The 1994 Alabama gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, to select the governor of Alabama. The election saw Republican Fob James defeat incumbent Democrat Jim Folsom Jr. in an upset. This was the first of three consecutive Alabama gubernatorial elections where the incumbent was defeated.
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County results James: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Folsom: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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The Democratic primary saw Jim Folsom defeat Paul Hubbert for the Democratic nomination. Lieutenant Governor Folsom became governor on April 22, 1993, after Republican Governor H. Guy Hunt was removed from office.[1]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jim Folsom Jr. (incumbent) | 380,227 | 54.04 | |
Democratic | Paul Hubbert | 285,554 | 40.58 | |
Democratic | F. Ross Stewart | 24,354 | 3.46 | |
Democratic | Tom Hayden | 13,532 | 1.92 | |
Total votes | 703,667 | 100 |
Fob James defeated five other candidates for the Republican nomination.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Fob James | 84,021 | 39.54 | |
Republican | Ann Bedsole | 54,450 | 25.63 | |
Republican | Winton Blount III | 51,795 | 24.38 | |
Republican | Mickey Kirkland | 18,538 | 8.72 | |
Republican | Robin Swift | 3,138 | 1.48 | |
Republican | Jack Pollard | 543 | 0.26 | |
Total votes | 212,485 | 100.00 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Fob James | 130,233 | 62.44 | |
Republican | Ann Bedsole | 78,338 | 37.56 | |
Total votes | 208,571 | 100.00 |
Source | Date | Fob James (R) |
Jim Folsom Jr. (D) |
---|---|---|---|
WSFA-TV | November 6, 1994 | 40% | 47% |
WALA-TV | October 23, 1994 | 38% | 49% |
Folsom led in the polls during the campaign which showed him 10 to 12 percent ahead of James on the last weekend before the election. However, James pulled off a narrow upset victory in the election.[4]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Fob James | 604,926 | 50.3 | ||
Democratic | Jim Folsom Jr. (incumbent) | 594,169 | 49.4 | ||
Write-in | 2,874 | 0.2 | |||
Total votes | 1,201,969 | 100.0 | |||
Republican gain from Democratic |