2002 United States Senate election in Tennessee
November 5, 2002
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

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.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican Primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lamar Alexander 295,052 53.79%
Republican Ed Bryant 233,678 42.60%
Republican Mary Taylor-Shelby 5,589 1.02%
Republican June Griffin 4,930 0.90%
Republican Michael Brent Todd 4,002 0.73%
Republican James E. DuBose 3,572 0.65%
Republican Christopher G. Fenner 1,552 0.28%
Republican Write-ins 107 0.03%
Total votes 548,482 100.00%
Results by county:
  Alexander
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   60–70%
  Bryant
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   50–60%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • 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

Results

Democratic primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Clement 418,172 82.18%
Democratic Gary G. Davis 50,563 9.94%
Democratic Cher A. Hopkey 14,481 2.85%
Democratic Michael L. Hampstead 12,940 2.54%
Democratic Alvin M. Strauss 12,241 2.41%
Democratic Write-ins 478 0.08%
Total votes 508,875 100.00%

General election

Campaign

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]

Debates

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball[8] Likely R November 4, 2002

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 1]		 Margin
of error		 Lamar
Alexander (R)		 Bob
Clement (D)		 Other /
Undecided
SurveyUSA 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%.[9] A late October WREG-TV poll had Alexander leading 45% to 36%.[10]

Results

United States Senate election in Tennessee, 2002[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Lamar Alexander 891,498 54.28% -7.09%
Democratic Bob Clement 728,232 44.34% +7.52%
Independent John Jay Hooker 6,401 0.39% N/A
Independent Wesley M. Baker 6,106 0.37% N/A
Independent Connie Gammon 5,349 0.33% N/A
Independent Karl Stanley Davidson 2,217 0.13% N/A
Independent Basil Marceaux 1,170 0.07% N/A
Write-ins 356 0.02% N/A
Majority 163,266 9.94% -14.61%
Turnout 1,642,432 50.40%
Republican hold Swing

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear

References

  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
  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
  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
  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
  8. ↑ "Senate Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on November 18, 2002. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  9. ↑ 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
  10. ↑ 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
  11. ↑ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives".
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