1998 Tennessee gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1998 United States gubernatorial elections.

1998 Tennessee gubernatorial election

←  1994 November 3, 1998 (1998-11-03) 2002  →
Turnout	32.53% [1] 24.09 pp
Nominee Don Sundquist John Jay Hooker Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 669,973 287,750 Percentage 68.63% 29.48%
County results Sundquist:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Hooker:      40–50%     60–70%
Governor before election Don Sundquist Republican Elected Governor Don Sundquist Republican

The 1998 Tennessee gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1998, to elect the governor of Tennessee. Incumbent Republican governor Don Sundquist won re-election, defeating Democratic candidate John Jay Hooker.

Sundquist became the first Republican gubernatorial nominee to get over 60% of the vote since Dewitt Clinton Senter did in 1869. Sundquist carried all but two counties (Lake and Van Buren).

Republican primary

Results

Republican primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Don Sundquist (incumbent)	358,786	92.50%
	Republican	Shirley Beck-Vosse	28,951	7.46%
	Write-ins		123	0.03%
Total votes			387,860	100.00

Democratic primary

Results

Democratic primary results ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John J. Hooker	123,384	41.34%
	Democratic	Mike Whitaker	83,542	27.99%
	Democratic	Sherry Whittenberg	28,822	9.66%
	Democratic	Luther Best	25,565	8.57%
	Democratic	Donald Jackson	18,458	6.18%
	Democratic	Virginia Nyabongo	12,352	4.14%
	Democratic	Jerral Parris	5,740	1.92%
	Write-ins		603	0.20%
Total votes			298,466	100.00%

General election

1998 Tennessee gubernatorial election ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Don Sundquist (incumbent)	669,973	68.63%	+14.36%
	Democratic	John Jay Hooker	287,750	29.48%	−15.19%
	Independent	George Alexander Hamilton, Sr.	5,899	0.60%	N/A
	Independent	Irwin W. Gibbs	4,651	0.48%	N/A
	Independent	Thomas E. Smith II	1,851	0.19%	N/A
	Independent	Karl Smithson	1,841	0.19%	N/A
	N/A	Write-ins	548	0.00%	N/A
Total votes			976,236	100.00%
	Republican hold		Swing

See also

• 1998 United States Senate elections

References

1. "Tennessee Voter Turnout in 1998". Tennessee Secretary of State. November 3, 1998. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
2. "The 1998 Results Maps". Dave Leip's Atlas. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
3. "The 1998 Results Maps". Dave Leip's Atlas. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
4. "State of Tennessee - Governor - November 3, 1998 - General Election" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2014.