Wikipedia
1998 Michigan gubernatorial election
The 1998 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the state of Michigan. Incumbent Governor John Engler, a member of the Republican Party, was re-elected over Democratic Party nominee Geoffrey Fieger, a lawyer who had represented the assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian.[1] As of 2022[update], this was the last time Genesee County and Washtenaw County voted for the Republican gubernatorial candidate.
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County results Engler: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Fieger: 50–60% | ||||||||||||||||||||
Republican primary
Candidates
- Gary Artinian
- John Engler, incumbent governor
Engler, a two-term incumbent, faced token opposition in the Republican primary, winning re-nomination with 90 percent of the vote. Following Lt. Gov. Connie Binsfeld's decision to not seek a third term, State Senate Majority Leader Dick Posthumus received the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor.[2]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Engler (incumbent) | 477,628 | 89.6 | |
| Republican | Gary Artinian | 55,453 | 10.4 | |
| Total votes | 533,081 | 100.00 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Geoffrey Fieger, Attorney
- Larry Owen, former Mayor of East Lansing
- Doug Ross
Early in the race, Owen was considered the front runner.[4] But due to Fieger's notoriety and personal wealth, he surpassed his opponents. He ended spending almost $6 million of his own money in the race.[5] Fieger won a close race, taking 41 percent of the vote.[6] State Rep. Jim Agee, after securing the support from the Michigan Education Association was picked by Fieger to be his running mate, over Fieger's initial preferred choice state Rep. Candace Curtis.[7]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Geoffrey Fieger | 300,458 | 41.2 | |
| Democratic | Larry Owen | 272,360 | 37.3 | |
| Democratic | Doug Ross | 156,847 | 21.5 | |
| Total votes | 729,665 | 100.00 | ||
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Engler (incumbent) | 1,883,005 | 62.20 | |
| Democratic | Geoffrey Fieger | 1,143,574 | 37.78 | |
| Write-In | Terry Link | 399 | 0.01 | |
| Write-In | Carl Humphrey | 36 | 0.00 | |
| Write-In | Vicki Foreback | 32 | 0.00 | |
| Write-In | Marc Katz | 20 | 0.00 | |
| Write-In | Robert Marek | 17 | 0.00 | |
| Write-In | Michael Wagonlander | 12 | 0.00 | |
| Write-In | Johnni Matthew III | 9 | 0.00 | |
| Majority | 739,431 | 24.43% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Results by county
| County | Engler | Votes | Fieger | Votes | Others | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcona | 69.2% | 2,951 | 30.8% | 1,312 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Alger | 56.9% | 1,794 | 43.1% | 1,358 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Allegan | 77.8% | 24,121 | 22.2% | 6,896 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Alpena | 65.8% | 7,267 | 34.2% | 3,785 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Antrim | 68.5% | 5,748 | 31.5% | 2,641 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Arenac | 59.0% | 3,179 | 41.0% | 2,210 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Baraga | 53.6% | 1,338 | 46.4% | 1,157 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Barry | 71.4% | 13,148 | 28.6% | 5,259 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Bay | 60.8% | 23,343 | 39.2% | 15,017 | 0.0% | 12 |
| Benzie | 62.8% | 3,726 | 37.2% | 2,206 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Berrien | 73.5% | 30,380 | 26.5% | 10,971 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Branch | 70.3% | 7,623 | 29.7% | 3,216 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Calhoun | 67.2% | 25,955 | 32.8% | 12,661 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Cass | 72.7% | 9,177 | 27.3% | 3,438 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Charlevoix | 69.3% | 6,290 | 30.7% | 2,792 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Cheboygan | 67.7% | 6,036 | 32.3% | 2,875 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Chippewa | 61.3% | 6,613 | 38.7% | 4,180 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Clare | 61.3% | 5,649 | 38.7% | 3,561 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Clinton | 73.8% | 17,696 | 26.0% | 6,222 | 0.2% | 56 |
| Crawford | 62.5% | 3,051 | 37.5% | 1,831 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Delta | 59.3% | 7,410 | 40.7% | 5,080 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Dickinson | 63.0% | 6,183 | 37.0% | 3,638 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Eaton | 68.4% | 24,778 | 31.6% | 11,436 | 0.0% | 8 |
| Emmet | 73.8% | 7,765 | 26.2% | 2,758 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Genesee | 51.2% | 69,799 | 48.8% | 66,608 | 0.0% | 10 |
| Gladwin | 63.7% | 5,573 | 36.3% | 3,177 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Gogebic | 51.0% | 3,020 | 49.0% | 2,905 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Grand Traverse | 71.6% | 20,462 | 28.4% | 8,101 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Gratiot | 71.1% | 7,998 | 28.9% | 3,245 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Hillsdale | 73.1% | 9,027 | 26.9% | 3,325 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Houghton | 60.9% | 6,443 | 39.1% | 4,131 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Huron | 76.1% | 9,264 | 23.9% | 2,902 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Ingham | 60.1% | 53,905 | 39.7% | 35,584 | 0.2% | 151 |
