United States gubernatorial elections, 2007

United States gubernatorial elections, 2007

October 20 and November 6, 2007

3 governorships   Majority party Minority party   Leader Kathleen Sebelius Sonny Perdue Party Democratic Republican Last election 28 governorships 22 governorships Seats before 28 22 Seats after 28 22 Seat change +0 +0

Results:   Republican holds   Republican pickups   Democratic pickups

United States gubernatorial elections, were held in October and November 2007 in three states. The final results were a net change of zero among the parties with one Republican pickup and one Democratic pickup balancing each other out.

Parties

Going into the 2007 gubernatorial elections, the Democratic Party held 28 Governor's seats, while the Republican Party held 22 Governor's seats. Democratic and Republican candidates filed in all 3 states, and the Libertarian Party had ballot representation in Louisiana.

Summary

Election details

Retiring Democratic

Kathleen Blanco (Louisiana)

Governor Kathleen Blanco announced on March 20, 2007 that she would not seek a second term.^[1] Blanco had taken flak for the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the government's ill-preparedness to deal with casualties.

Republican U.S. Representative Bobby Jindal won about 54% of the vote in the October 20 jungle primary, enough to avoid a run-off in November. His nearest opponent, Democratic State Senator Walter Boasso, won about 17% of the vote; Independent New Orleans area businessman John Georges finished third with 14% of the vote, while Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell (D) finished fourth with 12%.^[2]

Former U.S. Senator John Breaux, arguably the most popular Democratic politician in Louisiana, had publicly flirted with entering the race in March and April 2007, but eventually declined to run due to the unresolved controversy over whether his recent Maryland residency made him ineligible to run.^[3] After Breaux's announcement, Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu also declined running.

Jindal led in fundraising with $11 million raised up to the end of September, with $4.3 million of that left for the remainder of the campaign. Georges has put $7 million of his own money into his campaign. Boasso had spent $4.7 million of his own money and had $144,000 in the bank.^[4]

Republican incumbents

Ernie Fletcher (Kentucky)

Governor Ernie Fletcher ran for reelection for a second term. Various polls indicated he had been very unpopular with an approval rating of 38%. Also, Fletcher's governorship had been embroiled in scandal due to the criminal indictment of several people in his administration for illegally hiring workers into the state merit system based on political considerations. Fletcher was challenged in the primary by Anne Northup, a former U.S. Representative who served Kentucky's 3rd congressional district from 1997-2007, as well as Paducah businessman Billy Harper. Underscoring the controversy over the hiring scandal, Lieutenant Governor Steve Pence chose not to run for reelection on the Fletcher ticket and publicly endorsed Northup.^[5] In addition, Northup was endorsed by U.S. Senator Jim Bunning.^[6] However, Fletcher won the primary, winning 101,233 votes (50%) and carrying 106 of Kentucky's 120 counties in a three way race. Northup won the state's largest county, which contains Louisville, and her former congressional district, but lacked support at large; turnout in Jefferson County was not strong enough to make up for that.^[7]

A large number of Democrats ran in the primary, including State Treasurer Jonathan Miller, former Lieutenant Governors Steve Beshear and Steve Henry, businessman Bruce Lunsford and Kentucky House of Representatives Speaker Jody Richards. Lunsford spent over $4 million, much of it his own money; Miller dropped out of the race and endorsed Beshear. Beshear won the primary with 142,516 votes (41%) in the crowded field; his next closest competitor was Lunsford with 21%. Henry took 18% of the vote and Richards, 12%. In their election night concession speeches Lunsford, Henry and Richards each pledged their support to Beshear.^[8]

As a result of the General Election on November 7, 2007, Beshear defeated Fletcher in his bid for reelection. Beshear was inaugurated on December 11, 2007.

Haley Barbour (Mississippi)

Governor Haley Barbour ran for a second term. Barbour was popular, with a 59% approval rating, and faced only a token primary challenge. Four Democratic candidates filed to face him in the general election including eventual nominee attorney John Eaves.

On election day, Barbour defeated Eaves garnering 58% of the vote.

Total results

At the 2007 Gubernatorial Elections, all 55 United States Governors' seats were occupied. Of the 55 seats, 31 were held by Democrats, 23 were held by Republicans, and 1 was held by a third party. In this election, however, only three of the 55 seats were being contested. Two were held by Republicans, and one was held by a Democrat.

References