The 2002 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Jesse Helms announced in August 2001 that he would retire due to health issues. Republican Elizabeth Dole won the open seat, becoming the first non-incumbent elected Republican Senator in the state's history. This was the first open seat election since 1974.
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County results Dole: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Bowles: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Democratic primary edit
During the primary campaign, Bowles was considered the choice of the party establishment, receiving support from former Governor Jim Hunt and the AFL-CIO.[1]
Candidates edit
- Dan Blue, State Representative
- Erskine Bowles, former White House Chief of Staff
- Cynthia D. Brown, Durham City Councilwoman
- Elaine Marshall, Secretary of State of North Carolina
Results edit
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Erskine Bowles | 277,329 | 43.4% | |
Democratic | Dan Blue | 184,216 | 28.8% | |
Democratic | Elaine Marshall | 97,392 | 15.2% | |
Democratic | Cynthia D. Brown | 27,799 | 4.4% | |
Democratic | Others | 52,289 | 8.2% | |
Total votes | 639,025 | 100.0% |
Republican primary edit
Dole was described as the "handpicked" choice of the White House, and received the support of President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, as well as outgoing Senator Jesse Helms.[1]
Candidates edit
- Elizabeth Dole, former United States Secretary of Labor, former United States Secretary of Transportation, former Assistant to the President for Public Liaison, and wife of former U.S. Senator Bob Dole
- James Snyder Jr., former state representative
- Jim Parker, physician[3]
- Ada Fisher, physician and activist
Results edit
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Elizabeth Dole | 342,631 | 80.4% | |
Republican | James Snyder Jr. | 60,477 | 14.2% | |
Republican | Jim Parker | 8,752 | 2.1% | |
Republican | Ada Fisher | 6,045 | 1.4% | |
Republican | Others | 8,201 | 1.9% | |
Total votes | 426,106 | 100.0% |
General election edit
Candidates edit
- Erskine Bowles (D), former White House Chief of Staff
- Elizabeth Dole (R), former United States Secretary of Labor, United States Secretary of Transportation, Assistant to the President for Public Liaison, and wife of U.S. Senator Bob Dole
- Sean Haugh (L)
Debates edit
No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Republican | Democratic |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Key: P Participant A Absent N Not invited I Invited W Withdrawn |
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Elizabeth Dole | Erskine Bowles | |||||
1 | Oct. 14, 2002 | Meredith College WRAL-TV WTVD-TV |
David Crabtree Larry Stogner |
C-SPAN | P | P |
2 | Oct. 19, 2002 | East Carolina University WCTI-TV WNCT-TV |
Wes Goforth Alan Hoffman |
C-SPAN | P | P |
Predictions edit
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
Sabato's Crystal Ball[5] | Lean R | November 4, 2002 |
Polling edit
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Elizabeth Dole (R) |
Erskine Bowles (D) |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SurveyUSA | October 28–30, 2002 | 611 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 50% | 46% | 4% |
Results edit
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Elizabeth Dole | 1,248,664 | 53.56% | +0.92% | |
Democratic | Erskine Bowles | 1,047,983 | 44.96% | −0.96% | |
Libertarian | Sean Haugh | 33,807 | 1.45% | +0.46% | |
Write-in | 727 | 0.03% | +0.02% | ||
Total votes | 2,331,181 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
Republican hold |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican edit
- Wake (largest town: Raleigh)
- Guilford (Largest city: Greensboro)
- Mecklenburg (Largest city: Charlotte)
- Buncombe (largest town: Asheville)
- Watauga (largest municipality: Boone)
- Martin (largest town: Williamston)
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic edit
- Perquimans (Largest city: Hertford)
- Granville (largest city: Oxford)
- Duplin (Largest city: Wallace)
- Jones (Largest city: Maysville)
- Madison (Largest city: Mars Hill)
- Haywood (Largest city: Waynesville)
- Yancey (largest municipality: Burnsville)
- Pasquotank (largest municipality: BElizabeth CIty)
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
References edit
- ^ a b Broder, David (September 9, 2002). "N.C.'s Democratic Senate Primary Still Open to Upset". Washington Post.
- ^ State Board of Elections[permanent dead link]
- ^ "CANDIDATE FAULTS DOLE, GOP\ JIM PARKER SAYS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THE DOLE CAMPAIGN AREN'T PLAYING FAIR". Greensboro News and Record. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
- ^ State Board of Elections[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Senate Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on November 18, 2002. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ State Board of Elections