2003 United States gubernatorial elections

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2003 United States gubernatorial elections

← 2002 October 4 and 7, and November 6 and 15, 2003 2004 →

4 governorships[a]
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Seats before 26 24
Seats after 28 22
Seat change Increase2 Decrease2
Popular vote 1,743,172[b] 1,628,304
Percentage 51.70% 48.30%
Seats up 1 3
Seats won 3 1

2003 California gubernatorial election2003 Kentucky gubernatorial election2003 Louisiana gubernatorial election2003 Mississippi gubernatorial election2003 United States gubernatorial elections results map.svg
About this image
Map of the results
     Republican gain      Democratic gain
     No election

United States gubernatorial elections were held in four states. Kentucky and Mississippi held their general elections on November 4. Louisiana held the first round of its jungle primary on October 4 and the runoff on November 15. In addition, California held a recall election on October 7.

The Republican Party had a net gain of two seats in 2003, picking up an open seat in Kentucky, removing a Democratic governor in California, and defeating a Democratic governor in Mississippi, while losing an open seat to the Democrats in Louisiana. The election cycle was unusual because every seat up for election changed hands. This was the last time a party made net gains in this cycle of gubernatorial elections until 2019.

Election results[]

State Incumbent Party First
elected
Result Candidates
California
(recall)
Gray Davis Democratic 1998 Incumbent recalled.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
  • Green tickY Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican) 48.6%
  • Cruz Bustamante (Democratic) 31.5%
  • Tom McClintock (Republican) 13.4%
  • Peter Camejo (Green) 2.8%
Kentucky Paul Patton Democratic 1995 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.
  • Green tickY Ernie Fletcher (Republican) 55.0%
  • Ben Chandler (Democratic) 45.0%
Louisiana Mike Foster Republican 1995 Incumbent term-limited.
New governor elected.
Democratic gain.
  • Green tickY Kathleen Blanco (Democratic) 52.0%
  • Bobby Jindal (Republican) 48.0%
Mississippi Ronnie Musgrove Democratic 1999 Incumbent lost re-election.
New governor elected.
Republican gain.

Closest races[]

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:

  1. Louisiana, 3.9%

States where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. Mississippi, 6.8%

Notes[]

  1. ^ including a recall election in California
  2. ^ popular vote total not including California

External links[]

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