Minnesota gubernatorial election, 1998

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Minnesota gubernatorial election, 1998
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←  1994 November 3, 1998 2002  →
  Jesse Ventura in Los Angeles, July 2007 cropped.jpg Norm Coleman.jpg Skip Humphrey.jpg
Nominee Jesse Ventura Norm Coleman Skip Humphrey
Party Reform Republican DFL
Running mate Mae Schunk Gen Olson Roger Moe
Popular vote773,713717,350587,528
Percentage37.0%34.3%28.1%
MinnesotaGubernational1998.svg
County Results

Ventura:     30-40%     40-50%     50-60%
Coleman:     30–40%     40–50%

Contents

Humphrey:     30-40%     40-50%     50–60%
Governor before election

Arne Carlson
Republican

Elected Governor

Jesse Ventura
Reform

The 1998 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1998. Reform Party candidate Jesse Ventura defeated Republican Party challenger Norm Coleman and Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party challenger Hubert H. "Skip" Humphrey III. Ventura governed with a DFL-controlled state Senate and a Republican-controlled state House.

Independence Party of Minnesota political party in Minnesota

The Independence Party of Minnesota, formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is a political party in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was the party of former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura (1999–2003).

Jesse Ventura American politician and professional wrestler

Jesse Ventura is an American media personality, actor, author, former politician and retired professional wrestler, who served as the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. He was the first and only candidate of the Reform Party to win a major government position, but later joined the Green Party of the United States.

Republican Party (United States) Major political party in the United States

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major political parties in the United States; the other is its historic rival, the Democratic Party.

Ventura's victory as a third party candidate was considered a historic major upset, especially considering he was a former WWE (at that time, WWF) professional wrestler. He ran on the Reform Party ticket, a party which had been founded by two-time presidential candidate Ross Perot who had received 23% of the vote in Minnesota in the 1992 presidential election and 12% in the 1996 election. [1]

WWE Professional wrestling and entertainment company

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a WWE, is an American integrated media and entertainment company that is primarily known for professional wrestling. WWE has also branched out into other fields, including movies, real estate, and various other business ventures.

Ross Perot American businessman

Henry Ross Perot is an American business magnate and former politician. As the founder of the successful Electronic Data Systems corporation, he became a billionaire. He ran an independent presidential campaign in 1992 and a third party campaign in 1996, establishing the Reform Party in the latter election. Both campaigns were among the strongest presidential showings by a third party or independent candidate in U.S. history.

Candidates

DFL

The Attorney General of Minnesota is the state Attorney General of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The Attorney General is the state's chief legal officer and is an executive position elected by the voters for a four-year term.

Vice President of the United States Second highest executive office in United States

The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the President of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The Vice President is also an officer in the legislative branch, as President of the Senate. In this capacity, the Vice President presides over Senate deliberations, but may not vote except to cast a tie-breaking vote. The Vice President also presides over joint sessions of Congress.

Hubert Humphrey 38th Vice President of the United States

Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. was an American politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Minnesota from 1949 to 1964 and 1971 to 1978. He was the Democratic Party's nominee in the 1968 presidential election, losing to Republican nominee Richard Nixon.

Republican

Norm Coleman American politician

Norman Bertram Coleman Jr. is an American lobbyist, attorney, and politician. From 2003 to 2009, he served as a U.S. Senator for Minnesota. From 1994 to 2002, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota. First elected as a member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Coleman became a Republican in 1996. He lost his 2008 Senate reelection bid to Al Franken by 312 votes out of over 3 million cast. As of 2019, he is the last Republican to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate.

Auto mechanic profession

An auto mechanic is a mechanic with a variety of automobile makes or either in a specific area or in a specific make of automobile. In repairing cars, their main role is to diagnose the problem accurately and quickly. They often have to quote prices for their customers before commencing work or after partial disassembly for inspection. Their job may involve the repair of a specific part or the replacement of one or more parts as assemblies.

Reform

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota City in Minnesota, United States

Brooklyn Park is the sixth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city is on the west bank of the Mississippi River, upstream from downtown Minneapolis in northern Hennepin County. Brooklyn Park is a northwest suburb of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Other third-parties

Libertarian Party (United States) national political party in United States

The Libertarian Party (LP) is a political party in the United States that promotes civil liberties, non-interventionism, laissez-faire capitalism and shrinking the size and scope of government. The party was conceived at meetings in the home of David F. Nolan in Westminster, Colorado in 1971 and was officially formed on December 11, 1971 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The founding of the party was prompted in part due to concerns about the Nixon administration, the Vietnam War, conscription and the end of the gold standard.

Ray "Fancy Ray" McCloney is a comedian and television personality who has built a comedy and advertising career partly by becoming famous for being famous, especially in and near his home town of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Fancy Ray is the self-proclaimed "Best Looking Man in Comedy", known for his androgynous and heavily made-up style as well as a loud, sometimes bizarre, comic persona. His stage personality is made up of the sexual prowess of Prince, the funky style of James Brown, and the animation and expression of Little Richard. He is known to break into verse and recite poetry at his shows, in ode to himself, of course.

The Socialist Workers Party (SWP) is a communist party in the United States. Originally a group in the Communist Party USA that supported Leon Trotsky against Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, it places a priority on "solidarity work" to aid strikes and is strongly supportive of Cuba. The SWP publishes The Militant, a weekly newspaper that dates back to 1928. It also maintains Pathfinder Press.

Primary results (September 15)

Democratic

Democratic Primary results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Skip Humphrey 154,03737
Democratic Mike Freeman 78,89519
Democratic Doug Johnson78,04119
Democratic Mark Dayton 74,70618
Democratic Ted Mondale 29,7497
Invalid or blank votes
Total votes415,428100
Turnout  

Republican

Republican Primary results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Norm Coleman 107,98991
Republican Bill Dahn 10,5059
Invalid or blank votes
Total votes118,494100
Turnout  

General election

Campaign

Ventura spent around $300,000 and combined it with an aggressive grassroots campaign that featured a statewide bus tour, pioneered use of the Internet for political purposes, and aired quirky TV ads designed by Bill Hillsman, who forged the phrase "Don't vote for politics as usual." [5] Unable to afford many television ads, Ventura mainly focused on televised debates and public appearances, preaching his brand of libertarian politics. His speech at a parade in rural Minnesota during the summer attracted what organizers of the annual event described as one of its largest audiences. He ran on cutting taxes, reducing state government, and reducing public school classroom sizes to a 17 to 1 ratio. He also supported a public debate on the viability of legalized prostitution. [6]

Polling

A poll taken in June showed that Coleman would defeat any other Democratic candidate than Humphrey. But Humphrey would defeat Coleman 44% to 34%. However, Ventura polled in the double digits. No other candidate in the Reform party's brief history in Minnesota has received more than 5 percent of the votes in a statewide election. [7] Following the primary election in September, a poll on October 20 showed Humphrey leading 35% to Coleman (34%) and Ventura (21%). But the Star Tribune poll suggested that Ventura's surge with the voters had come mostly at Humphrey's expense. Since the primary, Humphrey's support among likely voters had dropped by 14 percentage points, while Coleman's had increased by 5 percentage points. [8]

Results

1998 Gubernatorial Election, Minnesota
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Reform Jesse Ventura 773,71336.99%n/a
Republican Norm Coleman 717,35034.29%-29.04%
DFL Hubert H. "Skip" Humphrey III 587,52828.09%-6.02%
Green Ken Pentel 7,0340.34%n/a
Libertarian Frank Germann1,9320.09%-0.80%
Grassroots Chris Wright 1,7270.08%-1.12%
People's ChampionFancy Ray McCloney9190.04%n/a
Socialist Workers Thomas Fiske7870.04%-0.14%
Write-ins776n/a
Majority56,3632.69%
Turnout 2,091,76660%
Reform gain from Republican Swing

Results Breakdown

By county: [9] [10]

