2002 New York gubernatorial election
The 2002 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Republican Governor George Pataki was re-elected to a third term. As of, this election was the last statewide election won by a Republican in New York.
Pataki faced Democrat Carl McCall and Rochester billionaire Tom Golisano, who ran on the Independence Party line. On Election Day, Pataki was easily re-elected with 49.40% of the vote. McCall received 33.50% of the vote, carrying New York City and nearly carrying Albany County. Golisano received 14.28% of the vote and carried his home county of Monroe in western New York. This was the first time since 1978 that the winner of the gubernatorial election was of the same party as the incumbent president.
Republican primary
Candidates
- George Pataki, Governor of New York since 1995
Declined
- Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City
Results
Pataki won the nomination unopposed.Democratic primary
Candidates
Withdrew
- Andrew Cuomo, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and son of Mario Cuomo
Campaign
Comptroller Carl McCall defeated Andrew Cuomo at the Democratic State Convention, and Cuomo withdrew from the race less than a week before the Democratic primary.Other nominations
Conservative and Independence
Besides his standard Republican nomination, Pataki sought the nominations of the Conservative Party and the Independence Party. Golisano, who sought the nomination of the Independence Party, also ran against the Governor in the Conservative primary as a write-in candidate. Pataki secured the Conservative line.| Candidate | Conservative vote | percentage | Independence vote | percentage |
| George Pataki | 18,185 | 9,026 | ||
| Tom Golisano | 2,751 | 9,572 |