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 County results Keating: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Mildren: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% Watkins: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Oklahoma |
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 Government |
The1994 Oklahoma gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, and was a race forGovernor of Oklahoma. FormerUnited States Associate Attorney GeneralFrank Keating pulled an upset in the three-way race to become only the thirdRepublican governor in Oklahoma history.
The Democratic vote was split betweenLieutenant GovernorJack Mildren, anOklahoma Sooners star quarterback from 1969 to 1971, and former Democratic congressmanWes Watkins, who ran as an independent. Watkins won 24% of the vote and carried numerous counties (by wide margins in some cases); his 233,000 votes far exceeded Keating's 171,000-vote winning margin over Mildren.
This was the first time since Oklahoma statehood thatJackson,Stephens, andGrady counties voted Republican in a gubernatorial election, and the first time since 1914 thatComanche voted Republican.
Primary elections were held on August 23, 1994 with runoffs occurring on September 20, 1994.
Lt. GovernorJack Mildren andBernice Shedrick advanced to the runoff where both candidates received vote totals similar to the first primary, securing the win for Mildren.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jack Mildren | 214,765 | 48.56% | |
| Democratic | Bernice Shedrick | 165,066 | 37.33% | |
| Democratic | Danny Williams | 46,571 | 10.53% | |
| Democratic | Joe Vickers | 15,821 | 3.58% | |
| Total votes | 442,223 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jack Mildren | 223,861 | 58.82% | |
| Democratic | Bernice Shedrick | 156,749 | 41.18% | |
| Total votes | 380,610 | 100.00% | ||
Frank Keating, a former assistant attorney general and member of the Reagan and Bush administrations, defeated four other Republicans to win the GOP nomination.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Frank Keating | 117,265 | 56.94% | |
| Republican | Jerry Pierce | 60,280 | 29.27% | |
| Republican | Virginia Hale | 15,229 | 7.39% | |
| Republican | Thomas H. Lay | 7,744 | 3.76% | |
| Republican | Jerry Kobyluk | 5,429 | 2.64% | |
| Total votes | 205,947 | 100.00% | ||
Wes Watkins, a former representative from Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district, mounted an independent campaign for governor. Watkins had previously sought the Democratic nomination for governor in1990, but narrowly lost in a runoff toDavid Walters despite having received the most votes in the initial three-way primary.
| Source | Date | Keating (R) | Mildren (D) | Watkins (I) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KSWO-TV | Nov. 4, 1994 | 40% | 39% | 15% |
| Tulsa World | Nov. 1, 1994 | 28% | 29% | 21% |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Frank Keating | 466,740 | 46.91% | +14.25% | |
| Democratic | Jack Mildren | 294,936 | 29.64% | −27.77% | |
| Independent | Wes Watkins | 233,336 | 23.45% | ||
| Total votes | 995,012 | 100.00% | |||
| Plurality | 171,804 | 17.27% | |||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | Swing | +42.02% | |||
| County[2][4] | Frank Keating Republican | Jack Mildren Democratic | Wes Watkins Independent | Margin[a] | Total votes cast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adair | 2,063 | 41.95% | 1,937 | 39.39% | 918 | 18.67% | 126 | 2.56% | 4,918 |
