1998 Michigan gubernatorial election

The 1998 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the state of Michigan. Incumbent Governor John Engler, a member of the Republican Party, was re-elected over Democratic Party nominee Geoffrey Fieger, a lawyer who had represented the assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian.[1] As of 2021, this is the last time Gogebic County, Genesee County, and Washtenaw County voted for the Republican candidate.

1998 Michigan gubernatorial election
November 3, 1998
 
Nominee John Engler Geoffrey Fieger
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Dick Posthumus Jim Agee
Popular vote 1,883,005 1,143,574
Percentage 62.2% 37.8%
Election results by county
Engler:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Fieger:      50–60%
Governor before election

John Engler
Republican

 Elected Governor

John Engler
Republican

Elections in Michigan
Federal government
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Detroit
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Mayoral elections

Republican Primary

Candidates
  • Gary Artinian
  • John Engler, incumbent governor

Engler, a two-term incumbent, faced token opposition in the Republican primary, winning re-nomination with 90 percent of the vote. Following Lt. Gov. Connie Binsfeld's decision to not seek a third term, State Senate Majority Leader Dick Posthumus received the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor.[2]

Results
Michigan gubernatorial Republican primary, 1998[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Engler 477,628 89.6
Republican Gary Artinian 55,453 10.4

Democratic Primary

Candidates
  • Geoffrey Fieger, Attorney
  • Larry Owen, former Mayor of East Lansing
  • Doug Ross

Early in the race, Owen was considered the front runner.[4] But due to Fieger's notoriety and personal wealth, he surpassed his opponents. He ended spending almost $6 million of his own money in the race.[5] Fieger won a close race, taking 41 percent of the vote.[6] State Rep. Jim Agee, after securing the support from the Michigan Education Association was picked by Fieger to be his running mate, over Fieger's initial preferred choice state Rep. Candace Curtis.[7]

Results
Michigan gubernatorial Democratic primary, 1998[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Geoffrey Fieger 300,458 41.2
Democratic Larry Owen 272,360 37.3
Democratic Doug Ross 156,847 21.5

Results
Michigan gubernatorial election, 1998[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Engler 1,883,005 62.20
Democratic Geoffrey Fieger 1,143,574 37.78
Write-in Terry Link 399 0.01
Write-in Carl Humphrey 36 0.00
Write-in Vicki Foreback 32 0.00
Write-in Marc Katz 20 0.00
Write-in Robert Marek 17 0.00
Write-in Michael Wagonlander 12 0.00
Write-in Johnni Matthew III 9 0.00
Majority 739,431 24.43%
Republican hold

