1990 Michigan gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1990 Michigan gubernatorial election Michigan presidential no 1986 Michigan gubernatorial election 1986 1994 Michigan gubernatorial election 1994 November 6, 1990 File:Vern Ehlers and John Engler (cropped).jpeg 150x150px John Engler Republican Party (United States) Connie Binsfeld 1,276,134 49.76% File:James Blanchard (MI) (cropped).png James J. Blanchard Democratic Party (United States) Olivia P. Maynard 1,258,539 49.07% 1990 Michigan gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 300px County results Engler: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% Blanchard: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Governor James J. Blanchard Democratic Party (United States) John Engler Republican Party (United States) The 1990 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the state of Michigan. State Senate Majority Leader John Engler, a member of the Republican Party, was elected over incumbent Democratic Governor James Blanchard, who was seeking his third term. In what turned out to be one of the closest elections in recent Michigan history, Engler defeated Blanchard by less than 18,000 votes and a 0.7% margin. Engler's victory was considered a major upset and became infamous among pollsters. The final Detroit News poll showed Engler trailing by 14 points, and the final Detroit Free Press poll showed Engler behind by 4 points.Nate Silver Nate Silver November 6, 2014 Why Polls Missed A Shocker In Virginia’s Senate Race https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/mark-warner-why-polls-missed-a-shocker-in-virginias-senate-race/ https://web.archive.org/web/20141107022928/http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/mark-warner-why-polls-missed-a-shocker-in-virginias-senate-race/ dead November 7, 2014 October 16, 2017 FiveThirtyEight A retrospective of the polling suggests the News poll may have had questions that favored Blanchard and too heavily incorporated the opinions of registered voters rather than likely voters, and thus failed to correctly gauge turnout.https://ropercenter.cornell.edu/public-perspective/ppscan/22/22028.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20160130164217/http://ropercenter.cornell.edu/public-perspective/ppscan/22/22028.pdf dead January 30, 2016 Media Polling in Michigan: A Case for Stricter Standards The Public Perspective January/February 1991 John H. Wilson Gary Ferguson Linda DiVall October 16, 2017 The voter turnout was 38.6%.http://michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_8722-29616--,00.html General Election Voter Registration/Turnout Statistics State of Michigan official website This was the first time since 1974 and the last time until 2022 that the state elected a governor of the same party as the sitting president. As of , this is the last Michigan gubernatorial election in which the incumbent was defeated. Democratic primary Candidates James J. Blanchard, incumbent governor Campaign James Blanchard, a two-term incumbent, won the Democratic primary unopposed. He created controversy in the summer 1990 with speculation that he might drop lieutenant governor Martha Griffiths from the Democratic ticket. There was speculation that Blanchard was positioning to appoint himself to replace Donald W. Riegle Jr. in the United States Senate should Riegle have to resign due to his involvement in the Keating Five scandal and being under investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee and wanted a younger running mate to take over as governor. After weeks of speculation, Griffiths, 78, offered to remove herself from the ticket and not formally seek the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor at the Michigan Democratic Convention.https://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/05/us/elderly-woman-is-off-ticket-and-michigan-politics-churns.html Elderly Woman Is Off Ticket, And Michigan Politics Churns Isabel Wilkerson The New York Times September 5, 1990 October 16, 2017 Olivia P. Maynard, who was the Director of the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging, was ultimately chosen as Blanchard's running mate. Ultimately, Riegle survived the scandal but the scandal along with the unpopularity of