The 1990 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990. Incumbent Republican governor Tommy Thompson won the election with 58% of the vote, winning a second term as Governor of Wisconsin. The primary elections were held on September 11, 1990.
As of 2022, this is the most recent Wisconsin gubernatorial election in which a Republican candidate won at the same time the party held the presidency. Neither party would pull off such a feat again until 2022, when Democratic governor Tony Evers won re-election during the presidency of fellow Democrat Joe Biden.
Republican primary
Governor
Nominee
Tommy G. Thompson, incumbent governor
Eliminated in primary Michele Ann Gess (write-in) Edmond Hou-Seye, perennial candidate Willie G. Lovelace (write-in) Bennett A. Masel
Results
Lieutenant Governor
Nominee Scott McCallum, incumbent lieutenant governor
Results
Democratic party
Governor
Nominee Thomas A. Loftus, incumbent Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Results
Lieutenant Governor
Nominee Joseph Czarnezki, member of Wisconsin Senate
Results
Labor-Farm party
Governor
Nominee Rickey D. Keilholtz
Results
Lieutenant Governor
Nominee Richard L. Ackley
Results
General election Results
Results by county Thompson was the first Republican since Philip La Follette in 1930 to win Iron County, the first since Walter S. Goodland in 1946 to win Milwaukee County, and the first since Walter J. Kohler Jr. in 1952 to win Douglas County and Kenosha County.
County Tommy G. ThompsonRepublican Thomas A. LoftusDemocratic ScatteringWrite-in Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Adams2,39152.60%2,15447.38%10.02%2375.21%4,546Ashland3,06659.49%2,08740.49%10.02%97918.99%5,154Barron5,49452.37%4,98247.49%140.13%5124.88%10,490Bayfield3,30959.24%2,27640.74%10.02%1,03318.49%5,586Brown35,56157.62%26,14342.36%140.02%9,41815.26%61,718Buffalo2,26252.06%2,08347.94%00.00%1794.12%4,345Burnett2,17548.44%2,30751.38%80.18%-132-2.94%4,490Calumet6,10965.96%3,15134.02%20.02%2,95831.94%9,262Chippewa7,95454.86%6,54245.12%30.02%1,4129.74%14,499Clark5,76158.22%4,13141.75%30.03%1,63016.47%9,895Columbia8,30457.92%6,02142.00%120.08%2,28315.92%14,337Crawford2,45655.37%1,97644.54%40.09%48010.82%4,436Dane55,99845.63%66,63854.29%980.08%-10,640-8.67%122,734Dodge12,32564.27%6,84235.68%90.05%5,48328.59%19,176Door5,29162.06%3,23537.94%00.00%2,05624.11%8,526Douglas7,89856.25%6,14043.73%40.03%1,75812.52%14,042Dunn4,61348.42%4,90051.43%140.15%-287-3.01%9,527Eau Claire14,86453.89%12,71146.09%50.02%2,1537.81%27,580Florence80858.00%58542.00%00.00%22316.01%1,393Fond du Lac16,04366.73%7,99233.24%70.03%8,05133.49%24,042Forest1,71155.64%1,36444.36%00.00%34711.28%3,075Grant6,78262.11%4,13137.83%70.06%2,65124.28%10,920Green4,45458.31%3,18041.63%40.05%1,27416.68%7,638Green Lake3,41269.10%1,52630.90%00.00%1,88638.19%4,938Iowa3,42556.84%2,59343.03%80.13%83213.81%6,026Iron1,79469.83%77430.13%10.04%1,02039.70%2,569Jackson3,19652.27%2,91847.73%00.00%2784.55%6,114Jefferson10,64662.79%6,30537.18%50.03%4,34125.60%16,956Juneau5,24470.83%2,15829.15%20.03%3,08641.68%7,404Kenosha14,75053.19%12,97746.79%60.02%1,7736.39%27,733Kewaunee4,14057.29%3,08742.71%00.00%1,05314.57%7,227La Crosse16,79054.24%14,16445.76%20.01%2,6268.48%30,956Lafayette3,20361.22%2,02838.76%10.02%1,17522.46%5,232Langlade3,63760.80%2,34139.13%40.07%1,29621.66%5,982Lincoln4,44355.69%3,53444.30%10.01%90911.39%7,978Manitowoc12,96756.15%10,09843.73%280.12%2,86912.42%23,093Marathon21,90859.86%14,69340.14%00.00%7,21519.71%36,601Marinette7,52458.73%5,28641.26%20.02%2,23817.47%12,812Marquette2,24559.47%1,52640.42%40.11%71919.05%3,775Menominee39041.76%54458.24%00.00%-154-16.49%934Milwaukee128,83554.06%108,81245.66%6700.28%20,0238.40%238,317Monroe5,18959.38%3,54640.58%30.03%1,64318.80%8,738Oconto5,44158.68%3,83141.32%00.00%1,61017.36%9,272Oneida7,20862.47%4,32837.51%20.02%2,88024.96%11,538Outagamie27,50064.68%15,01035.31%50.01%12,49029.38%42,515Ozaukee16,07875.58%5,19324.41%10.00%10,88551.17%21,272Pepin1,04750.97%1,00648.98%10.05%412.00%2,054Pierce4,80955.79%3,80644.15%50.06%1,00311.64%8,620Polk5,77955.08%4,71144.90%20.02%1,06810.18%10,492Portage7,97651.47%7,51448.49%50.03%4622.98%15,495Price3,59254.88%2,94945.06%40.06%6439.82%6,545Racine29,31861.64%18,24338.36%00.00%11,07523.29%47,561Richland2,66661.37%1,67838.63%00.00%98822.74%4,344Rock19,97955.14%16,23144.80%230.06%3,74810.34%36,233Rusk2,69751.67%2,52348.33%00.00%1743.33%5,220Sauk8,19159.99%5,45839.97%60.04%2,73320.01%13,655Sawyer2,53058.96%1,75740.95%40.09%77318.01%4,291Shawano6,69064.35%3,70535.64%20.02%2,98528.71%10,397Sheboygan18,90360.93%12,11839.06%50.02%6,78521.87%31,026St. Croix7,05253.37%6,15846.61%30.02%8946.77%13,213Taylor3,28057.26%2,44342.65%50.09%83714.61%5,728Trempealeau3,56647.85%3,87852.04%80.11%-312-4.19%7,452Vernon3,94553.48%3,42646.44%60.08%5197.04%7,377Vilas5,00368.18%2,33131.77%40.05%2,67236.41%7,338Walworth11,93764.92%6,44735.06%30.02%5,49029.86%18,387Washburn2,74355.46%2,20144.50%20.04%54210.96%4,946Washington15,98370.58%6,66229.42%00.00%9,32141.16%22,645Waukesha61,00271.19%24,67928.80%130.02%36,32342.39%85,694Waupaca7,22766.57%3,61933.34%100.09%3,60833.24%10,856Waushara3,30063.49%1,89636.48%20.04%1,40427.01%5,198Winnebago25,97264.58%14,18735.28%570.14%11,78529.30%40,216Wood11,54059.64%7,81140.36%00.00%3,72919.27%19,351Total802,32158.15%576,28041.77%1,1260.08%226,04116.38%1,379,727
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Bayfield Chippewa Douglas Eau Claire Iron Kenosha Milwaukee Pierce Polk Portage St. Croix
References