The 1998 New Mexico gubernatorial election was a contest to elect the next
governor of New Mexico. The winner of the election would serve a term from January 1, 1999 until January 1, 2003. Incumbent Republican (now
Libertarian
Libertarianism (from french: libertaire, "libertarian"; from la, libertas, "freedom") is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state's e ...
) Governor
Gary Johnson was re-elected to a second term. As of 2019, this is the last time a non-Hispanic was elected governor of New Mexico.
In his campaign, Johnson promised to continue the policies of his first term: improving schools; cutting state spending, taxes, and bureaucracy; and frequent use of his veto and line-item veto power.
Fielding a strong Hispanic candidate in a 40% Hispanic state, the Democrats were expected to oust Johnson,
but Johnson won by a margin of 55% to 45%.
This made him the first governor of New Mexico to serve two successive four-year terms after term limits were expanded to two terms in 1991.
Johnson made the promotion of a school voucher system a "hallmark issue" of his second term.
Democratic Party
Candidates
*
Martin Chávez, Mayor of
Albuquerque
*
Gary K. King,
State Representative
A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system.
Two federations literally use the term "state legislature":
* The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...
and son of former Governor
Bruce King
*
Jerry Apodaca, former
Governor of New Mexico and former
Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
*
Robert E. Vigil
Robert E. Vigil (born October 26, 1953) is an American politician from the U.S. state of New Mexico. He was twice elected New Mexico State Auditor, serving from 1991 to 1998 and was New Mexico State Treasurer from 2003 until his resignation on Oc ...
, incumbent
New Mexico State Auditor
* Reese P. Fullerton, attorney
* Ben Chavez, 1994
New Mexico House of Representatives District 2 candidate
Primary results
Republican Party
Candidates
*
Gary Johnson, incumbent
Governor of New Mexico
Primary results
Campaign
In his campaign, Johnson promised to continue the policies of his first term: improving schools; cutting state spending, taxes, and bureaucracy; and frequent use of his veto and line-item veto power.
Fielding a strong Hispanic candidate in a 40% Hispanic state, the Democrats were expected to oust Johnson,
but Johnson won by a margin of 55% to 45%.
This made him the first governor of New Mexico to serve two successive four-year terms after term limits were expanded to two terms in 1991.
Johnson made the promotion of a school voucher system a "hallmark issue" of his second term.
Election results
References
See also
{{New Mexico gubernatorial elections
Governor
New Mexico
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
Gary Johnson