2002 United States Senate election in Tennessee


Contributors to Wikimedia projects

Article Images

The 2002 United States Senate election in Tennessee was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Fred Thompson decided to retire. Former Republican Governor Lamar Alexander won the open seat.

2002 United States Senate election in Tennessee
← 1996 November 5, 2002 2008 →
Turnout50.40% Decrease[1] 12.37 pp
 
Nominee Lamar Alexander Bob Clement
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 891,498 728,232
Percentage 54.28% 44.34%

County results
Alexander:      40–50%      50–60%      60—70%      70–80%
Clement:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Fred Thompson
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Lamar Alexander
Republican

 
Results by county:

  Alexander

  •   40–50%

  •   50–60%

  •   60–70%

  •   60–70%

  Bryant

  •   40–50%

  •   50–60%

  •   50–60%

  •   70–80%

  •   80–90%

  • Bob Clement, U.S. Representative and candidate for Governor in 1978
  • Gary G. Davis, perennial candidate
  • Cher A. Hopkey
  • Michael L. Hampstead
  • Alvin M. Strauss

Alexander raised $2 million through June 2002.[4] Clement attacked the Governor for his corporate connections and business dealings. By October, Clement had nearly raised $900,000, while Alexander raised almost $3 million.[5] Bush, who had a 60% approval rating in the state, helped campaign and raise money for Alexander.[6] Alexander was also endorsed by the NRA Political Victory Fund.[7]

Source Ranking As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball[8] Likely R November 4, 2002
Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		Lamar
Alexander (R) 		Bob
Clement (D) 		Other /
Undecided
SurveyUSA[9] October 26–28, 2002 726 (LV) ± 3.8% 52% 41% 7%

In a September poll from the Knoxville News Sentinel, Alexander was up 45% to 27%. In a DNSC poll during the same month, Alexander was up 49% to 42%. In a mid October Zogby poll had the governor leading 49% to 36%.[10] A late October WREG-TV poll had Alexander leading 45% to 36%.[11]

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

edit

  1. ^ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  1. ^ "Tennessee Voter Turnout in 2002". Tennessee Secretary of State. November 5, 2002. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ http://0-infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0F3F35A6FADD62C1&p_docnum=2&p_queryname=15 [dead link]
  5. ^ http://0-infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0F6B623AA37922AC&p_docnum=6&p_queryname=18 [dead link]
  6. ^ http://0-infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0F619F2C1D75492C&p_docnum=4&p_queryname=15 [dead link]
  7. ^ http://0-infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0F71FA86E46BE3D8&p_docnum=16&p_queryname=18 [dead link]
  8. ^ "Senate Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on November 18, 2002. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  9. ^ SurveyUSA
  10. ^ http://0-infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=110FA9E198336770&p_docnum=14&p_queryname=18 [dead link]
  11. ^ http://0-infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0F75BDFE8D07F58E&p_docnum=4&p_queryname=18 [dead link]
  12. ^ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives".