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1998 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

none

Field	Value
election_name	1998 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election
country	Pennsylvania
type	presidential
ongoing	no
previous_election	1994 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election
previous_year	1994
election_date
next_election	2002 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election
next_year	2002
image1	Congressman Tom Ridge.jpg
nominee1	Tom Ridge
party1	Republican Party (United States)
running_mate1	Mark Schweiker
popular_vote1	1,736,844
percentage1	57.42%
image2	Ivan Itkin 1980 3x4.jpg
nominee2	Ivan Itkin
running_mate2	Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky
party2	Democratic Party (United States)
popular_vote2	938,745
percentage2	31.03%
image3	3x4.svg
nominee3	Peg Luksik
running_mate3	Jim Clymer
party3	Constitution Party (United States)
popular_vote3	315,761
percentage3	10.43%
map_image
map_caption	Ridge:
Itkin:
Luksik:
Tie:
title	Governor
before_election	Tom Ridge
before_party	Republican Party (United States)
after_election	Tom Ridge
after_party	Republican Party (United States)

Itkin:
Luksik:
Tie:
The 1998 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was held in the U.S. state on November 3, 1998. The main candidates were incumbent Republican Tom Ridge, Democrat Ivan Itkin, and Constitutionalist Peg Luksik. Ridge, a popular moderate, won with 57 percent of the votes cast.

As of 2024, this was the last gubernatorial election in which Delaware, Lackawanna and Montgomery counties voted for the Republican candidate, and was the last time a Republican was re-elected as governor of Pennsylvania. It was also the first time since 1930 that Greene County, Fayette County, and Washington County voted Republican.

Primary elections

Incumbent Governor Ridge ran unopposed for the Republican nomination, and was endorsed by multiple newspapers across the state, including the York Daily Record. State Representative Ivan Itkin from Pittsburgh defeated former Auditor General and US Representative Don Bailey from Greensburg and private detective and anti-corruption activist Bill Keisling from York. Itkin, although not well known in the state, was a powerful figure in the legislature and had the backing of the party establishment, while the conservative Bailey drew strong union support.

Democratic primary results

| ]]

General election

Candidates

Ivan Itkin, State Representative (Democratic)
- Running mate: Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, former U.S. Representative
Ken Krawchuk, technology consultant (Libertarian)
- Running mate: Henry Haller, attorney
Peg Luksik, director of an anti-abortion organization and candidate in 1994 (Constitution)
- Running mate: Jim Clymer, attorney and nominee for Lt. Governor in 1994
Tom Ridge, incumbent Governor (Republican)
- Running mate: Mark Schweiker, incumbent Lieutenant Governor

Campaign

During this election cycle, Democrats struggled with fundraising issues and had difficulty recruiting a top tier candidate. Itkin, who had little name recognition statewide, was considered to be a sacrificial lamb. Peg Luksik, who was well known as an outspoken opponent of abortion, ran as a strong third party contender for the second consecutive election cycle; she emphasized the pro-choice stances of both candidates and drew votes in the state's rural, conservative center. However, Ridge's victory was never in doubt, as he ran on a generally positive record from his prior term and a combination of traditional Republican strategies (such as his "tough on crime" image) combined with his ability to somewhat undercut Democratic support (such as through his labor ties).

Polling

Poll source	Date(s)
administered	Sample
size	Margin
of error	Tom
Ridge (R)	Ivan
Itkin (D)	Peg
Luksik (C)	Undecided
Mason-Dixon	October 26–27, 1998	807 (LV)	± 3.5%	59%	23%	10%	8%
Mason-Dixon	October 3–6, 1998	801 (LV)	± 3.5%	58%	24%	–	18%
Millersville University	September 25–29, 1998	629 (A)	± 4.6%	56%	17%	–	27%
Mason-Dixon	September 14–16, 1998	806 (LV)	± 3.5%	59%	23%	–	18%
Mason-Dixon	August 2–4, 1998	806 (LV)	± 3.5%	57%	22%	–	21%

