The 1998 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democratic Governor Zell Miller was unable to seek re-election due to term limits, therefore creating an open seat. To replace him, State RepresentativeRoy Barnes won the Democratic Party's nomination after a close and highly contested primary election, while businessman Guy Millner, who had run for Governor and the United States Senate in the previous four years, won the nomination of the Republican Party.
In the general election, Barnes was able to defeat Millner by a margin of victory larger than Governor Miller's victory over Millner four years prior, which was in part due to the unpopularity and controversy of Mitch Skandalakis, the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. As of 2024, this is the most recent time a Democrat was elected Governor of Georgia.
Bowers's campaign was derailed when he admitted to a fifteen-year extramarital affair with Anne Davis, his secretary and a former Playboy Club waitress. Davis publicly stated that the romance had been active as recently as April 1997, six weeks prior to Bowers' June 5 announcement.[3]
Results
Primary results by county:
Millner
Millner—40–50%
Millner—50–60%
Millner—60–70%
Millner—>70%
Bowers
Bowers—40–50%
Bowers—>50%
Tie
Tie between Bowers and Millner–40–50%
Tie between Bowers, Millner, and Hatfield–33%
Millner narrowly avoided a run-off by just 1,573 votes. However, Bowers conceded before a recount finalized the result, admitting that all indications pointed to a victory for Millner.[4]
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