1998 New York gubernatorial election

The 1998 New York gubernatorial election was an election for the state governorship held on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Republican governor George Pataki was re-elected with 54.3% of the vote. This remains the last statewide election in New York where a Republican won a majority of the vote.

1998 New York gubernatorial election

November 3, 1998

Nominee George Pataki Peter Vallone Sr. Tom Golisano Party Republican Democratic Independence Alliance Conservative Working Families Running mate Mary Donohue Sandra Frankel Laureen Oliver Popular vote 2,571,991 1,570,317 364,056 Percentage 54.32% 33.16% 7.69%

County results Pataki:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Vallone:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election George Pataki Republican Elected Governor George Pataki Republican

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Peter Vallone Sr., Speaker of the New York City Council
• Betsy McCaughey Ross, Incumbent Lieutenant Governor
• Charles J. Hynes, Former New York City Fire Commissioner and Incumbent District Attorney for Kings County
• James LaRocca

Polling

Source	Date	Charles Hynes	Richard Kahan	James LaRocca	Betsy McCaughey Ross	Sheldon Silver	Peter Vallone
Quinnipiac	September 24, 1997	13%	-	4%	-	22%	20%
Quinnipiac	December 10, 1997	13%	1%	3%	26%	-	17%
Quinnipiac	February 25, 1998	12%	1%	4%	18%	-	17%
Quinnipiac	March 25, 1998	16%	1%	3%	27%	-	16%
Quinnipiac	June 17, 1998	14%	-	5%	27%	-	23%
Quinnipiac	July 15, 1998	11%	-	3%	13%	-	35%

Statewide results

Results by county

  Vallone

•   30–40%
•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Ross

•   30–40%
•   40–50%

New York Democratic gubernatorial primary, 1998

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Peter Vallone Sr.	416,147	56.38%
	Democratic	Betsy McCaughey Ross	156,592	21.22%
	Democratic	Charles Hynes	109,333	14.81%
	Democratic	James LaRocca	56,011	7.59%
		Blank – Void – Scattering			N/A
Majority			259,555	35.17%
Turnout			738,083	15.30%

General election

Polling

Source	Date	George Pataki (R)	Charles Hynes (D)	Betsy McCaughey Ross (Lib)
Quinnipiac	July 22, 1997	47%	30%	-
Quinnipiac	September 24, 1997	55%	26%	-
Quinnipiac	December 10, 1997	54%	28%	-
Quinnipiac	February 25, 1998	60%	23%	-
Quinnipiac	March 25, 1998	60%	25%	-
Quinnipiac	June 17, 1998	59%	18%	12%

Source	Date	George Pataki (R)	Richard Kahan (D)
Quinnipiac	December 10, 1997	57%	21%
Quinnipiac	February 25, 1998	62%	17%
Quinnipiac	March 25, 1998	62%	19%

Source	Date	George Pataki (R)	James LaRocca (D)	Betsy McCaughey Ross (Lib)
Quinnipiac	July 22, 1997	48%	23%	-
Quinnipiac	September 24, 1997	55%	21%	-
Quinnipiac	December 10, 1997	57%	21%	-
Quinnipiac	February 25, 1998	61%	18%	-
Quinnipiac	March 25, 1998	63%	19%	-
Quinnipiac	June 17, 1998	59%	15%	13%

Source	Date	George Pataki (R)	Betsy McCaughey Ross (D)
Quinnipiac	December 10, 1997	54%	29%
Quinnipiac	February 25, 1998	59%	26%
Quinnipiac	March 25, 1998	57%	30%
Quinnipiac	June 17, 1998	63%	26%

Source	Date	George Pataki (R)	Sheldon Silver (D)
Quinnipiac	September 24, 1997	55%	29%

Source	Date	George Pataki (R)	Peter Vallone (D)	Betsy McCaughey Ross (Lib)	Thomas Golisano (I)
Quinnipiac	July 22, 1997	47%	27%	-	-
Quinnipiac	September 24, 1997	55%	26%	-	-
Quinnipiac	December 10, 1997	56%	26%	-	-
Quinnipiac	February 25, 1998	60%	23%	-	-
Quinnipiac	March 25, 1998	58%	26%	-	-
Quinnipiac	June 17, 1998	59%	19%	12%	-
Quinnipiac	September 27, 1998	53%	26%	4%	9%
Quinnipiac	October 15, 1998	54%	25%	4%	9%
Quinnipiac	October 28, 1998	57%	24%	3%	10%
Quinnipiac	November 2, 1998	55%	26%	2%	11%

Results

New York gubernatorial election, 1998

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	George Pataki	2,223,264	44.59%
	Conservative	George Pataki	348,727	6.99%
	Total	George Pataki (incumbent)	2,571,991	54.32%	5.53%
	Democratic	Peter Vallone, Sr.	1,518,992	30.47%
	Working Families	Peter Vallone, Sr.	51,325	1.03%
	Total	Peter Vallone, Sr.	1,570,317	33.16%	−12.29%
	Independence	Tom Golisano	364,056	7.69%	3.51%
	Liberal	Betsy McCaughey	77,915	1.65%	−0.12%
	Right to Life	Michael Reynolds	56,683	1.20%	−0.10%
	Green	Al Lewis	52,533	1.11%	N/A
	Marijuana Reform	Thomas K. Leighton	24,788	0.52%	N/A
	Unity	Mary Alice France	9,692	0.21%	N/A
	Libertarian	Chris Garvey	4,722	0.11%	−0.07%
	Socialist Workers	Al Duncan	2,539	0.05%	0.01%
		Blank – Void – Scattering	250,696	5.02%	N/A
Majority			1,001,674	21.15%	17.81%
Turnout			4,985,932
	Republican hold		Swing

See also

• Governorship of George Pataki