1998 Nevada gubernatorial election

The 1998 Nevada gubernatorial election occurred on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democrat Bob Miller was term limited. Republican nominee Kenny Guinn defeated Democratic nominee Jan Laverty Jones to become Governor of Nevada.

1998 Nevada gubernatorial election

← 1994 November 3, 1998 (1998-11-03) 2002 →

Nominee Kenny Guinn Jan Laverty Jones Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 223,892 182,281 Percentage 51.6% 42.0%

County results Guinn:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Jones:      40–50%

Governor before election Bob Miller Democratic Elected Governor Kenny Guinn Republican

This was the first open seat Nevada gubernatorial election since 1978, with Guinn becoming the first Republican elected as Nevada Governor since Robert List was elected in that same election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Caeser D. Adamson
• Jim Champagne
• Patrick Matthew "Pat" Fitzpatrick, perennial candidate
• John Geremia
• Jan Laverty Jones, Mayor of Las Vegas
• Joe Neal, Nevada State Senator
• Carlo Poliak, perennial candidate
• Barbara Scott, public accountant
• Burvle "Ed" Swindle

Results

Democratic primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jan Laverty Jones	62,495	59.62%
	Democratic	Joe Neal	16,646	15.88%
		None of These Candidates	12,857	12.27%
	Democratic	Patrick Matthew "Pat" Fitzpatrick	3,468	3.31%
	Democratic	Barbara Scott	3,213	3.07%
	Democratic	Jim Champagne	1,964	1.87%
	Democratic	Burvle "Ed" Swindle	1,591	1.52%
	Democratic	Caeser D. Adamson	1,178	1.12%
	Democratic	John Geremia	781	0.75%
	Democratic	Carlo Poliak	630	0.60%
Total votes			104,823	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Kenny Guinn, businessman
• Lonnie Hammargren, Lieutenant Governor
• Aaron Russo, businessman and film producer
• Bruce Westcott, businessman

Results

Republican Primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Kenny Guinn	76,953	58.14%
	Republican	Aaron Russo	34,251	25.88%
	Republican	Lonnie Hammargren	13,410	10.13%
		None of These Candidates	5,783	4.37%
	Republican	Bruce Westcott	1,956	1.48%
Total votes			132,353	100.00%

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Jan Laverty Jones (D)	Kenny Guinn (R)	Undecided
Mason-Dixon[2]	October 25–27, 1998	817 (LV)	± 3.5%	44%	47%	9%
Mason-Dixon[2]	September 25–28, 1998	814 (LV)	± 3.5%	36%	51%	13%
Mason-Dixon[2]	August 24–26, 1998	838 (LV)	± 3.5%	39%	44%	17%
Mason-Dixon[2]	July 29 – August 4, 1998	837 (LV)	± 3.5%	37%	42%	21%
Mason-Dixon[2]	June 8–10, 1998	808 (LV)	± 3.5%	34%	48%	18%

Results

Nevada gubernatorial election, 1998^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Kenny Guinn	223,892	51.63%	+10.31%
	Democratic	Jan Laverty Jones	182,281	42.04%	−10.65%
		None of These Candidates	12,641	2.92%	+0.60%
	Independent American	Chuck Horne	7,509	1.73%	−0.91%
	Libertarian	Terry C. Savage	7,307	1.69%	+0.64%
Majority			41,611	9.60%
Total votes			433,630	100.00%
	Republican gain from Democratic		Swing	+20.86%

County results

County	Kenny Guinn Republican		Jan Laverty Jones Democratic		None of These Candidates		Chuck Horne Independent American		Terry C. Savage Libertarian		Margin		Total votes cast[3]
	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%
Carson City	8,763	52.46%	6,976	41.76%	490	2.93%	248	1.48%	277	1.36%	1,787	10.70%	16,704
Churchill	4,593	63.52%	2,138	29.57%	218	3.01%	168	2.32%	114	1.58%	2,455	33.95%	7,231
Clark	125,926	49.82%	111,641	44.17%	6,698	2.65%	4,580	1.81%	3,900	1.54%	14,285	5.65%	252,745
Douglas	8,783	60.92%	4,727	32.79%	439	3.04%	240	1.66%	229	1.59%	4,056	28.13%	14,418
Elko	7,352	72.95%	1,990	19.75%	278	2.76%	255	2.53%	203	2.01%	5,362	53.21%	10,078
Esmeralda	319	59.51%	138	25.75%	40	7.46%	24	4.48%	15	2.80%	181	33.77%	536
Eureka	461	68.50%	151	22.44%	26	3.86%	16	2.38%	19	2.82%	310	46.06%	673
Humboldt	2,627	62.10%	1,271	30.05%	175	4.14%	89	2.10%	68	1.61%	1,356	32.06%	4,230
Lander	1,331	64.58%	551	26.73%	98	4.75%	41	1.99%	40	1.94%	780	37.85%	2,061
Lincoln	1,204	61.68%	549	28.13%	65	3.33%	102	5.23%	32	1.64%	655	33.56%	1,952
Lyon	5,042	54.25%	3,576	38.48%	318	3.42%	171	1.84%	187	2.01%	1,466	15.77%	9,294
Mineral	951	43.95%	1,012	46.77%	120	5.55%	48	2.22%	33	1.52%	-61	-2.82%	2,164
Nye	4,844	51.05%	3,884	40.93%	270	2.85%	207	2.18%	284	2.99%	960	10.12%	9,489
Pershing	876	56.30%	562	36.12%	63	4.05%	29	1.86%	26	1.67%	314	20.18%	1,556
Storey	790	47.19%	704	42.05%	85	5.08%	45	2.69%	50	2.99%	86	5.14%	1,674
Washoe	47,962	50.22%	41,409	43.36%	3,153	3.30%	1,144	1.20%	1,842	1.93%	6,553	6.86%	95,510
White Pine	2,068	62.38%	1,002	30.23%	105	3.17%	102	3.08%	38	1.15%	1,066	32.16%	3,315
Totals	223,892	51.63%	182,281	42.04%	12,641	2.92%	7,509	1.73%	7,307	1.69%	41,611	9.60%	433,630

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Clark
• Storey
• Washoe

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear