1994 Maine gubernatorial election

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Tom Allen, former Mayor of Portland
• Richard Barringer, former Director of Public Lands in Maine
• Joseph E. Brennan, former Governor and former U.S. Representative from the 1st congressional district
• Donnell Carroll, state representative
• Robert Woodbury, former president of the University of Southern Maine

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Mary Adams, tax activist
• Pamela Cahill, state representative
• Susan Collins, businesswoman and former Deputy Treasurer of Massachusetts
• Judith Foss, state representative
• Sumner Lipman, attorney and state representative
• Charlie Webster, state senator
• Jasper Wyman, leader of Maine Christian Civic League and businessman
• Paul R. Young, professor and state representative

Results

General election

Despite a crowded Democratic primary field Brennan easily dispatched his challengers in the Democratic primary, winning over 56% of the primary vote. Collins triumphed in an even more crowded GOP field, taking 21% of the vote against seven other candidates. As a moderate, Collins was subjected to attacks from the right wing of the Republican Party, who claimed she was too liberal. She was also criticized for her residency; despite being a Maine native, she had lived and worked in Massachusetts and only returned to Maine shortly before launching her gubernatorial campaign with the support of Senator William Cohen. Her closest opponent had been Sumner Lipman, the preferred candidate of incumbent governor John R. McKernan Jr.

King made heavy use of campaign ads, including running them during the primary season despite not being subjected to a primary as an independent candidate. The state's two largest newspapers split their endorsements, with Brennan receiving the endorsement of the Portland Press Herald and Collins the Bangor Daily News, while the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, a gun group, endorsed King.

King would narrowly win over Brennan, with Collins and Carter lagging behind. Collins and Brennan would face off again for Cohen's Senate seat in 1996, with Collins winning. King would be re-elected in a landslide in 1998. After a decade outside of political office, King would be elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012. King and Collins continue to hold Maine's two Senate seats to the present day.

Candidates

• Angus King (Independent), lawyer
• Joseph Brennan (Democratic), former governor and U.S. Representative from the 1st congressional district
• Susan Collins (Republican), businesswoman
• Jonathan Carter (Green), environmentalist and scientist

Results

On election day, King would carry much of southern and western Maine — including traditionally Democratic Cumberland and Androscoggin counties — while Brennan would take York County in the extreme south of the state, Kennebec County in Mid-Maine, and Somerset County in western Maine. Collins would win much of northern and eastern Maine. King and Brennan would tie in the municipalities of Chester, Lyman, and Northfield, while King and Collins would tie in Castle Hill, Hersey, Talmadge, and Topsfield, and Brennan and Collins would tie in Merrill.

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Independent

• Androscoggin (largest city: Lewiston)
• Cumberland (largest city: Portland)
• Oxford (largest town: Rumford)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Independent

• Franklin (largest town: Farmington)
• Lincoln (largest city: Waldoboro)
• Knox (largest municipality: Rockland)
• Sagadahoc (largest town: Bath)
• Waldo (largest city: Belfast)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• York (largest town: Biddeford)

References

References

1. "General Election Tabulations - November 8, 1994 - Governor - by County, A-H (Secretary of State, State of Maine, U.S.A.)".
2. "Green Party ballot qualification history".
3. (June 14, 1994). "Maine Governor Primary Results". Maine SOS.
4. (June 14, 1994). "Maine Governor Primary Results". Maine SOS.
5. Potham, Christian P.. (1994). "Expectations and the 1994 Maine elections". Maine Policy Review.