Governor, 1990 Election
General
| Candidate | Gender | Running mate | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arne Carlson | Man | Joanell M. Dyrstad (Woman) | Independent-Republican | 895,988 | 49.59 | +3.31 |
| Rudy (R.G.) Perpich Incumbent | Man | Marlene Johnson (Woman) Incumbent | Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 836,218 | 46.28 | |
| Judith Ann (Heart Warrior) Chosa | Woman | Steven Hesch-Bruggeman (Man) | EarthRIGHT | 21,139 | 1.17 | |
| Ross Culverhouse | Man | Oliver Steinberg (Man) | Grassroots | 17,176 | 0.95 | |
| Jon Grunseth | Man | Sharon Clark (Woman) | Independent-Republican | 10,941 | 0.61 | |
| Wendy Lyons | Woman | Craig Honts (Man) | Socialist Workers | 6,701 | 0.37 |
Governor Perpich became the first Minnesota governor to lose a general election twice and the eighth overall joining Democratic-People’s Governor John Lind in 1900, Farmer-Laborite Elmer Benson in 1938, Republican C. Elmer Anderson in 1954, DFLer Orville Freeman in 1960, Republican Elmer Andersen in 1962, DFLer Karl Rolvaag in 1966, and Perpich in 1978.
Carlson was a former Minneapolis City Councilman (1965-1966), state Representative (HD 36, 1971-1973; HD 58B, 1973-1979), and sitting state Auditor (1979-1991); Dyrstad was Mayor of Red Wing (1985-1991).
Chosa was a member of the Ojibwe tribe from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area near Ely; Hesch-Bruggeman was a resident of St. Cloud. They were nominated by petition.
Culverhouse was a computer programmer from White Bear Lake; Steinberg was a resident of White Bear Lake. They were nominated by petition.
Grunseth was a businessman from Afton and the GOP U.S. House nominee for the 6th CD in 1974; Clark was a farmer from Madison. Grunseth won the 1990 GOP primary but withdrew from the race on October 28th due to published revelations of an extramarital affair; Clark refused to withdraw from the race and unsuccessfully sued Secretary of State Joan Growe to keep her name on the ballot.
Lyons was a resident of South St. Paul and Socialist Workers nominee for U.S. Senate in 1988; Honts was a resident of South St. Paul. They were nominated by petition.
Related Reports
- Mark Begich and Sean Parnell Join Small Group in Defeat (November 19, 2014)
- Will Margaret Anderson Kelliher Break the Upper Midwestern Glass Ceiling? (April 25, 2010)
Sources
- Report of the State Canvassing Board, Office of Secretary of State, State of Minnesota, November 20, 1990 (p. 64-71).