CountyColemanVotesHumphreyVotesVenturaVotesOthersVotes
Aitkin 31.6%2,44730.3%2,34737.4%2,8970.6%47
Anoka 29.3%37,11119.7%24,97550.7%64,1000.3%363
Becker 41.4%5,03035.7%4,34922.4%2,7210.5%62
Beltrami 39.8%5,87235.9%5,28923.0%3,3871.3%195
Benton 33.2%4,38820.8%2,75045.6%6,0270.4%47
Big Stone 31.9%91240.0%1,14427.5%7860.5%15
Blue Earth 30.9%7,03124.9%5,66643.8%9,9730.6%111
Brown 35.4%5,15021.2%2,41733.3%3,7940.4%44
Carlton 31.0%3,92942.9%5,43925.5%3,2260.6%70
Carver 39.9%11,47916.1%4,62143.8%12,6060.3%88
Cass 32.0%4,78128.1%3,28828.7%3,2680.5%55
Chippewa 28.3%1,72134.0%2,06437.4%2,2710.3%19
Chisago 28.0%5,37618.9%3,62152.8%10,1380.4%71
Clay 34.7%6,20043.5%7,76621.8%3,7970.5%91
Clearwater 44.8%1,43935.0%1,12419.5%6250.7%24
Cook 38.6%1,01039.6%1,04618.0%4743.8%100
Cottonwood 39.6%2,42030.8%1,88429.2%1,7880.5%29
Crow Wing 39.7%9,55926.0%6,25733.9%8,1620.4%104
Dakota 37.3%56,24222.0%33,25340.4%60,9090.3%484
Dodge 37.4%2,61921.2%1,48441.0%2,8670.4%27
Douglas 42.1%6,32323.3%3,50334.3%5,1620.3%41
Faribault 34.2%2,77829.3%2,38236.0%2,9230.4%34
Fillmore 39.7%3,35933.4%2,82326.2%2,2190.7%56
Freeborn 39.5%5,46333.3%4,60526.9%3,7060.5%65
Goodhue 33.9%6,78622.7%4,54743.0%8,6100.5%92
Grant 30.6%1,05531.6%1,08937.5%1,2940.3%10
Hennepin 31.9%155,31130.2%147,05936.9%179,9541.0%4,778
Houston 48.8%3,61637.7%2,79712.0%8911.5%111
Hubbard 42.6%3,69730.1%2,60926.7%2,3170.7%57
Isanti 27.3%3,71919.6%2,66552.9%7,2090.3%36
Itasca 37.8%7,18141.6%7,91119.8%3,7680.8%143
Jackson 34.9%1,79633.5%1,72831.1%1,6050.5%24
Kanabec 29.0%1,89521.1%1,37449.6%3,2380.3%17
Kandiyohi 34.5%6,28729.3%5,33735.9%6,5300.2%45
Kittson 32.2%75750.3%1,18516.5%3891.0%23
Koochiching 46.4%2,72134.9%2,34718.1%1,0640.56%31
Lac Qui 27.6%1,13339.5%1,62132.4%1,3300.4%16
Lake 30.1%1,76642.2%2,47226.4%1,5451.3%75
LOTW 41.5%83742.2%85214.3%2882.1%41
Le Sueur 30.4%3,58222.2%2,61447.1%5,5510.3%35
Lincoln 36.4%1,12936.7%1,13626.3%8150.6%18
Lyon 39.1%4,04328.7%2,96631.7%3,2770.6%66
McLeod 30.9%4,75415.9%2,44952.8%8,1260.3%50
Mahnomen 41.8%82136.5%71620.7%4061.1%21
Marshall 40.5%1,95941.5%2,00817.2%8340.8%38
Martin 38.8%3,67626.7%2,53434.2%3,2430.2%23
Meeker 31.3%3,32019.7%2,08348.6%5,1530.4%39
Mille Lacs 31.0%2,89821.4%1,99847.2%4,4040.4%39
Morrison 40.6%5,37721.9%2,89937.0%4,9050.6%78
Mower 34.9%5,52939.3%6,23425.2%3,9900.7%111
Murray 38.7%1,81934.5%1,62026.2%1,2330.6%30
Nicollet 33.2%4,34525.9%3,38440.3%5,2720.6%78
Nobles 39.0%3,26531.8%2,66428.7%2,4040.4%34
Norman 31.4%1,02449.7%1,62118.3%5960.6%19
Olmsted 42.7%19,48026.8%12,20530.1%13,7100.4%199
