1998 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

1998 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

November 3, 1998

Nominee Frank Keating Laura Boyd Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 505,498 357,552 Percentage 57.9% 40.9%

Election results by county Keating:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Boyd:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election Frank Keating Republican Elected Governor Frank Keating Republican

The Oklahoma gubernatorial election of 1998 was held on November 3, 1998, and was a race for the Governor of Oklahoma.

Incumbent Republican Frank Keating won re-election in a landslide against Democratic State Representative Laura Boyd. The Reform Party, the first alternative party to be able to run a candidate for governor in the state since 1970, had Hoppy Heidelberg as its candidate. Heidelberg was removed from a gubernatorial debate that he disrupted after not being allowed to be a participant.

Candidates

Republican

• Frank Keating – incumbent Governor of Oklahoma, former Reagan Administration official
• Joe Vickers - perennial candidate, removed from the ballot after his candidacy was successfully challenged by Keating

Democrat

• Laura Boyd – State Representative from Norman, Oklahoma
• James Hager - State Representative from Pawhuska, Oklahoma

Reform

• Hoppy Heidelberg – former member of the Oklahoma City Bombing grand jury

Significance

The election is significant for two reasons:

• 1. It marked the first time a woman received the nomination for governor from a major party in Oklahoma.
• 2. It marked the first time a Republican was elected to a consecutive term (Henry Bellmon was the first Republican to serve two terms, though not consecutive).

Democratic primary

Results

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Laura Boyd	171,121	60.2
	Democratic	James Hager	112,941	39.8
Total votes			284,062	100.00

General Election Results

1998 gubernatorial election, Oklahoma

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Frank Keating	505,498	57.9
	Democratic	Laura Boyd	357,552	40.9
	Reform	Hoppy Heidelberg	10,535	1.2
Majority
Turnout
	Republican hold		Swing

References

• United States Presidential Election Results