# 2002 Minnesota gubernatorial election

"none" is preferred when the title is already sufficiently detailed; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
Elections in Minnesota :
General elections
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026 :
Federal elections
Presidential elections
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
Dem
2004
Dem
2008
Dem
Rep
2012
2016
Dem
Rep
2020
Dem
Rep
2024
Dem
Rep
LMN
Senate elections
Class 1
1858
1863
1869
1875
1881
1886
1892
1899
1901 (sp)
1905
1911
1916
1922
1928
1934
1940
1946
1952
1958
1964
1970
1976
1978 (sp)
1982
1988
1994
2000
2006
2012
2018
2024
Class 2
1858
1865
1871 (sp)
1871
1877
1881 (sp)
1883
1888
1895
1901
1907
1913
1918
1923 (sp)
1924
1930
1936 (sp)
1936
1942 (sp)
1942
1948
1954
1960
1966
1972
1978
1984
1990
1996
2002
2008
2014
2018 (sp)
2020
2026
House of Representatives
1849 (Terr)
1850 (Terr)
1852 (Terr)
1854 (Terr)
1856 (Terr)
1857
1859
1860
1862
1864
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1929
5th sp
7th sp
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1977
7th sp
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
5th
6th
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
1st sp
2024
2026 :
State executive elections
Gubernatorial elections
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Lieutenant gubernatorial elections
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1966
1970
Secretary of State elections
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
State Auditor elections
1857
1863
1869
1875
1881
1886
1890
1894
1898
1902
1906
1910
1914
1918
1922
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Attorney General elections
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026 :
State legislative elections
Senate elections
1890
1894
1898
1902
1906
1910
1976
1980
1982
1986
1990
1992
1996
2000
2002
2006
2010
2012
2016
2020
2022
2026
House of Representatives elections
1910
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
Special elections
Senate
House of Representatives :
Ballot questions
2012
Amendment 1
Amendment 2 :
Minneapolis
General elections
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025
Mayoral elections
1957
1959
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025
City Council elections
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2023
2025
City ballot questions
Question 2 (2021) :
Saint Paul
Mayoral elections
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025 :
vte :
The 2002 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2002 for the post of Governor of Minnesota. Republican candidate Tim Pawlenty defeated Democratic candidate Roger Moe and Independence Party of Minnesota candidate Tim Penny. Due to the health of his spouse, incumbent Governor Jesse Ventura chose not to seek re-election. Pawlenty comfortably won the election, which was attributed in part to Moe's uninspired campaign, with Moe being dubbed a "cautious dullard" four years later by the City Pages.

## Republican primary
### Candidate

* Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota House of Representatives and Majority Leader
* Leslie Davis, former Minneapolis mayoral candidate in 1994

### Results

2002 Republican gubernatorial primary election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Tim Pawlenty | 172,927 | 88.64 |
| | Republican | Sue Jeffers | 22,172 | 11.36 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 195,099 | 100.00 |

## DFL primary

In May 2002, the DFL formally endorsed Moe over rival Judi Dutcher, the Minnesota State Auditor. Becky Lourey, a member of the Minnesota Senate, was also a contender before dropping out.

### Candidate

* Roger Moe, Member of the Minnesota Senate and Majority Leader
* Oloveuse S. "Ole" Savior, artist and perennial candidate.

### Results

2002 Democratic–Farmer–Labor gubernatorial primary election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Roger Moe | 199,103 | 88.79 |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Ole Savior | 25,135 | 11.21 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 224,238 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Polling

Polls indicated a dead heat between Penny, Moe, and Pawlenty less than a month before the election. A poll by the Star Tribune had Moe and Penny tied at 27%, and Pawlenty ahead with 29%.

