The 1990 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990. Incumbent Republican governor Tommy Thompson won the election with 58% of the vote, winning a second term as Governor of Wisconsin. The primary elections were held on September 11, 1990.
As of 2022, this is the most recent Wisconsin gubernatorial election in which a Republican candidate won at the same time the party held the presidency. Neither party would pull off such a feat again until 2022, when Democratic governor Tony Evers won re-election during the presidency of fellow Democrat Joe Biden.
Republican primary
Governor
Nominee
- Tommy G. Thompson, incumbent governor
- Michele Ann Gess (write-in)
- Edmond Hou-Seye, perennial candidate
- Willie G. Lovelace (write-in)
- Bennett A. Masel
Lieutenant Governor
Nominee
- Scott McCallum, incumbent lieutenant governor
Democratic party
Governor
Nominee
- Thomas A. Loftus, incumbent Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Lieutenant Governor
Nominee
- Joseph Czarnezki, member of Wisconsin Senate
Labor-Farm party
Governor
Nominee
Lieutenant Governor
Nominee
General election
Results by county
Thompson was the first Republican since Philip La Follette in 1930 to win Iron County, the first since Walter S. Goodland in 1946 to win Milwaukee County, and the first since Walter J. Kohler Jr. in 1952 to win Douglas County and Kenosha County.
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Bayfield
- Chippewa
- Douglas
- Eau Claire
- Iron
- Kenosha
- Milwaukee
- Pierce
- Polk
- Portage
- St. Croix