Michael Drake comfortably defeated Andrew Eskin in Saturday's primary, with Drake taking 56% and Eskin 44 percent, respectively.
Drake entered the race first, and went viral on social media for his advocacy for trades and his encouragement of young people to not go to college.
Eskin declared his candidacy months after Drake, and was hoping his Ivy League ties and his prominent family name would push him over the top.
Despite an early start and strong fundraising from small donors, Drake struggled to compete with Eskin's deep pockets.
As of last week, Drake had $4.2 million raised with about $1.29 million in cash-on-hand.
Eskin had $5.6 million raised with about $2.24 million in cash-on-hand.
The money advantage didn't help Eskin, who struggled to win over disaffected Conservative voters.
Drake and his allies, including the Grassadellian Conservative Union (GCU), National Rifle Club (NRC), and the Conservative Labor Council (CLC), cast Eskin as an out-of-touch, wealthy elite.
Eskin acknowledged his blue blood background, but said his knowledge of financial markets and the economy were just what Carova needed in its next governor.
Both men were vying for a chance to take on NAT Gov. Dan Sallovich, who is seeking reelection this fall.
Drake went viral when he first announced his candidacy, especially after he openly talked about his purposeful lack of higher education.
"I purposely didn't go to college right out of high school," said Drake back in January. "I hated school. I didn't want to be stuck in a classroom. I knew I wanted to work with my hands. So I went to work for a contractor and he taught me how to build things. And now I own a multi-million dollar construction and concrete business."
Allies of Eskin pointed to Drake's lack of higher education as a drawback, not an asset.
"You know, there's nothing wrong with someone not going to college. There are a lot of great Carovans and Grassadellians who didn't go to college," said Buzz Freeman, chair of the Carova Business Council. "But when we're talking about running the state's economy, when we're talking about billions of dollars being allocated in a state budget...would you rather have someone with knowledge of all the stuff, or would you rather have someone who is not remotely familiar with it?"
Drake pushed back, saying he runs his business himself and makes all financial decisions pertaining to his company.
Additionally, he owns a rental property company, which he also runs, although he contracts the property management out to a third party.
"I resent this notion that just because I didn't go to college, I can't manage money, I can't run a business," said Drake at a June campaign event in Beren County. "I may not have a degree framed on my wall, but you know what, I know how to make money, I know how to manage payroll, I know how to grow a business. And there are a lot of Ivy League eggheads who might have the piece of paper, but they don't have the real world experience."
Endorsements in the race largely fell along establishment versus grassroots lines, with many establishment and moderate figures backing Eskin, and more grassroots and right-wing groups backing Drake.
Though he enjoyed support from the party's right-wing, Drake disputes that he's a hardcore Conservative.
"I don't think of myself as a right-winger, I think of myself as a businessman. I'm not ideological at all. I'm about making money and balancing a budget," he told reporters at an event in Bruce Junction last week.
After months of dueling campaign ads attacking the other, Eskin and Drake finally talked for the first time in months when Eskin called Saturday night to concede.
"I wished Michael Drake well, and I pledged to support him this fall," said Eskin, as he addressed his supporters at a ritzy eatery in Beren County, north of Carlingford.
Drake, gathered in the eastern suburbs of Carlingford where he's from, thanked his supporters and said the real battle begins now.
"I appreciate Andrew Eskin calling me and conceding. I appreciate the competitive race we ran against each other. But the reality is, the hard work really begins now. Because now we're going up against an entrenched NAT governor who has a lot of money and support behind him, especially support from people in Mavocke. So we need to focus and gear up and get ready. This is going to be a hard fight but it's a fight we can and will win."
When reached on Sunday morning, Sallovich's office said the governor called Drake and congratulated him on winning the Conservative party's nomination.
"The governor looks forward to a respectful campaign that addresses the issues and the differences between the candidates," the governor's press secretary Stephanie Hanna wrote in an official statement.
Defeating Sallovich won't be easy. The incumbent governor remains relatively popular, though his approval rating has dipped in recent months as the state's economy has struggled.
New data shows the state has lost population over the last decade, during both Sallovich's administration and that of his Conservative predecessors.
The governor's allies say the state's economy always fluctuates, due, in part, to its reliance on oil and energy.
"Overall, I think Dan Sallovich has done a great job, and I'm confident the voters of Carova will return him for another four years," said State Senate President Charles Billidge (N-Port Bay).
***Unofficial Election Results -- Carova Governor's Race -- Conservative Primary***
| 675,461 | Turnout: | 56.08% | 43.92% | 378,811 | 296,650 | ||
| 675,461 | 15.83% | 56.08% | 43.92% | ||||
| 100.00% | Drake | Eskin |
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