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The 1898 Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1898, and featured Populist and Democratic fusion nominee Edward A. Gilbert defeating Republican nominee George A. Murphy as well as Prohibition nominee Newell S. Lowrie and Socialist Labor nominee J. J. Kerrigan.^[1]

Early in 1898, there was speculation that incumbent Nebraska Lieutenant Governor James E. Harris might seek the office of Governor of Nebraska in the 1898 election;^[2] however, by the fall of 1898, Harris was not running for governor and had become disaffected with the Populist party.^[3] Harris eventually withdrew from being renominated for the office of lieutenant governor in favor of Edward A. Gilbert so that the Silver Republican Party, who supported Gilbert, might have some representation on the Populist/Democratic fusion ticket.^[4]

A party calling itself the Liberty Party held a convention on August 2, 1898, and had originally nominated candidates for governor and lieutenant governor. The nominees were Richard A. Hawley for governor, who had previously run for governor with the so-called National Party in the election of 1896, and J. Phipps Roe, of Omaha, Nebraska, for lieutenant governor. However, on September 22, both candidates withdrew their names and the Liberty Party decided to endorse the Populist/Democratic fusion candidates, William A. Poynter and Edward A. Gilbert, for governor and lieutenant governor respectively.^[5]

General election

Candidates

Edward A. Gilbert, Populist/Democratic fusion candidate, former member of the Nebraska House of Representatives as a Republican from 1889 to 1891 from York, Nebraska,^[6] who was aligned with the Silver Republican Party^[7]
J. J. Kerrigan, Socialist Labor candidate from Omaha, Nebraska^[8]
Rev. Newell Samuel Lowrie, Prohibition candidate, Presbyterian minister from O'Neill, Nebraska^[9]^[10]
George Arthur Murphy, Republican candidate, lawyer, member of the Nebraska Senate since 1897 from Beatrice, Nebraska,^[6] and former city attorney of Beatrice and prosecuting attorney of Gage County^[11]^[12]

Results

Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election, 1898^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Populist	Edward A. Gilbert^[a]	94,850	50.18
	Republican	George A. Murphy	92,150	48.75
	Prohibition	Newell S. Lowrie	1,778	0.94
	Socialist Labor	J. J. Kerrigan	254	0.13
Total votes			189,032	100.00
	Populist hold

^ Cross-endorsed by a party calling itself the Liberty Party

References

^ ^a ^b State of Nebraska (1899). 1899-1900 Nebraska Blue Book (PDF). State Journal Co. pp. 246–247. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
^ "Speculation on Governorship: Governor Holcomb's Third Term Aspirations Frowned on - May be Harris - Bryan Not to Dine With Jacksonians". Nebraska State Journal. January 2, 1898. p. 5. Retrieved June 17, 2023. This leads to the prediction that there is but one man in the [Populist] party who can heal all wounds and stay the jealous storms of the convention, and that he is James E. Harris, the present Lieutenant-governor.
^ "Daily Drift". Nebraska State Journal. October 10, 1898. p. 4. Retrieved June 17, 2023. Lieutenant Governor Harris admits that a large number of unprincipled men have secured seats in the populist band wagon, and adds that they are 'ruining the party.'
^ "W. A. Poynter for Governor". The Nebraska Independent. August 4, 1898. p. 1. Retrieved June 17, 2023. The present state officers were renominated with the exception of Lieutenant Governor Harris, who withdrew in order that the silver republicans might have representation on the ticket.
^ "Ready for Political Work: The Various Nominations Certified to the Secretary of State". The Clipper-Citizen. September 23, 1893. p. 3. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
^ ^a ^b State of Nebraska (2021), 2020-21 Nebraska Blue Book (PDF), p. 317-178, retrieved June 11, 2023
^ "As the campaign progresses". Saunders County Journal. October 20, 1898. p. 4. Retrieved June 17, 2023. Hon. E. A. Gilbert... is one of the strongest and ablest men in the ranks of the silver republicans and will be a worthy successor to Lieutenant Governor Harris.
^ "Social Labor Ticket". Nebraska City News. October 18, 1898. p. 2. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
^ "The prohibition state convention". Holt County Independent. June 17, 1898. p. 4. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
^ "Obituary". Nebraska State Journal. March 14, 1912. p. 9. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
^ "Hon. George A. Murphy". Beatrice Daily Express. August 11, 1898. p. 4. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
^ "George A. Murphy". Beatrice Evening Times. August 12, 1898. p. 3. Retrieved June 17, 2023.