| Alfalfa | 1,017 | 43.44% | 550 | 23.49% | 774 | 33.06% | 243[b] | 10.38% | 2,341 |
| Atoka | 839 | 23.18% | 761 | 21.03% | 2,019 | 55.79% | -1,180[c] | -32.61% | 3,619 |
| Beaver | 1.252 | 58.95% | 416 | 19.59% | 456 | 21.47% | 796[b] | 37.48% | 2,124 |
| Beckham | 2,235 | 41.85% | 1,590 | 29.77% | 1,516 | 28.38% | 645 | 12.08% | 5,341 |
| Blaine | 1,803 | 42.58% | 1,076 | 25.41% | 1,355 | 32.00% | 448[b] | 10.58% | 4,234 |
| Bryan | 1,683 | 17.19% | 2,251 | 23.00% | 5,855 | 59.81% | -3,604[d] | -36.82% | 9,789 |
| Caddo | 2,607 | 32.88% | 2,705 | 34.11% | 2,618 | 33.01% | -87[e] | -1.10% | 7,930 |
| Canadian | 15,004 | 60.53% | 5,460 | 22.03% | 4,322 | 17.44% | 9,544 | 38.51% | 24,786 |
| Carter | 3,788 | 30.41% | 3,316 | 26.62% | 5,352 | 42.97% | -1,564[c] | -12.56% | 12,456 |
| Cherokee | 3,620 | 34.63% | 4,569 | 43.71% | 2,265 | 21.67% | -949 | -9.08% | 10,454 |
| Choctaw | 652 | 15.14% | 1,127 | 26.17% | 2,528 | 58.70% | -1,401[d] | -32.53% | 4,307 |
| Cimarron | 830 | 60.01% | 226 | 16.34% | 327 | 23.64% | 503[b] | 36.37% | 1,383 |
| Cleveland | 31,459 | 54.29% | 17,409 | 30.04% | 9,076 | 15.66% | 14,050 | 24.25% | 57,944 |
| Coal | 381 | 19.86% | 552 | 28.78% | 985 | 51.36% | -433[d] | -22.58% | 1,918 |
| Comanche | 10,032 | 40.97% | 9,554 | 39.02% | 4,902 | 20.02% | 478 | 1.95% | 24,488 |
| Cotton | 545 | 23.28% | 885 | 37.80% | 911 | 38.91% | -26[d] | -1.11% | 2,341 |
| Craig | 1,561 | 35.50% | 1,760 | 40.03% | 1,076 | 24.47% | -199 | -4.53% | 4,397 |
| Creek | 7,825 | 42.71% | 6,476 | 35.35% | 4,020 | 21.94% | 1,349 | 7.36% | 18,321 |
| Custer | 3,857 | 47.46% | 2,098 | 25.82% | 2,171 | 26.72% | 1,686[b] | 20.75% | 8,126 |
| Delaware | 4,050 | 43.08% | 3,619 | 38.50% | 1,732 | 18.42% | 431 | 4.58% | 9,401 |
| Dewey | 870 | 38.91% | 472 | 21.11% | 894 | 39.98% | -24[c] | -1.07% | 2,236 |
| Ellis | 784 | 43.58% | 365 | 20.29% | 650 | 36.13% | 134[b] | 7.45% | 1,799 |
| Garfield | 11,120 | 35.34% | 5,131 | 25.53% | 3,843 | 19.13% | 5,989 | 29.80% | 20,094 |
| Garvin | 2,795 | 33.06% | 2,677 | 31.66% | 2,983 | 35.28% | -188[c] | -2.22% | 8,455 |
| Grady | 5,822 | 43.81% | 3,921 | 29.51% | 3,545 | 26.68% | 1,901 | 14.31% | 13,288 |
| Grant | 1,004 | 40.96% | 596 | 24.32% | 851 | 34.72% | 153[b] | 6.24% | 2,451 |
| Greer | 609 | 30.00% | 847 | 41.72% | 574 | 28.28% | -238 | -11.72% | 2,030 |
| Harmon | 252 | 22.60% | 460 | 41.26% | 403 | 36.14% | -57[e] | -5.11% | 1,115 |
| Harper | 722 | 42.55% | 385 | 22.69% | 590 | 34.77% | 132[b] | 7.78% | 1,697 |
| Haskell | 736 | 22.22% | 1,220 | 36.82% | 1,357 | 40.96% | -137[d] | -4.14% | 3,313 |
| Hughes | 805 | 18.19% | 1,119 | 25.29% | 2,501 | 56.52% | -1,382[d] | -31.23% | 4,425 |
| Jackson | 2,604 | 37.89% | 2,180 | 31.72% | 2,089 | 30.39% | 424 | 6.17% | 6,873 |
| Jefferson | 408 | 17.17% | 972 | 40.91% | 996 | 41.92% | -24[d] | -1.01% | 2,376 |
| Johnston | 505 | 16.84% | 620 | 20.67% | 1,874 | 62.49% | -1,254[d] | -41.81% | 2,999 |
| Kay | 8,652 | 48.52% | 5,243 | 29.40% | 3,938 | 22.08% | 3,409 | 19.12% | 17,833 |
| Kingfisher | 2,628 | 48.74% | 974 | 18.06% | 1,790 | 33.20% | 838[b] | 15.54% | 5,392 |
| Kiowa | 1,357 | 35.41% | 1,490 | 38.88% | 985 | 25.70% | -133 | -3.47% | 3,832 |
| Latimer | 509 | 16.81% | 1,121 | 37.02% | 1,398 | 46.17% | -277[d] | -9.15% | 3,028 |
| Le Flore | 2,699 | 26.77% | 3,529 | 35.00% | 3,854 | 38.23% | -325[d] | -3.22% | 10,082 |
