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      Data: MIT Election Lab, VEST, Census Bureau
      Home/Elections/1998/Governor/Iowa
      1998·Governor·Iowa

      Iowa Governor

      Winner
      DEM
      Tom Vilsack
      52.3%500,231 votes
      Runner-up
      REP
      Jim Ross Lightfoot
      46.5%444,787 votes
      Margin
      D+5.8
      956,418 total votes
      3 candidates956,418 total votes
      CandidatePartyVotes ▼%Vote Share
      Tom VilsackDEM✓
      		DEM500,23152.3%
      Jim Ross LightfootREP
      		REP444,78746.5%
      OtherOTH
      		OTH11,4001.2%

      Seat History

      Governor in Iowa

      2022
      Kim ReynoldsREP
      R+18.5
      2018
      Kim ReynoldsREP
      R+2.7
      2014
      Terry Edward BranstadREP
      R+21.7
      2010
      Terry Edward BranstadREP
      R+9.6
      2006
      Chet CulverDEM
      D+9.7
      2002
      Tom VilsackDEM
      D+8.2
      1994
      Terry Edward BranstadREP
      R+15.2
      1990
      Terry Edward BranstadREP
      R+21.8
      1986
      Terry Edward BranstadREP
      R+3.9
      1982
      Terry Edward BranstadREP
      R+6.3
      1978
      Robert E. RayREP
      R+17.3
      1974
      Robert E. RayREP
      R+17.1
      1972
      Robert E. RayREP
      R+18.2
      1970
      Robert E. RayREP
      R+4.4
      View all Governor history for Iowa →

      Candidates

      Jim Ross LightfootREP
      Record6W-2L
      Avg MarginD+5.5
      Career1984-1998
      Governor / US Senate / US House
      Full profile →
      Tom VilsackDEM
      Record4W-0L
      Avg MarginD+30.5
      Career1992-2002
      Governor / State Senate
      Full profile →

      Also in Iowa, 1998

      US Senate1 contest →US House5 contests →
      ← All 1998 Governor races1998 overviewIowa profileAll elections