California gubernatorial election, 1998

Infobox Election
election_name = California gubernatorial election, 1998
country = California
type = presidential
ongoing = no
previous_election = California gubernatorial election, 1994
previous_year = 1994
next_election = California gubernatorial election, 2002
next_year = 2002
election_date = November 3 1998


nominee1 = Gray Davis
party1 = California Democratic Party
popular_vote1 = 4,860,702
percentage1 = 57.97


nominee2 = Dan Lungren
party2 = California Republican Party
popular_vote2 = 3,218,030
percentage2 = 38.38
map_

---

map_size = 350px
map_caption = Election results by county
title = Governor
before_election = Pete Wilson
before_party = California Republican Party
after_election = Gray Davis
after_party = California Democratic Party

The 1998 California gubernatorial election was an election that occurred on November 3, 1998, resulting in the election of Gray Davis, the state's first Democratic governor in 16 years. Davis won the general election with almost 20% more than his nearest competitor, Republican Dan Lungren. Davis succeeded Pete Wilson who was termed out of office.

The 1998 California gubernatorial election featured the state's only gubernatorial blanket primary which was later struck down in United States Supreme Court in "California Democratic Party v. Jones" in 2000. The primary occurred on June 2, 1998. Davis defeated fellow Democrats Jane Harman and Al Checchi for the Democratic nomination. Davis received more votes than Dan Lungren who ran against less-known opponents in the Republican primary. The primary set a record for spending in a California gubernatorial primary.

Open primary

The Democratic field for the race became open when the states most well known and popular politician Dianne Feinstein decided in January 1998 not to run for Governor despite a request from President Bill Clinton. She decided not run in the race because of the difficulty of campaigning and the "deteriorated" nature of California statewide campaigns and her desire to continue her work in the Senate. [ [http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/01/20/nfeinstein/ No California Gubernatorial Bid For Sen. Feinstein] ] Former White House Chief of Staff Leon Pannetta also decided not to run. [http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/03/26/calif.gov/ California Governor's Race Gets Tougher] ]

Al Checchi, a Democratic airline executive and political newcomer, was among the first to declare for the race. Gray Davis also declared around the same time. Congresswoman Jane Harman joined the contest in early April 1998. In early polling the three candidates were within 12 points of each other, with Davis in last. [ [http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/06/spotlight/rothenberg/ Millionaires Battle In California Governor's Primary] ] Harman spent $14.4 million in her race for Governor. Checchi spent just under $39 million on his campaign. [http://www.sos.ca.gov/prd/finance98_general_final/98gencandmainpage.htm Spending in the 1998 Governor's race] ] The airline executive's campaign included numerous ads, one the included school children trying to pronounce his name and another with his wife speaking Spanish. Checchi did not identify himself as a Democrat in most of his early campaignads. [ [http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/14/ip.interview/ The "Inside Politics" Interview: The California Governor's Race] ] Harman briefly overtook Checchi in state polls but declined after Checchi launched a series of negative campaign ads against her. Many of Feinstein's top campaign advisors worked for Harman during the Gubernatorial primary. Herman's campaign included a biographical ad of her at the 1960 Democratic convention.

Davis ran on the campaign slogan "experience money can't buy" and he promised to make education his number one priority, which matched voters' concerns in exit polls. Davis was third in polling until the final week of the campaign. All three major Democratic candidates made education one of their top priorities in the campaigns. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/keyraces98/stories/ca060398.htm Lt. Governor Wins Primary in California] ] Davis had trouble raising money during the early months of the campaign. He did not run campaign ads early in the race as did Harman and Checchi. Davis spent 9 million in total campaign funds in the primary.Davis later criticized Checchi for giving money to Republicans Steve Forbes and Bob Dole in 1996.

Lungren spent $7.7 million in the primary. Davis would finish first in the primary followed by Lungren, Checchi, and Harman.

