1998 Minnesota Attorney General election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1998 Minnesota Attorney General election

| country = Minnesota

| flag_image = File:Flag of Minnesota (1983-2024).svg

| flag_year = 1983

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1994 Minnesota Attorney General election

| previous_year = 1994

| next_election = 2002 Minnesota Attorney General election

| next_year = 2002

| election_date = {{Start date|1998|11|03}}

| image1 = File:MikeHatchMinnesota2006-08-21 crop.jpg

| nominee1 = Mike Hatch

| party1 = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

| popular_vote1 = 960,558

| percentage1 = 47.8%

| image2 = 3x4.svg

| nominee2 = Charlie Weaver Jr.

| party2 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 880,203

| percentage2 = 43.8%

| image3 = 3x4.svg

| nominee3 = Jim Mangan

| party3 = Reform Party (United States)

| popular_vote3 = 116,504

| percentage3 = 5.8%

| title = Attorney General

| before_election = Skip Humphrey

| before_party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

| after_election = Mike Hatch

| after_party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

| map_image = {{switcher |270px |County results |270px |Precinct results |default=1}}

| map_size = 300px

| map_caption = Hatch: {{legend0|#BDD3FF|30–40%}} {{legend0|#A5B0FF|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}} {{legend0|#0D0596|>90%}}
Weaver: {{legend0|#FFC8CD|30–40%}} {{legend0|#FFB2B2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#E27F7F|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}} {{legend0|#A80000|>90%}}
Mangan: {{legend0|#37c837|60–70%}} {{legend0|#2ca02c|70–80%}}
Tie: {{legend0|#d2b1d9|40–50%}} {{legend0|#ae8bb1|50%}} {{legend0|#808080|No votes}}

| image2_size = x150px

| image1_size = x150px

}}

The 1998 Minnesota Attorney General election was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1998 to elect the Minnesota Attorney General for a four-year term. Incumbent DFL Attorney General Skip Humphrey ran for governor, and DFLer Mike Hatch won the election to replace him.{{Cite web |title=Our Campaigns - MN Attorney General Race - Nov 03, 1998 |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=17516 |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}} The election marked the eighth attorney general race in a row won by the DFL since 1970.

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

The primary was held on September 15. Lawyer Mike Hatch won the DFL nomination.{{Cite book |last=Anderson Growe |first=Joan |url=https://officialdocuments.sos.state.mn.us/Files/GetDocument/13533 |title=Canvassing Board Report |collaboration=State Canvassing Board |publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State |year=1998 |pages=}} Hatch faced off against State Senator Ember Reichgott Junge and former United States Attorney David Lillehaug.

= Candidates =

== Nominated in primary ==

Mike Hatch, lawyer, former Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce, former DFL Party chairman

== Elimated in primary ==

Ember Reichgott Junge, state senator{{Cite web |title=Meet the Candidates: DFL Candidates for Attorney General - Mike Hatch, Ember Reichgott-Junge, David Lillehaug |url=https://archive.mpr.org/stories/1998/05/28/meet-the-candidates-dfl-candidates-for-attorney-general-mike-hatch-ember-reichgott-junge |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=archive.mpr.org}}
David Lillehaug, former United States attorney

= Results =

[[File:1998_Minnesota_attorney_general_Democratic–Farmer–Labor_primary_election_results_map_by_county.svg|thumb|250x250px|Results by county:{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#7996e2|Hatch}}|{{legend|#bdd3ff|30–40%}}|{{legend|#a5b0ff|40–50%}}|{{legend|#7996e2|50-60%}}|{{legend|#6674de|60-70%}}

}}{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#79e280|Lillehaug}}|{{legend|#bdffc1|30–40%}}

}}]]

{{Election box begin no change|title=1998 DFL Primary Election for Minnesota Attorney General{{cite web|url=https://officialdocuments.sos.state.mn.us/Files/GetDocument/13533|title=1998 Primary Election Results|website=Minnesota Secretary of State|accessdate= 26 September 2022}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|candidate=Mike Hatch|votes=212,278|percentage=46.18%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|candidate=David Lillehaug|votes=135,636|percentage=29.51%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|candidate=Ember Reichgott Junge|votes=111,715|percentage=24.31%

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 459,629

|percentage = 100%

}}}}

Independent-Republican primary

The primary was held on September 15. State Representative Charlie Weaver Jr. won the Republican nomination over perennial candidate Sharon Anderson.{{Cite web |title=Our Campaigns - MN Attorney General - R Primary Race - Sep 15, 1998 |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=735737 |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}

= Candidates =

== Nominated in primary ==

Charlie Weaver Jr., state representative, lawyer{{Cite web |title=Weaver, Jr., Charlie - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present |url=https://www.lrl.mn.gov/legdb/fulldetail?id=10697 |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=www.lrl.mn.gov}}

