| Elections in Iowa |
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The 1998 Iowa gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Republican Governor Terry Branstad did not seek re-election to a fifth consecutive term; he later successfully ran again in 2010 and 2014.
To replace him, State Senator Tom Vilsack narrowly won the nomination of the Democratic Party while former United States Congressman Jim Ross Lightfoot, who was previously the Republican nominee for the United States Senate in 1996, won his party's nomination. Lightfoot was the odds-on favorite to succeed Branstad and polling consistently showed him in the lead.[1] However, Vilsack comfortably won the general election in a stunning upset, becoming the first Democrat to serve as governor of Iowa in 30 years and only the fifth Democrat to hold the office in the 20th century. Lightfoot never conceded defeat.[2]
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Tom Vilsack, Iowa State Senator
- Mark McCormick, former Iowa Supreme Court Justice (1972-1986)
Results
- Vilsack—91-100%
- Vilsack—81-90%
- Vilsack—71-80%
- Vilsack—61-70%
- Vilsack—51-60%
- McCormick—81-90%
- McCormick—71-80%
- McCormick—61-70%
- McCormick—51-60%
- McCormick—41-50%
- Tie between Vilsack and McCormick-49%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Vilsack | 59,130 | 51.20 | |
| Democratic | Mark McCormick | 55,950 | 48.45 | |
| Democratic | Write-ins | 410 | 0.36 | |
| Total votes | 115,490 | 100.00 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- Jim Ross Lightfoot, former United States Representative and nominee for the United States Senate in 1996
- David A. Oman, telecommunications executive, chief of staff to Governor Terry Branstad
- Paul Pate, Iowa Secretary of State
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Ross Lightfoot | 113,499 | 69.89 | |
| Republican | David A. Oman | 35,402 | 21.80 | |
| Republican | Paul Pate | 13,299 | 8.19 | |
| Republican | Write-ins | 193 | 0.12 | |
| Total votes | 162,393 | 100.00 | ||
Reform Party primary
Candidates
- Jim Hennager
- Edward Moses
- Jeffrey L. Hughes, Sr.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reform | Jim Hennager | 131 | 35.60 | |
| Reform | Edward Moses | 99 | 26.90 | |
| Reform | Jeffrey L. Hughes, Sr. | 99 | 26.90 | |
| Reform | Write-ins | 39 | 10.60 | |
| Total votes | 368 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Vilsack | 500,231 | 52.30% | +10.74% | |
| Republican | Jim Ross Lightfoot | 444,787 | 46.51% | -10.29% | |
| Reform | Jim Hennager | 5,606 | 0.59% | ||
| Natural Law | Jim Schaefer | 3,144 | 0.33% | -0.05% | |
| Independent | Mark Kennis | 2,006 | 0.21% | ||
| Write-in | 641 | 0.07% | |||
| Majority | 55,444 | 5.80% | -9.44% | ||
| Turnout | 956,415 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | ||||
See also
References
- ^ "Despite tight race for Iowa governor, Lightfoot ahead among most likely voters". Archived from the original on September 1, 2006. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
- ^ Henderson, O. Kay. "Meet the Press, November 29, 2020". NBC News. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Iowa Primary Election - June 2, 1998" (PDF). Iowa Publications.
- ^ "Iowa General Election - November 3, 1998" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State.