The 1992 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1992. Incumbent Democratic Governor Booth Gardner chose not to run for a third term. This resulted in an open race for Governor of Washington in which Democrat Mike Lowry narrowly defeated Republican Ken Eikenberry. This is the last time that a gubernatorial nominee and a lieutenant gubernatorial nominee of different political parties were elected governor and lieutenant governor of Washington.
Primary election
Candidates
Democratic
- Mike Lowry, former U.S. Representative for the 7th congressional district and unsuccessful Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in 1988
- Joseph E. King, speaker state representative
- Sally McQuown
- Richard "Onery Dick" Short
- Wayne Madsen
Republican
- Ken Eikenberry, State Attorney General
- Sid Morrison, U.S. Representative for the 4th congressional district
- Dan McDonald, state senator
- Bob Tharp
General election
Candidates
- Mike Lowry (D), former U.S. Representative for the 7th congressional district
- Ken Eikenberry (R), State Attorney General
Debates
- Complete video of debate, October 27, 1992 - C-SPAN
Endorsements
Mike Lowry (D)
Results
By county
Ken Eikenberry is the last Republican to have carried Whatcom County in a gubernatorial election; this election is the only one since 1960 in which Whatcom County has backed the losing candidate.
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Asotin
- Chelan
- Clallam
- Clark
- Douglas
- Ferry
- Garfield
- Grant
- Island
- Kitsap
- Klickitat
- Lincoln
- Mason
- Okanogan
- Pend Oreille
- Skagit
- Skamania
- Spokane
- Wahkiakum
- Walla Walla
- Whatcom
- Whitman