== Elimated in primary ==

Sharon Anderson, activist, perennial candidate{{Cite web |title=Sharon Anderson |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/politics/sharon-anderson/89-480755465 |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=kare11.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Featherly |first=Kevin |date=2018-08-09 |title=Quirky candidate Anderson's running for AG—again – Minnesota Lawyer |url=https://minnlawyer.com/2018/08/09/quirky-candidate-andersons-running-for-ag-again/ |access-date=2022-09-26 |language=en-US}}

= Results =

[[File:1998_Minnesota_attorney_general_Republican_primary_election_results_map_by_county.svg|thumb|250x250px|Results by county:{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#e27f7f|Weaver}}|{{legend|#e27f7f|50–60%}}|{{legend|#d75d5d|60–70%}}|{{legend|#d72f30|70–80%}}

}}{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#e0e27f|Anderson}}|{{legend|#e0e27f|50–60%}}

}}{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#e2b07f|Tie}}|{{legend|#e2b07f|50%}}

}}]]

{{Election box begin no change|title=1998 Republican Primary Election for Minnesota Attorney General{{cite web|url=https://officialdocuments.sos.state.mn.us/Files/GetDocument/13533|title=1998 Primary Election Results|website=Minnesota Secretary of State|accessdate= 26 September 2021}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party of Minnesota|candidate=Charlie Weaver Jr.|votes=83,285|percentage=62.08%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party of Minnesota|candidate=Sharon Anderson|votes=50,863|percentage=37.92%

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 134,148

|percentage = 100%

}}}}

Other candidates

= Reform Party =

== Nominee ==

Jim Mangan

== Results ==

{{Election box begin no change|title=1998 Reform Primary Election for Minnesota Attorney General{{cite web|url=https://officialdocuments.sos.state.mn.us/Files/GetDocument/13533|title=1998 Primary Election Results|website=Minnesota Secretary of State|accessdate= 26 September 2021}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Reform Party (United States)|candidate=Jim Mangan|votes=13,906|percentage=100.00%}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 13,906

|percentage = 100%

}}

= Libertarian Party =

== Nominee ==

Ruth A. Mason{{Cite web |title=Ruth Mason |url=https://mndaily.com/214151/uncategorized/ruth-mason/ |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=The Minnesota Daily}}

General election

= Polling =

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"

valign=bottom

! Poll source

! Date(s)
administered

! Sample
size{{efn|Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear|name="Key"}}

! Margin
of error

! style="width:100px;"| Mike
Hatch (D)

! style="width:100px;"| Charlie
Weaver Jr. (R)

! Undecided

style="text-align:left;"|Mason-Dixon Poll{{cite web |title=MPR Poll: 1998 Governor & Attorney General Races |url=http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199810/27_newsroom_poll/index.shtml |publisher=Minnesota Public Radio |access-date=24 December 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241224013940/http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199810/27_newsroom_poll/index.shtml |archive-date=24 December 2024 |date=29 October 1998 |url-status=live}}{{Efn-ua|name=MPRKPP|Poll commissioned by Minnesota Public Radio, KARE (TV) & the St. Paul Pioneer Press}}

|October 23–25, 1998

|816 (RV)

|± 3.5%

|{{party shading/Democratic}}|44%

|31%

|25%

style="text-align:left;"|Mason-Dixon Poll{{cite web |title=MPR Poll: 1998 Governor & Attorney General Races |url=http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199810/14_newsroom_poll/index.shtml |publisher=Minnesota Public Radio |access-date=24 December 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241224021545/http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199810/14_newsroom_poll/index.shtml |archive-date=24 December 2024 |date=14 October 1998}}{{Efn-ua|name=MPRKPP}}

|October 10–13, 1998

|825 (RV)

|± 3.5%

|{{party shading/Democratic}}|35%

|28%

|{{party shading/Undecided}}|37%

= Results =

{{Election box begin|title=1998 Minnesota Attorney General election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|candidate=Mike Hatch|votes=960,558|percentage=47.83%|change=-16.84%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party of Minnesota|candidate=Charlie Weaver Jr.|votes=880,203|percentage=43.83%|change=+15.49%}}{{Election box candidate|party=Reform|candidate=Jim Mangan|votes=116,504|percentage=5.80%|change=N/A|color={{party color|Reform Party (United States)}}}}{{Election box candidate|party=Libertarian|candidate=Ruth A. Mason|votes=49,162|percentage=2.45%|change=N/A|color={{party color|Libertarian Party (United States)}}}}{{Election box candidate|party=N/A|candidate=Write Ins|votes=1,757|percentage=0.09%|change=-2.85%}}

Notes

;Partisan clients

References

Attorney General

Category:Minnesota Attorney General elections

Minnesota