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
Percentage1:45.1%
Nominee2:Scott McCallum
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:734,779
Percentage2:41.4%
Nominee3:Ed Thompson
Party3:Libertarian Party (United States)
Popular Vote3:185,455
Percentage3:10.5%
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 Taylor, Langlade, Marquette, Manitowoc, and Racine 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.

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in primary

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

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Jim
Doyle
Tom
Barrett
Kathleen
Falk
University of Wisconsin (Badger Poll) Sept 2–5, 2002 align=center39%31%30%
Milwaukee Journal SentinelAug 26–28, 2002 align=center31.5%25.7%25.1%

Results

Libertarian party

Green party

Reform party

Independent candidates

General election

Predictions

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

Polling

Poll sourceDate(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=center41%34%10%2%0%
University of Wisconsin (Badger Poll) Oct 25–27, 2002 align=center38%36%0%0%0%
Market Shares CorpOct 24–27, 2002 align=center38%36%8%4%0%
St. Norbert College Oct 16–27, 2002 align=center41%33%6%3%0%
We the People/WisconsinOct 20–21, 2002 align=center46%38%8%3%0%
Research 2000Oct 4–7, 2002 align=center44%36%6%3%0%
Wisconsin Policy Research InstituteSept 26–29, 2002 align=center40%31%7%4%0%
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sept 17–25, 2002 align=center43%35%6%1%0%

Results

Counties that flipped Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Republican to Libertarian

See also

External links

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.