1990: A sluggish economy and increased nationalist sentiment are relatively minor irritants for swing voters, as the Democratic administration retains mildly popular. PNQ nominates ex-Treasurer Jacques Parizeau and Sen. Guy Chevrette, who while losing as expected re-establish a future base. After the 1986 disaster some had questioned the PNQ's future viability, which was no longer in doubt.
1994: With a recessionary economy, huge deficits and nationalist unpopularity, Democrats lost the Senate in 1992 and narrowly retained an Assembly majority. Ill with melanoma, Bourassa announces in November 1993 he will retire. Parizeau picks Assembly Minority Leader Lucien Bouchard as his running mate, while Democrats nominate Comptroller Daniel Johnson Jr. and House Speaker Monique Gagnon-Tremblay. With both candidates mediocre campaigners, the election is competitive but swing voters opt for change. One noteworthy event in this election is the GOP's rebirth, led by conservative activist Mario Dumont. Dumont wins his own Assembly seat but nothing else.
1998: After the failed independence referendum of June 1996, Parizeau resigns as Governor and Bouchard is elevated to the governorship. Bouchard's priority is a budget surplus, which is achieved with heavy cuts and some local tax increases in conjunction with Treasurer Pauline Marois and the legislature. Bouchard picks Senate Majority Leader Bernard Landry to fill the LG vacancy. The charismatic Bouchard is popular among swing voters, while Congressman Jean Charest is new to state politics and campaigns poorly.
2002: The aging PNQ administration has become unpopular as its cuts took effect and Bouchard tired of politics. In June 2001 he resigned as Governor, making Landry Governor. There were rumours that Landry might be challenged in a primary by Marois, but those came to nothing. Landry and Marois moved their administration rightward, with Marois' signature social program of universal daycare being enacted in February 2002. This recaptured some progressive enthusiasm but swing voters were still looking for change. A resurgent Dumont-led GOP led Landry, Charest in a hypothetical jungle primary, which alarmed many progressive voters. Both major parties turned their fire on Dumont, who had to moderate his platform as its right-wing contents alienated swing voters. Dumont fell well behind and never recovered. However Dumont took enough votes to force a runoff election for the first time in over a century. Knowing he could alienate voters with an endorsement, Dumont opted to make none. In the runoff election Landry unleashed harsh attacks on Charest, accusing him of being a stalking horse for Dumont who would dismantle social programs in right-wing glee. While Charest's program was more moderate than Dumont's, his own federal GOP past came back to haunt him. Despite last-minute polls showing a Democratic victory, Landry managed to squeeze past Charest on urban turnout.
2006: Landry announced in October 2005 he would not seek a second full term, leaving the field to Marois and Assemblyman Andre Boisclair. Marois campaigned as a "responsible progressive" and dismissed her rival as an unqualified lightweight who could claim no achievements for nationalism or progressivism. She won the primary 2-1 and faced Dumont and Democrat Raymond Bachand in the general election. To everyone's surprise, Dumont once again surged to the lead in a 3-way race which remained close through election day. It was a long election night, and to general astonishment Dumont edged Bachand to claim a runoff slot. Marois led 35.2-33.7-31.1. The runoff election was essentially a foregone conclusion, as Marois effectively mobilized swing and progressive voters against what PNQ Assemblyman Alex Boulerice memorably called the Red Menace. Republicans became the Assembly minority party while PNQ retained a plurality. In acknowledgement of the Democratic rout, Dumont allowed enough Assemblymen to vote for PNQ control of the Assembly. Marois, fearing backlash from both sides if she interfered, remained aloof.