1994 Alabama gubernatorial election

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1994 Alabama gubernatorial election

← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
  Reagan Contact Sheet C1331 (cropped2) (cropped).jpg Jim Folsom Jr..jpg
Nominee Fob James Jim Folsom Jr.
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 604,926 594,169
Percentage 50.3% 49.4%

1994 Alabama gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
James:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Folsom:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election

Jim Folsom Jr.
Democratic

Elected Governor

Fob James
Republican

The 1994 Alabama gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, to select the governor of the state of Alabama. The election saw Republican Fob James defeat Democratic incumbent Governor Jim Folsom Jr. in an upset.

Democratic primary[]

The Democratic primary saw Jim Folsom defeat Paul Hubbert for the Democratic nomination. Lieutenant Governor Folsom became governor on April 22, 1993, after Republican Governor H. Guy Hunt was removed from office.[1]

Candidates[]

  • Tom Hayden
  • Paul Hubbert, Executive Secretary of the Alabama Education Association and nominee for governor in 1990
  • Jim Folsom Jr., incumbent Governor
  • F. Ross Stewart

Results[]

Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Folsom Jr. (incumbent) 380,227 54.04
Democratic Paul Hubbert 285,554 40.58
Democratic F. Ross Stewart 24,354 3.46
Democratic Tom Hayden 13,532 1.92
Total votes 703,667 100

Republican primary[]

Fob James defeated five other candidates for the Republican nomination.

Candidates[]

  • Ann Bedsole, State Senator
  • Winton Blount III, businessman and son of former Postmaster General Winton Blount
  • Fob James, former Democratic Governor
  • Mickey Kirkland, pastor
  • Jack Pollard, candidate for governor in 1990
  • Robin Swift, businessman

Results[]

Republican primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Fob James 84,021 39.54
Republican Ann Bedsole 54,450 25.63
Republican Winton Blount III 51,795 24.38
Republican Mickey Kirkland 18,538 8.72
Republican Robin Swift 3,138 1.48
Republican Jack Pollard 543 0.26
Total votes 212,485 100.00
Republican runoff results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Fob James 130,233 62.44
Republican Ann Bedsole 78,338 37.56
Total votes 208,571 100.00

General election results[]

Polling[]

Source Date Fob
James (R)
Jim
Folsom Jr. (D)
WSFA-TV November 6, 1994 40% 47%
WALA-TV October 23, 1994 38% 49%

Results[]

Folsom led in the polls during the campaign which showed him 10 to 12 percent ahead of James on the last weekend before the election. However, James pulled off a narrow upset victory in the election.[4]

1994 Alabama gubernatorial election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Fob James 604,926 50.3
Democratic Jim Folsom Jr. (incumbent) 594,169 49.4
Write-in 2,874 0.2
Total votes 1,201,969 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

References[]

  1. ^ "James Elisha Folsom, Jr". Alabama Department of Archives & History. Retrieved 2008-07-06.
  2. ^ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=1&year=1994&f=0&off=5&elect=1 1994 Gubernatorial Democratic Primary Election Results – Alabama
  3. ^ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=1&year=1994&f=0&off=5&elect=2 1994 Gubernatorial Republican Primary Election Results – Alabama
  4. ^ "Jim Folsom learned his lesson". The Tuscaloosa News. 2006-11-12. Retrieved 2008-07-06.[permanent dead link]
Preceded by Gubernatorial election in Alabama
1994
Succeeded by
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