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2002 governor election results

Results of all 36 governor races in 2002 (seats won: Republican 22, Democratic 14); 19 changed party. Winners, margins and every candidate.

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  • Republican 22
  • Democratic 14
Alabama: Bob Riley REP +0.2 gainAlaska: Frank Murkowski REP +15.2 gainArizona: Janet Napolitano DEM +1.0 gainArkansas: Mike Huckabee REP +6.0California: Gray Davis DEM +4.7Colorado: William F. Owens REP +29.0Connecticut: John Rowland REP +12.2DelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFlorida: Jeb Bush REP +12.9Georgia: Sonny Perdue REP +5.2 gainHawaii: Linda Lingle REP +4.5 gainIdaho: C. Dirk Kempthorne REP +14.6Illinois: Rod Blagojevich DEM +7.1 gainIndianaIowa: Tom Vilsack DEM +8.2Kansas: Kathleen Sebelius DEM +7.8 gainKentuckyLouisianaMaine: John Baldacci DEM +5.7 gainMaryland: Robert Ehrlich Jr. REP +3.9 gainMassachusetts: Mitt Romney REP +4.8Michigan: Jennifer Granholm DEM +4.0 gainMinnesota: Tim Pawlenty REP +7.9MississippiMissouriMontanaNebraska: Mike Johanns REP +41.2Nevada: Kenny Guinn REP +46.2New Hampshire: Craig Benson REP +20.4 gainNew JerseyNew Mexico: Bill Richardson DEM +16.4 gainNew York: George Pataki REP +13.7North CarolinaNorth DakotaOhio: Bob Taft REP +19.5Oklahoma: Brad Henry DEM +0.7 gainOregon: Ted Kulongoski DEM +2.9Pennsylvania: Ed Rendell DEM +9.0 gainRhode Island: Donald Carcieri REP +9.5South Carolina: Mark Sanford REP +5.8 gainSouth Dakota: M. Michael Rounds REP +14.8Tennessee: Phil Bredesen DEM +3.1 gainTexas: Rick Perry REP +17.9UtahVermont: Jim Douglas REP +2.6 gainVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsin: Jim Doyle DEM +3.7 gainWyoming: Dave Freudenthal DEM +2.0 gainVermont: Jim Douglas REP +2.6 gainNew Hampshire: Craig Benson REP +20.4 gainMassachusetts: Mitt Romney REP +4.8Rhode Island: Donald Carcieri REP +9.5Connecticut: John Rowland REP +12.2New JerseyDelawareMaryland: Robert Ehrlich Jr. REP +3.9 gainDistrict of Columbia
States with a race in 2002, coloured by the winning party and shaded by margin. Grey: no race.

Seats that changed party

All races

StateWinnerPartyMarginBefore
Alabama Bob Riley Republican 0.2 Democratic flip
Alaska Frank Murkowski Republican 15.2 Democratic flip
Arizona Janet Napolitano Democratic 1.0 Republican flip
Arkansas Mike Huckabee Republican 6.0 Republican
California Gray Davis Democratic 4.7 Democratic
Colorado William F. Owens Republican 29.0 Republican
Connecticut John Rowland Republican 12.2 Republican
Florida Jeb Bush Republican 12.9 Republican
Georgia Sonny Perdue Republican 5.2 Democratic flip
Hawaii Linda Lingle Republican 4.5 Democratic flip
Idaho C. Dirk Kempthorne Republican 14.6 Republican
Illinois Rod Blagojevich Democratic 7.1 Republican flip
Iowa Tom Vilsack Democratic 8.2 Democratic
Kansas Kathleen Sebelius Democratic 7.8 Republican flip
Maine John Baldacci Democratic 5.7 Independent flip
Maryland Robert Ehrlich Jr. Republican 3.9 Democratic flip
Massachusetts Mitt Romney Republican 4.8 Republican
Michigan Jennifer Granholm Democratic 4.0 Republican flip
Minnesota Tim Pawlenty Republican 7.9 Reform
Nebraska Mike Johanns Republican 41.2 Republican
Nevada Kenny Guinn Republican 46.2 Republican
New Hampshire Craig Benson Republican 20.4 Democratic flip
New Mexico Bill Richardson Democratic 16.4 Republican flip
New York George Pataki Republican 13.7 Republican
Ohio Bob Taft Republican 19.5 Republican
Oklahoma Brad Henry Democratic 0.7 Republican flip
Oregon Ted Kulongoski Democratic 2.9 Democratic
Pennsylvania Ed Rendell Democratic 9.0 Republican flip
Rhode Island Donald Carcieri Republican 9.5 Republican
South Carolina Mark Sanford Republican 5.8 Democratic flip
South Dakota M. Michael Rounds Republican 14.8 Republican
Tennessee Phil Bredesen Democratic 3.1 Republican flip
Texas Rick Perry Republican 17.9 Republican
Vermont Jim Douglas Republican 2.6 Democratic flip
Wisconsin Jim Doyle Democratic 3.7 Republican flip
Wyoming Dave Freudenthal Democratic 2.0 Republican flip

Source: FiveThirtyEight election-results; each race page links the official source it was compiled from.