Results

Results by county

County	Tom Ridge
Republican	Ivan Itkin
Democratic	Peg Luksik
Constitution	Ken Krawchuk
Libertarian	Margin	Total votes cast	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	Totals	1,736,844	57.42%	938,745	31.03%	315,761	10.44%	33,591	1.11%	798,099	26.39%	3,024,941
	Adams		14,810		73.83%		3,682		18.35%		1,360		6.78%		208		1.04%		11,128		55.48%		20,060
	Allegheny		169,316		48.14%		127,994		36.39%		50,689		14.41%		3,719		1.06%		41,322		11.75%		351,718
	Armstrong		8,641		48.71%		4,900		27.62%		4,098		23.10%		99		0.56%		3,741		21.09%		17,738
	Beaver		24,993		47.14%		19,879		37.49%		7,669		14.46%		477		0.90%		5,114		9.65%		53,018
	Bedford		8,232		68.25%		2,322		19.25%		1,427		11.83%		81		0.67%		5,910		49.00%		12,062
	Berks		49,716		62.51%		21,336		26.83%		6,926		8.71%		1,553		1.95%		28,380		35.68%		79,531
	Blair		19,025		67.54%		4,410		15.66%		4,518		16.04%		216		0.77%		14,507		51.50%		28,169
	Bradford		12,534		74.70%		3,041		18.12%		1,101		6.56%		104		0.62%		9,493		56.58%		16,780
	Bucks		93,697		64.85%		39,210		27.14%		9,145		6.33%		2,431		1.68%		54,487		37.71%		144,483
	Butler		22,839		51.22%		10,593		23.76%		10,759		24.13%		395		0.89%		12,080		27.09%		44,586
	Cambria		22,266		49.51%		12,675		28.18%		9,721		21.61%		313		0.70%		9,591		21.33%		44,975
	Cameron		688		42.76%		266		16.53%		646		40.15%		9		0.56%		42		2.61%		1,609
	Carbon		7,503		54.98%		5,246		38.44%		716		5.25%		183		1.34%		2,257		16.54%		13,648
	Centre		20,175		65.15%		7,295		23.56%		3,100		10.01%		397		1.28%		12,880		41.59%		30,967
	Chester		68,572		67.62%		21,337		21.04%		9,786		9.65%		1,714		1.69%		47,235		46.58%		101,409
	Clarion		5,861		57.21%		2,112		20.62%		2,182		21.30%		89		0.87%		3,679		35.91%		10,244
	Clearfield		11,437		56.10%		5,598		27.46%		3,215		15.77%		135		0.66%		5,839		28.64%		20,385
	Clinton		5,348		62.28%		2,656		30.93%		487		5.67%		96		1.12%		2,692		31.35%		8,587
	Columbia		8,720		60.58%		4,175		29.00%		1,401		9.73%		99		0.69%		4,545		31.58%		14,395
	Crawford		13,875		63.30%		4,786		21.83%		3,065		13.98%		195		0.89%		9,089		41.47%		21,921
	Cumberland		37,801		70.93%		8,610		16.16%		6,360		11.93%		522		0.98%		29,191		54.77%		53,293
	Dauphin		39,914		64.79%		13,203		21.43%		7,871		12.78%		615		1.00%		26,711		43.36%		61,603
	Delaware		97,746		63.32%		42,283		27.39%		12,368		8.01%		1,976		1.28%		55,463		35.93%		154,373
	Elk		4,520		49.43%		2,500		27.34%		2,073		22.67%		51		0.56%		2,020		22.09%		9,144
	Erie		49,027		63.68%		16,783		21.80%		10,450		13.57%		724		0.94%		32,244		41.88%		76,984
	Fayette		13,215		43.88%		12,863		42.71%		3,699		12.28%		342		1.14%		352		1.17%		30,119
	Forest		987		63.80%		375		24.24%		181		11.70%		4		0.26%		612		39.56%		1,547
	Franklin		21,793		69.67%		6,527		20.87%		2,759		8.82%		200		0.64%		15,266		48.80%		31,279
	Fulton		2,210		66.25%		885		26.53%		230		6.89%		11		0.33%		1,325		39.72%		3,336
	Greene		4,211		45.88%		3,900		42.49%		963		10.49%		104		1.13%		311		3.39%		9,178
	Huntingdon		6,253		65.25%		1,936		20.20%		1,320		13.77%		74		0.77%		4,317		45.05%		9,583
	Indiana		11,733		50.73%		6,910		29.88%		4,334		18.74%		152		0.66%		4,823		20.85%		23,129
	Jefferson		6,493		58.08%		2,473		22.12%		2,131		19.06%		82		0.73%		4,020		35.96%		11,179
	Juniata		3,947		65.98%		1,266		21.16%		740		12.37%		29		0.48%		2,681		44.82%		5,982
	Lackawanna		35,039		52.96%		25,297		38.24%		5,208		7.87%		615		0.93%		9,742		14.72%		66,159
	Lancaster		72,198		72.13%		15,891		15.88%		11,169		11.16%		841		0.84%		56,307		56.25%		100,099
	Lawrence		13,115		51.46%		9,259		36.33%		2,956		11.60%		154		0.60%		3,856		15.13%		25,484
	Lebanon		20,263		72.70%		4,775		17.13%		2,588		9.28%		247		0.89%		15,488		55.57%		27,873
