2002 Tennessee gubernatorial election

The 2002 Tennessee gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2002, to elect the next governor of Tennessee. The incumbent, Don Sundquist, was term-limited and is prohibited by the Constitution of Tennessee from seeking a third consecutive term. To succeed him, former Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen, the Democratic nominee, who had run against Sundquist in 1994, narrowly defeated United States Congressman Van Hilleary, the Republican nominee, in the general election.

For related races, see 2002 United States gubernatorial elections.

2002 Tennessee gubernatorial election
November 5, 2002
Turnout50.40% Increase[1] 17.87 pp
 
Nominee Phil Bredesen Van Hilleary
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 837,284 786,803
Percentage 50.6% 47.6%
County results
Bredesen:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Hilleary:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election

Don Sundquist
Republican

 Elected Governor

Phil Bredesen
Democratic

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Government

With this win, Bredesen flipped the state back into Democratic control, with the state legislature also being controlled by Democrats.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results
Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Phil Bredesen 426,418 79.05
Democratic Randy Nichols 38,322 7.10
Democratic Charles E. Smith 34,547 6.40
Democratic Charles V. Brown 17,506 3.25
Democratic L. Best 16,007 2.97
Democratic Floyd R. Conover 6,218 1.15
Democratic Write-ins 420 0.08
Total votes 539,438 100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Results
Republican primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Van Hilleary 343,543 64.31
Republican Jim Henry 159,862 29.92
Republican Bob Tripp 17,156 3.21
Republican Dave Kelley 8,581 1.61
Republican Jessie D. McDonald 4,682 0.88
Republican Write-ins 389 0.07
Total votes 534,213 100.00

General election

Major
  • Phil Bredesen (D)
  • Van Hilleary (R)
  • Edwin C. Sanders (I)
  • Carl Two Feathers Whitaker (I)
  • John Jay Hooker (I)
  • David Gatchell (I)
  • Gabriel Givens (I)
  • Ray Ledford (I)
  • James E. Herren (I)
  • Charles V. Wilhoit, Jr. (I)
  • Marivuana Stout Leinoff (I)
  • Francis E. Waldron (I)
  • Ronny Simmons (I)
  • Robert O. Watson (I)
  • Basil Marceaux (I)

Predictions
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[4] Tossup October 31, 2002
Sabato's Crystal Ball[5] Lean D (flip) November 4, 2002

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 1]		 Margin
of error		 Phil
Bredesen (D)		 Van
Hilleary (R)		 Other /
Undecided
SurveyUSA October 26–28, 2002 726 (LV) ± 3.8% 48% 44% 8%

Results
Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2002[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Phil Bredesen 837,284 50.65% +21.17%
Republican Van Hilleary 786,803 47.59% -21.03%
Independent Edwin C. Sanders 7,749 0.47% N/A
Independent Carl Two Feathers Whitaker 5,308 0.32% N/A
Independent John Jay Hooker 4,577 0.28% N/A
Independent David Gatchell 2,991 0.18% N/A
Independent Gabriel Givens 1,591 0.10% N/A
Independent Ray Ledford 1,589 0.10% N/A
Independent James E. Herren 1,210 0.07% N/A
Independent Charles V. Wilhoit, Jr. 898 0.05% N/A
Independent Marivuana Stout Leinoff 645 0.04% N/A
Independent Francis E. Waldron 635 0.04% N/A
Independent Ronny Simmons 630 0.04% N/A
Independent Robert O. Watson 579 0.04% N/A
Independent Basil Marceaux 302 0.02% N/A
Write-ins 376 0.02% N/A
Total votes 1,653,167 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican

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. "August 1, 2002, Democratic Primary: Governor" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  3. "August 1, 2002, Republican Primary: Governor" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  4. "Governor Updated October 31, 2002 | The Cook Political Report". The Cook Political Report. October 31, 2002. Archived from the original on December 8, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  5. "Governors Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on December 12, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  6. "November 5, 2002, General Election: Governor" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
Official campaign websites (Archived)
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