Skip to content
Surf Wiki
Save to docs
politics

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

1998 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

none

1998 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

none

FieldValue
election_name1998 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
countryMassachusetts
typepresidential
ongoingno
previous_election1994 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
previous_year1994
next_election2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
next_year2002
election_dateNovember 2, 1998
turnout51.19% 18.86
image_sizex150px
image1File:Paul Cellucci gubernatorial photo (1).jpg
nominee1**Paul Cellucci**
party1Republican Party (United States)
running_mate1**Jane Swift**
popular_vote1**967,160**
percentage1**50.9%**
image2File:L. Scott Harshbarger (3x4a).png
nominee2Scott Harshbarger
party2Democratic Party (United States)
running_mate2Warren Tolman
popular_vote2901,843
percentage247.4%
map_image{{switcher
default1
map_size250px
map_caption**Cellucci:**
**Harshbarger:**
titleGovernor
before_electionPaul Cellucci (acting)
before_partyRepublican Party (United States)
after_electionPaul Cellucci
after_partyRepublican Party (United States)

|[[File:1998_Massachusetts_gubernatorial_election_results_map_by_county.svg|300px]] |County results |[[File:1998 Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election by Municipality.svg|300px|]] |Municipality results Harshbarger:

The 1998 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998. Acting Governor Paul Cellucci was elected to his first term as Governor of Massachusetts.

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates

  • Paul Cellucci, acting Governor
  • Joe Malone, Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General

Campaign

The race between Cellucci and Malone was acrimonious, with each candidate accusing the other of committing ethical violations.

Results

On September 16, Cellucci defeated Malone to win his party's nomination.

Republican primary results by municipality

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

  • Janet E. Jeghelian, radio host (running with Malone)
  • Jane Swift, Secretary of Consumer Affairs (running with Cellucci)
Declined
  • Charlie Baker, Secretary of Administration and Finance
  • Ralph C. Martin II, Suffolk County District Attorney

Results

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates

  • Brian J. Donnelly, former U.S. Representative and United States Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago
  • Scott Harshbarger, Massachusetts Attorney General
  • Patricia McGovern, State Senator from Lawrence
Withdrew
  • Joseph Kennedy II, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 8th congressional district{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/keyraces98/stories/ma082997.htm

Debate

No.DateHostModeratorLinkDemocraticDemocraticDemocraticKey:
Participant Absent Not invited Invited WithdrawnDemocratic Party (US)}}"Democratic Party (US)}}"Democratic Party (US)}}"Brian J. DonnellyScott HarshbargerPatricia McGovern1
Sep. 8, 1998WWLPJim Madigan[C-SPAN](https://www.c-span.org/video/?111267-1/massachusetts-democratic-gubernatorial-debate)

Results

Democratic primary results by municipality

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

  • Dorothy Kelly Gay, Governor's Councilor from Somerville
  • Warren Tolman, State Senator from Watertown

Results

General election

Campaign

After Harshbarger's primary victory, many moderate Democrats who had voted for McGovern or Donnelly, chose to support the socially liberal, fiscally moderate Cellucci instead of the more liberal Harshbarger.

Debate

No.DateHostModeratorLinkRepublicanDemocraticKey:
Participant Absent Not invited Invited WithdrawnRepublican Party (US)}}"Democratic Party (US)}}"Paul CellucciScott Harshbarger1
Oct. 26, 1998Boston Herald
The Boston Globe
New England Cable News
WCVB-TV
WHDH-TV
WBZ-TVCharles Ogletree[C-SPAN](https://www.c-span.org/video/?114396-1/massachusetts-gubernatorial-debate)

Polling

In a January opinion poll, Cellucci lead Harshbarger 50%-30%. By August, Harshbarger had taken a 37%-35% lead over Cellucci.

Results

On November 3, Cellucci defeated Harshbarger by 65,317 votes.

Results by county

1998 United States gubernatorial election in Massachusetts (by county)CountyCellucci - R %Cellucci - R #Harshbarger - D %Harshbarger - D #Others %Others #Total #
Barnstable**53.8%****50,690**42.7%40,2593.6%3,35794,306
Berkshire**49.8%****20,679**47.1%19,5933.1%1,28741,559
Bristol**48.37%****69,209**48.36%69,1903.3%4,676143,075
Dukes40.9%2,639**55.1%****3,550**4.0%2566,445
Essex**52.4%****118,540**44.0%99,4523.6%8,113226,105
Franklin41.9%9,882**54.6%****12,866**3.5%81923,567
Hampden**49.3%****58,517**46.9%55,7093.8%4,484118,710
Hampshire40.4%19,239**56.3%****26,836**3.4%1,59847,673
Middlesex48.2%230,004**48.7%****232,302**3.1%14,900477,206
Nantucket**48.8%****1,755**46.7%1,6814.6%1643,600
Norfolk**51.2%****120,729**45.4%106,9993.4%7,936235,664
Plymouth**55.6%****81,047**40.8%59,5253.6%5,239145,811
Suffolk39.5%58,384**56.2%****83,048**4.2%6,210147,642
Worcester**56.2%****125,846**40.6%90,8333.2%7,235223,914

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

  • Dukes
  • Franklin
  • Hampshire
  • Middlesex
  • Suffolk

References

References

  1. "Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1998".
  2. Jill Zuckman and Frank Phillips. (September 10, 1998). "Malone, Cellucci trade blows on ethics". Boston Globe.
  3. "Our Campaigns - MA Governor - R Primary Race - Sep 15, 1998".
  4. "Our Campaigns - MA Lt. Governor - R Primary Race - Sep 15, 1998".
  5. "Our Campaigns - MA Governor - D Primary Race - Sep 15, 1998".
  6. "Our Campaigns - MA Lt. Governor - D Primary Race - Sep 15, 1998".
  7. Adrian Walker. (September 19, 1998). "Democratic Dissidents Back Cellucci". Boston Globe.
  8. Scot Lehigh. (October 6, 1998). "Cellucci Seen Seizing Initiative from Harshbarger". Boston Globe.
  9. Brian C. Mooney. (August 15, 1998). "Surplus Stumble Illustrates Why Cellucci's Falling". Boston Globe.
  10. "Our Campaigns - MA Governor Race - Nov 03, 1998".
  11. "PD43+ » Search Elections".
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about 1998 Massachusetts gubernatorial election — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report