Eight Incumbent State Governors Victorious in 2008 Elections

By Bridget Hunter

Late on November 4, the race for the White House was the center of attention as election returns trickled in from across the United States, but results also were being reported in another 11 chief-executive contests - Delaware, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

In the days leading up to Election Day, political experts predicted only one close race among the governors, and, although the contest in Washington was close, suspense fell far short of the level set in 2004, when Democrat Christine Gregoire gained 48.87 percent of the vote to Dino Rossi's 48.86 in one of the narrowest victories (133 votes) ever in a gubernatorial race. Unofficial results show Gregoire won the 2008 election with 53 percent of the vote.

"This is one of the most gratifying days I've had in four years," Gregoire told supporters November 5, shortly after Rossi conceded the race and offered Gregoire his help to make her second term a successful one.

"I told him I would take him up on his offer because we are going to have tough times ahead," said Gregoire.

Rossi, who had led in the polls until turbulence in the U.S. and world economies grabbed the headlines, especially thanked young voters he called "Dinocrats," who had "split the ticket" by supporting Barack Obama for president but Rossi for governor.

LITTLE CHANGE IN PARTY AFFILIATIONS OF GOVERNORS

In Indiana, North Dakota, Utah and Vermont, the Republican incumbents Mitch Daniels, John Hoeven, Jon Huntsman and Jim Douglas won re-election. Likewise, Democratic incumbents Brian Schweitzer, John Lynch, Christine Gregoire and Joe Manchin held their seats in Montana, New Hampshire, Washington state and West Virginia.

Gubernatorial races in three other states were "open" contests in which the current governor either is retiring or is barred by term limits from running for re-election.

In Delaware, Democrat Jack Markell defeated Republican Bill Lee. Another governor's mansion remaining Democratic is North Carolina, where Democrat Bev Perdue defeated Republican Pat McCrory to succeed term-limited Democrat Michael Easley.

The last open governor's seat, in Missouri, shifted from Republican to Democrat: Jay Nixon will succeed retiring Republican Matt Blunt.

In each of the 50 states, the structure of state government loosely mirrors that of the U.S. federal government with executive, legislative and judicial branches. At the head of state government is a governor who performs many of the same functions at the state level that the U.S. president does at the national level: sets policy, appoints department heads, prepares and administers a budget, recommends legislation and signs laws. In most states, the governor also plays an important role in appointing state and local judges. (See "U.S. Governors Head American 'Laboratories of Democracy' ( http://www.america.gov/st/usg-english/2006/November/20061130185038abretnuh0.9418451.html?CP.rss=true ).")

For four decades, the governor's mansion has served as a springboard to the U.S. presidency: Jimmy Carter from Georgia, Ronald Reagan from California, Bill Clinton from Arkansas and George W. Bush from Texas. That pattern was broken November 4, when Americans for the first time since the 1960 election of John F. Kennedy elected sitting U.S. Senator Barack Obama to the White House. (See "Barack Obama Wins Historic Election Victory ( http://www.america.gov/st/elections08-english/2008/November/20081105004357esnamfuak0.6412165.html?CP.rss=true ).")

Source: U.S. Department of State