2007 election results summary
— -- Kentucky and Mississippi elected governors Tuesday.
Legislatures were up in Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia, numerous cities elected mayors and dozens of states voted on referendums and constitutional amendments.
This page has tallies and summaries of some of the more interesting and important races.
Click on a state name to jump to its results: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington
ARIZONA
Mayor
Tucson (100%)
W -- Bob Walkup* (R) 39,636 (72%)
Dave Croteau (O) 15,638 (28%)
In his quest for a third term, Walkup, a 70-year-old retired engineer, touted upcoming development including a street car project, downtown revitalization projects and bicycle paths. Croteau challenged Walkup on issues including rapid growth, minimal water resources and a lack of public transportation options.
CALIFORNIA
Mayor
San Francisco (NP) (0%)
W -- Gavin Newsom* 33,432 (77%)
Ahimsa Porter Sumchai 686 (2%)
Others 9,044 (21%)
Eleven candidates of diverse backgrounds — including a sex club owner, a vegan taxi driver, the author of a book on naked yoga, a college professor and a florist — took their shot against the popular Newsom. Despite a sex scandal, Newsom was the only candidate to garner serious financial support. One-third of his re-election monies were raised by his former campaign manager, who resigned in January upon learning of the short-lived affair between his wife, also a former mayoral aide, and Newsom.
CONNECTICUT
Mayors
Hartford (100%)
W -- Eddie Perez* (D) 6,217 (49%)
James McCauley (R) 703 (6%)
I. Charles Mathews (O) 4,456 (35%)
Others 1,422 (11%)
Strong fundraising and momentum from economic development helped two-term incumbent Perez overcome fallout from a state investigation into his use of a city contractor for house renovation and the distribution of no-bid contracts to friends. Perez fought against increasing the number of homeless shelters in the city. Mathews, a former deputy mayor and city councilman, won the endorsement of former mayor Mike Peters, who once supported Perez.
Bridgeport (100%)
W -- Bill Finch (D) 8,969 (74%)
Michael Garrett (R) 1,890 (16%)
Others 1,210 (10%)
Finch pledged to make the city one of the most environmentally friendly in the country, to control waste in the education budget and to freeze property taxes for the elderly. Incumbent John Fabrizi chose not to seek re-election after admitting cocaine use while in office and testifying on behalf of a 22-year-old convicted sex offender who twice impregnated a 13-year-old.
INDIANA
Mayors
Indianapolis (98%)
Bart Peterson* (D) 74,957 (47%)
W -- Greg Ballard (R) 81,088 (51%)
Fred Peterson (O) 3,685 (2%)
Ballard, an ex-Marine and self-employed leadership and management consultant, waged a come-from-behind battle in his first run for office. Ballard accused incumbent Bart Peterson of favoring the city's wealthy and destabilizing the middle class. Ballard opposed giving tax breaks to a luxury condominium complex. Bart Peterson defended his projects and insisted the city was going in a positive direction despite public uproar about property taxes soaring in the past year.
Fort Wayne (97%)
W -- Tom Henry (D) 31,721 (60%)
Matt Kelty (R) 21,155 (40%)
Henry, a five-term city councilman and an insurance executive, ran on a platform that promoted greater taxing autonomy, strengthening the city's urban core and improving the 911 system.
U.S. Rep. Mark Souder withdrew his endorsement of Kelty after the candidate was indicted on nine criminal charges involving perjury and violation of campaign finance laws. Kelty, an architect and businessman, said he was not guilty.
IOWA
Mayor
Des Moines (NP) (100%)
W -- Frank Cownie* 6,450 (80%)
Diana Newberry 1,617 (20%)
Cownie's popularity — and the city's prosperity during his tenure — left him alone in the field. Cownie ran as an environmental advocate supporting hybrid vehicles and green tax breaks. The challenge by Newbery, a Socialist perennial candidate who ran for governor of Iowa last year and the Los Angeles City Council in 2005, was more quixotic than threatening.
KENTUCKY
Governor(100%)
W -- Steven Beshear (D) 619,686 (59%)
Ernie Fletcher* (R) 435,895 (41%)
Beshear, a former attorney general and lieutenant governor, promised to increase state revenue by pushing a constitutional amendment on casino gaming, a move opposed by Fletcher, an ordained Baptist minister. Fletcher was left vulnerable by a scandal related to trading state jobs for support, which dogged him through his first term. Throughout the campaign, Beshear constantly reminded voters of the scandal and made ethics a key issue in the race.
MAINE
Statewide ballot issues
Tribal slot machines (88%)
Yes 115,782 (48%)
W -- No 123,557 (52%)
Would have let the Passamaquoddy tribe have slot machines at its harness track.
Economic development (88%)
Yes 121,741 (51%)
No 115,977 (49%)
Would authorize a $55 million bond for research and development in areas such as biotechnology, forestry and agriculture, and manufacturing.
Environmental conservation (88%)
W -- Yes 150,905 (63%)
No 88,460 (37%)
Will permit a $35.5 million bond for environmental conservation. The money will be spent on preservation of open spaces, updating the handicapped-accessible areas and plumbing facilities at parks, and planning river redevelopment.
Term limits (88%)
Yes 78,508 (33%)
W -- No 158,486 (67%)
Would have allowed legislators to serve six consecutive two-year terms, instead of the current four terms.
MARYLAND
Mayor
Baltimore (99%)
W -- Sheila Dixon* (D) 34,457 (88%)
Elbert Henderson (R) 4,806 (12%)
Dixon became the overwhelming favorite after prevailing in the Democratic primary with 63% of the vote. She made news by softening her anti-slot machine stance, saying slots might be a good fit for the city. Henderson lost his mayoral bid in 2004 to now-Gov. Martin O'Malley.
MICHIGAN
Mayor
Flint (NP) (100%)
Dayne Walling 11,853 (49%)
W -- Don Williamson* 12,434 (51%)
Williamson, a 73-year-old multimillionaire businessman, dipped deeply into his own account to fund his campaign. Williamson overcame criticism of his criminal distant past — he served more than three years in prison in the 1960s for crimes related to bad checks. Walling, a 33-year-old Rhodes scholar with multiple degrees who worked in the District of Columbia government, had promised to revitalize the city.
MISSISSIPPI
Governor(98%)
W -- Haley Barbour* (R) 408,123 (58%)
John Eaves (D) 292,171 (42%)
Barbour, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, touted his leadership role in leading the state's economic recovery after Hurricane Katrina. Eaves, a trial lawyer who campaigned with Bible in hand, accused his opponent of being controlled by the "money-changers," a charge Barbour denied.
Lieutenant governor (98%)
W -- Phil Bryant (R) 409,384 (59%)
Jamie Franks (D) 284,921 (41%)
Mississippi Senate rules give the lieutenant governor power to shape which laws are debated and who sits on powerful committees. Bryant ran on a conservative platform of fighting illegal immigration and strengthening ethics in government. Franks promised to give the working class a voice in Mississippi politics.
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