1994 Minnesota gubernatorial election
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The 1994 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1994. Republican Party of Minnesota candidate Arne Carlson defeated Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party challenger John Marty.
Republican Party
While incumbent Gov. Arne Carlson was popular in the state, he was not popular with rank-and-file Republicans, who viewed his victory in 1990 as an accident. Carlson, who was pro-choice and in favor of extending civil rights to homosexuals, was seen as too moderate by delegates to the GOP state convention, who ultimately chose former State Representative Allen Quist, a staunch conservative, as their nominee. Ultimately, though, Carlson easily defeated Quist in the state primary, putting him on the ballot for November. Primary results were, 321,084 votes for Arne Carlson and 161,670 votes for Allen Quist.[1]
Candidates
- Arne Carlson, incumbent Governor
- Allen Quist, former State Representative
- Running mate: Doug McFarland, Hamline University professor
Democratic Party
At the DFL convention, Marty received the party endorsement, but faced a strong challenge from former Minneapolis Chief of Police Tony Bouza. Bouza faded, however, when it was revealed that he supported severe restrictions on handguns. Marty ultimately won a narrow victory in the primary over former Commerce Commissioner Mike Hatch, who lost his second consecutive gubernatorial primary. Primary Results were, Marty 144,462, Hatch 139,109, Bouza 93,841, and Van Bergen 4,751.[2]
Candidates
- Tony Bouza, former Minneapolis Chief of Police
- Mike Hatch, former Commissioner of Commerce and candidate for Governor in 1990
- John Marty, State Senator
General election
The 1994 election nationwide was noted for a GOP wave of election victories.[3] In Minnesota, that wave wasn't as evident as half of the statewide elections went for each party. With the GOP winning the Governor, U.S. Senator and State Attorney General positions and the DFL winning the Secretary of State, State Auditor and State Treasurer positions. As well, the Minnesota State House remained in DFL control by a 72-64 margin.[4] The results of the gubernatorial general election were: Arne Carlson 1,094,165, John Marty 589,344, Will Shetterly 20,785, Jon Hillson 3,022, Eric Arthur Olson 15,467, Leslie Davis 4,611.[5]
Candidates
- Arne Carlson (R), incumbent Governor
- John Marty (DFL), State Senator
- Will Shetterly (Grassroots), fantasy and comic book writer
- Eric Olson (L)
- Leslie Davis (Nutritional Rights), activist and perennial candidate
- John Hillson (SWP)
Polling
| Source | Date | Carlson (R) | Marty (D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Paul Pioneer Press | Oct. 2, 1994 | 54% | 29% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ind.-Republican | Arne Carlson | 1,094,165 | 63.34% | +13.24% | |
| Democratic (DFL) | John Marty | 589,344 | 34.12% | −12.65% | |
| Grassroots | Will Shetterly | 20,785 | 1.20% | +0.24% | |
| Libertarian | Eric Olson | 15,467 | 0.90% | n/a | |
| Natural Rights Alliance | Leslie Davis | 4,611 | 0.27% | n/a | |
| Socialist Workers | Jon Hillson | 3,022 | 0.17% | n/a | |
| Majority | 504,821 | 29.22% | |||
| Turnout | 1,727,394 | ||||
| Ind.-Republican hold | Swing | ||||
External links
References
- ^ Minnesota Election Results 1994, p.5-6 Retrieved Oct 20, 2014
- ^ Minnesota Election Results 1994, p.5-6 Retrieved Oct 20, 2014
- ^ THE 1994 ELECTIONS: THE OVERVIEW; G.O.P. WINS CONTROL OF SENATE AND MAKES BIG GAINS IN HOUSE; PATAKI DENIES CUOMO 4TH TERM Retrieved Oct 20, 2014
- ^ Session Weekly, Minnesota House of Representatives, Published Jan 6, 1995, Vol. 12, Number 1 Retrieved Oct 20, 2014
- ^ Minnesota Election Results 1994, p.29-30 Retrieved Oct 20, 2014
