1994 California gubernatorial election

Summary

The 1994 California gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, in the midst of that year's "Republican Revolution". Incumbent Republican Pete Wilson easily won re-election over his main challenger, Democratic State Treasurer Kathleen Brown, the daughter of Pat Brown and younger sister of Jerry Brown, both of whom had previously served as governor. Although Wilson initially trailed Brown in the polls as a result of the state's faltering economy, his signature opposition to affirmative action and state services for illegal immigrants (with the associated Proposition 187) eventually led to his win. Wilson won 25% of the African American vote, a fairly strong performance for a Republican. However, he won only 25% of the Latino vote, a weak performance which was widely attributed to his support of Prop 187. This election was the first California gubernatorial election since 1974 in which the winner of the gubernatorial election was of a different party from the incumbent president.

1994 California gubernatorial election

← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
 
Nominee Pete Wilson Kathleen Brown
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 4,781,766 3,519,799
Percentage 55.18% 40.62%

County results
Wilson:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Brown:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election

Pete Wilson
Republican

Elected Governor

Pete Wilson
Republican

Primaries were held on June 3, 1994.

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

1994 Republican gubernatorial primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Pete Wilson (incumbent) 1,266,832 61.44%
Republican Ron Unz 707,431 34.31%
Republican Jim Hart 44,083 2.14%
Republican Louis D'Arrigo 43,448 2.11%
Republican Mike Eagles (write-in) 34 0.00%
Invalid or blank votes 92,580 4.30%
Total votes 2,154,408 100.00

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

  • Kathleen Brown, California Treasurer
  • Mark Calney, Los Angeles resident[1]
  • John Garamendi, California Insurance Commissioner and candidate for Governor in 1982
  • Tom Hayden, State Senator from Los Angeles
  • Charles Pineda Jr., Sacramento criminal justice administrator[1]
  • Jonathan Trip, Burbank business consultant[1]

Results edit

1994 Democratic gubernatorial primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kathleen Brown 1,110,372 48.38%
Democratic John Garamendi 755,876 32.93%
Democratic Tom Hayden 318,777 13.89%
Democratic Charles Pineda Jr. 57,314 2.50%
Democratic Jonathan Trip 31,716 1.38%
Democratic Mark Calney 21,121 0.92%
Invalid or blank votes 139,710 5.74%
Total votes 2,434,866 100.00%

General election edit

Candidates edit

  • Kathleen Brown, California Treasurer (Democratic)
  • Gloria Estela LaRiva, San Francisco political organizer and printer[1] (Peace and Freedom)
  • Jerome McCready, Castroville businessman[1] (American Independent)
  • Richard Rider, San Diego stockbroker and financial planner[1] (Libertarian)
  • Pete Wilson, incumbent Governor and former U.S. Senator (Republican)

Polling edit

Source Date Pete
Wilson
Kathleen
Brown
KNBC-TV November 4, 1994 48% 44%
KCAL-TV November 3, 1994 49% 39%
Field Poll November 1, 1994 50% 41%
San Francisco Examiner October 23, 1994 48% 43%
Los Angeles Times October 16, 1994 50% 42%
KCAL-TV October 7, 1994 48% 38%
Los Angeles Times September 16, 1994 46% 44%

Results edit

1994 California gubernatorial election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Pete Wilson (incumbent) 4,781,766 55.18
Democratic Kathleen Brown 3,519,799 40.62
Libertarian Richard Rider 149,281 1.72
American Independent Jerome McCready 133,870 1.54
Peace and Freedom Gloria Estela LaRiva 80,440 0.93
No party Write-ins 219 0.00
Invalid or blank votes 235,261 2.64
Total votes 8,900,855 100.00
Republican hold

