1994 United States gubernatorial elections

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 8, 1994, in 36 states and two territories. Many seats held by Democratic governors switched to the Republicans during the time known as the Republican Revolution. Indeed, this would be the first election since 1969 that Republicans won the majority of governorships.

1994 United States gubernatorial elections
November 8, 1994
38 governorships
36 states; 2 territories
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Seats before 20[lower-alpha 1] 29
Seats after 30 19
Seat change Increase 10 Decrease 10
Seats up 14 21
Seats won 24 11
  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Independent A Connecticut Party (1990)
Seats before 0 1
Seats after 1 0
Seat change Increase 1 Decrease 1
Seats up 0 1
Seats won 1 0
Results of the elections:
     Democratic gain      Republican gain
     Democratic hold      Republican hold
     Independent gain      No election

Before the elections, 21 seats were held by Democrats, 14 held by Republicans, and one by an independent. After the elections, 11 seats would be held by Democrats, 24 by Republicans, and one by an independent.

The elections coincided with the midterm elections for the Senate and for the House of Representatives. As of to date, it was the last time that Democrats have won gubernatorial elections in Florida and Nebraska.

Election results

States
State Incumbent Party First
elected		 Result Candidates
Alabama Jim Folsom Jr. Democratic 1993[lower-alpha 2] Incumbent lost election to full term.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Alaska Wally Hickel Republican 1966[lower-alpha 3]
1969 (resigned)
1990		 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
Arizona Fife Symington Republican 1990 Incumbent re-elected.
Arkansas Jim Guy Tucker Democratic 1992[lower-alpha 4] Incumbent elected to full term.
California Pete Wilson Republican 1990 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Pete Wilson (Republican) 55.2%
  • Kathleen Brown (Democratic) 40.6%
  • Richard Rider (Libertarian) 1.7%
  • Jerome McCready (American Independent) 1.5%
Colorado Roy Romer Democratic 1986 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Roy Romer (Democratic) 55.5%
  • Bruce D. Benson (Republican) 38.7%
  • Kevin Swanson (Constitution) 3.6%
  • Philip Hufford (Green) 1.5%
Connecticut Lowell Weicker A Connecticut Party 1990 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Florida Lawton Chiles Democratic 1990 Incumbent re-elected.
Georgia Zell Miller Democratic 1990 Incumbent re-elected.
Hawaii John D. Waihe'e III Democratic 1986 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Idaho Cecil D. Andrus Democratic 1970
1977 (resigned)
1986		 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Illinois Jim Edgar Republican 1990 Incumbent re-elected.
Iowa Terry Branstad Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected.
Kansas Joan Finney Democratic 1990 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Maine John R. McKernan Jr. Republican 1986 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Independent gain.
Maryland William D. Schaefer Democratic 1986 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
Massachusetts Bill Weld Republican 1990 Incumbent re-elected.
Michigan John Engler Republican 1990 Incumbent re-elected.
Minnesota Arne Carlson Republican 1990 Incumbent re-elected.
Nebraska Ben Nelson Democratic 1990 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Ben Nelson (Democratic) 73.0%
  • Gene Spence (Republican) 25.6%
Nevada Bob Miller Democratic 1989[lower-alpha 5] Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Bob Miller (Democratic) 52.7%
  • Jim Gibbons (Republican) 41.3%
  • Daniel Hansen (Independent American) 2.6%
  • Denis Sholty (Libertarian) 1.0%
New Hampshire Steve Merrill Republican 1992 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Steve Merrill (Republican) 69.9%
  • Wayne King (Democratic) 25.6%
  • Steven Winter (Libertarian) 4.4%
New Mexico Bruce King Democratic 1970
1974 (term-limited)
1978
1982 (term-limited)
1990		 Incumbent lost re-election.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
New York Mario Cuomo Democratic 1982 Incumbent lost re-election.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Ohio George Voinovich Republican 1990 Incumbent re-elected.
Oklahoma David Walters Democratic 1990 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Oregon Barbara Roberts Democratic 1990 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.
Democratic hold.
  • Green tickY John Kitzhaber (Democratic) 51.0%
  • Denny Smith (Republican) 42.4%
  • Ed Hickam (American) 4.8%
  • Danford Ploeg (Libertarian) 1.6%
Pennsylvania Bob Casey Sr. Democratic 1986 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Rhode Island Bruce Sundlun Democratic 1990 Incumbent lost renomination.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
South Carolina Carroll A. Campbell Jr. Republican 1986 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican hold.
South Dakota Walter Dale Miller Republican 1993[lower-alpha 6] Incumbent lost nomination to full term.
New governor elected.
Republican hold.
  • Green tickY Bill Janklow (Republican) 55.4%
  • Jim Beddow (Democratic) 40.5%
  • Nathan A. Barton (Libertarian) 4.1%
Tennessee Ned McWherter Democratic 1986 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Texas Ann Richards Democratic 1990 Incumbent lost re-election.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
Vermont Howard Dean Democratic 1991[lower-alpha 7] Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Howard Dean (Democratic) 68.7%
  • David F. Kelley (Republican) 19.0%
  • Thomas J. Morse (Independent) 7.1%
  • Dennis Lane (Grassroots) 1.0%
Wisconsin Tommy Thompson Republican 1986 Incumbent re-elected.
Wyoming Mike Sullivan Democratic 1986 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.

