2000 Missouri gubernatorial election
November 7, 2000
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County results Holden: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Talent: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Missouri |
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The 2000 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democratic Governor Mel Carnahan was term-limited and ran for the U.S. Senate. On October 16, 2000, Carnahan died in a plane crash, and Lieutenant Governor Roger B. Wilson served the remainder of Carnahan's term.
State Treasurer Bob Holden won the Democratic nomination unopposed, and faced U.S. Representative Jim Talent, who won the Republican primary over lesser-known candidates, in the general election. Holden narrowly defeated Talent, winning 49 percent of the vote to Talent's 48 percent.[1]
Republican primary
Candidates
- Jim Talent, U.S. Representative[2]
- Jen Sievers, investor[3]
- Elgar Macy, U.S. Navy veteran[3]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Talent | 296,159 | 84.49% | |
| Republican | Jen Sievers | 33,674 | 9.61% | |
| Republican | Elgar Macy | 20,681 | 5.90% | |
| Total votes | 350,514 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Bob Holden, State Treasurer[5]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bob Holden | 362,457 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 362,457 | 100.00% | ||
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libertarian | John M. Swenson | 1,032 | 60.35% | |
| Libertarian | Dick Illyes | 678 | 39.65% | |
| Total votes | 1,710 | 100.00% | ||
Constitution primary
Candidates
- Richard L. Smith, truck driver[6]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constitution | Richard L. Smith | 299 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 299 | 100.00% | ||
Reform primary
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reform | Richard Allen Kline | 317 | 42.78% | |
| Reform | Joseph C. Keller | 231 | 31.17% | |
| Reform | Kent A. Benson | 193 | 26.05% | |
| Total votes | 741 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bob Holden | 1,152,752 | 49.12% | −8.05% | |
| Republican | Jim Talent | 1,131,307 | 48.21% | +7.77% | |
| Independent | Larry Rice | 34,431 | 1.47% | ||
| Libertarian | John M. Swenson | 11,274 | 0.48% | −1.92% | |
| Green | Lavoy Reed | 9,008 | 0.38% | ||
| Reform | Richard Allen Kline | 4,916 | 0.21% | ||
| Constitution | Richard L. Smith | 3,142 | 0.13% | ||
| Majority | 21,445 | 0.91% | −15.82% | ||
| Total votes | 2,346,830 | 100.00% | |||
| 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)
References
- ^ a b "Official Election Returns State of Missouri General Election Tuesday, November 07, 2000" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. 2000. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
- ^ Kraske, Steve (February 9, 1999). "Talent aims to be governor of Missouri". The Kansas City Star. p. B3. Retrieved February 7, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Governor's office draws 10 candidates". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 6, 2000. p. V2. Retrieved February 7, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Official Election Returns State of Missouri Primary Election Tuesday, August 08, 2000" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. 2000. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
- ^ Mannies, Jo (March 6, 1998). "It's official: Treasurer Holden wants to be governor". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. C3. Retrieved February 7, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Gubernatorial candidates speak at forum". Springfield News-Leader. May 7, 2000. p. 1B, 10B. Retrieved February 7, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.