Results by county edit

County Wilson Votes Brown Votes Others Votes
Glenn 73.54% 5,916 21.37% 1,719 5.10% 410
Colusa 72.70% 3,691 23.68% 1,202 3.62% 184
Sutter 72.11% 15,997 23.86% 5,293 4.02% 893
Inyo 69.51% 5,054 25.83% 1,878 4.67% 339
Kern 69.49% 105,733 25.72% 39,137 4.79% 7,292
Madera 69.24% 18,623 26.85% 7,223 3.91% 1,051
Tulare 69.02% 54,267 27.52% 21,634 3.47% 2,725
Tehama 68.77% 12,836 24.78% 4,626 6.45% 1,204
Shasta 68.45% 37,577 24.84% 13,633 6.72% 3,684
Orange 67.72% 516,811 27.67% 211,132 4.61% 35,196
El Dorado 67.14% 36,695 27.97% 15,289 4.89% 2,670
Placer 67.02% 51,213 28.68% 21,915 4.29% 3,282
Amador 66.81% 8,781 28.73% 3,776 4.47% 586
Calaveras 66.08% 10,438 28.06% 4,432 5.86% 925
Nevada 65.97% 25,159 29.59% 11,283 4.44% 1,693
Yuba 65.95% 9,378 28.14% 4,002 5.91% 840
Mariposa 65.18% 4,699 30.21% 2,178 4.61% 332
Kings 65.02% 14,750 31.28% 7,097 3.70% 839
Mono 64.88% 2,263 30.13% 1,051 4.99% 174
Tuolumne 64.41% 12,706 31.01% 6,117 4.57% 903
Riverside 64.17% 221,027 31.13% 107,207 4.68% 16,183
Plumas 63.87% 5,492 30.58% 2,630 5.54% 477
San Diego 63.35% 477,439 31.97% 240,937 4.67% 35,284
Merced 62.90% 24,873 33.37% 13,197 3.73% 1,474
Butte 62.88% 42,998 32.01% 21,887 5.11% 3,498
Fresno 62.83% 112,851 33.94% 60,958 3.22% 5,809
Ventura 62.36% 136,417 33.44% 73,163 4.20% 9,188
San Bernardino 62.30% 217,085 32.32% 112,636 5.38% 18,755
Del Norte 61.83% 4,626 31.70% 2,372 6.48% 484
Sierra 61.77% 1,018 32.04% 528 6.19% 102
San Joaquin 61.35% 78,682 34.92% 44,787 3.72% 4,774
Stanislaus 60.68% 60,992 34.90% 35,080 4.41% 4,438
Siskiyou 60.17% 11,075 32.88% 6,053 6.94% 1,279
San Luis Obispo 60.07% 52,270 35.27% 30,686 4.64% 4,053
Lassen 58.63% 4,827 32.44% 2,671 8.92% 735
Lake 57.88% 11,416 36.90% 7,279 5.21% 1,029
Trinity 56.88% 3,078 32.95% 1,783 10.15% 550
Santa Barbara 56.68% 75,051 39.59% 52,420 3.73% 4,941
Alpine 56.54% 389 34.88% 240 8.58% 59
Imperial 54.97% 13,208 39.64% 9,525 5.39% 1,294
Sacramento 54.79% 196,229 40.88% 146,423 4.33% 15,504
Napa 54.69% 23,429 40.74% 17,454 4.56% 1,956
San Benito 54.17% 6,398 41.08% 4,852 4.75% 561
Monterey 53.89% 49,565 41.96% 38,597 4.14% 3,817
Solano 51.89% 51,265 43.70% 43,170 4.41% 4,355
Modoc 51.47% 1,972 32.81% 1,257 15.71% 602
Contra Costa 51.47% 154,482 45.02% 135,133 3.50% 10,525
Los Angeles 50.43% 1,043,835 46.06% 953,301 3.51% 72,753
Humboldt 49.34% 23,586 44.27% 21,162 6.39% 3,059
Mendocino 48.37% 14,645 45.30% 13,716 6.33% 1,918
San Mateo 47.63% 102,989 49.21% 106,391 3.15% 6,836
Santa Clara 47.50% 212,075 47.46% 211,904 5.03% 22,490
Yolo 46.58% 23,019 49.28% 24,357 4.12% 2,045
Sonoma 45.65% 73,234 49.69% 79,720 4.66% 7,474
Marin 43.35% 45,983 53.43% 56,665 3.21% 3,415
Santa Cruz 41.09% 37,927 53.39% 49,272 5.51% 5,095
Alameda 36.61% 147,238 59.80% 240,490 3.58% 14,437
San Francisco 27.81% 66,494 69.12% 165,279 3.07% 7,340

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Defying the Odds?". The Los Angeles Times. April 4, 1994. p. 74. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 30, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links edit

  • Statement of vote '94