	Lehigh		50,526		65.79%		22,472		29.26%		2,890		3.76%		910		1.18%		28,054		36.53%		76,798
	Luzerne		44,030		58.96%		23,827		31.90%		6,125		8.20%		702		0.94%		20,203		27.06%		74,864
	Lycoming		20,511		70.85%		6,058		20.93%		2,102		7.26%		280		0.97%		14,453		49.92%		28,951
	McKean		6,742		68.43%		2,086		21.17%		939		9.53%		85		0.86%		4,656		47.26%		9,852
	Mercer		15,958		52.77%		10,349		34.23%		3,704		12.25%		227		0.75%		5,609		18.54%		30,238
	Mifflin		6,914		71.01%		2,010		20.65%		723		7.43%		89		0.91%		4,904		50.36%		9,736
	Monroe		17,243		65.97%		7,160		27.40%		1,345		5.15%		388		1.48%		10,083		7.84%		26,136
	Montgomery		129,376		61.42%		62,734		29.78%		14,959		7.10%		3,567		1.69%		66,642		31.64%		210,636
	Montour		2,700		64.18%		1,012		24.06%		469		11.15%		26		0.62%		1,688		40.12%		4,207
	Northampton		42,352		64.15%		20,461		30.99%		2,337		3.54%		867		1.31%		21,891		33.16%		66,017
	Northumberland		13,468		58.95%		7,051		30.86%		2,011		8.80%		317		1.39%		6,417		28.09%		22,847
	Perry		7,023		68.83%		1,487		14.57%		1,604		15.72%		89		0.87%		5,419		53.11%		10,203
	Philadelphia		107,731		35.06%		183,066		59.58%		13,072		4.25%		3,401		1.11%		-75,335		-24.52%		307,270
	Pike		6,843		68.45%		2,726		27.27%		333		3.33%		95		0.95%		4,117		41.18%		9,997
	Potter		3,121		68.53%		963		21.15%		449		9.86%		21		0.46%		2,158		47.38%		4,554
	Schuylkill		27,992		63.14%		12,108		27.31%		3,920		8.84%		313		0.71%		15,884		35.83%		44,333
	Snyder		5,565		69.95%		1,405		17.66%		919		11.55%		67		0.84%		4,160		52.29%		7,956
	Somerset		14,829		61.15%		5,676		23.40%		3,569		14.72%		178		0.73%		9,153		37.75%		24,252
	Sullivan		1,609		69.62%		524		22.67%		163		7.05%		15		0.65%		1,085		46.95%		2,311
	Susquehanna		9,330		71.79%		2,830		21.77%		736		5.66%		101		0.78%		6,500		50.02%		12,997
	Tioga		7,000		70.54%		2,071		20.87%		798		8.04%		54		0.54%		4,929		49.67%		9,923
	Union		5,395		68.20%		1,700		21.49%		757		9.57%		58		0.73%		3,695		46.71%		7,910
	Venango		9,643		62.96%		3,595		23.47%		1,991		13.00%		87		0.57%		6,048		39.49%		15,316
	Warren		6,760		60.71%		2,301		20.66%		1,975		17.74%		99		0.89%		4,459		40.05%		11,135
	Washington		22,825		43.56%		20,050		38.27%		9,113		17.39%		405		0.77%		2,775		5.29%		52,393
	Wayne		8,692		70.57%		2,892		23.48%		603		4.90%		129		1.05%		5,800		47.09%		12,316
	Westmoreland		44,331		44.54%		32,375		32.53%		22,025		22.13%		804		0.81%		11,956		12.01%		99,535
	Wyoming		6,965		74.54%		1,682		18.00%		616		6.59%		81		0.87%		5,283		56.54%		9,344
	York		62,657		72.47%		16,825		19.46%		6,103		7.06%		880		1.02%		45,832		53.01%		86,465

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Alleghany
Beaver
Cambria
Fayette
Greene
Lackawanna
Lawrence
Luzerne
Washington
Westmoreland

Notes

;Partisan clients

References

Sources

References

"[https://www.newspapers.com/image/555138888/?terms=%22Tom%20Ridge%22&match=1 Today is the day to have your say]." York, Pennsylvania: ''York Daily Record'', November 3, 1998, p. 4 (subscription required).
Strader, Jim. "[https://www.newspapers.com/image/468149168/?terms=%22Tom%20Ridge%22&match=1 Candidates spend last day across state]." Pottsville, Pennsylvania: ''Pottsville Republican and Evening Herald'', November 3, 1998, p. 11 (subscription required).
"Our Campaigns - PA Governor - D Primary Race - May 19, 1998".
Kennedy, John J.. (2006). "Pennsylvania Elections: Statewide Contests From 1950-2004". University Press of America.
"CNN AllPolitics Election '98 - Pennsylvania 1998 Polls". [[CNN]].
''The Pennsylvania Manual'', p. 7-94.
''The Pennsylvania Manual'', p. 7-16.
"Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Election Returns 1998". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project.

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