The 1998 New Mexico gubernatorial election was a contest to elect the next governor of New Mexico. The winner of the election would serve a term from January 1, 1999 until January 1, 2003. Incumbent Republican (now Libertarian) Governor Gary Johnson was elected to a second term. As of , this is the last time a non-Hispanic was elected governor of New Mexico.

In his campaign, Johnson promised to continue the policies of his first term: improving schools; cutting state spending, taxes, and bureaucracy; and frequent use of his veto and line-item veto power. Fielding a strong Hispanic candidate in a 40% Hispanic state, the Democrats were expected to oust Johnson, but Johnson won by a margin of 55% to 45%. This made him the first governor of New Mexico to serve two successive four-year terms after term limits were expanded to two terms in 1991. Johnson made the promotion of a school voucher system a "hallmark issue" of his second term. This election is the first time since 1968 that an incumbent Republican governor of New Mexico was re-elected or won re-election.

Primary election Democratic Party Candidates Martin Chávez, Mayor of Albuquerque Gary K. King, State Representative and son of former Governor Bruce King Jerry Apodaca, former Governor of New Mexico and former Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Robert E. Vigil, incumbent New Mexico State Auditor Reese P. Fullerton, attorney Ben Chavez, 1994 New Mexico House of Representatives District 2 candidate

Results

Republican Party Candidates Gary Johnson, incumbent Governor of New Mexico

Results

General election Campaign In his campaign, Johnson promised to continue the policies of his first term: improving schools; cutting state spending, taxes, and bureaucracy; and frequent use of his veto and line-item veto power. Fielding a strong Hispanic candidate in a 40% Hispanic state, the Democrats were expected to oust Johnson, but Johnson won by a margin of 55% to 45%. This made him the first governor of New Mexico to serve two successive four-year terms after term limits were expanded to two terms in 1991. Johnson made the promotion of a school voucher system a "hallmark issue" of his second term.

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error GaryJohnson (R) MartinChávez (D) UndecidedResearch & Polling, Inc.October 27–29, 1998916 (RV)± 3.0%49%39%12%Mason-DixonOctober 6–7, 1998412 (LV)± 5.0%45%43%12%Mason-DixonSeptember 15–16, 1998409 (LV)± 5.0%42%44%14%Research & Polling, Inc.September 5–10, 1998909 (RV)± 3.0%42%40%18%

Results

Results by county County Gary JohnsonRepublican Martin ChávezDemocratic Margin Total votes cast # % # % # %Bernalillo96,32957.55%71,06742.45%25,26215.09%167,396Catron1,06366.73%53033.27%53333.46%1,593Chaves10,40963.55%5,96936.45%4,44027.11%16,378Cibola2,95243.69%3,80556.31%-853-12.62%6,757Colfax2,54154.36%2,13345.64%4088.73%4,674Curry7,24871.49%2,89028.51%4,35842.99%10,138De Baca71465.63%37434.38%34031.25%1,088Doña Ana16,63549.67%16,85850.33%-223-0.67%33,493Eddy8,92760.47%5,83539.53%3,09220.95%14,762Grant4,68947.14%5,25952.86%-570-5.73%9,948Guadalupe75633.80%1,48166.20%-725-32.41%2,237Harding38957.89%28342.11%10615.77%672Hidalgo1,11753.55%96946.45%1487.09%2,086Lea9,06674.12%3,16625.88%5,90048.23%12,232Lincoln3,61363.70%2,05936.30%1,55427.40%5,672Los Alamos5,72964.02%3,22035.98%2,50928.04%8,949Luna3,37557.03%2,54342.97%83214.06%5,918McKinley5,78841.72%8,08558.28%-2,297-16.56%13,873Mora69727.86%1,80572.14%-1,108-44.28%2,502Otero8,72166.38%4,41733.62%4,30432.76%13,138Quay2,26560.22%1,49639.78%76920.45%3,761Rio Arriba3,20630.26%7,38969.74%-4,183-39.48%10,595Roosevelt3,38769.12%1,51330.88%1,87438.24%4,900San Juan20,23370.53%8,45429.47%11,77941.06%28,687San Miguel2,01522.91%6,78177.09%-4,766-54.18%8,796Sandoval14,59559.94%9,75640.06%4,83919.87%24,351Santa Fe13,82133.81%27,05366.19%-13,232-32.37%40,874Sierra2,62463.54%1,50636.46%1,11827.07%4,130Socorro2,92045.21%3,53954.79%-619-9.58%6,459Taos2,71331.12%6,00568.88%-3,292-37.76%8,718Torrance2,62361.16%1,66638.84%95722.31%4,289Union1,07764.76%58635.24%49129.52%1,663Valencia9,71154.03%8,26345.97%1,4488.06%17,974Total271,94854.53%226,75545.47%45,1939.06%498,703

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Colfax De Baca Harding Torrance

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Doña Ana

Notes

Partisan clients

References

See also