1990 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

← 1986 November 6, 1990 (1990-11-06) 1994 →

Nominee Bob Casey Barbara Hafer Party Democratic Republican Running mate Mark Singel Harold Mowery Popular vote 2,065,244 987,516 Percentage 67.63% 32.34%

County results Congressional district results Municipality results Casey:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Hafer:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     80–90% Tie:     40–50%     50%     No data

Governor before election Robert P. Casey Democratic Elected Governor Robert P. Casey Democratic

Elections in Pennsylvania
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Government
v t e

The1990 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990. IncumbentDemocratic governorRobert P. Casey easily defeatedRepublicanBarbara Hafer. Governor Casey defeated Hafer by a margin of 35.29%, and carried 66 out of 67 Pennsylvania counties.

This was the first election since 1974 that a Democrat carriedBucks County, the first since 1906 that a Democrat wonChester County, the first since 1829 that a Democrat wonDelaware County, and the last time as of 2023 that a Democrat wonYork County.

Casey achieved the second-largest gubernatorial landslide in the state in the 20th century (and the largest victory for a Democrat), losing onlyMontgomery County by just 586 votes.^[1]

• Bob Casey, incumbent Governor since 1987
• Philip J. Berg, attorney and perennial candidate from Montgomery County

Incumbent Bob Casey was challenged byPhilip J. Berg, an attorney and perennial candidate fromMontgomery County.

• Barbara Hafer, Auditor General and candidate for Lieutenant Governor
• Peg Luksik, anti-abortion activist

Endorsed Republican candidateBarbara Hafer, Auditor General and former candidate for Lt. Governor, won a surprisingly close race over Peg Luksik, an outspoken opponent of abortion.^{[citation needed]}

• Bob Casey, incumbent Governor (Democratic)
  • running mate:Mark Singel, incumbent Lieutenant Governor
• Barbara Hafer, Pennsylvania Auditor General (Republican)
  • running mate:Harold Mowery, State Representative

Casey had maintained enormous popularity in the state,^[4] was considered to have a generally positive record from his first term as governor, and was endorsed by major newspapers statewide, includingThe Philadelphia Inquirer.^[5] In addition, Casey had the traditionally strong backing of urban voters and organized labor, and performed well in many heavily Republican, rural counties, as he was seen as a relatively conservative populist.

The campaign briefly turned ugly when Hafer, a pro-choice Republican who had attempted to position herself as the more liberal candidate, referred to Casey as a "redneck Irishman." Her comment, which was widely reported, helped to alienate both rural voters and those of Irish descent. Unable to gain a funding foothold or to carve out a strong public image, and trailing in the polls by forty percent on election day,^[6] Hafer was subsequently defeated by Casey by a large margin.^[1]

• DiFlaviana, Kathleen, ed. (1991).The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 110. Harrisburg:Pennsylvania Department of General Services.ISBN 0-8182-0145-2.

• Pennsylvania gubernatorial elections
• 1990 Pennsylvania elections
• 1990 United States gubernatorial elections

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