Bill Clinton,https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/27/us/senate-democrats-see-re-election-perils-in-94.html?pagewanted=all Senate Democrats See Re-election Perils in '94 Richard L. Berke New York Times July 27, 1993 October 17, 2017 led to Riegle announcing that he would not seek re-election and he left the Senate at the end of his term on January 3, 1995.https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-29-mn-40330-story.html Riegle Is 3rd Keating Case Senator to Not Seek Office September 29, 1993 October 17, 2017 William J. Eaton Los Angeles Times Results Democratic primary resultsMichigan Manual 1991-1992 1991 Michigan Legislative Service Bureau Lansing 831-832 https://archive.org/details/michiganmanual190000unse/page/830/mode/2up 14 June 2026 Official Canvass Votes, Primary Election, August 7, 1990 Democratic Party (United States) James J. Blanchard (inc.) 371,962 99.98% Democratic Party (United States) Scattering 62 0.02% 372,024 100.00% Republican primary Candidates John Engler, majority leader of Michigan Senate John Lauve, retired General Motors engineer and perennial candidate Campaign State Senate Majority Leader John Engler faced nominal opposition in the primary, easily defeating retired General Motors engineer and perennial political candidate John Lauve.https://www.deseretnews.com/article/116325/YOUNG-FALLS-SHORT-IN-GEORGIA-RUNOFF-KANSAS-GOVERNOR-SURVIVES-SCARE.html https://web.archive.org/web/20171016175145/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/116325/YOUNG-FALLS-SHORT-IN-GEORGIA-RUNOFF-KANSAS-GOVERNOR-SURVIVES-SCARE.html dead October 16, 2017 YOUNG FALLS SHORT IN GEORGIA RUNOFF; KANSAS GOVERNOR SURVIVES SCARE Desert News Associated Press August 8, 1990 October 15, 2017 Engler then chose state Sen. Connie Binsfeld as his running mate. Results Republican primary results Republican Party (United States) John Engler 409,747 86.59% Republican Party (United States) John Lauve 63,457 13.41% Republican Party (United States) Scattering 19 0.00% 473,223 100.00% General election Candidates Major party candidates James J. Blanchard & Olivia P. Maynard, Democratic John Engler & Connie Binsfeld, Republican Other candidates William Roundtree & Brenda Kirby, Workers World Results 1990 Michigan gubernatorial electionMichigan Manual 1991-1992 1991 Michigan Legislative Service Bureau Lansing 878-879 https://archive.org/details/michiganmanual190000unse/page/878/mode/2up 14 June 2026 Official Canvass Votes, General Election, November 6, 1990 Republican Party (United States) John Engler 1,276,134 49.76% +18.31% Democratic Party (United States) James J. Blanchard (inc.) 1,258,539 49.07% -19.03% Workers World Party William Roundtree 28,091 1.10% Scattering 1,799 0.07% 17,995 0.69% 2,564,563 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) +37.34% Results by county County John EnglerRepublican James J. BlanchardDemocratic William RoundtreeWorkers World ScatteringWrite-in Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Alcona2,03160.48%1,31339.10%140.42%00.00%71821.38%3,358Alger1,70048.15%1,82151.57%100.28%00.00%-121-3.43%3,531Allegan16,34266.65%7,93432.36%2050.84%390.16%8,40834.29%24,520Alpena4,33349.75%4,31949.59%580.67%00.00%140.16%8,710Antrim3,57256.42%2,71142.82%480.76%00.00%86113.60%6,331Arenac1,93745.37%2,30553.99%250.59%20.05%-368-8.62%4,269Baraga1,29852.11%1,18147.41%120.48%00.00%1174.70%2,491Barry8,78560.41%5,56738.28%1661.14%250.17%3,21822.13%14,543Bay14,88642.82%19,64656.51%2140.62%200.06%-4,760-13.69%34,766Benzie2,30554.22%1,91745.10%270.64%20.05%3889.13%4,251Berrien24,01963.47%13,48035.62%3440.91%20.01%10,53927.85%37,845Branch5,94660.74%3,77838.59%620.63%30.03%2,16822.15%9,789Calhoun18,81951.99%16,82346.48%5391.49%150.04%1,9965.51%36,196Cass6,14958.53%4,30841.01%480.46%00.00%1,84117.52%10,505Charlevoix3,86354.31%3,10943.71%1411.98%00.00%75410.60%7,113Cheboygan3,46154.15%2,89545.29%360.56%00.00%5668.85%6,392Chippewa4,44249.50%4,49350.07%390.43%00.00%-51-0.57%8,974Clare3,74148.95%3,76549.27%1301.70%60.08%-24-0.31%7,642Clinton11,02356.04%8,41242.77%2161.10%180.09%2,61113.27%19,669Crawford1,96160.90%1,19737.17%601.86%20.06%76423.73%3,220Delta5,15543.42%6,67556.22%410.35%10.01%-1,520-12.80%11,872Dickinson4,19046.52%4,80353.33%140.16%00.00%-613-6.81%9,007Eaton16,26453.15%13,81845.16%5161.69%00.00%2,4467.99%30,598Emmet4,33855.52%3,34342.78%1281.64%50.06%99512.73%7,814Genesee45,45639.80%67,05758.71%1,6761.47%340.03%-21,601-18.91%114,223Gladwin3,09748.56%3,17049.70%1091.71%20.03%-73-1.14%6,378Gogebic2,08934.26%3,98965.41%200.33%00.00%-1,900-31.16%6,098Grand