2002 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
The 2002 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican Governor Scott McCallum, who had assumed office upon the resignation of Tommy Thompson, ran for his first full term in office. McCallum won his party's nomination by defeating two minor candidates, while State Attorney General Jim Doyle won the Democratic primary with a little more than a third of the vote in a highly competitive primary election. In the general election, the presence of Ed Thompson, former Governor Tommy Thompson's younger brother, the Mayor of Tomah, and the Libertarian Party nominee, held both McCallum and Doyle to under fifty percent of the vote, enabling Doyle to win with 45% of the vote, defeating McCallum.
As of 2022, this is the last gubernatorial election in which the Democratic candidate carried Langlade, Manitowoc, Marquette, Racine, and Taylor counties, and the last in which Juneau County did not vote for the Republican candidate, instead voting for Thompson.
Republican primary
McCallum, as the incumbent governor, did not face significant opposition in the primary. He was nominated with 86% of the primary vote.Governor
Candidates
- William Lorge, former State Representative
- Scott McCallum, incumbent Governor of Wisconsin
- George Pobuda, teacher in Tomahawk, Wisconsin
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
- Margaret A. Farrow, incumbent lieutenant governor
Democratic primary
The primary election for the Democratic nomination was closely contested by three competitive candidates. The race was ultimately won by Jim Doyle with around 38% of the vote.Governor
Candidates
- Tom Barrett, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin's 5th congressional district, former state senator and state representative
- Jim Doyle, three-term Attorney General of Wisconsin, former District Attorney of Dane County, Wisconsin.
- Kathleen Falk, Dane County Executive, former Assistant Wisconsin Attorney General, general counsel for Wisconsin's Environmental Decade, Inc.
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
- Barbara Lawton, nominee for lieutenant Governor in 1998
- Kevin Shibilski, member of Wisconsin Senate
Libertarian primary
Governor
Candidates
- Ed Thompson, former Mayor of Tomah, Wisconsin, brother of former Governor Tommy Thompson
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
- Marty Reynolds, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
Green primary
Governor
Candidates
- Jim Young, City assessor for Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
- Jeff Peterson
Independent nominations
Candidates
- Ty A. Bollerud, of Janesville, Wisconsin
- Alan D. Eisenberg, lawyer and real estate dealer
- Mike Mangan, perennial candidate from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
- Aneb Jah Rasta, consultant and doctor of metaphysics
General election
Candidates
- Jim Doyle & Barbara Lawton, Democratic
- Scott McCallum & Margaret A. Farrow, Republican
- Ed Thompson & Marty Reynolds, Libertarian
- Jim Young & Jeff Peterson, Green
- Alan D. Eisenberg
- Ty A. Bollerud
- Mike Mangan
- Aneb Jah Rasta
Results by county
Richland County voted Democratic for the first time since 1924 and only the second time since 1857. Doyle was the first Democrat since Albert G. Schmedeman in 1932 to win Columbia County, Grant County, Columbia County, Iowa County and Sauk County. Additionally, Doyle was also the first Democrat since Schmedeman in 1934 to win Marquette CountyCounties that flipped Republican to Democratic
- Adams
- Barron
- Buffalo
- Columbia
- Crawford
- Dunn
- Eau Claire
- Forest
- Grant
- Green
- Iowa
- Iron
- Jackson
- Kenosha
- La Crosse
- Lafayette
- Langlade
- Lincoln
- Manitowoc
- Marathon
- Marquette
- Milwaukee
- Oneida
- Pepin
- Pierce
- Polk
- Portage
- Price
- Racine
- Richland
- Rock
- Rusk
- Sauk
- Taylor
- Trempealeau
- Vernon
- Washburn
- Wood