Otter Tail 45.0%10,78529.1%6,98225.3%6,0690.5%116
Pennington 38.8%2,22639.3%2,25321.4%1,2260.6%35
Pine 26.9%2,86925.6%2,73047.1%5,0270.4%48
Pipestone 46.8%2,12735.7%1,62116.6%7520.9%43
Polk 40.7%4,46243.5%2,34715.5%1,6990.4%44
Pope 33.6%1,95432.9%1,73836.1%2,0990.3%17
Ramsey 32.4%69,24032.1%68,61934.6%73,9930.8%1,714
Red Lake 39.6%84243.3%92016.0%3391.1%24
Redwood 42.8%3,14022.5%1,65434.5%2,5330.2%17
Renville 30.7%2,51425.4%2,07943.7%3,5830.3%24
Rice 29.7%6,73228.5%6,51841.3%9,4440.7%170
Rock 47.7%1,83236.1%1,38415.5%5960.7%25
Roseau 49.8%2,97531.2%1,86318.1%1,0811.0%57
St. Louis 28.1%24,43947.3%41,20823.8%20,6820.8%17
Scott 34.9%12,07516.7%5,78748.1%16,6120.3%97
Sherburne 32.1%8,13916.4%4,16351.2%13,0040.3%73
Sibley 32.1%2,26117.9%1,26249.7%3,4970.3%24
Stearns 38.5%20,73121.7%11,69639.2%21,1160.6%320
Steele 38.5%5,39921.6%3,02239.7%5,5590.3%37
Stevens 40.7%2,05229.9%1,50728.9%1,4550.5%25
Swift 26.7%1,41035.1%1,85238.0%2,0060.2%11
Todd 39.3%4,29322.4%2,42637.9%4,1460.5%60
Traverse 34.3%73333.7%73331.5%6740.7%14
Wabasha 35.8%3,36323.6%2,22140.2%3,7760.4%41
Wadena 43.1%2,56325.9%1,53730.3%1,7821.1%63
Waseca 35.8%3,06422.3%1,90441.4%3,5430.5%42
Washington 35.8%32,56522.2%20,20541.7%37,9100.3%300
Watonwan 33.4%1,71127.9%1,42938.3%1,9650.4%19
Wilkin 43.2%1,18132.6%89223.4%6390.8%22
Winona 42.9%7,85633.7%6,17622.1%4,0391.3%235
Wright 32.1%11,95716.2%6,02751.4%19,1240.3%106
Yellow 29.8%1,62833.7%1,83836.0%1,9660.5%25
Totals34.29%717,35028.09%587,52836.99%773,7130.63%13,175

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References

  1. ↑ "A 'Bad Boy' Wrestler's Unscripted Upset". The New York Times. 5 November 1998.
  2. ↑ "COLEMAN: AFTER AN EASY PRIMARY SEASON, GOP NOMINEE HAS TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS".
  3. ↑ "Speculation Follows St. Paul Mayor's Switch to Republicans". The New York Times. 20 December 1996.
  4. 1 2 3 "Minnesota primary results - September 15, 1998".
  5. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-08-18. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
  6. ↑ "Washingtonpost.com: 'The Body' Slams Into Politics".
  7. ↑ http://www.startribune.com/local/11555066.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUMEaPc:E7_ec7PaP3iUeyc+D3aUUr
  8. ↑ "NEW POLL: HUMPHREY, COLEMAN IN DEAD HEAT".
  9. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  10. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-27. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
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