1990 Connecticut gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1990 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 1990 Connecticut gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 1990, to elect the governor of Connecticut. It was a three-way race for a seat left open when Governor William A. O'Neill declined to run for re-election. A Connecticut Party nominee Lowell Weicker narrowly won the election, becoming the first candidate who was not a member of one of the two major parties to win a gubernatorial election since the 1974 election in Maine.^[2]

1990 Connecticut gubernatorial election

← 1986 November 6, 1990 1994 →
Turnout	68.2%[1]
Nominee Lowell Weicker John G. Rowland Bruce Morrison Party A Connecticut Party Republican Democratic Running mate Eunice Groark Robert Jaekle Sandra Bender Popular vote 460,576 427,840 236,641 Percentage 40.4% 37.5% 20.7%
County results Municipality results Congressional district results Weicker:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Rowland:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Morrison:      30–40%      50–60%
Governor before election Bill O'Neill Democratic Elected Governor Lowell Weicker A Connecticut Party

Republican primary

Candidates

Republican nominee

• John G. Rowland, U.S. Representative from Connecticut's 5th congressional district.

Withdrew

• Reginald J. Smith, Senate minority leader and state senator from Connecticut's 8th Senate district.^[3] (endorsed Weicker)

General election

Candidates

• Bruce Morrison, U.S. Representative from Centerville (Democratic)
• John G. Rowland, U.S. Representative from Waterbury (Republican)
• Lowell Weicker, former Republican U.S. Senator (A Connecticut Party)
• Joseph Zdonczyk (Concerned Citizens)

Results

General election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	A Connecticut Party	Lowell Weicker	460,576	40.36%
	Republican	John G. Rowland	427,840	37.49%
	Democratic	Bruce Morrison	236,641	20.74%
	Concerned Citizens	Joseph Zdonczyk	16,044	1.41%
	Write-in		21	0.00%
Total votes			1,141,122	100.00%
	A Connecticut Party gain from Democratic