The 1998 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998. Acting Governor Paul Cellucci was elected to his first term as Governor of Massachusetts.
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Turnout | 51.19% ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||
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Cellucci: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Harshbarger: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Republican primary
editGovernor
editCandidates
edit- Paul Cellucci, acting Governor
- Joe Malone, Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General
Campaign
editThe race between Cellucci and Malone was acrimonious, with each candidate accusing the other of committing ethical violations.[2]
Results
editOn September 16, Cellucci defeated Malone to win his party's nomination.[3]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Cellucci (acting) | 136,258 | 58.57% | |
Republican | Joe Malone | 95,963 | 41.25% | |
Write-in | All others | 442 | 0.19% | |
Total votes | 232,663 | 100.00% |
Lieutenant governor
editCandidates
edit- Janet E. Jeghelian, radio host (running with Malone)
- Jane Swift, Secretary of Consumer Affairs (running with Cellucci)
Declined
edit- Charlie Baker, Secretary of Administration and Finance
- Ralph C. Martin II, Suffolk County District Attorney
Results
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jane Swift | 116,476 | 54.38% | |
Republican | Janet E. Jeghelian | 97,411 | 45.48% | |
Write-in | All others | 323 | 0.15% | |
Total votes | 214,210 | 100.00% |
Democratic primary
editGovernor
editCandidates
edit- Brian J. Donnelly, former U.S. Representative and United States Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago
- Scott Harshbarger, Massachusetts Attorney General
- Patricia McGovern, State Senator from Lawrence
Withdrew
edit- Joseph Kennedy II, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 8th congressional district[5]
Debate
editNo. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Key: P Participant A Absent N Not invited I Invited W Withdrawn |
|||||||
Brian J. Donnelly | Scott Harshbarger | Patricia McGovern | |||||
1 | Sep. 8, 1998 | WWLP | Jim Madigan | C-SPAN | P | P | P |
Results
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Scott Harshbarger | 296,212 | 51.35% | |
Democratic | Patricia McGovern | 180,429 | 31.28% | |
Democratic | Brian J. Donnelly | 98,774 | 17.12% | |
Write-in | All others | 1,484 | 0.26% | |
Total votes | 576,899 | 100.00% |
Lieutenant governor
editCandidates
edit- Dorothy Kelly Gay, Governor's Councilor from Somerville
- Warren Tolman, State Senator from Watertown
Results
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Warren Tolman | 270,791 | 53.75% | |
Democratic | Dorothy Kelly Gay | 232,250 | 46.10% | |
Write-in | All others | 768 | 0.15% | |
Total votes | 503,809 | 100.00% |
General election
editCampaign
editAfter Harshbarger's primary victory, many moderate Democrats who had voted for McGovern or Donnelly, chose to support the socially liberal, fiscally moderate Cellucci instead of the more liberal Harshbarger.[8][9]
Debate
editNo. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Republican | Democratic |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Key: P Participant A Absent N Not invited I Invited W Withdrawn |
||||||
Paul Cellucci | Scott Harshbarger | |||||
1 | Oct. 26, 1998 | Boston Herald The Boston Globe New England Cable News WCVB-TV WHDH-TV WBZ-TV |
Charles Ogletree | C-SPAN | P | P |
Polling
editIn a January opinion poll, Cellucci lead Harshbarger 50%-30%. By August, Harshbarger had taken a 37%-35% lead over Cellucci.[10]
Results
editOn November 3, Cellucci defeated Harshbarger by 65,317 votes.[11][12]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Cellucci (acting) | 967,160 | 49.97% | −20.09 | |
Democratic | Scott Harshbarger | 901,843 | 46.60% | +29.08 | |
Libertarian | Dean Cook | 32,184 | 1.66% | ||
Write-in | 2,149 | 0.11% | |||
Blank | 31,941 | 1.65% | |||
Turnout | 1,935,277 | 51.19% | |||
Republican hold | Swing |
Results by county
edit1998 United States gubernatorial election in Massachusetts (by county) [12] | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
County | Cellucci - R % | Cellucci - R # | Harshbarger - D % | Harshbarger - D # | Others % | Others # | Total # |
Barnstable | 53.8% | 50,690 | 42.7% | 40,259 | 3.6% | 3,357 | 94,306 |
Berkshire | 49.8% | 20,679 | 47.1% | 19,593 | 3.1% | 1,287 | 41,559 |
Bristol | 48.37% | 69,209 | 48.36% | 69,190 | 3.3% | 4,676 | 143,075 |
Dukes | 40.9% | 2,639 | 55.1% | 3,550 | 4.0% | 256 | 6,445 |
Essex | 52.4% | 118,540 | 44.0% | 99,452 | 3.6% | 8,113 | 226,105 |
Franklin | 41.9% | 9,882 | 54.6% | 12,866 | 3.5% | 819 | 23,567 |
Hampden | 49.3% | 58,517 | 46.9% | 55,709 | 3.8% | 4,484 | 118,710 |
Hampshire | 40.4% | 19,239 | 56.3% | 26,836 | 3.4% | 1,598 | 47,673 |
Middlesex | 48.2% | 230,004 | 48.7% | 232,302 | 3.1% | 14,900 | 477,206 |
Nantucket | 48.8% | 1,755 | 46.7% | 1,681 | 4.6% | 164 | 3,600 |
Norfolk | 51.2% | 120,729 | 45.4% | 106,999 | 3.4% | 7,936 | 235,664 |
Plymouth | 55.6% | 81,047 | 40.8% | 59,525 | 3.6% | 5,239 | 145,811 |
Suffolk | 39.5% | 58,384 | 56.2% | 83,048 | 4.2% | 6,210 | 147,642 |
Worcester | 56.2% | 125,846 | 40.6% | 90,833 | 3.2% | 7,235 | 223,914 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1998".
- ^ Jill Zuckman and Frank Phillips (September 10, 1998). "Malone, Cellucci trade blows on ethics". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
- ^ a b "Our Campaigns - MA Governor - R Primary Race - Sep 15, 1998". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - MA Lt. Governor - R Primary Race - Sep 15, 1998". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ Harden, Blaine (August 29, 1997). "Joseph Kennedy Ends Gubernatorial Bid". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 27, 2009.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - MA Governor - D Primary Race - Sep 15, 1998". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - MA Lt. Governor - D Primary Race - Sep 15, 1998". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ Adrian Walker (September 19, 1998). "Democratic Dissidents Back Cellucci". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
- ^ Scot Lehigh (October 6, 1998). "Cellucci Seen Seizing Initiative from Harshbarger". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
- ^ Brian C. Mooney (August 15, 1998). "Surplus Stumble Illustrates Why Cellucci's Falling". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - MA Governor Race - Nov 03, 1998". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ a b "PD43+ » Search Elections".