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 County results Andrus: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Fairchild: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1990 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990, to elect theGovernor of the state ofIdaho.Cecil Andrus, theDemocratic incumbent, ran for an unprecedented fourth term.[1]Roger Fairchild, a formerstate senate majority leader fromFruitland,[2] won theRepublican nomination in May,[3][4] but was easily defeated in November by the popular Andrus.[5][6]
This was the sixth consecutive win for the Democrats, which started with Andrus' first victory twenty years earlier in1970. As of 2026[update], this is the last time that a Democrat has been elected Governor of Idaho.
Primary elections were held on May 22, 1990.[7][8][9]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Roger Fairchild | 37,728 | 37.09 | |
| Republican | Rachel Gilbert | 33,483 | 32.92 | |
| Republican | Milt Erhart | 30,514 | 30.00 | |
| Total votes | 101,725 | 100.00 | ||
| Elections in Idaho | ||
|---|---|---|
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Although Fairchild attempted to capitalize on his business experience and Andrus' veto of a bill passed by the state legislature severely restrictingabortion earlier in the year,[13][14] the incumbent's personal popularity in Idaho proved to be too much to overcome.[5][6]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Cecil Andrus (inc.) | 218,673 | 68.21% | +18.28% | |
| Republican | Roger Fairchild | 101,937 | 31.79% | −17.19% | |
| Majority | 116,736 | 36.41% | +35.47% | ||
| Turnout | 320,610 | ||||
| Democratichold | Swing | ||||
| Preceded by 1986 | Idaho gubernatorial elections | Succeeded by 1994 |
