2002 Wisconsin gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:	2002 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Country:	Wisconsin
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1998 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Previous Year:	1998
Next Election:	2006 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Next Year:	2006
Election Date:	November 5, 2002
Turnout:	45.43%
Image1:	Jim Doyle (3347470710) (1).jpg
Nominee1:	Jim Doyle
Party1:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	800,515
Percentage1:	45.09%
Nominee2:	Scott McCallum
Party2:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	734,779
Percentage2:	41.39%
Nominee3:	Ed Thompson
Party3:	Libertarian Party (United States)
Popular Vote3:	185,455
Percentage3:	10.45%
Governor
Before Election:	Scott McCallum
Before Party:	Republican Party (United States)
After Election:	Jim Doyle
After Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
Running Mate1:	Barbara Lawton
Running Mate2:	Margaret Farrow
Running Mate3:	Marty Reynolds

The 2002 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican Governor of Wisconsin Scott McCallum, who had assumed office upon the resignation of Tommy Thompson, ran for his first full term in office. McCallum won his party's nomination by defeating two minor candidates, and Attorney General of Wisconsin Jim Doyle won the Democratic primary with a little more than a third of the vote in a highly competitive primary election. In the general election, the presence of Ed Thompson, former Governor Tommy Thompson's younger brother, the Mayor of Tomah, and the Libertarian Party nominee, held both McCallum and Doyle to under fifty percent of the vote, enabling Doyle to win with 45% of the vote, defeating McCallum.

As of 2022, this is the last gubernatorial election in which the Democratic candidate carried Langlade, Manitowoc, Marquette, Racine, and Taylor counties, and the last in which Juneau County did not vote for the Republican candidate, instead voting for Thompson.

Republican primary

McCallum, as the incumbent governor, did not face significant opposition in the primary. He was nominated with 86% of the primary vote.

Governor

Candidates

• William Lorge, former State Representative
• Scott McCallum, incumbent Governor of Wisconsin
• George Pobuda, teacher in Tomahawk, Wisconsin

Results

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

• Margaret A. Farrow, incumbent lieutenant governor

Results

Democratic primary

The primary election for the Democratic nomination was closely contested by three competitive candidates. The race was ultimately won by Jim Doyle with around 38% of the vote.

Governor

Candidates

• Tom Barrett, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin's 5th congressional district, former state senator and state representative
• Jim Doyle, three-term Attorney General of Wisconsin, former District Attorney of Dane County, Wisconsin.
• Kathleen Falk, Dane County Executive, former Assistant Wisconsin Attorney General, general counsel for Wisconsin's Environmental Decade, Inc.

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Jim Doyle	Tom Barrett	Kathleen Falk
University of Wisconsin (Badger Poll)	Sept 2–5, 2002	align=center	39%	31%	30%
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel	Aug 26–28, 2002	align=center	31.5%	25.7%	25.1%

Results

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

• Barbara Lawton, nominee for lieutenant Governor in 1998
• Kevin Shibilski, member of Wisconsin Senate

Results

Libertarian primary

Governor

Candidates

• Ed Thompson, former Mayor of Tomah, Wisconsin (2000–2002), brother of former Governor Tommy Thompson

Results

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

• Marty Reynolds, member of Wisconsin State Assembly

Green primary

Governor

Candidates

• Jim Young, City assessor for Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Results

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

• Jeff Peterson

Results

Independent nominations

Candidates

• Ty A. Bollerud, of Janesville, Wisconsin
• Alan D. Eisenberg, lawyer and real estate dealer
• Mike Mangan, perennial candidate from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
• Aneb Jah Rasta, consultant and doctor of metaphysics

Results

General election

Candidates

• Jim Doyle & Barbara Lawton, Democratic
• Scott McCallum & Margaret A. Farrow, Republican
• Ed Thompson & Marty Reynolds, Libertarian
• Jim Young & Jeff Peterson, Green
• Alan D. Eisenberg
• Ty A. Bollerud
• Mike Mangan
• Aneb Jah Rasta

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report^[1]		October 31, 2002
Sabato's Crystal Ball^[2]		November 4, 2002

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Jim Doyle (D)	Scott McCallum (R)	Ed Thompson (L)	Jim Young (G)	Others
University of Wisconsin (Badger Poll)	Oct 27–29, 2002	align=center	41%	34%	10%	2%	0%
University of Wisconsin (Badger Poll)	Oct 25–27, 2002	align=center	38%	36%	0%	0%	0%
Market Shares Corp	Oct 24–27, 2002	align=center	38%	36%	8%	4%	0%
St. Norbert College	Oct 16–27, 2002	align=center	41%	33%	6%	3%	0%
We the People/Wisconsin	Oct 20–21, 2002	align=center	46%	38%	8%	3%	0%
Research 2000	Oct 4–7, 2002	align=center	44%	36%	6%	3%	0%
Wisconsin Policy Research Institute	Sept 26–29, 2002	align=center	40%	31%	7%	4%	0%
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel	Sept 17–25, 2002	align=center	43%	35%	6%	1%	0%

