The 2006 Iowa gubernatorial election took place November 7, 2006. The incumbent governor, Tom Vilsack, a Democrat, had served two terms and decided not to seek a third term. In the election, Chet Culver defeated Jim Nussle to win the governorship, by a margin of 54.4 percent to 44.1 percent.[1]
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County results Culver: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Nussle: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 2024[update], this was the last time a Democrat won the governorship of Iowa. This election marks the first time Democrats won three consecutive gubernatorial elections in the state since 1966, and the only time Democrats have ever done so for four-year terms.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Chet Culver | 58,131 | 39.08 | |
Democratic | Mike Blouin | 50,728 | 34.10 | |
Democratic | Ed Fallon | 38,253 | 25.72 | |
Democratic | Sal Mohamed | 1,545 | 1.04 | |
Democratic | Write-ins | 94 | 0.06 | |
Total votes | 148,751 | 100 |
Withdrew
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jim Nussle | 73,975 | 100.00 | |
Total votes | 73,975 | 100 |
The Democratic nominee, Iowa Secretary of State Chet Culver, selected Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge as his running mate. Judge had previously run for the Democratic nomination for Governor before dropping out to run for Lieutenant Governor. The Republican nominee, U.S. Congressman Jim Nussle, selected Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats as his running mate. Vander Plaats, like Judge, had previously run for his party's nomination before dropping out to run for Lieutenant Governor.
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report[5] | Tossup | November 6, 2006 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Lean D | November 6, 2006 |
Rothenberg Political Report[7] | Lean D | November 2, 2006 |
Real Clear Politics[8] | Lean D | November 6, 2006 |
Source | Date | Chet Culver (D) |
Jim Nussle (R) |
---|---|---|---|
Des Moines Register | November 3, 2006 | 52% | 43% |
Rasmussen | October 27, 2006 | 49% | 45% |
Research 2000 | October 17, 2006 | 49% | 44% |
Des Moines Register | October 14, 2006 | 46% | 39% |
Rasmussen Archived 2008-10-12 at the Wayback Machine | October 5, 2006 | 42% | 42% |
Des Moines Register | September 17, 2006 | 44% | 44% |
Research 2000 | September 14, 2006 | 48% | 43% |
Zogby/WSJ | September 11, 2006 | 43% | 46% |
Rasmussen | September 1, 2006 | 42% | 40% |
Zogby/WSJ | August 28, 2006 | 48% | 45% |
Rasmussen Archived September 22, 2006, at the Wayback Machine | August 3, 2006 | 41% | 38% |
Zogby/WSJ | July 24, 2006 | 45% | 47% |
Zogby/WSJ | June 21, 2006 | 46% | 47% |
Research 2000 | May 22–24, 2006 | 49% | 41% |
Rasmussen | May 2, 2006 | 46% | 40% |
Rasmussen Archived May 12, 2006, at the Wayback Machine | April 5, 2006 | 40% | 38% |
Rasmussen | February 15, 2006 | 41% | 40% |
Rasmussen | January 12, 2006 | 40% | 40% |
Rasmussen Archived November 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine | November 28, 2005 | 41% | 38% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Chet Culver | 569,021 | 54.02% | +1.33% | |
Republican | Jim Nussle | 467,425 | 44.38% | -0.13% | |
Green | Wendy Barth | 7,850 | 0.75% | -0.68% | |
Libertarian | Kevin Litten | 5,735 | 0.54% | -0.74% | |
Socialist Workers | Mary Martin | 1,974 | 0.19% | ||
Write-ins | 1,250 | 0.12% | |||
Majority | 101,596 | 9.65% | +1.48% | ||
Turnout | 1,053,255 | ||||
Democratic hold | Swing |