2002 Arkansas gubernatorial election

2002 Arkansas gubernatorial election
	November 5, 2002
	County results; Huckabee: 50–60% 60–70% ; Fisher: 50–60% 60–70%
Governor before election; Mike Huckabee; Republican	Elected Governor ; Mike Huckabee; Republican

The 2002 Arkansas gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2002 for the post of Governor of Arkansas. Incumbent Republican governor Mike Huckabee defeated Democratic State Treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher.

Democratic primary results by county

Fisher

40–50%
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90%

Holmes

50–60%
60–70%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Jimmie Lou Fisher, Arkansas State Treasurer
Joe Holmes, former prosecutor
Jim Billie

Results

Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jimmie Lou Fisher	176,126	63.11
	Democratic	Joe Holmes	77,516	27.77
	Democratic	Jim Billie	25,455	9.12
Total votes			279,097	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Mike Huckabee, incumbent Governor of Arkansas
Doyle Cannady, retired banker

Results

Republican Primary results[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mike Huckabee (incumbent)	78,803	85.44
	Republican	Doyle Cannady	13,434	14.56
Total votes			92,237	100.00

General election

Campaign

At the start of the election campaign Huckabee was expected to win the election easily with a poll in July showing him 16% ahead.[2][3] Fisher began the campaign by unveiling plans on issues such as prescription drugs, education and domestic violence.[3] She also attacked Huckabee for mismanagement and likened him to a dictator for his response to criticism over cost overruns in a new computer system.[4][5]

Huckabee's record as Governor became an issue in the election with Fisher's campaign attacking Huckabee for granting clemency to violent criminals, including a rapist.[5] However Huckabee responded that he had signed more death warrants and executed more people than any other governor of Arkansas.[6] Huckabee called on voters to support him due to the progress in education, health care and the economy during his period as governor.[7] Huckabee also criticised Fisher for receiving help from former governor Bill Clinton, describing him as having had his turn.[8]

Huckabee's lead in the polls declined as the election neared, with a poll in September showing him with a 12% lead and one in mid-October showing him 10% ahead.[3][7] Near the end of October a poll showed Huckabee only 2% ahead of Fisher.[5] Huckabee's campaign was hurt by his wife's struggling campaign to become Arkansas secretary of state; voters were concerned over the couple holding too much power, with polls showing Janet Huckabee over 20% behind.[5] In late October a fundraising letter from Huckabee's campaign described it as in crisis.[5] Huckabee was also sued by his daughter Sarah in his role as governor in a lawsuit he wanted to lose. This came after a state court ordered that students should be removed from the voting rolls in Arkadelphia. Huckabee suggested his daughter join a federal lawsuit which succeeded in getting the students restored.[9]

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[10]	Tossup	October 31, 2002
Sabato's Crystal Ball[11]	Lean R	November 4, 2002

Results

Arkansas gubernatorial election, 2002[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Huckabee (incumbent)	427,082	53.02%	-6.75%
	Democratic	Jimmie Lou Fisher	378,250	46.96%	+8.30%
	Write-in		210	0.03%	N/A
Majority			48,832	6.06%	-15.05%
Turnout			805,542	100.00%	N/A
	Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Craighead (Largest city: Jonesboro)
Greene (Largest city: Paragould)
Hot Spring (Largest city: Malvern)
Izard (Largest city: Horseshoe Bend)
Arkansas (Largest city: Stuttgart)
Fulton (Largest city: Salem)
Poinsett (largest city: Harrisburg)
Lafayette (Largest city: Stamps)
Little River (largest city: Ashdown)
Bradley (largest city: Warren)
Clark (largest city: Arkadelphia)
Nevada (Largest city: Prescott)
Ouachita (Largest city: Camden)
Dallas (Largest city: Fordyce)
Monroe (largest city: Clarendon)
Mississippi (largest city: Osceola)
Desha (largest city: Dumas)
Lincoln (largest city: Star City)
Ashley (Largest city: Crossett)
Crittenden (Largest city: West Memphis)
Conway (Largest city: Morrilton)
Sevier (Largest city: De Queen)
Hempstead (largest city: Hope)
Phillips (largest city: Helena-West Helena)
Jefferson (largest city: Pine Bluff)
Pulaski (largest city: Little Rock)