Results by county

Richland County voted Democratic for the first time since 1924 and only the second time since 1857. Doyle was the first Democrat since Albert G. Schmedeman in 1932 to win Columbia County, Grant County, Columbia County, Iowa County and Sauk County. Additionally, Doyle was also the first Democrat since Schmedeman in 1934 to win Marquette County

County	Jim Doyle Democratic		Scott McCallum Republican		Ed Thompson Libertarian		Jim Young Green		All Others Various		Margin		Total votes cast
		%		%		%		%		%		%
	Adams		3,160		46.17%		2,168		31.68%		1,355		19.80%		130		1.90%		31		0.45%		992		14.49%		6,844
	Ashland		3,092		60.39%		1,572		30.70%		296		5.78%		134		2.62%		26		0.51%		1,520		29.69%		5,120
	Barron		6,540		46.04%		6,239		43.92%		1,074		7.56%		293		2.06%		60		0.42%		301		2.12%		14,206
	Bayfield		3,752		59.57%		1,948		30.93%		379		6.02%		200		3.18%		20		0.32%		1,804		28.64%		6,299
	Brown		29,949		42.28%		32,368		45.70%		5,860		8.27%		2,068		2.92%		585		0.83%		-2,419		-3.42%		70,830
	Buffalo		2,225		48.82%		1,706		37.43%		499		10.95%		103		2.26%		25		0.55%		519		11.39%		4,558
	Burnett		3,004		46.54%		3,142		48.68%		205		3.18%		91		1.41%		12		0.19%		-138		-2.14%		6,454
	Calumet		5,528		39.43%		6,844		48.81%		1,198		8.54%		360		2.57%		91		0.65%		-1,316		-9.39%		14,021
	Chippewa		7,539		40.50%		7,592		40.79%		2,868		15.41%		513		2.76%		102		0.55%		-53		-0.28%		18,614
	Clark		3,826		36.93%		4,031		38.91%		2,221		21.44%		233		2.25%		48		0.46%		-205		-1.98%		10,359
	Columbia		7,581		41.84%		6,308		34.82%		3,585		19.79%		571		3.15%		72		0.40%		1,273		7.03%		18,117
	Crawford		2,296		44.30%		1,879		36.25%		791		15.26%		188		3.63%		29		0.56%		417		8.05%		5,183
	Dane		97,084		56.43%		41,810		24.30%		22,477		13.07%		9,806		5.70%		856		0.50%		55,274		32.13%		172,033
	Dodge		8,607		32.61%		12,761		48.34%		4,416		16.73%		438		1.66%		174		0.66%		-4,154		-15.74%		26,396
	Door		4,647		40.48%		5,333		46.45%		849		7.39%		558		4.86%		94		0.82%		-686		-5.98%		11,481
	Douglas		9,291		63.82%		4,153		28.53%		732		5.03%		283		1.94%		98		0.67%		5,138		35.30%		14,557
	Dunn		5,525		48.45%		4,560		39.99%		911		7.99%		364		3.19%		43		0.38%		965		8.46%		11,403
	Eau Claire		15,958		48.75%		11,946		36.49%		3,241		9.90%		1,403		4.29%		188		0.57%		4,012		12.26%		32,736
	Florence		609		39.73%		842		54.92%		70		4.57%		12		0.78%		0		0.00%		-233		-15.20%		1,533
	Fond du Lac		10,394		33.16%		17,653		56.31%		2,540		8.10%		586		1.87%		174		0.56%		-7,259		-23.16%		31,347
	Forest		1,435		44.76%		1,332		41.55%		371		11.57%		59		1.84%		9		0.28%		103		3.21%		3,206
	Grant		6,175		43.07%		5,946		41.47%		1,832		12.78%		334		2.33%		50		0.35%		229		1.60%		14,337
	Green		5,148		46.60%		3,581		32.42%		1,930		17.47%		345		3.12%		43		0.39%		1,567		14.18%		11,047
	Green Lake		2,232		34.70%		3,322		51.65%		685		10.65%		156		2.43%		37		0.57%		-1,090		-16.95%		6,432
	Iowa		3,606		47.29%		2,234		29.29%		1,422		18.65%		350		4.59%		14		0.18%		1,372		17.99%		7,626
	Iron		1,461		51.52%		900		31.73%		413		14.56%		57		2.01%		5		0.18%		561		19.78%		2,836
	Jackson		2,770		43.82%		2,101		33.24%		1,271		20.11%		168		2.66%		11		0.17%		669		10.58%		6,321
	Jefferson		9,243		36.71%		11,237		44.63%		3,912		15.54%		609		2.42%		178		0.71%		-1,994		-7.92%		25,179
	Juneau		2,249		31.35%		2,118		29.53%		2,629		36.65%		160		2.23%		17		0.24%		-380		-5.30%		7,173
	Kenosha		21,922		55.34%		14,833		37.45%		2,179		5.50%		436		1.10%		241		0.61%		7,089		17.90%		39,611
	Kewaunee		2,584		38.36%		2,989		44.37%		682		10.12%		208		3.09%		273		4.05%		-405		-6.01%		6,736
	La Crosse		15,255		43.36%		12,578		35.75%		6,075		17.27%		1,057		3.00%		221		0.63%		2,677		7.61%		35,186
	Lafayette		2,313		43.36%		1,648		30.89%		1,244		23.32%		122		2.29%		8		0.15%		665		12.46%		5,335
	Langlade		3,320		43.85%		3,238		42.77%		843		11.13%		135		1.78%		35		0.46%		82		1.08%		7,571
