2002 Iowa gubernatorial election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2002 Iowa gubernatorial election

| country = Iowa

| flag_image = Flag of Iowa (xrmap collection).svg

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1998 Iowa gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 1998

| next_election = 2006 Iowa gubernatorial election

| next_year = 2006

| election_date = November 5, 2002

| image_size = x150px

| image1 = File:Tom Vilsack, official USDA photo portrait.jpg

| nominee1 = Tom Vilsack

| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 540,449

| percentage1 = 52.7%

| image2 = File:Doug Gross (cropped).jpg

| nominee2 = Doug Gross

| party2 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 456,612

| percentage2 = 44.5%

| map_image = {{switcher |240px |County results |240px |Congressional district results}}

| map_caption = Vilsack: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
Gross: {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#c21b18|80–90%}}

| title = Governor

| before_election = Tom Vilsack

| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| after_election = Tom Vilsack

| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

The 2002 Iowa gubernatorial election took place November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic Governor of Iowa Tom Vilsack sought re-election to a second term as governor. He won his party's nomination uncontested, while Doug Gross, an advisor to former and future Governor Terry Branstad, narrowly won the Republican primary in a crowded and competitive election. In the general election, Vilsack was able to improve slightly on his margin of victory four years earlier to win what would be his second and final term as governor.

Democratic primary

=Candidates=

Tom Vilsack, incumbent Governor of Iowa

=Results=

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Democratic primary results{{cite web |title=Canvass Summary - Election: 2002 Primary Election (6/4/2002) |url=https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/2002/results/PRI_Governor.pdf |publisher=State of Iowa Secretary of State}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Tom Vilsack (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 79,277

| percentage = 98.55

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Write-ins

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 1,166

| percentage = 1.45

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 80,443

| percentage = 100

}}

Republican primary

=Candidates=

Doug Gross, advisor to former Governor Terry Branstad
Steve Sukup, Iowa State Representative (1995–2003)
Bob Vander Plaats, family values activist

=Results=

[[File:2002 Iowa gubernatorial Republican primary county map.svg|thumb|240px|Primary results by county:

{{collapsible list

| title = Gross

|{{legend|#a70808|Gross—61-70%}}

|{{legend|#d60f0f|Gross—51-60%}}

|{{legend|#ff0000|Gross—41-50%}}

|{{legend|#f29b8a|Gross—31-40%}}

}}

{{collapsible list

| title = Sukup

|{{legend|#353500|Sukup—81-90%}}

|{{legend|#909121|Sukup—71-80%}}

|{{legend|#ddde1f|Sukup—61-70%}}

|{{legend|#ffff00|Sukup—51-60%}}

|{{legend|#f2f26c|Sukup—41-50%}}

|{{legend|#f2f2a0|Sukup—31-40%}}

}}

{{collapsible list

| title = Vander Plaats

|{{legend|#011e01|Vander Plaats—81-90%}}

|{{legend|#002400|Vander Plaats—71-80%}}

|{{legend|#003900|Vander Plaats—61-70%}}

|{{legend|#006400|Vander Plaats—51-60%}}

|{{legend|#59d622|Vander Plaats—41-50%}}

|{{legend|#90ee90|Vander Plaats—31-40%}}

}}

]]

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican primary results

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Doug Gross

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 71,478

| percentage = 35.88

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Steve Sukup

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 64,490

| percentage = 32.37

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Bob Vander Plaats

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 63,077

| percentage = 31.66

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Write-ins

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 189

| percentage = 0.09

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 199,234

| percentage= 100

}}

General election

=Predictions=

class="wikitable"