References

"August 3, 2006, Democratic Primary: Governor" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
"Huckabee Goes Back to Work for 4 More Years". KAIT. November 6, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
"Fisher Unveils Domestic Abuse Plan". KAIT. September 24, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
"Fisher Calls Huckabee a Dictator". KAIT. October 1, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
Halbfinger, David M. (October 31, 2002). "THE 2002 CAMPAIGN: THE STATES; Wedding Ring Is a Millstone in 2 Arkansas Races". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
"Fisher Launches Into Huckabee Over Commutation". KAIT. October 8, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
"Polling Shows Huckabee Ahead". KAIT. October 14, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
"Clinton's campaign role: Raise money, avoid the spotlight". USA Today. October 25, 2002. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
Liptak, Adam (November 1, 2002). "THE 2002 CAMPAIGN: VOTING DISPUTES; With Suit, Governor's Daughter Gets a Spotlight". The New York Times. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
"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.
"Governors Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on December 12, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
"2002 General: November 5, 2002" (PDF). Arkansas Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.

External links

Campaign websites (Archived)

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[Primary_election_results-1] "August 3, 2006, Democratic Primary: Governor" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2014.

[work-2] "Huckabee Goes Back to Work for 4 More Years". KAIT. November 6, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.

[domestic-3] "Fisher Unveils Domestic Abuse Plan". KAIT. September 24, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.

[dictator-4] "Fisher Calls Huckabee a Dictator". KAIT. October 1, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.

[wedding-5] Halbfinger, David M. (October 31, 2002). "THE 2002 CAMPAIGN: THE STATES; Wedding Ring Is a Millstone in 2 Arkansas Races". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2008.

[commutation-6] "Fisher Launches Into Huckabee Over Commutation". KAIT. October 8, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2008.

[polling-7] "Polling Shows Huckabee Ahead". KAIT. October 14, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2008.

[clinton-8] "Clinton's campaign role: Raise money, avoid the spotlight". USA Today. October 25, 2002. Retrieved October 20, 2008.

[daughter-9] Liptak, Adam (November 1, 2002). "THE 2002 CAMPAIGN: VOTING DISPUTES; With Suit, Governor's Daughter Gets a Spotlight". The New York Times. Retrieved October 20, 2008.

[10] "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.

[11] "Governors Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on December 12, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.

[12] "2002 General: November 5, 2002" (PDF). Arkansas Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.

Elections in Arkansas
General	1844 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1900 1902 1903 1904 1906 1907 1908 1910 1912 1913 1914 1916 1917 1918 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1926 1927 1928 1930 1932 1933 1934 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1942 1943 1944 1946 1949 1950 1952 1953 1954 1956 1958 1959 1960 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1972 1973 1974 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Governor	1836 1840 1844 1848 1849 S 1852 1856 1860 1862 1864 U 1868 1872 1874 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1913 S 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 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
U.S. President	1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 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 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
U.S. Senate	Class 2: 1833 1839–40 1848 S 1853 1859 1868 S 1870 1876 1883 1885 S 1889 1895 1901 1907 1913 S 1913 1918 1924 1930 1936 1937 S 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 Class 3: 1837 1843 1845 S 1849 1855 1861 1867 1873 1879 1881 S 1885 1891 1897 1903 1909 1914 1916 S 1920 1926 1932 S 1932 1938 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016 2022
U.S. House	1837 1838 1840 1842 1844 1846 1848 1851 1853 1854 1856 1858 1860 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 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 (4th S) 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 (6th S) 1962 1964 1966 (4th S) 1968 1970 1972 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
'S,' denotes special election; 'U,' denotes election under Federal (Union) military occupation See also: Political party strength in Arkansas

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