1998 Hawaii gubernatorial election

1998 Hawaii gubernatorial election

← 1994 November 3, 1998 2002 →
 
Nominee Ben Cayetano Linda Lingle
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate Mazie Hirono Stan Koki
Popular vote 204,206 198,952
Percentage 50.1% 48.8%

County results
Cayetano:      50–60%
Lingle:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election

Ben Cayetano
Democratic

Elected Governor

Ben Cayetano
Democratic

The 1998 Hawaii gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democratic Governor of Hawaii Ben Cayetano ran for re-election to a second and final term, and he was contested by Maui Mayor Linda Lingle. The race between Cayetano and Lingle was close, with Lingle holding a sizable polling advantage.[1] Ultimately, Cayetano narrowly won re-election to a second term in the closest gubernatorial election in Hawaii's history.

This, alongside the 1966 elections, is the only time a Democrat was elected governor without sweeping every county in the state. Lingle later won Hawaii's governorship in 2002 when Cayetano was term-limited; she was re-elected in 2006.

  1. ^ Silver, Nate (November 6, 2014). "Why Polls Missed A Shocker In Virginia's Senate Race". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved September 26, 2020.