2002 Illinois gubernatorial election
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Turnout | 50.05%![]() | |||||||||||||||||||
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![]() County results Blagojevich:40–50%50–60%60–70% Ryan:40–50%50–60%60–70%70–80% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Illinois |
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The2002 Illinois gubernatorial electionoccurred on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican governorGeorge Ryan,who was plagued by scandal, did not run for a second term. DemocratRod Blagojevich,a U.S. Congressman, ran against RepublicanJim Ryan(no relation to the incumbent), theIllinois Attorney General.Blagojevich won 52% to 45%, becoming the first Democrat to win an election for governor since1972.
As of 2023, this is the last Illinois governor election where no candidate running was an incumbent.
Election information[edit]
The primaries and general elections coincided with those for federal elections (SenateandHouse), as well as those for other state offices. The election was part of the2002 Illinois elections.
Turnout[edit]
For the primaries, turnout for the gubernatorial primaries was 30.81%, with 2,170,344 votes cast and turnout for the lieutenant gubernatorial primaries was 26.99% with 1,908,564 votes cast.[1][2]For the general election, turnout was 50.05%, with 3,538,891 votes cast.[1][2]
Democratic primary[edit]
Governor[edit]
Candidates[edit]
- Rod Blagojevich,U.S. Representative
- Roland Burris,formerAttorney General of Illinois,formerIllinois State Comptroller,candidate for governor in1994and1998and independent candidate forMayor of Chicagoin 1995
- Paul Vallas,former CEO ofChicago Public Schools
Results[edit]
The Democratic primary was a very close 3-way race. Blagojevich prevailed by just 25,469 votes, and just by 2.03%. Vallas did very well in theChicagosuburbs, and narrowly defeated Burris inCook County,the most populous county in the state. Vallas led early on in the night with Burris in second and Blagojevich in third. Vallas had won probably the most vital county, Cook County. For Blagojevich to beat both opponents, he had to run the board through the rest ofIllinois.Blagojevich won almost all of the state's rural counties. Eventually, Cook County had reported all of its votes, with a slight advantage for Vallas over Burris. However many votes were still left to be counted in other cities outside the Chicago area. Blagojevich managed to pull out a narrow victory by winning inChampaign County,home of Champaign. Blagojevich also did well inSangamon Countyhome to the state's capital, Springfield. Blagojevich also wonSt. Clair Countyhome ofEast St. Louis.In the early morning the day after the election, Vallas realized that with all of Cook County's votes counted he had lost. At 4:18 in the morning, Vallas called Blagojevich and congratulated him, and pledged Blagojevich his full support for the general election.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Illinois_Governor_D_Primary_2002.svg/220px-Illinois_Governor_D_Primary_2002.svg.png)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Rod Blagojevich | 457,197 | 36.50 | |
Democratic | Paul Vallas | 431,728 | 34.47 | |
Democratic | Roland Burris | 363,591 | 29.03 | |
Total votes | 1,252,516 | 100.00 |
Lieutenant governor[edit]
Candidates[edit]
- F. Michael Kelleher, Jr.
- Pat Quinn,formerTreasurer of Illinois,nominee for Secretary of State in1994candidate for US Senate in1996candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1998, perennial candidate
- Joyce Washington, Nurse
Results[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/2002_Illinois_lieutenant_gubernatorial_Democratic_primary_results_map_by_county.svg/220px-2002_Illinois_lieutenant_gubernatorial_Democratic_primary_results_map_by_county.svg.png)
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 40-50%
- 40–50%
- 50-60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Pat Quinn | 471,038 | 42.11 | |
Democratic | Joyce W. Washington | 362,902 | 32.35 | |
Democratic | F. Michael Kelleher, Jr. | 284,549 | 25.44 | |
Total votes | 1,118,489 | 100.00 |
Republican primary[edit]
Governor[edit]
Candidates[edit]
- Patrick O'Malley,State Senator
- Jim Ryan,Attorney General of Illinois
- Corinne Wood,Lieutenant Governor
Results[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/2002_Illinois_gubernatorial_Republican_primary_results_map_by_county.svg/220px-2002_Illinois_gubernatorial_Republican_primary_results_map_by_county.svg.png)
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 30-40%
- 40-50%
- 50-60%
- 60-70%
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jim Ryan | 410,074 | 44.68 | |
Republican | Patrick O'Malley | 260,860 | 28.42 | |
Republican | Corinne Wood | 246,825 | 26.89 | |
Republican | Write-ins | 69 | 0.01 | |
