The 1998 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998 to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. Republican incumbent Tom Ridge was re-elected to a second term in office over Democratic state representative Ivan Itkin and anti-abortion activist Peg Luksik.
As of 2026, this was the last gubernatorial election in which Delaware, Lackawanna or Montgomery counties voted for the Republican candidate and the last time a Republican was re-elected as governor of Pennsylvania. It was also the first time since 1930 that Greene, Fayette, or Washington counties voted Republican.
Republican primary
Incumbent Governor Ridge ran unopposed for the Republican nomination, and was endorsed by multiple newspapers across the state, including the York Daily Record.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Don Bailey, former U.S. representative from Greensburg and Pennsylvania auditor general
- Ivan Itkin, state representative from Pittsburgh
- Bill Keisling, anti-corruption activist from York
Campaign
Itkin, although not well known in the state, was a powerful figure in the legislature and had the backing of the party establishment, while the conservative Bailey drew strong union support.
General election
Candidates
- Ivan Itkin, state representative (Democratic)
- Running mate: Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, former U.S. representative from Narberth
- Ken Krawchuk, technology consultant (Libertarian)
- Running mate: Henry Haller, attorney
- Peg Luksik, anti-abortion activist and 1994 candidate for governor (Constitution)
- Running mate: Jim Clymer, attorney and 1994 nominee for lieutenant governor
- Tom Ridge, incumbent governor since 1995 (Republican)
- Running mate: Mark Schweiker, incumbent lieutenant governor since 1995
Campaign
During this election cycle, Democrats struggled with fundraising issues and had difficulty recruiting a top tier candidate. Itkin, who had little name recognition statewide, was considered to be a sacrificial lamb. Peg Luksik, who was well known as an outspoken opponent of abortion, ran as a strong third party contender for the second consecutive election cycle; she emphasized the pro-choice stances of both candidates and drew votes in the state's rural, conservative center. However, Ridge's victory was never in doubt, as he ran on a generally positive record from his prior term and a combination of traditional Republican strategies (such as his "tough on crime" image) combined with his ability to somewhat undercut Democratic support (such as through his labor ties).
Results
Results by county
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Alleghany
- Beaver
- Cambria
- Fayette
- Greene
- Lackawanna
- Lawrence
- Luzerne
- Washington
- Westmoreland