| Lincoln | 3,777 | 39.49% | 2,250 | 23.52% | 3,538 | 36.99% | 239[b] | 2.50% | 9,565 |
| Logan | 5,020 | 51.39% | 2,526 | 25.86% | 2,223 | 22.76% | 2,494 | 25.53% | 9,769 |
| Love | 366 | 14.86% | 545 | 22.13% | 1,552 | 63.01% | -1,007[d] | -40.89% | 2,463 |
| Major | 1,588 | 49.19% | 579 | 17.94% | 1,061 | 32.87% | 527[b] | 16.33% | 3,228 |
| Marshall | 831 | 21.78% | 1,075 | 28.18% | 1,909 | 50.04% | -834[d] | -21.86% | 3,815 |
| Mayes | 3,902 | 36.47% | 4,453 | 41.62% | 2,345 | 21.92% | -551 | -5.15% | 10,700 |
| McClain | 3,545 | 43.16% | 2,421 | 29.47% | 2,248 | 27.37% | 1,124 | 13.68% | 8,214 |
| McCurtain | 1,553 | 18.57% | 2,461 | 29.43% | 4,348 | 52.00% | -1,887[d] | -22.57% | 8,362 |
| McIntosh | 1,931 | 27.67% | 2,990 | 42.85% | 2,057 | 29.48% | -933[e] | -13.37% | 6,978 |
| Murray | 1,011 | 25.71% | 1,188 | 30.21% | 1,734 | 44.09% | -546[d] | -13.88% | 3,933 |
| Muskogee | 6,728 | 33.93% | 8,515 | 42.94% | 4,587 | 23.13% | -1,787 | -9.01% | 19,830 |
| Noble | 1,865 | 43.01% | 840 | 19.37% | 1,631 | 37.62% | 234[b] | 5.40% | 4,336 |
| Nowata | 1,148 | 36.06% | 1,195 | 37.53% | 841 | 26.41% | -47 | -1.48% | 3,184 |
| Okfuskee | 1,018 | 28.29% | 1,253 | 34.82% | 1,327 | 36.88% | -74[d] | -2.06% | 3,598 |
| Oklahoma | 107,489 | 58.15% | 50,589 | 27.37% | 26,785 | 14.49% | 56,900 | 30.78% | 184,863 |
| Okmulgee | 3,335 | 31.23% | 4,718 | 44.18% | 2,626 | 24.59% | -1,383 | -12.95% | 10,679 |
| Osage | 4,863 | 39.15% | 5,040 | 40.58% | 2,518 | 20.27% | -177 | -1.43% | 12,421 |
| Ottawa | 2,985 | 34.62% | 4,325 | 50.16% | 1,312 | 15.22% | -1,340 | -15.54% | 8,622 |
| Pawnee | 2,038 | 38.27% | 1,889 | 35.47% | 1,399 | 26.27% | 149 | 2.80% | 5,326 |
| Payne | 7,518 | 36.95% | 3,455 | 16.98% | 9,374 | 46.07% | -1,856[c] | -9.12% | 20,347 |
| Pittsburg | 3,352 | 24.27% | 4,558 | 33.00% | 5,903 | 42.74% | -1,345[d] | -9.74% | 13,813 |
| Pontotoc | 2,456 | 20.41% | 2,377 | 19.75% | 7,201 | 59.84% | -4,745[c] | -39.43% | 12,034 |
| Pottawatomie | 7,458 | 41.08% | 4,967 | 27.36% | 5,730 | 31.56% | 1,728[b] | 9.52% | 18,155 |
| Pushmataha | 760 | 18.21% | 1,115 | 26.71% | 2,299 | 55.08% | -1,184[d] | -28.37% | 4,174 |
| Roger Mills | 705 | 38.55% | 479 | 26.19% | 645 | 35.27% | 60[b] | 3.28% | 1,829 |
| Rogers | 9,991 | 50.34% | 6,106 | 30.76% | 3,751 | 18.90% | 3,885 | 19.57% | 19,848 |
| Seminole | 2,049 | 27.32% | 1,943 | 25.91% | 3,507 | 46.77% | -1,458[c] | -19.44% | 7,499 |
| Sequoyah | 2,827 | 35.03% | 3,911 | 48.46% | 1,333 | 16.52% | -1,084 | -13.43% | 8,071 |
| Stephens | 5,556 | 36.57% | 4,931 | 32.46% | 4,704 | 30.97% | 625 | 4.11% | 15,191 |
| Texas | 2,668 | 59.13% | 792 | 17.55% | 1,052 | 23.32% | 1,616[b] | 35.82% | 4,512 |
| Tillman | 766 | 28.02% | 1,215 | 44.44% | 753 | 27.54% | -449 | -16.42% | 2,734 |
| Tulsa | 99,606 | 59.93% | 45,549 | 27.41% | 21,044 | 12.66% | 54,057 | 32.53% | 166,199 |
| Wagoner | 7,319 | 47.35% | 5,167 | 33.43% | 2,972 | 19.23% | 2,152 | 13.92% | 15,458 |
| Washington | 10,319 | 59.77% | 4,401 | 25.49% | 2,544 | 14.74% | 5,918 | 34.28% | 17,264 |
| Washita | 1,645 | 40.07% | 1,293 | 31.50% | 1,167 | 28.43% | 352 | 8.57% | 4,105 |
| Woods | 1,648 | 44.50% | 830 | 22.41% | 1,225 | 33.08% | 423[b] | 11.42% | 3,703 |
| Woodward | 3,120 | 49.89% | 1,336 | 21.36% | 1,798 | 28.75% | 1,322[b] | 21.14% | 6,254 |
| Totals | 466,470 | 46.91% | 294,936 | 29.64% | 233,336 | 23.45% | 171,804 | 17.27% | 995,012 |
