2000 Missouri gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2000 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 2000 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2000 and resulted in a narrow victory for the Democratic nominee, State Treasurer of Missouri Bob Holden, over the Republican candidate, U.S. Representative Jim Talent, and several other candidates. Incumbent Democratic Governor Mel Carnahan was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office.^[a]

2000 Missouri gubernatorial election

← 1996 November 7, 2000 2004 →

Nominee Bob Holden Jim Talent Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,152,752 1,131,307 Percentage 49.12% 48.21%

County results Holden:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Talent:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Roger B. Wilson Democratic Elected Governor Bob Holden Democratic

General election

Candidates

• Bob Holden, Missouri Treasurer (Democratic)
• Richard Kline (Reform)
• Lavoy Reed (Green)
• Larry Rice (Independent)
• Richard Smith (Constitution)
• John M. Swenson (Libertarian)
• Jim Talent, U.S. Representative from Chesterfield (Republican)

Results

2000 Missouri gubernatorial election^[1][2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bob Holden	1,152,752	49.12	8.05
	Republican	Jim Talent	1,131,307	48.21	7.78
	Independent	Larry Rice	34,431	1.47	N/A
	Libertarian	John M. Swenson	11,274	0.48	1.92
	Green	Lavoy (Zaki Baruti) Reed	9,008	0.38	N/A
	Reform	Richard Kline	4,916	0.21	N/A
	Constitution	Richard L. Smith	3,142	0.13	N/A
Total votes			2,346,830	100.00	+0.07
	Democratic hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Audrain (Largest city: Mexico)
• Bates (Largest city: Butler)
• Chariton (Largest city: Salisbury)
• Clark (Largest city: Kahoka)
• Clinton (Largest city: Cameron)
• Daviess (Largest city: Gallatin)
• Dunklin (Largest city: Kennett)
• Franklin (Largest city: Washington)
• Gentry (Largest city: Albany)
• Grundy (Largest city: Trenton)
• Henry (Largest city: Clinton)
• Hickory (Largest city: Hermitage)
• Howard (Largest city: Fayette)
• Iron (Largest city: Ironton)
• Knox (Largest city: Edina)
• Lafayette (Largest city: Odessa)
• Lewis (Largest city: Canton)
• Linn (Largest city: Brookfield)
• Livingston (Largest city: Chillicothe)
• Madison (Largest city: Fredericktown)
• Nodaway (Largest city: Maryville)
• Pike (Largest city: Bowling Green)
• Reynolds (Largest city: Ellington)
• Schuyler (Largest city: Lancaster)
• Scotland (Largest city: Memphis)
• Scott (Largest city: Sikeston)
• Shannon (Largest city: Winona)
• St. Francois (Largest city: Farmington)
• Sullivan (Largest city: Milan)
• Wayne (Largest city: Piedmont)
• Worth (Largest city: Grant City)
• Buchanan (Largest city: St. Joseph)
• Clay (Largest city: Liberty)
• Jefferson (Largest city: Arnold)
• Mississippi (Largest city: Charleston)
• New Madrid (Largest city: New Madrid)
• Pemiscot (Largest city: Caruthersville)
• Ray (Largest city: Richmond)
• Saline (Largest city: Marshall)
• Washington (Largest city: Potosi)
• Iron (largest city: Ironton)
• Sainte Genevieve (largest city: Ste. Genevieve)
• Platte (largest city: Kansas City)
• Pettis (largest city: Sedalia)
• Pulaski (largest city: Fort Leonard Wood)
• Adair (largest city: Kirksville)
• Andrew (largest city: Savannah)
• Cass (largest city: Harrisonville)
• Johnson (largest city: Warrensburg)
• Caldwell (Largest city: Hamilton)
• Callaway (Largest city: Fulton)
• Carroll (Largest city: Carrollton)
• DeKalb (Largest city: Cameron)
• Oregon (Largest city: Thayer)
• Ralls (Largest city: Hannibal)
• Randolph (Largest city: Moberly)
• Ripley (Largest city: Doniphan)
• Marion (Largest city: Hannibal)
• Mercer (Largest city: Princeton)
• Monroe (Largest city: Monroe City)
• Montgomery (Largest city: Montgomery City)
• Macon (Largest city: Macon)
• St. Clair (Largest city: Appleton City)
• Vernon (Largest city: Nevada)
• Benton (Largest city: Warsaw)
• Crawford (Largest city: Cuba)
• Scott (Largest city: Sikeston)
• Carter (Largest city: Van Buren)
• Maries (Largest city: Belle)
• Morgan (Largest city: Versailles)
• Atchison (Largest city: Tarkio)
• Dent (Largest city: Salem)
• Phelps (Largest city: Rolla)
• Bollinger (Largest city: Marble Hill)
• Butler (Largest city: Poplar Bluff)
• Cole (Largest city: Jefferson City)
• Cooper (Largest city: Boonville)
• Harrison (Largest city: Bethany)
• Holt (Largest city: Mound City)
• Osage (Largest city: Linn)
• Perry (Largest city: Perryville)
• Putnam (Largest city: Unionville)
• Miller (Largest city: Eldon)
• Moniteau (Largest city: California)
• Shelby (Largest city: Shelbina)
• Stoddard (Largest city: Dexter)

Aftermath

Talent would later be elected in the 2002 Senate special election and defeated Mel Carnahan's widow Jean Carnahan to begin the rest of Mel Carnahan's unexpired Senate term. This was the first time since 1968 and last time until 2020 that the winner of the Missouri gubernatorial election did not come from the same party as the winner of the concurrent presidential race. This gubernatorial election was one of the closest in Missouri's history. Bob Holden did well, as expected, in St. Louis and Kansas City. Talent easily won most rural parts of the state. Holden did poorly in the St. Louis suburbs. However Holden's wins in the Democratic strongholds of St. Louis and Kansas City proved to be just enough to push him over the finish line. Because the election was decided by less than 1%, Talent could have requested a recount that his campaign would have to pay for since it was not below half a percent. However, most recounts never see a swing of more than 1,000 votes, and Talent was trailing by 21,445. Talent ultimately did not request a recount and conceded defeat on the late evening of November 14.