The Damnedest Mess: An Empirical Evaluation of the 1966 Georgia Gubernatorial Election

Objective. The 1966 gubernatorial campaign provides an interesting retrospective examination of Georgia politics during a period of seismic change that included the dawn of two-party competition, black enfranchisement, and legislative determination of the chief executive. Method. This article provides an empirical evaluation of the 1966 gubernatorial election in Georgia, including action that occurred in the General Assembly following the election. Results. Our findings clearly define the various coalitions supporting the three gubernatorial candidates and also explain why the plurality popular winner loses the legislative vote. Conclusion. The 1966 election is not only interesting as a case study in its own right, but one that had a major impact on two-party politics and legislative-executive relations in Georgia for decades to come.