| Elections in Connecticut |
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The 1998 Connecticut gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1998, and incumbent Republican Governor John G. Rowland won re-election against Democratic Candidate United States Congresswoman Barbara B. Kennelly. This election was the first time since 1944 that an incumbent Republican Governor of Connecticut was re-elected.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Barbara B. Kennelly, U.S. Representative from the CT-01
Results
Kennelly was unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Republican primary
Candidates
- John G. Rowland, incumbent Governor of Connecticut
Results
Rowland was unopposed in the Republican primary.
General election
Candidates
Democratic
- Barbara B. Kennelly, U.S. Representative from the CT-01
- Running mate: Joe Courtney, Member of Connecticut House of Representatives
Republican
- John G. Rowland, incumbent Governor of Connecticut
- Running mate: Jodi Rell, incumbent Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
John Rowland (R) |
Barbara Kennelly (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Dixon[2] | October 26–27, 1998 | 633 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 58% | 33% | 9% |
| Quinnipiac University Polling Institute[2] | October 13–19, 1998 | 683 (LV) | ± 3.8% | 72% | 24% | 4% |
| Mason Dixon[2] | October 9–12, 1998 | 629 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 60% | 28% | 12% |
| University of Connecticut[2] | September 12–16, 1998 | 505 (A) | ± 5.0% | 60% | 23% | 17% |
| Quinnipiac University Polling Institute[2] | June 16–22, 1998 | 1,088 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 56% | 32% | 12% |
| Quinnipiac University Polling Institute[2] | February 10–16, 1998 | 1,303 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 52% | 35% | 23% |
| Quinnipiac University Polling Institute[2] | November 11–17, 1997 | 1,120 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 43% | 44% | 13% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John G. Rowland (incumbent) | 628,707 | 62.90% | +26.70% | |
| Democratic | Barbara B. Kennelly | 354,187 | 35.44% | +2.73% | |
| Concerned Citizens | Joseph A. Zdonczyk | 8,792 | 0.88% | +0.01% | |
| Libertarian | Ned Vare | 5,637 | 0.56% | N/A | |
| Term Limits | Roberta Scaglione | 2,212 | 0.22% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 999,535 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
By congressional district
Rowland won all six congressional districts, including four that elected Democrats.[4]
| District | Rowland | Kennelly | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 56% | 42% | Barbara Kennelly (105th Congress) |
| John Larson (106th Congress) | |||
| 2nd | 58% | 40% | Sam Gejdenson |
| 3rd | 60% | 38% | Rosa DeLauro |
| 4th | 63% | 35% | Chris Shays |
| 5th | 71% | 27% | James Maloney |
| 6th | 68% | 30% | Nancy Johnson |
Notes
- ↑ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
- Partisan clients
References
- ↑ "Connecticut State Register and Manual, 1999". CT State Library.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "CNN AllPolitics Election '98 - Connecticut 1998 Polls". CNN. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ ct.gov
- ↑ "Statement of Vote" (PDF). Secretary of the State of Connecticut. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 20, 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.