votes110,880 100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Linda Lingle 109,061 69.22
Republican Frank F. Fasi48,48830.78
Total votes157,549 100.00

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size [a] 		Margin
of error		Ben
Cayetano (D)		Linda
Lingle (R)		Undecided
Mason-Dixon [3] October 28–29, 1998406 (LV)± 5.0%52%41%7%
Mason-Dixon [3] October 16–19, 1998425 (LV)± 5.0%52%37%11%
Ward Research [3] [A] September 9–13, 1998800 (LV)± 3.5%34%48%18%
Ward Research [3] [A] July 24–28, 1998600 (LV)± 4.0%31%51%18%

Results

Hawaii gubernatorial election, 1998 [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Ben Cayetano (incumbent) 204,206 50.11% +13.53%
Republican Linda Lingle 198,95248.82%+18.15%
Libertarian George Peabody 4,3981.08%
Majority 5,2541.29%−4.62%
Turnout 407,556
Democratic hold Swing

Notes

  1. ↑ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
Partisan clients
  1. 1 2 Poll sponsored by The Honolulu Advertiser and Channel 2 Poll

References

  1. ↑ Silver, Nate (November 6, 2014). "Why Polls Missed A Shocker In Virginia's Senate Race". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Office of Elections".
  3. 1 2 3 4 "CNN AllPolitics Election '98 - Hawaii 1998 Polls". CNN. Archived from the original on June 19, 2025. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Office of Elections".


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