1998 Georgia gubernatorial election
{{Short description|none}}
{{for|related races|1998 United States gubernatorial elections}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1998 Georgia gubernatorial election
| country = Georgia (U.S. state)
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1994 Georgia gubernatorial election
| previous_year = 1994
| next_election = 2002 Georgia gubernatorial election
| next_year = 2002
| election_date = November 3, 1998
| flag_year = 1956
| image1 = File:Roy Barnes concession speech (cropped).jpg
| image_size = 150x150px
| nominee1 = Roy Barnes
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 941,076
| percentage1 = 52.49%
| image2 = 3x4.svg
| nominee2 = Guy Millner
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 790,201
| percentage2 = 44.08%
| map_image = 1998 Georgia gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
| map_size = 250px
| map_caption = County results
Barnes: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40-50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}}
Millner: {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}}
| title = Governor
| before_election = Zell Miller
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = Roy Barnes
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsGA}}
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.
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 {{CURRENTYEAR}}, this is the most recent time a Democrat was elected Governor of Georgia.
Democratic primary
=Candidates=
- Roy Barnes, State Representative from Marietta
- Lewis A. Massey, Georgia Secretary of State
- David Poythress, Georgia Commissioner of Labor
- Steve Langford, Georgia state senator from LaGrange
- Morris James
- Carlton Myers, Pine Mountain veterinarian and candidate for Senate in 1974
=Results=
[[File:1998 Georgia gubernatorial election Democratic Primary.svg|thumb|center|Primary results by county:
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#6674de|Barnes}}
|{{legend|#bdd3ff|Barnes—30–40%}}
|{{legend|#a5b0ff|Barnes—40–50%}}
|{{legend|#7996e2|Barnes—50–60%}}
|{{legend|#6674de|Barnes—>60%}}
}}
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#37c837|Massey}}
|{{legend|#aae5aa|Massey—30–40%}}
|{{legend|#87de87|Massey—40–50%}}
|{{legend|#5fd35f|Massey—50–60%}}
|{{legend|#37c837|Massey—>60%}}
}}
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#D75D5D|Lanford}}
|{{legend|#ffc8cd|Langford—>30%}}
}}
]]
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary results{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=40413|title=Our Campaigns - GA Governor - D Primary Race - Jul 21, 1998|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Roy Barnes
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 239,517
| percentage = 49.20
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Lewis A. Massey
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 135,920
| percentage = 27.92
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = David Poythress
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 65,860
| percentage = 13.53
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Steve Langford
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 31,543
| percentage = 6.48
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Morris James
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 9,148
| percentage = 1.88
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Carlton Myers
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 4,853
| percentage = 1.00
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 486,841
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Runoff results=
[[File:1998 Georgia gubernatorial election Democratic runoff.svg|thumb|center|Runoff results by county:
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#6674de|Barnes}}
|{{legend|#6674de|Barnes—60%–70%}}
|{{legend|#584cde|Barnes—70%–80%}}
|{{legend|#3933e5|Barnes—80%–90%}}
|{{legend|#0d0596|Barnes—>90%}}
}}
]]
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary runoff results{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=40423|title=Our Campaigns - GA Governor - D Runoff Race - Aug 11, 1998|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Roy Barnes
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 221,651
| percentage = 82.90
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Lewis A. Massey
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 45,735
| percentage = 17.10
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 267,386
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
Republican primary
=Candidates=
- Guy Millner, 1996 Republican nominee for the United States Senate, 1994 Republican nominee for Governor of Georgia, businessman
- Mike Bowers, Attorney General of Georgia
- Nancy Schaefer, 1994 Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
- Bruce Hatfield
=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.[http://ourgeorgiahistory.com/chronpop/978 Our Georgia History]
=Results=
[[File:1998 Georgia gubernatorial election Republican primary.svg|thumb|Primary results by county:
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#d75d5d|Millner}}
|{{legend|#ffb2b2|Millner—40–50%}}
|{{legend|#e27f7f|Millner—50–60%}}
|{{legend|#d75d5d|Millner—60–70%}}
|{{legend|#d72f30|Millner—>70%}}
}}
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#ee8e50|Bowers}}
|{{legend|#ffb580|Bowers—40–50%}}
|{{legend|#ff9a50|Bowers—>50%}}
}}
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#ae8bb1|Tie}}
|{{legend|#ae8bb1|Tie between Bowers and Millner–40–50%}}
|{{legend|#d2b1d9|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.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402EEDC1438F93AA15754C0A96E958260 "National News Briefs; Republican Concedes in Georgia Primary"], The New York Times, July 29, 1998.
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=40414|title=Our Campaigns - GA Governor - R Primary Race - Jul 21, 1998|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Guy Millner
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 210,845
| percentage = 50.38
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Mike Bowers
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 167,074
| percentage = 39.92
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Nancy Schaefer
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 32,315
| percentage = 7.72
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Bruce Hatfield
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 8,308
| percentage = 1.98
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 418,542
| percentage= 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
=Results=
{{Election box begin | title=1998 Georgia gubernatorial election{{Cite web|url=http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/results/1998_1103/0000200.htm|title=11/3/98 - Governor|date=January 12, 2004|access-date=January 7, 2023|archive-date=December 14, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061214020557/https://web.archive.org/web/20040112064053/http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/results/1998_1103/0000200.htm|url-status=bot: unknown}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Roy Barnes
|votes = 941,076
|percentage = 52.49%
|change = +1.44%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Guy Millner
|votes = 790,201
|percentage = 44.08%
|change = -4.87%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Libertarian Party (United States)
|candidate = Jack Cashin
|votes = 61,531
|percentage = 3.43%
|change =
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 150,875
|percentage = 8.42%
|change = +6.31%
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 1,792,808
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)
|loser = Republican Party (United States)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Portal|Georgia (U.S. State)}}
{{reflist}}
{{United States general elections, 1998}}
]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Georgia Gubernatorial Election, 1998}}
Category:1998 United States gubernatorial elections
Category:November 1998 in the United States