1998 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

1998 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
November 3, 1998
 
Nominee Tommy Thompson Ed Garvey
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Scott McCallum Barbara Lawton
Popular vote 1,047,716 679,553
Percentage 59.66% 38.70%
Thompson:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Garvey:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Tie:      
Governor before election

Tommy Thompson
Republican

 Elected Governor

Tommy Thompson
Republican

The 1998 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Governor Tommy Thompson won re-election for his fourth term with 59.66% of the vote. As of 2022, this is most recent gubernatorial election in which Milwaukee, Rock, Portage, and Iowa counties voted for the Republican candidate; the most recent where the winner garnered a double-digit margin of victory; and, as of 2025, the last time a governor in the United States was reelected to a fourth consecutive four-year term.

Primary election

The primary election was held on September 8, 1998. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were selected in separate primaries before running on a joint ticket in the general election.

Republican party

Governor

Candidates
Results
Republican gubernatorial primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tommy G. Thompson (incumbent) 229,916 83.55%
Republican Jeffrey A. Hyslop 45,262 16.45%
Total votes 275,168 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
Results
Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Scott McCallum (incumbent) 217,059 100.00%
Total votes 217,059 100.00%

Democratic party

Governor

Candidates
Results
Democratic gubernatorial primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ed Garvey 175,082 79.98%
Democratic Gary R. George 43,830 20.02%
Total votes 218,912 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
Results
Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Barbara Lawton 178,022 100.00%
Total votes 178,022 100.00%

Libertarian party

Governor

Candidates
  • Jim Mueller
Results
Libertarian gubernatorial primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Libertarian Jim Mueller 854 100.00%
Total votes 854 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
  • James Dean
Results
Libertarian lieutenant gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Libertarian James Dean 830 100.00%
Total votes 830 100.00%

US Taxpayers' party

Governor

Candidates
  • Edward J. Frami
Results
US Taxpayers' gubernatorial primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
U.S. Taxpayers' Edward J. Frami 1,252 100.00%
Total votes 1,252 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
  • Thomas R. Rivers
Results
US Taxpayers' lieutenant gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
U.S. Taxpayers' Thomas R. Rivers 1,232 100.00%
Total votes 1,232 100.00%

Green party

Governor

Candidates
  • Jeffrey Lane Smith
Results
Green gubernatorial primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Green Jeffrey Lane Smith (write-in) 15 100.00%
Total votes 15 100.00%

Independent nominations

Governor

Candidates
  • Mike Mangan
  • A-Ja-mu Muhammad
Results
Independent gubernatorial primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Mike Mangan 374 69.13%
Independent A-Ja-mu Muhammad 167 30.87%
Total votes 541 100.00%

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates
  • Vida Harley Bridges
Results
Independent lieutenant gubernatorial primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Vida Harley Bridges 369 100.00%
Total votes 369 100.00%

General election

Candidates

  • Ed Garvey & Barbara Lawton, Democrat
  • Tommy G. Thompson & Scott McCallum, Republican
  • Jim Mueller & James Dean, Libertarian
  • Edward J. Frami & Thomas R. Rivers, US Taxpayers'
  • Jeffrey Lane Smith, Green
  • Mike Mangan, Independent
  • A-Ja-mu Muhammad & Vida Harley Bridges, Independent

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[a]		 Margin
of error		 Tommy
Thompson (R)		 Ed
Garvey (D)		 Undecided
Market Shares Corporation[3][A] October 21–24, 1998 600 (LV) ± 4.0% 67% 26% 7%
St. Norbert College Survey Center[3][B] October 8–20, 1998 415 (LV) ± 4.8% 63% 28% 9%
Journal Sentinel Research
and Public Policy Forum[3]		 October 2–9, 1998 314 (LV) ± 5.5% 60% 30% 10%
WISC-TV/Wisconsin State Journal[3] August 7–26, 1998 271 (LV) ± 5.9% 60% 18% 22%
Louis Harris & Associates[3] July 7–18, 1998 1,000 (A) ± 3.0% 58% 27% 15%
WISC-TV/Wisconsin State Journal[3] May, 1998 403 (A) ± 5.0% 55% 19% 26%
St. Norbert College Survey Center[3][C] February 17 – March 24, 1998 400 (LV) ± 5.0% 60% 26% 14%
Journal Sentinel Research
and Public Policy Forum[3]		 February, 1998 497 (LV) ± 4.5% 60% 23% 17%
St. Norbert College Survey Center[3][C] Fall, 1997 417 (LV) ± 5.0% 64% 26% 10%

