General Election
Gray Davis won the general election by almost 20% over Dan Lungren. Davis outspent Lungren 28.6 million to 23.8 million. Davis tried to portray Lungren as too conservative. In one debate, Davis attacked Lungren for voting no on a Safe Drinking Water Bill in the 1980s while Lungren tried to cast himself as the political heir of former California Governor Ronald Reagan. The policy differences between Davis and Lungren were substantial. Davis was pro-choice in a staunchly pro-choice state, and Lungren was pro-life. Lungren favored giving children abstinence only education. Both candidates were Roman Catholic. Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Bob Kerrey made campaign stops in California on Davis's behalf. Davis succeeded in casting Lungren as too far right for California. Even normally conservative San Diego County went for Davis. Upon his victory, Davis promised he would focus his attention on education and would convene a special session of the legislature. The race determined who would control reapportionment of congressional districts after the 2000 census.
Read more about this topic: California Gubernatorial Election, 1998
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