Casey achieved the second-largest gubernatorial landslide in the state in the 20th century (and the largest victory for a Democrat), losing only Montgomery County by just 586 votes.

[citation needed] Casey had maintained enormous popularity in the state,[4] was considered to have a generally positive record from his first term as governor, and was endorsed by major newspapers statewide, including The Philadelphia Inquirer.

[5] In addition, Casey had the traditionally strong backing of urban voters and organized labor, and performed well in many heavily Republican, rural counties, as he was seen as a relatively conservative populist.

The campaign briefly turned ugly when Hafer, a pro-choice Republican who had attempted to position herself as the more liberal candidate, referred to Casey as a "redneck Irishman."

Unable to gain a funding foothold or to carve out a strong public image, and trailing in the polls by forty percent on election day,[6] Hafer was subsequently defeated by Casey by a large margin.