### Debates

2002 Minnesota gubernatorial election debates :
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Republican | Democratic | Independence | Green |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | | | | |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Tim Pawlenty | Roger Moe | Tim Penny | Ken Pentel |
| 1 | Jul. 31, 2002 | Twin Cities PBS | Eric Eskola Cathy Wurzer | C-SPAN | P | P | P | P |
| 2 | Nov. 1, 2002 | Twin Cities PBS | Eric Eskola Cathy Wurzer | C-SPAN | P | P | P | P |

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Tossup | October 31, 2002 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean R (flip) | November 4, 2002 |

### Results

* Democratic — +>15%
* Democratic — +12.5-15%
* Democratic — +10-12.5%
* Democratic — +7.5-10%
* Democratic — +5-7.5%
* Democratic — +2.5-5%
* Democratic — +0-2.5%
* Republican — +0-2.5%
* Republican — +2.5-5%
* Republican — +5-7.5%
* Republican — +7.5-10%
* Republican — +10-12.5%
* Republican — +12.5-15%
* Republican — +>15%
* Democratic — +>15%
* Democratic — +12.5-15%
* Democratic — +10-12.5%
* Democratic — +7.5-10%
* Democratic — +5-7.5%
* Democratic — +2.5-5%
* Democratic — +0-2.5%
* Republican — +0-2.5%
* Republican — +2.5-5%
* Republican — +5-7.5%
* Republican — +7.5-10%
* Republican — +10-12.5%
* Republican — +12.5-15%
* Republican — +>15%
2002 gubernatorial election, Minnesota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Tim Pawlenty | 999,473 | 44.4% | +10.1% |
| | Democratic (DFL) | Roger Moe | 821,268 | 36.5% | +6.4% |
| | Independence | Tim Penny | 364,534 | 16.2% | −20.8% |
| | Green | Ken Pentel | 50,589 | 2.3% | +2.0% |
| | Independent | Booker Hodges IV | 9,698 | 0.4% | +0.4% |
| | Socialist Workers | Kari Sachs | 3,026 | 0.1% | +0.09% |
| | Constitution | Lawrence Aeshliman | 2,537 | 0.1% | +0.1% |
| | | Lealand Vettleson | 2 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| | | Write-ins | 1,348 | 0.06% | +0.02% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 178,205 | 7.9% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,252,473 | 70.7% | +10.6% |
| | Republican gain from Independence | Republican gain from Independence | Republican gain from Independence | Republican gain from Independence | Republican gain from Independence |

#### Counties that flipped from Reform to Republican

* Benton (Largest city: Sauk Rapids)
* Blue Earth (Largest city: Mankato)
* Chisago (Largest city: North Branch)
* Cottonwood (Largest city: Windom)
* Dakota (Largest city: Hastings)
* Goodhue (Largest city: Red Wing)
* Grant (Largest city: Elbow Lake)
* Isanti (Largest city: Cambridge)
* Kanabec (Largest city: Mora)
* Kandiyohi (Largest city: Willmar)
* Le Sueur (Largest city: Le Sueur)
* McLeod (Largest city: Hutchinson)
* Meeker (Largest city: Litchfield)
* Mille Lacs (Largest city: Princeton)
* Nicollet (Largest city: North Mankato)
* Pope (Largest city: Glenwood)
* Renville (Largest city: Olivia)
* Sherburne (Largest city: Elk River)
* Sibley (Largest city: Gaylord)
* Stearns (Largest city: St. Cloud)
* Steele (Largest city: Owatonna)
* Wabasha (Largest city: Lake City)
* Washington (Largest city: Stillwater)
* Watonwan (Largest city: St. James)
* Wright (Largest city: Otsego)
* Aitkin (largest city: Aitkin)
* Pine (largest city: Pine City)
* Rice (largest city: Faribault)
* Anoka (Largest city: Blaine)
* Carver (Largest city: Chaska)

#### Counties that flipped from Reform to Democratic

* Yellow Medicine (Largest city: Granite Falls)
* Chippewa (Largest city: Montevideo)
* Hennepin (Largest city: Minneapolis)
* Ramsey (Largest city: St. Paul)
* Swift (largest city: Benson)

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Beltrami (Largest city: Bemidji)
* Koochiching (Largest city: International Falls)
* Clearwater (Largest city: Bagley)

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Independence

* Olmsted (largest city: Rochester)
* Fillmore (largest city: Spring Valley)
* Freeborn (largest city: Albert Lea)

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Independence

* Mower (largest city: Austin)