| Ionia | 71.2% | 12,324 | 28.8% | 4,996 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Iosco | 66.5% | 6,457 | 33.5% | 3,252 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Iron | 54.3% | 2,715 | 45.7% | 2,282 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Isabella | 63.7% | 9,423 | 36.3% | 5,361 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Jackson | 67.3% | 31,330 | 32.7% | 15,229 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Kalamazoo | 67.6% | 46,443 | 32.4% | 22,275 | 0.0% | 6 |
| Kalkaska | 63.1% | 3,155 | 36.9% | 1,844 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Kent | 76.6% | 133,120 | 23.4% | 40,709 | 0.0% | 8 |
| Keweenaw | 56.3% | 566 | 43.7% | 440 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Lake | 53.5% | 1,832 | 46.5% | 1,593 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Lapeer | 65.6% | 17,382 | 34.4% | 9,106 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Leelanau | 70.9% | 6,577 | 29.1% | 2,705 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Lenawee | 63.3% | 18,137 | 36.7% | 10,494 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Livingston | 73.8% | 37,458 | 26.2% | 13,283 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Luce | 58.0% | 1,130 | 42.0% | 819 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Mackinac | 64.7% | 3,054 | 35.3% | 1,666 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Macomb | 67.5% | 166,920 | 32.5% | 80,438 | 0.0% | 18 |
| Manistee | 62.8% | 5,493 | 37.2% | 3,247 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Marquette | 51.6% | 11,157 | 48.4% | 10,460 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Mason | 66.1% | 6,391 | 33.9% | 3,277 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Mecosta | 67.2% | 7,065 | 32.8% | 3,446 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Menominee | 65.7% | 4,579 | 34.3% | 2,391 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Midland | 73.6% | 20,737 | 26.4% | 7,445 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Missaukee | 72.8% | 3,629 | 27.2% | 1,346 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Monroe | 65.0% | 26,690 | 35.0% | 14,401 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Montcalm | 68.6% | 11,069 | 31.4% | 5,058 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Montmorency | 65.0% | 2,499 | 35.0% | 1,346 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Muskegon | 60.5% | 29,660 | 39.5% | 19,331 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Newaygo | 69.0% | 9,776 | 31.0% | 4,392 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Oakland | 66.3% | 264,551 | 33.7% | 134,215 | 0.0% | 120 |
| Oceana | 67.5% | 5,231 | 32.5% | 2,520 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Ogemaw | 62.3% | 4,796 | 37.7% | 2,899 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Ontonagon | 51.8% | 1,553 | 48.2% | 1,442 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Osceola | 66.5% | 4,918 | 33.5% | 2,482 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Oscoda | 64.9% | 2,017 | 35.1% | 1,091 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Otsego | 71.6% | 5,525 | 28.4% | 2,195 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Ottawa | 85.4% | 67,054 | 14.6% | 11,451 | 0.0% | 9 |
| Presque Isle | 67.1% | 3,871 | 32.9% | 1,899 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Roscommon | 63.7% | 6,320 | 36.3% | 3,608 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Saginaw | 63.4% | 43,766 | 36.6% | 25,213 | 0.0% | 9 |
| St. Clair | 64.1% | 32,299 | 35.9% | 18,025 | 0.0% | 0 |
| St. Joseph | 74.9% | 11,026 | 25.1% | 3,703 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Sanilac | 71.1% | 9,941 | 28.8% | 4,023 | 0.1% | 8 |
| Schoolcraft | 55.5% | 1,594 | 44.5% | 1,277 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Shiawassee | 66.3% | 16,465 | 33.6% | 8,347 | 0.1% | 18 |
| Tuscola | 66.7% | 12,074 | 33.3% | 6,027 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Van Buren | 67.8% | 13,715 | 32.2% | 6,499 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Washtenaw | 57.0% | 53,227 | 43.0% | 40,078 | 0.0% | 32 |
| Wayne | 42.9% | 243,235 | 57.1% | 324,351 | 0.0% | 17 |
| Wexford | 67.1% | 6,347 | 32.8% | 3,108 | 0.1% | 10 |
References
- ^ Wald, Matthew L. (November 5, 1998). "The 1998 elections: state by state -- Midwest; Michigan". The New York Times. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ^ "DECISION '98: A LOOK AT KEY ELECTIONS". Crains Detroit. October 16, 1998. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "1998 Official Michigan Primary Election Results". Michigan Department of State Bureau of Elections. September 28, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ "Larry Owen". Our Campaigns. March 16, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ Kathleen Gray (May 12, 2017). "Geoffrey Fieger considering a return to politics with run for governor". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ Associated Press (August 6, 1998). "Kevorkian's Lawyer Wins Gubernatorial Primary in Michigan". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ By From Tribune News Services (August 29, 1998). "Teachers Pleased By Fieger Running Mate". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ . Michigan Department of State Bureau of Elections. February 9, 1999. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2011.