1974 Florida gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1974 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 1974 Florida gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1974. Incumbent Democratic Governor Reubin Askew won re-election to a second term.

1974 Florida gubernatorial election

← 1970 November 5, 1974 1978 →

Nominee Reubin Askew Jerry Thomas Party Democratic Republican Running mate J. H. Williams Mike Thompson Popular vote 1,118,954 709,438 Percentage 61.2% 38.8%

County results Askew:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Thomas:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Reubin Askew Democratic Elected Governor Reubin Askew Democratic

This was just the second time after 1956, and the first that the Governor of Florida was re-elected for the second four-year term. This was also the first time a candidate got over one million votes in a Florida governor election.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on September 10, 1974.

Democratic primary

Incumbent Reubin O'Donovan Askew faced little opposition in the Democratic Party primary. Despite a challenge from his own Lieutenant Governor Thomas Burton Adams, Jr., Askew, a popular member of the "New Southerner" political generation, was renominated easily.

13.4% of the voting age population participated in the Democratic primary.^[1]

Candidates

• Thomas Burton Adams Jr., incumbent Lieutenant Governor^[2]
• Reubin Askew, incumbent Governor
• Ben Hill Griffin Jr., citrus magnate^[2]
• Norman Bie, lawyer^[2]

Results

Democratic primary results^[3][4][5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Reubin Askew (incumbent)	579,137	68.83
	Democratic	Ben Hill Griffin Jr.	137,008	16.28
	Democratic	Thomas Burton Adams Jr.	85,557	10.17
	Democratic	Norman Bie	39,758	4.72
Total votes			841,460

J. H. Williams became Askew's running mate for second term.

Republican primary

Candidate

• Jerry Thomas, former President of the Florida Senate, banker^[2]

Results

Republican primary results^[3][6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jerry Thomas		unopposed

General election

Results

1974 Florida gubernatorial election results^[7][8][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Reubin Askew (incumbent)	1,118,954	61.20
	Republican	Jerry Thomas	709,438	38.80
Majority			409,516	22.40
Turnout			1,828,392
	Democratic hold

Williams, as he ran on the joint ticket, replaced Adams as Lieutenant Governor.