1980 Washington gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1980 United States gubernatorial elections.

1980 Washington gubernatorial election

November 4, 1980

Nominee John Spellman Jim McDermott Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 981,083 749,813 Percentage 56.68% 43.32%

County results Spellman:      50–60%      60–70% McDermott:      50–60%

Governor before election Dixy Lee Ray Democratic Elected Governor John Spellman Republican

The 1980 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1980. Incumbent Democratic governor Dixy Lee Ray ran for a second term, but lost in the primary to State Representative Jim McDermott. McDermott was defeated in the general election by Republican candidate John Spellman, the King County Executive. As of 2024, this is the last time a Republican was elected Governor of Washington, thus beginning the longest streak for Democrats holding any of the 50 state governorships once Spellman left office.

Primary election

Candidates

Democratic

• Robert L. Baldwin, Sr.
• Douglas P. Bestle
• Caroline "Hope" Diamond
• Lloyd G. Isley
• Jef Jaisum
• Jim McDermott, psychiatrist, state senator, and candidate for governor in 1972
• Dixy Lee Ray, incumbent governor of Washington

Republican

• Duane Berentson, Speaker of Washington House of Representatives
• Bruce Chapman, Secretary of State of Washington
• Patrick Sean McGowan
• Louise A. Saluteen
• John Spellman, King County Executive
• Rabbine Matthew Sutich

Results

Blanket primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim McDermott	321,256	33.04%
	Democratic	Dixy Lee Ray (incumbent)	234,252	24.09%
	Republican	John Spellman	162,426	16.70%
	Republican	Duane Berentson	154,724	15.91%
	Republican	Bruce Chapman	70,875	7.29%
	Republican	Patrick Sean McGowan	7,324	0.75%
	Democratic	Caroline Diamond	4,184	0.43%
	Democratic	Robert L. Baldwin Sr.	3,578	0.37%
	Socialist Workers	Mary Nell Bockman	2,833	0.29%
	Democratic	Lloyd G. Isley	2,723	0.28%
	Republican	Louise A. Saluteen	2,622	0.27%
	Democratic	Douglas P. Bestle	2,481	0.26%
	Republican	Rabbine Matthew Sutich	1,606	0.17%
	Democratic	Jef Jaisun	1,476	0.15%
Total votes			972,360	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Jim McDermott (D), psychiatrist, state senator, and candidate for governor in 1972
• John Spellman (R), King County Executive

Results

1980 Washington gubernatorial election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	John Spellman	981,083	56.68%	+12.25%
	Democratic	Jim McDermott	749,813	43.32%	−9.82%
Majority			231,270	13.36%
Total votes			1,730,896	100.00%
	Republican gain from Democratic		Swing	+22.08%

Results by county

John Spellman was the first Republican to carry Franklin County, Mason County, and Pierce County since Roland H. Hartley in 1928. Franklin County has voted Republican in every subsequent gubernatorial election. Spellman is the most recent Republican to have won King County and Thurston County. Snohomish County and Whatcom County have voted Republican only once since this election.

County	John Spellman Republican		Jim McDermott Democratic		Margin		Total votes cast
	#	%	#	%	#	%
Adams	3,259	68.08%	1,528	31.92%	1,731	36.16%	4,787
Asotin	3,817	57.17%	2,859	42.83%	958	14.35%	6,676
Benton	30,710	69.25%	13,637	30.75%	17,073	38.50%	44,347
Chelan	11,734	60.47%	7,670	39.53%	4,064	20.94%	19,404
Clallam	12,729	57.09%	9,567	42.91%	3,162	14.18%	22,296
Clark	39,225	54.79%	32,364	45.21%	6,861	9.58%	71,589
Columbia	1,352	66.86%	670	33.14%	682	33.73%	2,022
Cowlitz	14,160	50.45%	13,910	49.55%	250	0.89%	28,070
Douglas	5,248	60.25%	3,462	39.75%	1,786	20.51%	8,710
Ferry	956	47.26%	1,067	52.74%	-111	-5.49%	2,023
Franklin	7,249	61.94%	4,454	38.06%	2,795	23.88%	11,703
Garfield	974	65.99%	502	34.01%	472	31.98%	1,476
Grant	10,839	60.80%	6,989	39.20%	3,850	21.60%	17,828
Grays Harbor	12,971	49.76%	13,098	50.24%	-127	-0.49%	26,069
Island	11,285	61.72%	6,998	38.28%	4,287	23.45%	18,283
Jefferson	3,961	49.11%	4,105	50.89%	-144	-1.79%	8,066
King	327,941	55.10%	267,218	44.90%	60,723	10.20%	595,159
Kitsap	36,372	60.10%	24,150	39.90%	12,222	20.19%	60,522
Kittitas	5,783	54.53%	4,822	45.47%	961	9.06%	10,605
Klickitat	2,944	48.29%	3,152	51.71%	-208	-3.41%	6,096
Lewis	14,230	62.38%	8,580	37.62%	5,650	24.77%	22,810
Lincoln	3,471	64.52%	1,909	35.48%	1,562	29.03%	5,380
Mason	7,414	53.84%	6,357	46.16%	1,057	7.68%	13,771
Okanogan	6,710	53.89%	5,741	46.11%	969	7.78%	12,451
Pacific	3,379	42.08%	4,650	57.92%	-1,271	-15.83%	8,029
Pend Oreille	2,045	54.78%	1,688	45.22%	357	9.56%	3,733
Pierce	98,289	56.62%	75,305	43.38%	22,984	13.24%	173,594
San Juan	2,587	52.77%	2,315	47.23%	272	5.55%	4,902
Skagit	17,003	55.41%	13,683	44.59%	3,320	10.82%	30,686
Skamania	1,361	45.92%	1,603	54.08%	-242	-8.16%	2,964
Snohomish	75,203	55.38%	60,587	44.62%	14,616	10.76%	135,790
Spokane	84,400	59.76%	56,827	40.24%	27,573	19.52%	141,227
Stevens	7,178	62.42%	4,322	37.58%	2,856	24.83%	11,500
Thurston	31,803	57.90%	23,122	42.10%	8,681	15.81%	54,925
Wahkiakum	767	45.30%	926	54.70%	-159	-9.39%	1,693
Walla Walla	11,993	63.30%	6,954	36.70%	5,039	26.60%	18,947
Whatcom	23,722	51.64%	22,215	48.36%	1,507	3.28%	45,937
Whitman	9,773	57.60%	7,195	42.40%	2,578	15.19%	16,968
Yakima	36,246	60.55%	23,612	39.45%	12,634	21.11%	59,858
Totals	981,083	56.68%	749,813	43.32%	231,270	13.36%	1,730,896

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Benton
• Clallam
• Clark
• Cowlitz
• Douglas
• Franklin
• Island
• King
• Kitsap
• Kittitas
• Klickitat
• Lewis
• Mason
• Okanogan
• Pend Oreille
• Pierce
• Skagit
• Snohomish
• Thurston
• Whatcom