Total votes | 917,828 | 100.00 |
Lieutenant governor[edit]
Candidates[edit]
- Carl Hawkinson,State Senator and formerKnox CountyState's Attorney
- Jack McInerney
- William O'Connor
- Charles Owens
Results[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/2002_Illinois_lieutenant_gubernatorial_Republican_primary_results_map_by_county.svg/220px-2002_Illinois_lieutenant_gubernatorial_Republican_primary_results_map_by_county.svg.png)
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
- 80–90%
- >90%
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 40–50%
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Carl Hawkinson | 373,040 | 47.22 | |
Republican | William A. O'Connor | 257,375 | 32.58 | |
Republican | Jack J. McInerney | 90,571 | 11.46 | |
Republican | Charles G. Owens | 69,089 | 8.74 | |
Total votes | 790,075 | 100.00 |
Libertarian nomination[edit]
In March 2002, theLibertarian Party of IllinoisnominatedCal Skinner.Skinner had formerly served as a Republican state representative, and was a political conservative.[4]
General election[edit]
Campaign[edit]
In thegeneral election,Blagojevich defeatedRepublicanIllinois Attorney GeneralJim Ryanby a solid margin. Ethics scandals had plagued the administration of incumbent RepublicanGeorge Ryan,who was of no relation to Jim Ryan, and Blagojevich's campaign focused on the theme of "ending business as usual" in state government. During the campaign, Blagojevich played on the name of his opponent by asking "How can you replace one Ryan with another Ryan and call that change? You want change? Elect a guy named Blagojevich."[5]
Predictions[edit]
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report[6] | Lean D(flip) | October 31, 2002 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[7] | Safe D(flip) | November 4, 2002 |
Polling[edit]
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Rod Blagojevich (D) |
Jim Ryan (R) |
Cal Skinner (L) |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SurveyUSA | October 28–30, 2002 | 535 (LV) | ± 4.3% | 53% | 39% | 4% | 4% |
Results[edit]
Although the election was thought to be a close one early on in the campaign, Blagojevich's big numbers out ofCook Countywere too much for theRepublicansto come back from.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Rod Blagojevich | 1,847,040 | 52.19% | +4.73% | |
Republican | Jim Ryan | 1,594,961 | 45.07% | −5.96% | |
Libertarian | Cal Skinner | 73,794 | 2.09% | N/A | |
Independent | Marisellis Brown | 23,089 | 0.65% | N/A | |
Write-in | Peter Dale Kauss | 8 | 0.00% | N/A | |
Total votes | 3,538,891 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
DemocraticgainfromRepublican |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican[edit]
- Clinton(Largest city:Breese)
- Coles(Largest city:Charleston)
- Fayette(Largest city:Vandalia)
- Greene(Largest city:Carrollton)
- Jersey(Largest city:Jerseyville)
- Moultrie(Largest city:Sullivan)
- Shelby(Largest city:Shelbyville)
- White(Largest city:Carmi)
- Williamson(Largest city:Marion)
- Johnson(largest city:Vienna)
- Cumberland(largest city:Neoga)
- Crawford(largest city:Robinson)
- Wabash(largest city:Mount Carmel)
- Effingham(largest city:Effingham)
- Clark(largest city:Marshall)
- Jasper(largest city:Newton)
- Richland(largest city:Olney)
- Clay(Largest city:Flora)
- Wayne(Largest city:Fairfield)
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic[edit]
- Rock Island(largest city:Moline)
- Whiteside(largest city:Sterling)
- LaSalle(Largest city:Ottawa)
- Winnebago(Largest city:Rockford)
- Mason(Largest city:Havana)
- Putnam(largest city:Hennpin)
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
References[edit]
- ^ab"Voter Turnout".elections.il.gov.Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived fromthe originalon May 30, 2021.RetrievedMarch 24,2020.
- ^abcd"Election Results".elections.il.gov.Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived fromthe originalon February 22, 2020.RetrievedMarch 23,2020.
- ^ab"Ballots Cast".Illinois State Board of Elections. March 19, 2002.RetrievedMay 28,2019.
- ^Mann, Anthony (March 26, 2002)."Libertarian Party nomination may pose problems for Ryan".Southern Illinoisan.RetrievedMarch 12,2023– via Newspapers.
- ^Lin, Joanna (December 10, 2008)."He campaigned as a reformer".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedMay 16,2015.
- ^"Governor Updated October 31, 2002 | The Cook Political Report".The Cook Political Report.October 31, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon December 8, 2002.RetrievedSeptember 18,2018.
- ^"Governors Races".centerforpolitics.org.November 4, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon December 12, 2002.RetrievedSeptember 18,2018.
- ^"Election Results".Illinois State Board of Elections. November 5, 2002.RetrievedMay 28,2019.