2002 Minnesota gubernatorial election

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox election Template:ElectionsMN 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. 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, Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives
• Leslie Davis, former Minneapolis mayoral candidate in 1994

Results

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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, Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate
• Oloveuse S. "Ole" Savior, artist and perennial candidate.

Results

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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: Template:Colors Participant  Template:Colors Absent  Template:Colors Not invited  Template:Colors Invited Template:Color box Withdrawn					scope="col" style="background:Template:Party color" |	scope="col" style="background:Template:Party color" |	scope="col" style="background:Template:Party color" |	scope="col" style="background:Template:Party color" |
					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	Template:USRaceRating	October 31, 2002
Sabato's Crystal Ball	Template:USRaceRating	November 4, 2002

Results

Template:Election box winning candidate with party link

2002 gubernatorial election, Minnesota

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Roger Moe	821,268	36.5%
		Tim Penny	364,534	16.2%
		Ken Pentel	50,589	2.3%
	Independent	Booker Hodges IV	9,698	0.4%
		Kari Sachs	3,026	0.1%
		Lawrence Aeshliman	2,537	0.1%
		Lealand Vettleson	2	0.0%
		Write-ins	1,348	0.06%
Majority			178,205	7.9%
Turnout			2,252,473	70.7%
	gain from

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)

See also

• List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections