The 1998 Iowa gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Republican Governor Terry Branstad did not seek re-election to a fifth consecutive term; he later successfully ran again in 2010 and 2014. To replace him, State Senator Tom Vilsack narrowly won the nomination of the Democratic Party while former United States Congressman Jim Ross Lightfoot, who was previously the Republican nominee for the United States Senate in 1996, won his party's nomination. Lightfoot was the odds-on favorite win and polling consistently showed him in the lead, but Vilsack won the general election in a stunning upset, becoming the first Democrat to serve as governor of Iowa since 1969 and the 5th Democrat to hold the office in the 20th century. Lightfoot never conceded defeat.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

[[File:1998 Iowa gubernatorial Democratic primary county map.svg|thumb|150px|Primary results by county: Vilsack {{legend|#000800|Vilsack—91-100%}} {{legend|#001044|Vilsack—81-90%}} {{legend|#011966|Vilsack—71-80%}} {{legend|#0030c0|Vilsack—61-70%}} {{legend|#154bef|Vilsack—51-60%}} McCormick {{legend|#011e01|McCormick—81-90%}} {{legend|#002400|McCormick—71-80%}} {{legend|#003900|McCormick—61-70%}} {{legend|#006400|McCormick—51-60%}} {{legend|#59d622|McCormick—41-50%}} Tie {{legend|#cd42ca|Tie between Vilsack and McCormick-49%}} ]]

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Reform Party primary

Candidates

Results

General election

Results