!Source

!Ranking

!As of

The Cook Political Report{{Cite web|url=http://www.cookpolitical.com:80/display.cfm?section=political&edit_id=225|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021208065752/http://www.cookpolitical.com/display.cfm?section=political&edit_id=225|archive-date=December 8, 2002|title=Governor Updated October 31, 2002 {{!}} The Cook Political Report|website=The Cook Political Report|language=en|date=October 31, 2002|access-date=September 18, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

| {{USRaceRating|Tossup}}

|October 31, 2002

Sabato's Crystal Ball{{Cite web|url=http://www.centerforpolitics.org:80/crystalball/governor_all.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021212142349/http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/governor_all.htm|archive-date=December 12, 2002|title=Governors Races|website=www.centerforpolitics.org|language=en-US|date=November 4, 2002|access-date=September 18, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

| {{USRaceRating|Lean|D}}

|November 4, 2002

=Polling=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"

valign=bottom

! Poll source

! Date(s)
administered

! Sample
size{{efn|name=key|Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear}}

! Margin
{{nowrap|of error}}

! style="width:100px;"| Tom
Vilsack (D)

! style="width:100px;"| Doug
Gross (R)

! Other /
Undecided

SurveyUSA[https://www.surveyusa.com/2002Elec.html SurveyUSA]

| align=center| October 27–29, 2002

| align=center| 614 (LV)

| align=center| ± 4.1%

| {{party shading/Democratic}} align=center| 56%

| align=center| 42%

| align=center| 3%

=Results=

{{Election box begin | title=Iowa gubernatorial election, 2002{{cite web |title=Election: 2002 General Election (11/5/2002) |url=https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/2002/results/GovernorCanvass.pdf |website=State of Iowa Secretary of State}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Tom Vilsack (incumbent)

|votes = 540,449

|percentage = 52.69%

|change = +0.39%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Doug Gross

|votes = 456,612

|percentage = 44.51%

|change = -2.00%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Green Party (United States)

|candidate = Jay Robinson

|votes = 14,628

|percentage = 1.43%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate = Clyde Cleveland

|votes = 13,098

|percentage = 1.28%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate|

|party = Write-ins

|candidate =

|votes = 1,025

|percentage = 0.10%

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 83,837

|percentage = 8.17%

|change = +2.37%

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 1,025,802

|percentage =

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

|loser = Republican Party (United States)

|swing =

}}

==Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic==

Adams (largest city: Corning)
Hardin (largest city: Iowa Falls)
Winnebago (largest city: Forest City)
Clarke (largest city: Osceola)
Louisa (largest city: Wapello)
Mitchell (largest city: Osage)
Union (largest city: Creston)
Appanoose (Largest city: Centerville)
Decatur (Largest city: Lamoni)
Lucas (Largest city: Chariton)
Monona (Largest city: Onawa)
Ringgold (Largest city: Mount Ayr)
Taylor (Largest city: Bedford)
Wayne (Largest city: Corydon)
Wright (Largest city: Eagle Grove)
Cherokee (Largest city: Cherokee)
Calhoun (Largest city: Rockwell City)
Carroll (Largest city: Carroll)
Keokuk (Largest city: Sigourney)
Woodbury (Largest city: Sioux City)
Washington (Largest city: Washington)
Pocahontas (Largest city: Pocahontas)
Franklin (Largest city: Hampton)
Delaware (Largest city: Manchester)
Humboldt (largest city: Humboldt)
Adair (Largest city: Greenfield)
Scott (largest city: Davenport)

==Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican==

Jefferson (Largest city: Fairfield)
Dickinson (Largest city: Spirit Lake)
Sac (largest city: Sac City)
Winneshiek (largest city: Decorah)

=By congressional district=

Vilsack won four of five congressional districts, including three that elected Republicans.https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=38

class=wikitable

! District

! Vilsack

! Gross

! Representative

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Iowa|1|1st}}

| 54%

| 43%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Jim Nussle

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Iowa|2|2nd}}

| 56%

| 40%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Jim Leach

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Iowa|3|3rd}}

| 54%

| 44%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Leonard Boswell

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Iowa|4|4th}}

| 54%

| 43%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Tom Latham

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Iowa|5|5th}}

| 44%

| 53%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Steve King

Notes

References

Category:2002 United States gubernatorial elections

2002

Gubernatorial

2002 Iowa gubernatorial election

Democratic primary

=Candidates=

=Results=

Republican primary

=Candidates=

=Results=

General election

=Predictions=

=Polling=

=Results=

==Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic==

==Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican==

=By congressional district=

See also

Notes

References