Florida gubernatorial election, 1990

Florida gubernatorial election, 1990

November 6, 1990

Nominee Lawton Chiles Bob Martinez Party Democratic Republican Running mate Buddy MacKay J. Allison DeFoor Popular vote 1,995,206 1,535,068 Percentage 56.51% 43.48%

County Results

Governor before election Bob Martinez Republican Elected Governor Lawton Chiles Democratic

Elections in Florida
Federal government Presidential elections 1848 1852 1856 1860 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Presidential primaries Democratic 2008 2012 Republican 2008 2012 U.S. Senate elections 1968 1970 1974 1976 1980 1982 1986 1988 1992 1994 1998 2000 2004 2006 2010 2012 2016 2018 U.S. House elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 5th 8th 9th 16th 2008 2010 2012 13th, 2014 19th, 2014 2014 2016
State government Gubernatorial elections 1964 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 Attorney General elections 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 Chief Financial Officer elections 2006 2010 2014 2018 Agriculture Commissioner of Florida 1994 2006 2010 2014 2018 Ballot measures Other elections 2006 2010
Jacksonville Mayoral elections 2003 2007 2011 2015
Tampa Mayoral elections 2011 2015
St. Petersburg Mayoral elections 2013 2017
Orlando Mayoral elections 2012 2015

The Florida gubernatorial election of 1990 took place on November 6.

Overview

Republican incumbent Bob Martinez, who was just the second member of his party elected Governor of Florida after Reconstruction, was deeply unpopular. His job approval rating had sunk to around 24% after, in 1989, he called the Florida Legislature into special session in an effort to pass pro-life laws. None of the governor's proposals made it out of committee.

Republican primary

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary was a contest between former United States Senator Lawton Chiles and United States Representative Bill Nelson.

The 60-year-old Chiles, who retired after three terms from the Senate in 1989 after serious health problems, was challenged by the younger 47-year-old Nelson, who questioned his health in the campaign and presented himself as alternative.

This, however, backfired on Nelson and cost him the election; the elderly population in Florida took great offense to Nelson's attacks and, in turn, voted for Chiles.^[2]

Campaign finances

• Chiles/MacKay - $5,244,170.00.^[4]
• Martinez/DeFoor - $10,625,793.00.^[5]

General election

References

Florida gubernatorial elections (from 1916)
1916 1964 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018