	Lincoln		4,379		42.97%		3,664		35.96%		1,872		18.37%		197		1.93%		78		0.77%		715		7.02%		10,190
	Manitowoc		11,993		44.37%		11,533		42.67%		2,650		39.80%		642		2.38%		213		0.79%		460		1.70%		27,031
	Marathon		18,940		43.87%		16,904		39.15%		5,989		13.87%		1,065		2.47%		275		0.64%		2,036		4.72%		43,173
	Marinette		6,032		43.34%		6,627		47.61%		900		6.47%		302		2.17%		58		0.42%		-595		-4.27%		13,919
	Marquette		2,034		40.29%		1,862		36.89%		986		19.53%		151		2.99%		15		0.30%		172		3.41%		5,048
	Menominee		681		72.52%		171		18.21%		61		6.50%		20		2.13%		6		0.64%		510		54.31%		939
	Milwaukee		150,877		56.36%		95,015		35.49%		15,891		5.94%		4,186		1.56%		1,756		0.66%		55,862		20.87%		267,725
	Monroe		3,275		25.61%		3,433		26.85%		5,809		45.43%		223		1.74%		47		0.37%		-2,376		-18.58%		12,787
	Oconto		4,561		39.74%		5,420		47.22%		1,170		10.19%		257		2.24%		70		0.61%		-859		-7.48%		11,478
	Oneida		5,748		42.64%		5,226		38.77%		2,143		15.90%		283		2.10%		79		0.59%		522		3.87%		13,479
	Outagamie		21,158		41.92%		23,695		46.94%		3,799		7.53%		1,462		2.90%		364		0.72%		-2,537		-5.03%		50,478
	Ozaukee		10,542		31.46%		20,486		61.14%		1,891		5.64%		410		1.22%		176		0.53%		-9,944		-29.68%		33,505
	Pepin		1,234		51.91%		870		36.60%		203		8.54%		60		2.52%		10		0.42%		364		15.31%		2,377
	Pierce		5,855		49.38%		5,290		44.61%		401		3.38%		231		1.95%		80		0.67%		565		4.77%		11,857
	Polk		6,901		47.56%		6,789		46.79%		422		2.91%		333		2.30%		64		0.44%		112		0.77%		14,509
	Portage		11,954		49.86%		7,157		29.85%		3,265		13.62%		1,463		6.10%		135		0.56%		4,797		20.01%		23,974
	Price		2,670		41.86%		2,324		36.44%		1,219		19.11%		144		2.26%		21		0.33%		346		5.42%		6,378
	Racine		27,859		47.32%		26,654		45.28%		3,442		5.85%		572		0.97%		341		0.58%		1,205		2.05%		58,868
	Richland		1,961		36.25%		1,958		36.19%		1,307		24.16%		176		3.25%		8		0.15%		3		0.06%		5,410
	Rock		26,648		52.98%		14,929		29.68%		7,418		14.75%		910		1.81%		396		0.79%		11,719		23.30%		50,301
	Rusk		2,305		38.29%		2,208		36.68%		1,345		22.34%		138		2.29%		24		0.40%		97		1.61%		6,020
	Sauk		7,286		41.14%		5,629		31.79%		3,953		22.32%		752		4.25%		89		0.50%		1,657		9.36%		17,709
	Sawyer		2,626		43.07%		2,890		47.40%		434		7.12%		113		1.85%		34		0.56%		-264		-4.33%		6,097
	Shawano		4,752		39.54%		5,734		47.71%		1,203		10.01%		282		2.35%		47		0.39%		-982		-8.17%		12,018
	Sheboygan		17,521		42.48%		19,634		47.60%		3,360		8.15%		532		1.29%		203		0.49%		-2,113		-5.12%		41,250
	St. Croix		8,803		41.66%		11,076		52.41%		739		3.50%		360		1.70%		154		0.73%		-2,273		-10.76%		21,132
	Taylor		2,498		36.83%		2,426		35.77%		1,708		25.18%		117		1.73%		33		0.49%		72		1.06%		6,782
	Trempealeau		4,196		46.68%		2,818		31.35%		1,678		18.67%		266		2.96%		30		0.33%		1,378		15.33%		8,988
	Vernon		3,410		38.75%		2,813		31.96%		2,229		25.33%		323		3.67%		26		0.30%		597		6.78%		8,801
	Vilas		3,320		37.05%		4,305		48.04%		1,075		12.00%		187		2.09%		75		0.84%		-985		-10.99%		8,962
	Walworth		9,764		37.32%		13,319		50.91%		2,395		9.15%		505		1.93%		179		0.68%		-3,555		-13.59%		26,162
	Washburn		2,895		47.14%		2,593		42.22%		495		8.06%		132		2.15%		26		0.42%		302		4.92%		6,141
	Washington		11,480		27.69%		25,592		61.72%		3,765		9.08%		439		1.06%		189		0.46%		-14,112		-34.03%		41,465
	Waukesha		42,327		29.78%		88,661		62.39%		8,846		6.22%		1,631		1.15%		649		0.46%		-46,334		-32.60%		142,114
	Waupaca		5,672		37.67%		7,369		48.93%		1,481		9.83%		440		2.92%		97		0.64%		-1,697		-11.27%		15,059
	Waushara		2,909		39.96%		3,371		46.30%		799		10.98%		175		2.40%		26		0.36%		-462		-6.35%		7,280
	Winnebago		22,425		43.73%		23,110		45.07%		3,708		7.23%		1,632		3.18%		400		0.78%		-685		-1.34%		51,275
	Wood		10,704		44.64%		8,312		34.66%		4,349		18.14%		470		1.96%		146		0.61%		2,392		9.97%		23,981
Total	800,515	45.09%	734,779	41.39%	185,455	10.45%	44,111	2.48%	10,489	0.59%	65,736	3.70%	1,775,349

