1998 Idaho gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1998 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 1998 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998, to elect the Governor of Idaho. Phil Batt, the Republican incumbent, chose not to run for a second term. The Republican nominee, United States Senator Dirk Kempthorne, handily defeated the Democratic nominee, former Idaho Supreme Court justice Robert C. Huntley, to keep the seat in GOP hands.

1998 Idaho gubernatorial election

← 1994 November 3, 1998 2002 →

Nominee Dirk Kempthorne Robert Huntley Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 258,095 110,815 Percentage 67.7% 29.1%

County results Kempthorne:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Huntley:      50–60%

Governor before election Phil Batt Republican Elected Governor Dirk Kempthorne Republican

County results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Dirk Kempthorne, U.S. Senator
• David W. Sheperd, perennial candidate

Results

Republican primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dirk Kempthorne	111,658	87.24
	Republican	David W. Sheperd	16,332	12.76
Total votes			127,990	100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Jack Wayne Chappell
• Robert C. Huntley, former Idaho Supreme Court Justice, former Idaho State Representative, former Pocatello city councilman
• Donald McMurrian
• William Tarnasky

Results

County results

Democratic Primary results^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Robert C. Huntley	14,638	54.27
	Democratic	William Tarnasky	4,769	17.68
	Democratic	Jack Wayne Chappell	4,666	17.30
	Democratic	Donald McMurrian	2,900	10.75
Total votes			26,973	100.00

General election

Debate

1998 Idaho gubernatorial debate

No.	Date	Host	Moderator	Link	Republican	Democratic	Independent
Key:  P  Participant   A  Absent   N  Not invited   I  Invited  W  Withdrawn
					Dirk Kempthorne	Robert C. Huntley	Peter Rickards
1	Oct. 22, 1998	Idaho Press Club Idaho Public Television League of Women Voters of Idaho	Joan Cartan-Hansen	PBS	P	P	P

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Dirk Kempthorne (R)	Robert Huntley (D)	Undecided
Mason Dixon[3]	September 1–3, 1998	1,208 (LV)	± 2.9%	66%	14%	20%

Results

Given the lack of a high-profile candidate on the Democratic side, throughout the campaign many considered Kempthorne's election a foregone conclusion. Indeed, Huntley's performance was well below that of the 1994 Democratic nominee Larry EchoHawk. In addition, Peter Rickards, a podiatrist and anti-nuclear waste advocate from Twin Falls, won over some progressive votes that may have otherwise gone to the Democratic candidate.

Idaho gubernatorial election, 1998^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Dirk Kempthorne	258,095	67.70	+15.41
	Democratic	Robert C. Huntley	110,815	29.07	−14.81
	Independent	Peter Rickards	12,338	3.24
Majority			147,280	38.63	+30.22
Turnout			381,248
	Republican hold		Swing

See also

• Governor of Idaho
• List of governors of Idaho
• Idaho gubernatorial elections

Notes

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