The 1998 Maine gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1998 to elect the governor of Maine. Incumbent Independent governor Angus King won re-election to a second term, defeating Republican nominee James B. Longley Jr., Democratic nominee Thomas J. Connolly, Green Independent nominee Pat LaMarche and Taxpayers' Party nominee William P. Clarke Jr.

This election was the first since 1982 in which the winning candidate received greater than 50% of the vote; this was not achieved again until 2018. This is currently the most recent election that Maine elected an independent governor. It is also the most recent gubernatorial election in which a candidate won every county in the state.

Democratic primary

Candidates Thomas J. Connolly, attorney and activist Joseph Ricci, founder of the Élan School and owner of Scarborough Downs

Results

Republican primary

Candidates Henry L. Joy, State Representative James B. Longley Jr., former U.S. Representative and son of former governor James B. Longley, Sr. Leo G. Martin

Results

General election Candidates Angus King (independent), incumbent governor of Maine Thomas J. Connolly (Democratic), attorney James B. Longley Jr. (Republican), former U.S. Representative and son of former governor James B. Longley, Sr. Pat LaMarche (Green), public figure and activist William P. Clarke Jr. (Constitution)

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AngusKing (I) JamesLongley Jr. (R) ThomasConnolly (D) UndecidedStrategic Marketing ServicesOctober 6–11, 1998400 (LV)± 4.9%60%13%6%21%

Results

By county CountyAngus KingIndependentJames B. Longley Jr.RepublicanThomas ConnollyDemocraticPatricia LaMarcheGreenWilliam P. Clarke Jr.ConstitutionMarginTotal votes#%#%#%#%#%#%Androscoggin20,03662.4%5,24816.3%3,93912.3%1,3994.4%1,5124.7%14,78846.1%32,134Aroostook11,60951.3%5,27423.3%3,09013.7%1,5436.8%1,1004.9%6,33528.0%22,616Cumberland59,66461.6%16,58317.1%13,22213.7%5,5555.7%1,7981.9%43,08144.5%96,822Franklin6,21161.4%1,68616.7%1,31613.0%5895.8%3063.0%4,52544.7%10,108Hancock9,66653.5%3,64620.2%1,5328.5%2,40813.3%8234.6%6,02023.3%18,075Kennebec22,22159.1%6,34916.9%46,9012.5%2,8027.5%1,5294.1%15,87242.2%37,591Knox8,30160.7%2,54818.6%1,1748.6%1,1638.5%4873.6%5,75342.1%13,673Lincoln8,62762.1%2,67219.2%1,2058.7%9947.2%3882.8%5,95542.9%13,886Oxford10,81862.9%2,84316.5%2,04711.9%8154.7%6763.9%7,97546.4%17,199Penobscot23,10750.1%10,86323.5%5,48611.9%4,1739.0%2,5165.5%12,24426.6%46,145Piscataquis3,31350.2%1,75226.6%70810.7%4466.8%3785.7%1,56123.6%6,597Sagadahoc7,80764.4%1,97916.3%1,1489.5%8216.8%3673.0%5,82848.1%12,122Somerset8,59654.0%3,53422.2%1,84511.6%1,2087.6%7294.6%5,06231.8%15,912Waldo5,95451.2%2,46821.2%1,0909.4%1,44412.4%6775.8%3,48630.0%11,633Washington4,92644.9%2,90926.5%1,41612.9%9999.1%7146.5%2,01718.4%10,964York35,91664.7%9,36216.9%6,59811.9%2,3634.3%1,2932.3%26,55447.8%55,532 Totals246,77258.6%79,71618.9%50,50612.0%28,7226.8%15,2933.6%167,05639.7%421,009 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Independent Kennebec (largest city: Augusta) Somerset (largest town: Skowhegan) York (largest town: Biddeford)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Independent Aroostook (largest city: Presque Isle) Hancock (largest town: Ellsworth) Penobscot (largest city: Bangor) Piscataquis (largest municipality: Dover-Foxcroft) Washington (largest city: Calais)

Analysis Connolly was inspired to run following King's handling of the January 1998 North American ice storm, which hit Maine particularly hard, while Longley criticized Maine's tax burden and echoed the Republican line that King was a "Democrat in disguise."

King won in a landslide, carrying all sixteen counties and almost every municipality in Maine. Longley did manage to carry 22 municipalities in rural northern and eastern Maine, and he also tied King in two other municipalities. Connolly would win only the Passamaquoddy Indian Township Reservation, though he did tie King 4–4 in Beddington, while Constitution Party candidate William P. Clarke Jr. would carry the town of Talmadge over King, eight votes to seven. Despite getting nearly twice the votes of Clarke, LaMarche would fail to carry any municipality, though she did manage to tie King in Allagash and come in second to King in Jackson.

Notes

References