1996 Indiana gubernatorial election

none related races 1996 United States gubernatorial elections January 2025 September 2023 1996 Indiana gubernatorial election Indiana presidential no 1992 Indiana gubernatorial election 1992 2000 Indiana gubernatorial election 2000 1996 11 5 File:Frank O'Bannon 1990.jpg 150x150px Frank O'Bannon Joe Kernan Democratic Party (United States) 1,087,128 51.52% File:Stephen Goldsmith.jpg Steve Goldsmith George Witwer Republican Party (United States) 986,982 46.78% 160px 250px County resultsO'Bannon: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80%Goldsmith: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% Governor Evan Bayh Democratic Party (United States) Frank O'Bannon Democratic Party (United States) The 1996 Indiana gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1996, alongside the election of both houses of the Indiana General Assembly. Incumbent Governor Evan Bayh, a Democrat, was ineligible to run for a third consecutive term due to term limits established by the Indiana Constitution.https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/07/us/political-briefs-indiana-as-governor-retires-3-republicans-joust.html POLITICAL BRIEFS: Indiana;As Governor Retires, 3 Republicans Joust The New York Times 7 May 1996 Meredith Robyn He was succeeded by Lt. Governor Frank O'Bannon, who won election over Republican Stephen Goldsmith with 52% of the vote. Primaries Democratic Party Candidates Lt. Governor Frank O'Bannon O'Bannon was unchallenged in his party's primary, winning the Democratic nomination unanimously. He chose South Bend Mayor Joe Kernan as his running mate. Republican Party Candidates Former Marine Sergeant Rex Early Mayor of Indianapolis and nominee for lieutenant governor in 1988 Stephen Goldsmith George Witwer Declined Former vice president of the United States Dan Quayle With Governor Evan Bayh unable to seek another term in office, Indiana Republicans felt confident in their ability to win the general election. Of the three candidates for the nomination, the front-runner was Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith. Goldsmith was by far the favorite for the nomination throughout the race, in some polls leading by as much as 20 points.https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/07/us/political-briefs-indiana-as-governor-retires-3-republicans-joust.html POLITICAL BRIEFS: Indiana;As Governor Retires, 3 Republicans Joust Robyn Meredith The New York Times 7 May 1996 The race was particularly heated: Indiana Republican Party Chairman Michael McDaniel, hoping to avoid alienating any voters, declined to endorse a candidate, instead hanging a Swiss flag in his office to symbolize his neutrality. Goldsmith easily won the primary. He endorsed no candidate for lieutenant governor, and Republican state convention delegates chose Witwer as his running mate. Libertarian Party Candidates Steve Dillon The Libertarian Party nominated Steve Dillon as their second candidate to contest the Indiana governorship. Dillon's running mate was Leona McPherson.1996 Sample State of Indiana General Election Ballot https://www.newspapers.com/image/439220727 Newspapers.com The Vincennes Sun-Commercial 7 March 2021 en 3 Nov 1996 General election The only Great Lakes state to have a Democratic governor going into the 1996 elections, Indiana became the center of the Republican Party's attention in that year's gubernatorial elections. In this traditionally Republican state, Goldsmith and his party were considered to have the edge in the election. That changed, however, when questions about Goldsmith's performance as mayor of Indianapolis surfaced, specifically regarding an August 27 brawl in the city involving several drunken policemen. Goldsmith's campaign was further hurt when it was revealed that several comments made about O'Bannon's record as part of the Indiana state government had been statistically incorrect. The effect of these gaffes was to erase the double-digit lead Goldsmith had enjoyed throughout the summer, leaving him narrowly trailing O'Bannon.http://cgi.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/news/9610/31/governors/# AllPolitics - Indiana Governor's Race - Oct. 31, 1996 2013-11-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20000902013155/http://cgi.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/news/9610/31/governors/# 2000-09-02 dead O'Bannon, meanwhile, was able to take credit for a thriving economy and a recent tax surplus that had occurred during Bayh's administration. The Democrat centered his campaign on his record in the Indiana State Senate, simultaneously attacking Goldsmith for controversial decisions made during his tenure as mayor of Indianapolis. By running what was later described as a "steady" campaign, O'Bannon was able to refute many of the charges Goldsmith brought against him while keeping the pressure on. Even so, the race remained tight down to election night, and Goldsmith reportedly settled in on November 5 expecting to be elected.O'Bannon's 1996 campaign was one for the ages - Howey Politics http://howeypolitics.com/Content/Default/Lead-Story/Article/O-Bannon-s-1996-campaign-was-one-for-the-ages/-3/346/10276 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033128/http://howeypolitics.com/Content/Default/Lead-Story/Article/O-Bannon-s-1996-campaign-was-one-for-the-ages/-3/346/10276 2016-03-04 2024-05-11 howeypolitics.com Results O'Bannon won the election narrowly, carrying 52% of the vote to Goldsmith's 47%. Indiana gubernatorial election, 1996 Democratic Party (United States) Frank O'Bannon/Joe Kernan 1,087,128 51.52 Republican Party (United States) Stephen Goldsmith/George Witwer 986,982 46.78 Libertarian Party (United States) Steve Dillon/Leona McPherson 35,805 1.70 2109915 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) References 1996 Gubernatorial Indiana Category:November 1996 in the United States Category:Joe Kernan (politician)