Territories and federal district
Territory Incumbent Party First
elected		 Result Candidates
District of Columbia Sharon Pratt Democratic 1990 Incumbent lost renomination.
New mayor elected.
Democratic hold.
Guam Joseph Franklin Ada Republican 1986 Incumbent retired.
New governor elected.[2]
Democratic gain.
U.S. Virgin Islands Alexander Farrelly Democratic 1986 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.[3]
Independent gain.
  • Green tickY Roy Schneider (Independent) 54.7%
  • Derek Hodge (Democratic) 42.6%

Closest races

States where the margin of victory was under 1%:

  1. Alaska, 0.2%
  2. Maryland, 0.4%
  3. Alabama, 0.9%

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:

  1. Florida, 1.5%
  2. Maine, 1.5%
  3. Georgia, 2.1%
  4. South Carolina, 2.5%
  5. New York, 3.3%
  6. Connecticut, 3.5%
  7. Rhode Island, 3.8%

States where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. Pennsylvania, 5.5%
  2. Hawaii, 5.9%
  3. Texas, 7.6%
  4. Arizona, 8.2%
  5. Idaho, 8.4%
  6. Oregon, 8.5%
  7. Tennessee, 9.6%
  8. Guam, 9.7%
  9. New Mexico, 9.9%

See also

Notes
  1. Alaskan Governor Wally Hickel was elected on the Alaskan Independence Party line in 1990 but switched to the Republican Party in April 1994.[1]
  2. Folsom took office after his predecessor (H. Guy Hunt) was removed from office.
  3. Hickel was elected as a Republican in his first term in 1966. He was elected under the Alaskan Independence Party for his second term in 1990, before switching back to the Republican Party towards the end of his second term in April 1994.
  4. Tucker took office after his predecessor (Bill Clinton) resigned.
  5. Miller took office after his predecessor (Richard Bryan) resigned. He was subsequently elected in the 1990 Nevada gubernatorial election.
  6. Miller took office after his predecessor (George S. Mickelson) died.
  7. Dean took office after his predecessor (Richard Snelling) died. He was subsequently elected in the 1992 Vermont gubernatorial election.

References
  1. "Alaska's Gov. Hickel Rejoins Gop Amid Speculation Over Another Term". The Seattle Times. Seattle. Associated Press. April 15, 1994. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
  2. "Guam Governor Race - Nov 08, 1994". Our Campaigns. July 3, 2015.
  3. "USVI Governor Race - Nov 08, 1994". Our Campaigns. January 19, 2006.
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