Results

1998 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Tommy G. Thompson (incumbent) 1,047,716 59.66% −7.56%
Democratic Ed Garvey 679,553 38.70% +7.82%
Libertarian Jim Mueller 11,071 0.63% −0.11%
U.S. Taxpayers' Edward J. Frami 10,269 0.58% −0.01%
Independent Mike Mangan 4,985 0.28% −0.24%
Independent A-Ja-mu Muhammad 1,604 0.09%
Green Jeffrey L. Smith (write-in) 14 0.00%
Scattering 802 0.05%
Majority 368,163 20.97%
Total votes 1,756,014 100.00%
Republican hold Swing -15.39%

Results by county

County[4][5] Tommy G. Thompson
Republican		 Ed Garvey
Democratic		 All Others
Various		 Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # %
Adams 3,907 60.55% 2,450 37.97% 95 1.47% 1,457 22.58% 6,452
Ashland 2,611 48.90% 2,692 50.41% 37 0.69% -81 -1.52% 5,340
Barron 7,449 56.03% 5,716 43.00% 129 0.97% 1,733 13.04% 13,294
Bayfield 2,817 45.35% 3,352 53.96% 43 0.69% -535 -8.61% 6,212
Brown 47,529 62.84% 27,302 36.10% 803 1.06% 20,227 26.74% 75,634
Buffalo 2,523 58.61% 1,736 40.33% 46 1.07% 787 18.28% 4,305
Burnett 3,076 50.19% 3,011 49.13% 42 0.69% 65 1.06% 6,129
Calumet 9,153 69.17% 3,873 29.27% 206 1.56% 5,280 39.90% 13,232
Chippewa 10,363 62.03% 6,132 36.70% 212 1.27% 4,231 25.32% 16,707
Clark 6,951 64.94% 3,633 33.94% 120 1.12% 3,318 31.00% 10,704
Columbia 10,456 60.41% 6,503 37.57% 349 2.02% 3,953 22.84% 17,308
Crawford 3,646 59.19% 2,457 39.89% 57 0.93% 1,189 19.30% 6,160
Dane 72,693 44.78% 86,234 53.12% 3,396 2.09% -13,541 -8.34% 162,323
Dodge 16,245 70.16% 6,417 27.72% 491 2.12% 9,828 42.45% 23,153
Door 6,392 63.07% 3,597 35.49% 146 1.44% 2,795 27.58% 10,135
Douglas 5,905 46.82% 6,550 51.93% 158 1.25% -645 -5.11% 12,613
Dunn 5,764 53.24% 4,927 45.51% 135 1.25% 837 7.73% 10,826
Eau Claire 17,168 56.43% 12,715 41.79% 541 1.78% 4,453 14.64% 30,424
Florence 1,104 68.15% 506 31.23% 10 0.62% 598 36.91% 1,620
Fond du Lac 19,682 70.75% 7,685 27.63% 452 1.62% 11,997 43.13% 27,819
Forest 1,988 57.94% 1,427 41.59% 16 0.47% 561 16.35% 3,431
Grant 8,371 63.54% 4,673 35.47% 131 0.99% 3,698 28.07% 13,175
Green 6,756 63.82% 3,610 34.10% 220 2.08% 3,146 29.72% 10,586
Green Lake 4,297 71.52% 1,640 27.30% 71 1.18% 2,657 44.22% 6,008
Iowa 4,270 58.05% 2,990 40.65% 96 1.31% 1,280 17.40% 7,356
Iron 1,594 61.31% 987 37.96% 19 0.73% 607 23.35% 2,600
Jackson 3,447 54.04% 2,813 44.10% 119 1.87% 634 9.94% 6,379
Jefferson 15,363 65.27% 7,647 32.49% 529 2.25% 7,716 32.78% 23,539
Juneau 4,402 67.02% 2,063 31.41% 103 1.57% 2,339 35.61% 6,568
Kenosha 28,128 61.34% 17,011 37.09% 720 1.57% 11,117 24.24% 45,859
Kewaunee 4,578 63.17% 2,582 35.63% 87 1.20% 1,996 27.54% 7,247
La Crosse 21,984 58.63% 14,892 39.72% 619 1.65% 7,092 18.91% 37,495
Lafayette 3,423 65.84% 1,743 33.53% 33 0.63% 1,680 32.31% 5,199
Langlade 4,107 62.80% 2,376 36.33% 57 0.87% 1,731 26.47% 6,540
Lincoln 5,300 57.79% 3,567 38.89% 304 3.31% 1,733 18.90% 9,171
Manitowoc 17,733 62.63% 10,291 36.35% 289 1.02% 7,442 26.28% 28,313
Marathon 25,966 64.91% 13,511 33.77% 529 1.32% 12,455 31.13% 40,006
Marinette 9,457 66.25% 4,716 33.04% 102 0.71% 4,741 33.21% 14,275
Marquette 3,112 64.70% 1,624 33.76% 74 1.54% 1,488 30.94% 4,810
Menominee 300 28.90% 725 69.85% 13 1.25% -425 -40.94% 1,038
Milwaukee 145,010 49.77% 140,666 48.28% 5,699 1.96% 4,344 1.49% 291,375
Monroe 7,465 63.45% 4,148 35.25% 153 1.30% 3,317 28.19% 11,766