Traverse12,34458.77%8,51940.56%1420.68%00.00%3,82518.21%21,005Gratiot5,28351.94%4,79947.18%870.86%20.02%4844.76%10,171Hillsdale6,77963.46%3,82335.79%720.67%90.08%2,95627.67%10,683Houghton5,69654.56%4,68644.89%570.55%10.01%1,0109.67%10,440Huron6,36556.96%4,76942.68%390.35%10.01%1,59614.28%11,174Ingham34,87841.90%46,14355.44%2,0682.48%1450.17%-11,265-13.53%83,234Ionia8,72156.18%6,65842.89%1220.79%230.15%2,06313.29%15,524Iosco4,25851.34%3,90447.08%1301.57%10.01%3544.27%8,293Iron2,39748.62%2,51250.95%200.41%10.02%-115-2.33%4,930Isabella6,91350.60%6,54147.87%2021.48%70.05%3722.72%13,663Jackson22,05156.28%16,70242.63%4301.10%00.00%5,34913.65%39,183Kalamazoo30,43150.44%29,08648.21%8121.35%00.00%1,3452.23%60,329Kalkaska2,28960.80%1,45038.51%260.69%00.00%83922.28%3,765Kent95,25464.47%50,06033.88%2,2371.51%1960.13%45,19430.59%147,747Keweenaw44950.34%44249.55%10.11%00.00%70.78%892Lake1,38548.17%1,42349.50%662.30%10.03%-38-1.32%2,875Lapeer11,79259.32%7,63938.43%4222.12%250.13%4,15320.89%19,878Leelanau3,75758.53%2,62040.82%290.45%130.20%1,13717.71%6,419Lenawee13,75354.79%11,23944.77%1030.41%70.03%2,51410.02%25,102Livingston21,10262.40%12,16235.96%5351.58%210.06%8,94026.43%33,820Luce1,05351.29%99448.42%60.29%00.00%592.87%2,053Mackinac2,20653.39%1,90146.01%250.61%00.00%3057.38%4,132Macomb110,38752.75%96,08845.91%2,6681.27%1410.07%14,2996.83%209,284Manistee4,28955.55%3,38643.85%460.60%00.00%90311.70%7,721Marquette7,30540.35%10,67658.97%1220.67%00.00%-3,371-18.62%18,103Mason5,13855.82%3,96443.07%991.08%30.03%1,17412.76%9,204Mecosta5,17055.86%4,01943.43%610.66%50.05%1,15112.44%9,255Menominee2,97945.44%3,55954.29%180.27%00.00%-580-8.85%6,556Midland13,08749.94%12,78348.78%3171.21%190.07%3041.16%26,206Missaukee2,58565.28%1,30632.98%691.74%00.00%1,27932.30%3,960Monroe16,86552.91%14,81146.47%1990.62%00.00%2,0546.44%31,875Montcalm8,03657.29%5,86341.79%1140.81%150.11%2,17315.49%14,028Montmorency1,55660.69%99738.88%110.43%00.00%55921.80%2,564Muskegon21,51949.16%21,94850.14%2880.66%150.03%-429-0.98%43,770Newaygo6,90262.12%4,12037.08%890.80%00.00%2,78225.04%11,111Oakland172,46252.40%153,42946.62%2,8480.87%3730.11%19,0335.78%329,112Oceana3,93357.94%2,79441.16%600.88%10.01%1,13916.78%6,788Ogemaw2,82447.92%2,98150.59%861.46%20.03%-157-2.66%5,893Ontonagon1,69949.90%1,68749.54%190.56%00.00%120.35%3,405Osceola3,43659.51%2,29939.82%390.68%00.00%1,13719.69%5,774Oscoda1,36160.84%83937.51%371.65%00.00%52223.33%2,237Otsego3,24156.83%2,40042.08%621.09%00.00%84114.75%5,703Ottawa43,99372.90%15,88826.33%3380.56%1250.21%28,10546.57%60,344Presque Isle2,32851.20%2,16847.68%501.10%10.02%1603.52%4,547Roscommon3,89152.43%3,47846.86%530.71%00.00%4135.56%7,422Saginaw29,13044.22%36,03654.70%6811.03%310.05%-6,906-10.48%65,878Sanilac7,77861.90%4,73237.66%550.44%10.01%3,04624.24%12,566Schoolcraft1,33242.58%1,78657.10%100.32%00.00%-454-14.51%3,128Shiawassee10,47348.88%10,75150.17%1740.81%300.14%-278-1.30%21,428St. Clair22,85858.33%15,75740.21%5581.42%130.03%7,10118.12%39,186St. Joseph8,66161.19%5,40438.18%870.61%30.02%3,25723.01%14,155Tuscola8,11853.17%7,04646.15%1040.68%00.00%1,0727.02%15,268Van Buren9,82757.10%7,23042.01%1430.83%100.06%2,59715.09%17,210Washtenaw32,94242.29%43,93456.40%9131.17%1040.13%-10,992-14.11%77,893Wayne175,34435.81%308,90263.09%5,0981.04%2730.06%-133,558-27.28%489,617Wexford4,32754.39%3,57744.97%460.58%50.06%7509.43%7,955Total1,276,13449.76%1,258,53949.07%28,0911.10%1,7990.07%17,5950.69%2,564,563 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Alcona Allegan Alpena Antrim Baraga Barry Benzie Berrien Branch Calhoun Cass Charlevoix Cheboygan Clinton Crawford Eaton Emmet Grand Traverse Gratiot Hillsdale Houghton Huron Ionia Iosco Isabella Jackson Kalamazoo Kalkaska Kent Keweenaw Lapeer Leelanau Lenawee Livingston Luce Mackinac Macomb Manistee Mason Mecosta Midland Missaukee Monroe Montcalm Montmorency Newaygo Oakland Oceana Ontonagon Osceola Oscoda Otsego Presque Isle Roscommon Sanilac St. Clair St. Joseph Tuscola Van Buren Wexford References Governor 1990 Michigan