# 1998 Iowa gubernatorial election

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The 1998 Iowa gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Republican Governor Terry Branstad did not seek re-election to a fifth consecutive term; he later successfully ran again in 2010 and 2014.
To replace him, State Senator Tom Vilsack narrowly won the nomination of the Democratic Party while former United States Congressman Jim Ross Lightfoot, who was previously the Republican nominee for the United States Senate in 1996, won his party's nomination. Lightfoot was the odds-on favorite win and polling consistently showed him in the lead, but Vilsack won the general election in a stunning upset, becoming the first Democrat to serve as governor of Iowa since 1969 and the 5th Democrat to hold the office in the 20th century. Lightfoot never conceded defeat.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Tom Vilsack, Iowa State Senator
* Mark McCormick, former Iowa Supreme Court Justice (1972–1986)

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Tom Vilsack | 59,130 | 51.20 |
| | Democratic | Mark McCormick | 55,950 | 48.45 |
| | Democratic | Write-ins | 410 | 0.36 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 115,490 | 100.00 |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Jim Ross Lightfoot, former United States Representative and nominee for the United States Senate in 1996
* David A. Oman, telecommunications executive, chief of staff to Governor Terry Branstad
* Paul Pate, Iowa Secretary of State

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Ross Lightfoot | 113,499 | 69.89 |
| | Republican | David A. Oman | 35,402 | 21.80 |
| | Republican | Paul Pate | 13,299 | 8.19 |
| | Republican | Write-ins | 193 | 0.12 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 162,393 | 100.00 |

## Reform Party primary
### Candidates

* Jim Hennager
* Edward Moses
* Jeffrey L. Hughes Sr.

### Results

Reform Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Reform | Jim Hennager | 131 | 35.60 |
| | Reform | Edward Moses | 99 | 26.90 |
| | Reform | Jeffrey L. Hughes, Sr. | 99 | 26.90 |
| | Reform | Write-ins | 39 | 10.60 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 368 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Results

Iowa gubernatorial election, 1998 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Tom Vilsack | 500,231 | 52.30% | +10.74% |
| | Republican | Jim Ross Lightfoot | 444,787 | 46.51% | −10.29% |
| | Reform | Jim Hennager | 5,606 | 0.59% | |
| | Natural Law | Jim Schaefer | 3,144 | 0.33% | −0.05% |
| | Independent | Mark Kennis | 2,006 | 0.21% | |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 641 | 0.07% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 55,444 | 5.80% | −9.44% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 956,415 | | |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | | |