# 2002 Nebraska gubernatorial election

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The 2002 Nebraska gubernatorial election, held on November 5, 2002, featured incumbent Republican Governor of Nebraska Mike Johanns defeating his Democratic opponent Stormy Dean in a landslide.
This was the first gubernatorial election in Nebraska where the winning primary candidates chose their running mates after the primary election. Prior to this, both the governor and the lieutenant governor were chosen at the primary election. This was also the first gubernatorial election in which a Republican was re-elected in more than forty years.

## Republican Party primary
### Candidates

* Mike Johanns, incumbent Governor of Nebraska
* Robert J. Wicht

### Results

Republican Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mike Johanns (incumbent) | 128,277 | 86.84 |
| | Republican | Robert J. Wicht | 19,441 | 13.16 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 147,718 | 100 |

## Democratic Party primary
### Candidates

* Stormy Dean, insurance company executive
* Luis R. Calvillo

### Results

Democratic Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Stormy Dean | 47,369 | 77.26 |
| | Democratic | Luis R. Calvillo | 13,943 | 22.74 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 61,312 | 100 |

## Nebraska Party primary
### Candidates

* Paul A. Rosberg, farmer

### Results

Nebraska Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Nebraska | Paul A. Rosberg | 36 | 100.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 36 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Safe R | October 31, 2002 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe R | November 4, 2002 |

### Results

Nebraska gubernatorial election, 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Mike Johanns (incumbent) | 330,349 | 68.68% | +14.78% |
| | Democratic | Stormy Dean | 132,348 | 27.52% | −18.46% |
| | Nebraska | Paul A. Rosberg | 18,294 | 3.80% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 198,001 | 41.17% | +33.24% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 480,991 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Thurston (largest village: Pender)
* Burt (largest village: Tekamah)
* Lancaster (largest city: Lincoln)
* Saline (largest city: Crete)
* Cuming (largest city: West Point)
* Dakota (largest city: South Sioux City)
* Cedar (largest city: Hartington)
* Dixon (largest city: Wakefield)
* Knox (largest city: Creighton)
* Nance (largest city: Fullerton)
* Boone (largest city: Albion)
* Greeley (largest city: Spalding)
* Howard (largest city: St. Paul)
* Sherman (largest city: Loup City)
* Fillmore (largest city: Geneva)
* Gage (largest city: Beatrice)
* Jefferson (largest city: Fairbury)
* Johnson (largest city: Tecumseh)
* Pawnee (largest city: Pawnee City)
* Thayer (largest city: Hebron)
* Webster (largest city: Red Cloud)
* Nuckolls (largest city: Superior)
* Franklin (largest city: Franklin)