Results by County
County Engler Votes Feiger Votes Others Votes
Alcona 69.2% 2,951 30.8% 1,312 0.0% 0
Alger 56.9% 1,794 43.1% 1,358 0.0% 0
Allegan 77.8% 24,121 22.2% 6,896 0.0% 4
Alpena 65.8% 7,267 34.2% 3,785 0.0% 1
Antrim 68.5% 5,748 31.5% 2,641 0.0% 0
Arenac 59.0% 3,179 41.0% 2,210 0.0% 1
Baraga 53.6% 1,338 46.4% 1,157 0.0% 0
Barry 71.4% 13,148 28.6% 5,259 0.0% 0
Bay 60.8% 23,343 39.2% 15,017 0.0% 12
Benzie 62.8% 3,726 37.2% 2,206 0.0% 0
Berrien 73.5% 30,380 26.5% 10,971 0.0% 0
Branch 70.3% 7,623 29.7% 3,216 0.0% 1
Calhoun 67.2% 25,955 32.8% 12,661 0.0% 5
Cass 72.7% 9,177 27.3% 3,438 0.0% 0
Charlevoix 69.3% 6,290 30.7% 2,792 0.0% 0
Cheboygan 67.7% 6,036 32.3% 2,875 0.0% 0
Chippewa 61.3% 6,613 38.7% 4,180 0.0% 0
Clare 61.3% 5,649 38.7% 3,561 0.0% 0
Clinton 73.8% 17,696 26.0% 6,222 0.2% 56
Crawford 62.5% 3,051 37.5% 1,831 0.0% 0
Delta 59.3% 7,410 40.7% 5,080 0.0% 0
Dickinson 63.0% 6,183 37.0% 3,638 0.0% 0
Eaton 68.4% 24,778 31.6% 11,436 0.0% 8
Emmet 73.8% 7,765 26.2% 2,758 0.0% 0
Genesee 51.2% 69,799 48.8% 66,608 0.0% 10
Gladwin 63.7% 5,573 36.3% 3,177 0.0% 0
Gogebic 51.0% 3,020 49.0% 2,905 0.0% 0
Grand Traverse 71.6% 20,462 28.4% 8,101 0.0% 2
Gratiot 71.1% 7,998 28.9% 3,245 0.0% 0
Hillsdale 73.1% 9,027 26.9% 3,325 0.0% 5
Houghton 60.9% 6,443 39.1% 4,131 0.0% 2
Huron 76.1% 9,264 23.9% 2,902 0.0% 1
Ingham 60.1% 53,905 39.7% 35,584 0.2% 151
Ionia 71.2% 12,324 28.8% 4,996 0.0% 0
Iosco 66.5% 6,457 33.5% 3,252 0.0% 2
Iron 54.3% 2,715 45.7% 2,282 0.0% 0
Isabella 63.7% 9,423 36.3% 5,361 0.0% 0
Jackson 67.3% 31,330 32.7% 15,229 0.0% 2
Kalamazoo 67.6% 46,443 32.4% 22,275 0.0% 6
Kalkaska 63.1% 3,155 36.9% 1,844 0.0% 0
Kent 76.6% 133,120 23.4% 40,709 0.0% 8
Keweenaw 56.3% 566 43.7% 440 0.0% 0
Lake 53.5% 1,832 46.5% 1,593 0.0% 0
Lapeer 65.6% 17,382 34.4% 9,106 0.0% 1
Leelanau 70.9% 6,577 29.1% 2,705 0.0% 0
Lenawee 63.3% 18,137 36.7% 10,494 0.0% 0
Livingston 73.8% 37,458 26.2% 13,283 0.0% 2
Luce 58.0% 1,130 42.0% 819 0.0% 0
Mackinac 64.7% 3,054 35.3% 1,666 0.0% 0
Macomb 67.5% 166,920 32.5% 80,438 0.0% 18
Manistee 62.8% 5,493 37.2% 3,247 0.0% 0
Marquette 51.6% 11,157 48.4% 10,460 0.0% 0
Mason 66.1% 6,391 33.9% 3,277 0.0% 0
Mecosta 67.2% 7,065 32.8% 3,446 0.0% 1
Menominee 65.7% 4,579 34.3% 2,391 0.0% 0
Midland 73.6% 20,737 26.4% 7,445 0.0% 0
Missaukee 72.8% 3,629 27.2% 1,346 0.0% 0
Monroe 65.0% 26,690 35.0% 14,401 0.0% 0
Montcalm 68.6% 11,069 31.4% 5,058 0.0% 0
Montmorency 65.0% 2,499 35.0% 1,346 0.0% 0
Muskegon 60.5% 29,660 39.5% 19,331 0.0% 2
Newaygo 69.0% 9,776 31.0% 4,392 0.0% 0
Oakland 66.3% 264,551 33.7% 134,215 0.0% 120
Oceana 67.5% 5,231 32.5% 2,520 0.0% 0
Ogemaw 62.3% 4,796 37.7% 2,899 0.0% 0
Ontonagon 51.8% 1,553 48.2% 1,442 0.0% 1
Osceola 66.5% 4,918 33.5% 2,482 0.0% 0
Oscoda 64.9% 2,017 35.1% 1,091 0.0% 0
Otsego 71.6% 5,525 28.4% 2,195 0.0% 0
Ottawa 85.4% 67,054 14.6% 11,451 0.0% 9
Presque Isle 67.1% 3,871 32.9% 1,899 0.0% 0
Roscommon 63.7% 6,320 36.3% 3,608 0.0% 0
Saginaw 63.4% 43,766 36.6% 25,213 0.0% 9
St. Clair 64.1% 32,299 35.9% 18,025 0.0% 0
St. Joseph 74.9% 11,026 25.1% 3,703 0.0% 0
Sanilac 71.1% 9,941 28.8% 4,023 0.1% 8
Schoolcraft 55.5% 1,594 44.5% 1,277 0.0% 0
Shiawassee 66.3% 16,465 33.6% 8,347 0.1% 18
Tuscola 66.7% 12,074 33.3% 6,027 0.0% 0
Van Buren 67.8% 13,715 32.2% 6,499 0.0% 0
Washtenaw 57.0% 53,227 43.0% 40,078 0.0% 32
Wayne 42.9% 243,235 57.1% 324,351 0.0% 17
Wexford 67.1% 6,347 32.8% 3,108 0.1% 10

References
  1. Wald, Matthew L. (November 5, 1998). "The 1998 elections: state by state -- Midwest; Michigan". The New York Times. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
  2. "DECISION '98: A LOOK AT KEY ELECTIONS". Crains Detroit. October 16, 1998. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  3. "1998 Official Michigan Primary Election Results". Michigan Department of State Bureau of Elections. September 28, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  4. "Larry Owen". Our Campaigns. March 16, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  5. Kathleen Gray (May 12, 2017). "Geoffrey Fieger considering a return to politics with run for governor". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  6. Associated Press (August 6, 1998). "Kevorkian's Lawyer Wins Gubernatorial Primary in Michigan". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  7. By From Tribune News Services (August 29, 1998). "Teachers Pleased By Fieger Running Mate". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  8. "1998 Official Michigan General Election Results: Governor 4 Year Term (1) Position". Michigan Department of State Bureau of Elections. February 9, 1999. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
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