1988 Utah gubernatorial election

none related races 1988 United States gubernatorial elections January 2025 September 2024 1988 Utah gubernatorial election Utah 1922 Presidential no 1984 Utah gubernatorial election 1984 1992 Utah gubernatorial election 1992 November 8, 1988 File:Norman Bangerter (Utah governor).png Norman H. Bangerter Republican Party (United States) 260,462 40.13% File:Ted Wilson 1984 (cropped).jpeg 150x150px Ted Wilson Democratic Party (United States) 249,321 38.41% File:Merrillcook.jpg Merrill Cook Independent 136,651 21.05% 1988 Utah gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 230px County results Bangerter: #ffc8cd 30–40% #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% Wilson: #bdd3ff 30–40% #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% Governor Norman H. Bangerter Republican Party (United States) Norman H. Bangerter Republican Party (United States) The 1988 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1988. Republican nominee and incumbent governor Norman H. Bangerter defeated Democratic nominee Ted Wilson and independent Merrill Cook with 40.13% of the vote. As of 2023, this is the closest a Democrat has come to winning the governorship in Utah since Scott M. Matheson left office in 1985. Background Governor Bangerter consistently trailed in the polls behind Democrat Ted Wilson until near election day. This was due to his unpopular tax increases that spawned a protest movement against his policies, resulting in three tax ballot measures installed, and independent candidate Merrill Cook championing in support of them.Salt Lake Tribune November 10, 1988 Page 1 https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=29188079 2024-08-12 newspapers.lib.utah.edu en Bangerter justified the increases due to the regional recession in Utah caused by declining energy commodity prices in 1986 to 1987, which caused mining employment to fall by 60%, and construction by 30%. Two major companies, Geneva Steel and Kennecott Copper, had to be closed temporarily. Combined with rapid raising school enrollments, Bangerter was forced to raise taxes to counter the declining state budget.Utah History Encyclopedia https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/b/BANGERTER_NORMAN.shtml 2024-08-12 www.uen.org Nevertheless, by election day, polls had shown that Bangerter had closed the near 20–30-point lead Wilson had just three weeks earlier, with previous governor Scott Matheson attributing it to his well received debate performance. In the early morning the day after the election, Bangerter was declared the winner with around 40% of the popular vote. Republican nomination Candidates Declared Norman H. Bangerter, incumbent governorHere's a list of those who've filed to run for public office throughout the State https://www.deseret.com/1988/4/16/18765225/here-s-a-list-of-those-who-ve-filed-to-run-for-public-office-throughout-the-state April 19, 2020 April 16, 1988 Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT Dean Samuels, teacherMidvale educator jumps into race for Governor, vowing to battle taxes https://www.deseret.com/1988/4/20/18763874/midvale-educator-jumps-into-race-for-governor-vowing-to-battle-taxes April 19, 2020 April 20, 1988 Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT Withdrawn Jon Huntsman Sr., industrialist and former White House Staff SecretaryBernick Bob Jr. Huntsman bows out of State House race https://www.deseret.com/1988/4/13/18763232/huntsman-bows-out-of-statehouse-race April 19, 2020 April 13, 1988 Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT Results Bangerter defeated Samuels at the state convention on June 11Bernick Bob Jr. Bangerter tries to win back dissidents https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/10/18768159/bangerter-tries-to-win-back-dissidents April 19, 2020 June 10, 1988 Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT with over 70% of the vote and therefore avoided a primary.Ex-candidate decides against fighting Bangerter nomination https://www.deseret.com/1988/7/14/18771849/ex-candidate-decides-against-fighting-bangerter-nomination April 19, 2020 July 14, 1988 Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT Republican convention, 11 June 1988Davidson Lee Bangerter's convention win challenged. Kearns legislative candidate says write-ins for Cook weren't counted https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/20/18769165/bangerter-s-convention-win-challenged-br-kearns-legislative-candidate-says-write-ins-for-cook-weren April 19, 2020 June 20, 1988 Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT Norm Bangerter (incumbent) Republican Party (United States) 1,502 80.6% W. Dean Samuels Republican Party (United States) 361 19.4% Merrill Cook Write-in 1 0.1% 1,864 Democratic nomination Candidates Declared Ted Wilson, former Mayor of Salt Lake City David E. Hewett, physicianBernick Bob Jr. They're off! But Utah's political sprint may resemble walkathon more than a horse race https://www.deseret.com/1988/4/17/18763555/they-re-off-br-but-utah-s-political-sprint-may-resemble-walkathon-more-than-a-horse-race April 19, 2020 April 17, 1988 Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT Results Wilson defeated Hewett at the state convention on June 25 with over 70% of the vote and therefore avoided a primary. Democratic convention, 25 June 1988Bernick Bob Jr. Demos relish 'new unity'. Wilson will lead slate that has rousing support https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/1988/6/26/18769652/demos-relish-new-unity-br-wilson-will-lead-slate-that-has-rousing-support April 19, 2020 June 26, 1988 Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT Ted Wilson Democratic Party (United States) 1,654 97.4% David E. Hewett Democratic Party (United States) 44 2.6% 1,698 American Party nomination Candidates Declared Arly H. Pedersen, National chairmanWorld Almanac 1989 332 Lawrence Ray Topham, perennial candidate Results Pedersen defeated Topham at the state convention on June 25Davidson Lee American Party's convention fraught with mudslinging. Chairman wins nomination for Governor's race by 78 percent of vote https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/26/18769687/american-party-s-convention-fraught-with-mudslinging-br-chairman-wins-nomination-for-governor-s-race April 19, 2020 June 26, 1988 Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT with over 70% of the vote and therefore avoided a primary.Davidson Lee American Party nomination assailed https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/30/18770148/american-party-nomination-assailed April 19, 2020 June 30, 1988 Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT American Party convention, 25 June 1988https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=546440 UT Governor, 1988 – Amer Convention Our Campaigns April 19, 2020 Arly H. Pedersen American Party (1969) 42 77.8% Lawrence Rey Topham American Party (1969) 12 22.2% 54 General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror NormBangerter (R) TedWilson (D) MerrillCook (I) Other UndecidedDan Jones & AssociatesDan Jones & Associates April 19–21, 1988 904 ± 3.0% 28% 56% 8% 1% 7%Deseret News/KSLDeseret News/KSL (May 3, 1988) 27% 52% 6% 1%Dan Jones & AssociatesDan Jones & Associates (June 27, 1988) 30% 49% 11%Dan Jones & AssociatesDan Jones & Associates July 26–28, 1988 905 ± 3.2% 31% 50% 12% 1% 7%Dan Jones & AssociatesDan Jones & Associates (September 3, 1988) 31% 50% 12%Dan Jones & AssociatesDan Jones & Associates November 6, 1988 36% 36% 24% Candidates Ted Wilson, Democratic Norm Bangerter, Republican Arly H. Pedersen, American Merrill Cook, Independent Kitty K. Burton, Libertarian Results 1988 Utah gubernatorial electionOfficial Results for the State of Utah - 1988 https://vote.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/1988Gen.pdf 31 December 2025Congressional Quarterly 1998 82 Republican Party (United States) Norman H. Bangerter (incumbent) 260,462 40.13% -15.75% Democratic Party (United States) Ted Wilson 249,321 38.41% -5.37% Independent Merrill Cook 136,651 21.05% Libertarian Party (United States) Kitty K. Burton 1,661 0.26% American Party (1969) Arly H. Pedersen 1,019 0.16% -0.19% 649,114 100.00% 11,141 1.72% Republican Party (United States) -10.37% Results by county Salt Lake County voted for the losing candidate for the first time ever in a gubernatorial election.This would also subsequently occur in 2000 and 2004. County Norman H. BangerterRepublican Ted WilsonDemocratic Merrill CookIndependent Kitty K. BurtonLibertarian L. S. BrownAmerican MarginCook finished third in every county, so all margins are between Bangerter and Wilson. Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # % # %Beaver86941.17%99847.28%24011.37%30.14%10.05%-129-6.11%2,111Box Elder7,88048.97%5,42133.69%2,75317.11%180.11%210.13%2,45915.28%16,093Cache13,91649.71%10,32636.89%3,61012.90%890.32%540.19%3,59012.82%27,995Carbon1,26514.76%6,10271.20%1,18713.85%130.15%30.04%-4,837-56.44%8,570Daggett17141.20%18945.54%5312.77%20.48%00.00%-18-4.34%415Davis29,72943.37%21,40731.23%17,14425.01%1630.24%1040.15%8,32212.14%68,547Duchesne1,47133.60%1,59736.48%1,29629.60%40.09%100.23%-126-2.88%4,378Emery1,39733.66%2,18552.65%56013.49%30.07%50.12%-788-18.99%4,150Garfield1,31070.70%36219.54%1779.55%20.11%20.11%94851.16%1,853Grand1,04932.71%1,50746.99%63619.83%80.25%70.22%-458-14.28%3,207Iron4,36156.05%2,55032.78%84010.80%50.06%240.31%1,81123.28%7,780Juab92836.74%1,15845.84%43817.34%00.00%20.08%-230-9.11%2,526Kane1,49967.37%49122.07%2229.98%110.49%20.09%1,00845.30%2,225Millard2,03043.61%1,52932.85%1,08823.37%30.06%50.11%50110.76%4,655Morgan1,06641.64%81831.95%67526.37%00.00%10.04%2489.69%2,560Piute36453.93%24736.59%639.33%00.00%10.15%11717.33%675Rich40847.11%31536.37%14016.17%30.35%00.00%9310.74%866Salt Lake97,64235.05%120,10243.11%59,56221.38%8190.29%4820.17%-22,460-8.06%278,607San Juan1,65843.80%1,75246.29%3539.33%110.29%110.29%-94-2.48%3,785Sanpete3,00045.79%2,38436.39%1,14117.41%180.27%90.14%6169.40%6,552Sevier2,83145.56%1,91030.74%1,43923.16%150.24%190.31%92114.82%6,214Summit2,12033.153,12948.92%1,13217.70%120.19%30.05%-1,009-15.78%6,396Tooele3,11332.18%4,72448.83%1,81218.73%210.22%50.05%-1,611-16.65%9,675Uintah2,69837.44%2,36832.86%2,11829.39%150.21%80.11%3304.58%7,207Utah44,32950.26%26,12929.63%17,40719.74%1990.23%1310.15%18,20020.64%88,195Wasatch1,62440.95%1,65441.70%67717.07%40.10%70.18%-30-0.76%3,966Washington9,58857.99%4,20325.42%2,65816.08%570.34%270.16%5,38532.57%16,533Wayne69261.40%35331.32%807.10%20.18%00.00%33930.08%1,127Weber21,45434.46%23,41137.61%17,15027.55%1610.26%750.12%-1,957-3.14%62,251Total260,46240.13%249,32138.41%136,65121.05%1,6610.26%1,0190.16%11,1411.72%649,114 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Daggett Duchesne Grand Juab Salt Lake San Juan Wasatch Weber Aftermath Governor Bangerter descended from his hotel room around 3:15 am, the morning after election day, to greet reporters and a small group of 40 "cheerful" supporters in the hotel's banquet room upon receiving a concession call from Ted Wilson. In a speech, Bangerter declared that "This morning we start bringing the state back together on an agenda that will move us into the 1990s." All three of the tax protest ballot initiatives were defeated, with their biggest supporter, independent candidate Merrill Cook, stating: "I'm conceding the race, but I'm not conceding the fight."Salt Lake Tribune November 9, 1988 Page 1 https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=29188016 2024-08-12 newspapers.lib.utah.edu en Cook would run for governor as an independent again in the 1992 gubernatorial election. Democrats, who thought Wilson would win easily, were astounded by the stunning upset, and had trouble explaining the loss. Former Democratic governor Scott Matheson was asked why he thought Wilson lost: "That is an intriguing question we will be talking about for years. There are so many factors, the matter of a strong independent candidate, the presence of the tax initiatives which took attention away from the regular races. But we can't dismiss the fact we live in a strong Republican state where it is difficult for Democrats to win and that Ted Wilson was running against an incumbent who had the advantage of using the power of incumbency to make his case to the people." Bangerter would later announce in November 1990 that he would not seek a third term and would retire to private life. Notes References Bibliography Gubernatorial Elections, 1787–1997 Washington, D.C. Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998 1-56802-396-0 Congressional Quarterly 1998 The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1989 https://archive.org/details/worldalmanacbook1989newy/page/332/mode/2up New York, NY Pharos Books 1988 0-88687-361-4 World Almanac 1989 1988 Utah Gubernatorial Category:November 1988 in the United States