Counties that flipped Republican to Democratic

• Adams (largest city: Adams)
• Barron (largest city: Rice Lake)
• Buffalo (largest city: Mondovi)
• Columbia (largest city: Portage)
• Crawford (largest city: Prairie du Chien)
• Dunn (largest city: Menomonie)
• Eau Claire (largest city: Eau Claire)
• Forest (largest city: Crandon)
• Grant (largest city: Platteville)
• Green (largest city: Monore)
• Iowa (largest city: Dodgeville)
• Iron (largest city: Hurley)
• Jackson (largest city: Black River Falls)
• Kenosha (largest city: Kenosha)
• La Crosse (largest city: La Crosse)
• Lafayette (largest city: Darlington)
• Langlade (largest city: Antigo)
• Lincoln (largest city: Merrill)
• Manitowoc (largest city: Manitowoc)
• Marathon (largest city: Wausau)
• Marquette (largest city: Montello)
• Milwaukee (largest city: Milwaukee)
• Oneida (largest city: Rhinelander)
• Pepin (largest city: Durand)
• Pierce (largest city: River Falls)
• Polk (largest city: Amery)
• Portage (largest city: Stevens Points)
• Price (largest city: Park Falls)
• Racine (largest city: Racine)
• Richland (largest city: Richland Center)
• Rock (largest city: Janesville)
• Rusk (largest city: Ladysmith)
• Sauk (largest city: Baraboo)
• Taylor (Largest city: Medford)
• Trempealeau (largest city: Arcadia)
• Vernon (largest city: Viroqua)
• Washburn (largest city: Spooner)
• Wood (largest city: Wisconsin Rapids)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Libertarian

• Juneau (largest city: Mauston)
• Monroe (largest city: Sparta)

See also

• 2002 United States gubernatorial elections

External links

• Web site: Archive of Jim Doyle Election Site . January 28, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20021031080137/http://www.doyle2002.com/ . October 31, 2002 . bot: unknown . mdy-all .
• Web site: Archive of Scott McCallum Election Site . January 28, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20021102134443/http://www.mccallum2002.com/ . November 2, 2002 . bot: unknown . mdy-all .
• Web site: Archive of Ed Thompson Election Site . January 28, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20021103082511/http://www.edthompson.com/ . November 3, 2002 . bot: unknown . mdy-all .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Governor Updated October 31, 2002 The Cook Political Report. https://web.archive.org/web/20021208065752/http://www.cookpolitical.com/display.cfm?section=political&edit_id=225. December 8, 2002. The Cook Political Report. en. October 31, 2002. September 18, 2018. dead. mdy-all.
2. Web site: Governors Races. https://web.archive.org/web/20021212142349/http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/governor_all.htm. December 12, 2002. www.centerforpolitics.org. en-US. November 4, 2002. September 18, 2018. dead. mdy-all.