1998 Colorado gubernatorial election

The 1998 Colorado gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998 to select the governor of the state of Colorado. Under newly applicable term limits, incumbent Governor Roy Romer, a Democrat, was unable to seek re-election. Lieutenant Governor Gail Schoettler, ran to succeed Romer, and won the Democratic primary; her running mate, Bernie Buescher, won the lieutenant-gubernatorial primary unopposed. In the Republican primary, Bill Owens, the State Treasurer, and his eventual running mate, Joe Rogers, won their respective primaries by wide margins.

1998 Colorado gubernatorial election

← 1994 November 3, 1998 2002 →
 
Nominee Bill Owens Gail Schoettler
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Joe Rogers Bernie Buescher
Popular vote 648,202 639,905
Percentage 49.04% 48.42%

County results
Owens:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Schoettler:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election

Roy Romer
Democratic

Elected Governor

Bill Owens
Republican

In the general election, Owens narrowly defeated Schoettler, aided by a strong performance by Republican U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell in his re-election campaign. Owens's narrow election meant that he was the first Republican Governor in 24 years, and Rogers's election made him the second Black Lieutenant Governor in the state's history, after George L. Brown, who was elected in 1974. This was also the last election in which Colorado held separate primary elections for governor and lieutenant governor; following a statutory change in 2000, gubernatorial candidates selected their running mates prior to the primary.[1]

Democratic primary

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Governor

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gail Schoettler 80,038 55.51
Democratic Mike Feeley 64,034 44.41
Democratic Write-ins 125 0.09
Total votes 144,191 100.00

Lieutenant governor

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Candidates

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  • Bernie Buescher, former Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing

Results

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Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bernie Buescher 111,786 99.68
Democratic Write-ins 355 0.32
Total votes 112,141 100.00

Republican primary

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Governor

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Owens 126,816 59.20
Republican Tom Norton 87,214 40.71
Republican Write-ins 186 0.09
Total votes 214,216 100.00

Lieutenant governor

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Rogers 109,781 57.72
Republican Jim Congrove 80,246 42.19
Republican Write-ins 173 0.09
Total votes 190,200 100.00

General election

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1998 Colorado gubernatorial election[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Bill Owens 645,806 49.04% +10.36%
Democratic Gail Schoettler 637,655 48.42% −7.05%
Libertarian Sandra D. Johnson 22,150 1.68%
Constitution Tim Leonard 10,966 0.83% −2.79%
Majority 8,151 0.62% −16.15%
Turnout 1,316,939
Republican gain from Democratic Swing

References

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  1. ^ Yeargain, T. Quinn (2021). "One Vote, Two Winners: Team-Ticket Gubernatorial Elections and the Need for Further Reform". University of Miami Law Review. 75 (3): 779. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e Davidson, Donetta (1999). State of Colorado Abstract of Votes Cast 1997-1998-1999 (PDF). Denver, Colorado: Colorado Secretary of State.
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