# 1998 Alabama gubernatorial election

The Alabama gubernatorial election of 1998 was held on November 3, 1998, to select the governor of Alabama. The election saw incumbent Governor Fob James (R) against Lieutenant Governor Don Siegelman (D). The result saw Don Siegelman win a decisive victory over Fob James. This was the second of three consecutive Alabama gubernatorial elections in which the incumbent was defeated. As of 2025, this was the last time that a Democrat was elected governor of Alabama.

## Republican primary

The Republican primary took place on June 2 and saw no candidate secure over 50% of the vote, leading to a runoff between Fob James and Winton Blount on June 30. The period leading up to the runoff election was marked by numerous insults and accusations by both candidates against each other. Incumbent Governor Fob James won the runoff 55% to 44%.

### Candidates

* Winton Blount, businessman, candidate for Governor in 1994 and son of former U.S. Postmaster General Winton M. Blount
* Guy Hunt, former Governor
* Fob James, incumbent Governor
* Mac McAllister, businessman
* Phil Williams Sr., former Director of the Alabama Department of Finance

### Results

Elections in Alabama :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2016
2020
2024
Republican
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1819
1822
1822 sp
1826 sp
1828
1831
1834
1837
1837 sp
1840
1841 sp
1842
1847
1848 sp
1849 sp
1853
1855
1858
1868
1870
1872
1872 sp
1876
1878
1878 sp
1880 sp
1882
1884
1888
1890
1894
1896
1897
1900
1903
1907
1907 sp
1908
1911
1914
1914 sp
1918
1920
1920 sp
1924
1926
1930
1932
1936
1938
1938 sp
1942
1944
1946 sp
1948
1950
1954
1956
1960
1962
1966
1968
1972
1974
1978
1978 sp
1980
1984
1986
1990
1992
1996
1998
2002
2004
2008
2010
2014
2016
2017 sp
2020
2022
2026
2028
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1819
1821
1823
1825
1827
1829
1831
1833
1835
1837
1839
3rd sp
1841
1843
1845
3rd sp
1846
7th sp
1847
3rd sp
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1868
1869
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
6th sp
1882
1883
1st sp
8th sp
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
3rd sp
1896
1898
1900
8th sp
1902
1904
5th sp
1906
1908
2nd sp
1910
1912
1914
3rd sp
8th sp
1916
1918
1919
7th sp
1920
5th sp
1921
4th sp
1922
1923
2nd sp
1924
1926
1928
3rd sp
5th sp
1930
1932
1933
8th sp
1934
1935
1st sp
1936
1938
2nd sp
1940
7th sp
1941
7th sp
1942
1943
3rd sp
1944
3rd sp
1946
1947
8th sp
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
3rd sp
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1989
3rd sp
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2013
1st sp
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
State elections
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
Gubernatorial elections
1819
1821
1823
1825
1827
1829
1831
1833
1835
1837
1839
1841
1843
1845
1847
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1906
1910
1914
1918
1922
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Lieutenant gubernatorial elections
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Attorney General elections
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Secretary of State elections
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
State Auditor elections
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
State Treasurer elections
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries elections
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Supreme Court elections
1970
1972
1974
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Public Service Commission elections
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Senate elections
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
House of Representatives elections
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026 :
Ballot measures
1999
Amendment 1
2000
Amendment 2
2006
Amendment 774
2020
Amendment 1
2024
Amendment 1 (November) :
Auburn
Municipal
2010
2014
2018
2022 :
Birmingham
Mayoral elections
2017
2021
2025 :
Huntsville
Mayoral elections
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024 :
Lee County
Elections
2024 :
Mobile
Mayoral elections
2021
2025 :
Montgomery
Mayoral elections
2007
2009 sp
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Government :
vte :
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Fob James (incumbent) | 163,711 | 47.96 |
| | Republican | Winton Blount | 139,941 | 40.99 |
| | Republican | Guy Hunt | 27,824 | 8.15 |
| | Republican | Mac McAllister | 5,641 | 1.65 |
| | Republican | Phil Williams | 4,258 | 1.25 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 341,375 | 100.00 |

### Debate

1998 Alabama gubernatorial election republican primary debate :
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Republican | Republican |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | | |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Winton Blount | Fob James |
| 1 | Jun. 25, 1998 | WVTM-TV | Fran Curry | C-SPAN | P | P |
Republican primary runoff results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Fob James (incumbent) | 253,965 | 55.92 |
| | Republican | Winton Blount | 200,200 | 44.08 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 454,165 | 100.00 |

## Democratic primary

The Democratic primary took place on June 2 and saw Lieutenant Governor Don Siegelman easily chosen as the Democratic nominee over Birmingham attorney Lenora Pate and Wayne Sowell.

### Candidates

* Lee Lamb
* Lenora Pate, attorney and former Director of the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations
* Don Siegelman, Lieutenant Governor of Alabama

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Don Siegelman | 254,507 | 78.26 |
| | Democratic | Lenora Pate | 53,618 | 16.49 |
| | Democratic | Wayne Sowell | 10,108 | 3.11 |
| | Democratic | Lee Lamb | 6,597 | 2.03 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 325,190 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Debate

1998 Alabama gubernatorial debate :
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Republican | Democratic |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | | |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Fob James | Don Siegelman |
| 1 | Oct. 6, 1998 | Junior League of Birmingham | Malena Cunningham | C-SPAN | P | P |

### Results

1998 Alabama gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Don Siegelman | 752,087 | 57.92 | +8.5 |
| | Republican | Fob James (incumbent) | 546,504 | 42.08 | −8.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,298,591 | 100.00 | N/A |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |