The 1994 Nebraska gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994. Incumbent Governor Ben Nelson won a re-election to a second term in a landslide, defeating Republican businessman Gene Spence by 47.4 percentage points and sweeping all but two counties in the state. As of 2024, this is the last time that a Democrat was elected governor of Nebraska.
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 County results Nelson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Spence: 50–60% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Democratic primary
Governor
Candidates
- Ben Nelson, incumbent Governor of Nebraska
- Robb Nimic
- Robert Franklin Winingar
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Nelson (incumbent) | 101,422 | 88.10 | |
| Democratic | Robert Franklin Winingar | 6,993 | 6.07 | |
| Democratic | Robb Nimic | 6,373 | 5.54 | |
| Democratic | Write-ins | 327 | 0.28 | |
| Total votes | 115,115 | 100.00 | ||
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
Kim M. Robak ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.[2] She was the incumbent Nebraska Lieutenant Governor who was appointed in 1993 by Governor Ben Nelson after Maxine Moul resigned.[3]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kim M. Robak (incumbent) | 94,936 | 99.53 | |
| Democratic | Write-ins | 447 | 0.47 | |
| Total votes | 95,383 | 100.00 | ||
Republican primary
Governor
Candidates
- John DeCamp, former Nebraska State Senator
- Alan Jacobsen, roofing company owner
- Ralph Knobel, farmer and former Chairman of the Republican Party of Nebraska
- Gene Spence, businessman
- Mort Sullivan, perennial candidate
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Gene Spence | 69,529 | 38.07 | |
| Republican | Ralph Knobel | 57,719 | 31.60 | |
| Republican | Alan Jacobsen | 27,374 | 14.99 | |
| Republican | John DeCamp | 24,414 | 13.37 | |
| Republican | Mort Sullivan | 3,363 | 1.84 | |
| Republican | Write-ins | 234 | 0.13 | |
| Total votes | 182,633 | 100.00 | ||
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
- De Carlson, co-owner of the Upper Missouri Trading Company and former member of the Board of Governors of Northeast Community College from Crofton, Nebraska[4]
- Willie J. Carr, Jr. from Omaha, Nebraska, who filed as a pauper candidate (meaning he didn't pay the filing fee) and did not conduct an active campaign[5]
- Horace "Hoss" Dannehl, feed dealer and livestock breeder from Riverdale, Nebraska[5]
- Kate Witek, member of the Nebraska Legislature in District 31 since 1993 from Omaha, Nebraska.[6]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kate Witek | 68,113 | 44.80 | |
| Republican | De Carlson | 47,262 | 31.09 | |
| Republican | Hoss Dannehl | 20,437 | 13.44 | |
| Republican | Willie J. Carr, Jr. | 16,111 | 10.60 | |
| Republican | Write-ins | 114 | 0.07 | |
| Total votes | 152,037 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Campaign
Though Nelson ultimately did approve of an action to prevent foster children from living with homosexuals or unmarried couples after he was re-elected, Spence hammered the governor for not supporting restrictions on foster homes.[7] Ultimately, four weeks before the elections, many prominent Republicans accused Spence of "throwing in the towel" and essentially conceding defeat to Nelson before any ballots were cast.[8] The divided Republican primary and Gene Spence's inability to unite the party following his plurality victory in the primary eventually led to Nelson's overwhelming re-election.[9]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Nelson (incumbent) | 423,270 | 73.0% | ||
| Republican | Gene Spence | 148,230 | 25.6% | ||
| Write-in | Ernie Chambers | 2,510 | 0.4% | ||
| Write-in | Others | 5,551 | 1.0% | ||
| Total votes | 579,561 | 100.0% | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||