The 2016 Delaware gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2016, to elect the governor of Delaware, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Democratic governor Jack Markell was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. Democratic congressman John Carney defeated Republican state senator Colin Bonini in a landslide. Despite his loss, Bonini flipped Sussex County back to the Republicans for the first time in a gubernatorial election since 2004.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee John Carney, U.S. representative, former lieutenant governor of Delaware and candidate for governor in 2008
Deceased Beau Biden, former Delaware Attorney General and son of Delaware senator, vice president, and future president Joe Biden (died May 30, 2015)
Withdrew Kevin Tinsley
Declined Matthew Denn, Delaware Attorney General and former lieutenant governor of Delaware Thomas P. Gordon, county executive of New Castle County John Kowalko, state representative Peter Schwartzkopf, Speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives Bryan Townsend, state senator (running for Delaware's at-large seat in Congress)
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JohnCarney Other UndecidedFairleigh Dickinson/Delaware News JournalFairleigh Dickinson/Delaware News Journal July 20–24, 2016 344 ± 5.3% 67% 9% 23%
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Colin Bonini, state senator and nominee for State Treasurer in 2010
Eliminated in primary Lacey Lafferty, retired state trooper
Declined Greg Lavelle, state senator and Minority Whip of the Delaware Senate Alan Levin, director of the Delaware Economic Development Office and former president and CEO of Happy Harry's Michael Ramone, state representative Daniel Short, Minority Leader of the Delaware House of Representatives Ken Simpler, State Treasurer of Delaware
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror ColinBonini LaceyLafferty Other UndecidedFairleigh Dickinson/Delaware News Journal July 20–24, 2016 224 ± 6.6% 29% 22% 3% 42%
Results
Libertarian Party Candidates Declared Sean Louis Goward
General election Debates Complete video of debate, October 19, 2016 - C-SPAN
Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report August 12, 2016 Daily Kos November 8, 2016 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2016 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 7, 2016 Real Clear Politics November 1, 2016 Governing October 27, 2016
Polling {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" |- valign= bottom ! Poll source ! Date(s)administered ! Samplesize ! Margin oferror ! style="width:100px;"| JohnCarney (D) ! style="width:100px;"| ColinBonini (R) ! Other ! Undecided |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| November 1–7, 2016 | align=center| 367 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 56% | align=center| 40% | align=center| — | align=center| 4% |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| October 31–November 6, 2016 | align=center| 383 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 54% | align=center| 42% | align=center| — | align=center| 4% |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| October 28–November 3, 2016 | align=center| 405 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 56% | align=center| 40% | align=center| — | align=center| 4% |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| October 27–November 2, 2016 | align=center| 397 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 56% | align=center| 39% | align=center| — | align=center| 5% |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| October 26–November 1, 2016 | align=center| 413 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 58% | align=center| 37% | align=center| — | align=center| 5% |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| October 25–31, 2016 | align=center| 458 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 60% | align=center| 36% | align=center| — | align=center| 4% |- |University of DelawareUniversity of Delaware | align=center| September 16–28, 2016 | align=center| 900 | align=center| ± 3.8% | align=center| 57% | align=center| 25% | align=center| 7% | align=center| 11%
Results
By county
CountyJohn CarneyDemocraticColin BoniniRepublicanAll Others#%#%#%Kent35,95549.6834,77748.051,6462.27New Castle165,97366.2177,83931.056,8792.75Sussex46,47645.2454,23652.792,0311.97 Totals248,40458.34166,85239.1810,5562.48
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Sussex (largest city: Seaford)
References
External links Official campaign websites (Archived) John Carney (D) for Governor Colin Bonini (R) for Governor Lacey Lafferty (R) for Governor