Oconto 7,655 64.62% 4,097 34.59% 94 0.79% 3,558 30.04% 11,846
Oneida 7,816 59.82% 5,088 38.94% 161 1.23% 2,728 20.88% 13,065
Outagamie 32,761 64.23% 17,500 34.31% 742 1.45% 15,261 29.92% 51,003
Ozaukee 23,716 75.34% 7,283 23.14% 480 1.52% 16,433 52.20% 31,479
Pepin 1,173 54.48% 958 44.50% 22 1.02% 215 9.99% 2,153
Pierce 5,852 57.13% 4,285 41.83% 106 1.03% 1,567 15.30% 10,243
Polk 6,820 53.21% 5,896 46.00% 101 0.79% 924 7.21% 12,817
Portage 12,038 55.42% 9,309 42.86% 373 1.72% 2,729 12.56% 21,720
Price 3,568 60.44% 2,298 38.93% 37 0.63% 1,270 21.51% 5,903
Racine 34,337 56.03% 25,803 42.11% 1,141 1.86% 8,534 13.93% 61,281
Richland 3,502 61.91% 2,061 36.43% 94 1.66% 1,441 25.47% 5,657
Rock 27,485 55.86% 21,109 42.90% 613 1.25% 6,376 12.96% 49,207
Rusk 3,108 55.85% 2,375 42.68% 82 1.47% 733 13.17% 5,565
Sauk 10,206 61.94% 6,008 36.47% 262 1.59% 4,198 25.48% 16,476
Sawyer 3,432 60.57% 2,185 38.56% 49 0.86% 1,247 22.01% 5,666
Shawano 9,106 67.12% 4,353 32.09% 108 0.80% 4,753 35.03% 13,567
Sheboygan 26,880 67.97% 12,162 30.75% 504 1.27% 14,718 37.22% 39,546
St. Croix 10,612 62.25% 6,225 36.52% 210 1.23% 4,387 25.73% 17,047
Taylor 4,482 66.98% 2,147 32.08% 63 0.94% 2,335 34.89% 6,692
Trempealeau 5,086 58.29% 3,543 40.60% 97 1.11% 1,543 17.68% 8,726
Vernon 5,326 56.60% 3,918 41.64% 166 1.76% 1,408 14.96% 9,410
Vilas 5,342 63.98% 2,836 33.97% 171 2.05% 2,506 30.02% 8,349
Walworth 17,316 67.64% 7,839 30.62% 447 1.75% 9,477 37.02% 25,602
Washburn 3,022 53.25% 2,602 45.85% 51 0.90% 420 7.40% 5,675
Washington 29,102 74.38% 9,164 23.42% 859 2.20% 19,938 50.96% 39,125
Waukesha 98,555 73.83% 32,384 24.26% 2,556 1.91% 66,171 49.57% 133,495
Waupaca 10,771 66.72% 5,191 32.15% 182 1.13% 5,580 34.56% 16,144
Waushara 5,289 68.52% 2,299 29.78% 131 1.70% 2,990 38.74% 7,719
Winnebago 33,496 65.81% 16,436 32.29% 966 1.90% 17,060 33.52% 50,898
Wood 17,377 64.81% 9,009 33.60% 426 1.59% 8,368 31.21% 26,812
Total1,047,71659.66%679,55338.70%28,7451.64%368,16320.97%1,756,014

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
Partisan clients
  1. ↑ Poll sponsored by WTMJ-TV
  2. ↑ Poll sponsored by the Green Bay News-Chronicle & Wisconsin Public Radio
  3. 1 2 Poll sponsored by Wisconsin Public Radio

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1999). "County Vote for Governor September 8, 1998, Primary". The State of Wisconsin 1999-2000 Blue Book. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 885.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1999). "County Vote for Lieutenant Governor September 8, 1998, Primary". The State of Wisconsin 1999-2000 Blue Book. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 892.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "CNN AllPolitics Election '98 - Wisconsin 1998 Polls". CNN. Retrieved June 29, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  4. 1 2 "Wisconsin State Election Board Canvass - County Totals" (PDF). Archived from the original on November 25, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. 1 2 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1999). "County Vote for Governor and Lieutenant Governor November 3, 1998". The State of Wisconsin 1999-2000 Blue Book. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 912.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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