Primary results

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = California Democratic Party
candidate = Gray Davis
votes = 2,083,396
percentage = 34.74Election box candidate with party link no change
party = California Democratic Party
candidate = Al Checchi
votes = 748,828
percentage = 12.49Election box candidate with party link no change
party = California Democratic Party
candidate = Jane Harman
votes = 741,251
percentage = 12.36Election box candidate with party link no change
party = California Democratic Party
candidate = Charles "Chuck" Pineda Jr.
votes = 23,367
percentage = 0.39Election box candidate with party link no change
party = California Democratic Party
candidate = Pia Jensen
votes = 12,403
percentage = 0.21Election box candidate with party link no change
party = California Democratic Party
candidate = Michael Palitz
votes = 12,050
percentage = 0.20Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = California Republican Party
candidate = Dan Lungren
votes = 2,023,618
percentage = 33.75Election box candidate with party link no change
party = California Republican Party
candidate = Dennis Peron
votes = 72,613
percentage = 1.21Election box candidate with party link no change
party = California Republican Party
candidate = James D. Crawford
votes = 28,881
percentage = 0.48Election box candidate with party link no change
party = California Republican Party
candidate = Eduardo M. Rivera
votes = 22,222
percentage = 0.37Election box candidate with party link no change
party = California Republican Party
candidate = [http://www.ccis.com/home/jrwms007 Jeff Williams]
votes = 19,799
percentage = 0.33Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Green Party of California
candidate = Dan Hamburg
votes = 92,298
percentage = 1.54Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party of California
candidate = Steve W. Kubby
votes = 47,025
percentage = 0.78Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Peace and Freedom Party (United States)
candidate = Gloria Estela LaRiva
votes = 21,505
percentage = 0.36Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Peace and Freedom Party (United States)
candidate = Marsha Feinland
votes = 15,572
percentage = 0.26Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = American Independent Party
candidate = Nathan E. Johnson
votes = 19,540
percentage = 0.33Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Natural Law Party (United States)
candidate = Harold H. Bloomfield
votes = 12,422
percentage = 0.21Election box invalid no change
votes = 209,828
percentage = 3.38Election box total no change
votes = 6,206,618
percentage = 100.00Election box turnout no change
percentage =

General election

Gray Davis won the general election by almost 20% over Dan Lungren. Davis outspent Lungren 28.6 million to 23.8 million. Davis tried to portray Lungren as too conservative. In one debate, Davis attacked Lungren for voting no on a Safe Drinking Water Bill in the 1980's while Lungren tried to cast himself as the political heir of former California Governor Ronald Reagan. The policy differences between Davis and Lungren were substantial. Davis was pro-choice in a staunchly pro-choice state, and Lungren was pro-life. Lungren favored giving children abstinence only education. Both candidates were Roman Catholic. Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Bob Kerrey made campaign stops in California on Davis's behalf. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1998/10/16/MN24365.DTL Lungren, Davis Feisty In Debate Democrat scoffs as GOP hopeful invokes Reagan] ] [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1998/07/28/MN104676.DTL Lungren, Davis -- Deep Divide Over Abortion Candidates' religion is not common ground] ] Davis succeeded in casting Lungren as too far right for California. Even normally conservative San Diego County went for Davis. Upon his victory, Davis promised he would focus his attention on education and would convene a special session of the legislature. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/keyraces98/stories/ca110598.htm Democrats' Sweep in California Could Have Lasting Impact] ] The race determined who would control reapportionment of congressional districts after the 2000 census.

General Election Results

Final results from the Secretary of State ^{[http://vote98.sos.ca.gov/Final/sov/summary.pdf]} .Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = California Democratic Party
candidate = Gray Davis
votes = 4,860,702
percentage = 57.97Election box candidate with party link no change
party = California Republican Party
candidate = Dan Lungren
votes = 3,218,030
percentage = 38.38Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Green Party of California
candidate = Dan Hamburg
votes = 104,179
percentage = 1.24Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party of California
candidate = Steve Kubby
votes = 73,845
percentage = 0.88Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Peace and Freedom Party (United States)
candidate = Gloria Estela LaRiva
votes = 59,218
percentage = 0.71Election box candidate with party link no change
party = American Independent Party
candidate = Nathan E. Johnson
votes = 37,964
percentage = 0.45Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Natural Law Party (United States)
candidate = Harold H. Bloomfield
votes = 31,237
percentage = 0.37Election box candidate no party in partisan race no change
candidate = Write-ins
votes = 21
percentage = 0.00Election box invalid no change
votes = 235,925
percentage = 7.24Election box total no change
votes = 8,621,142
percentage = 100.00Election box turnout no change
percentage = 41.43Election box gain with party link without swing
winner = California Democratic Party
loser = California Republican Party

Results by county

References

External links

* [http://vote98.ss.ca.gov/Final/Statement_of_Vote.htm Official Results from California Secretary of State]
* [http://vote98.ss.ca.gov/Final/sov/SOV1-3.pdf Official results by county]
* [http://vote98.ss.ca.gov/VoterGuide/Statements/gov.htm Candidate Statements]
* [http://primary98.ss.ca.gov/VoterGuide/Statements/gov.htm Candidate Statements - primaries]
* [http://www.calvoter.org/voter/elections/archive/98primary/caljournal/governor.html California Journal Article]