United States Senate elections, 2002

United States Senate elections, 2002

November 5, 2002
33 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate and 1 mid-term vacancy 51 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Trent Lott Tom Daschle Party Republican Democratic Leader since June 12, 1996 January 3, 1995 Leader's seat Mississippi South Dakota Seats before 49 49 Seats after 50 49 Seat change 1 Popular vote 20,626,192 18,956,449 Percentage 49.5% 45.5% Swing 2.5% 1.5% Seats up 19 13 Races won 21 11   Third party Fourth party   Party Independence Independent Seats before 1 1 Seats after 0 1 Seat change 1 Popular vote 45,139 343,624 Percentage 0.01% 0.8% Seats up 1 0 Races won 0 0
Results of November elections      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold
Majority Leader before election Tom Daschle Democratic Elected Majority Leader Bill Frist Republican

The United States Senate elections, 2002 featured a series of fiercely contested elections that resulted in a victory for the Republican Party, which gained two seats and thus a narrow majority from the Democratic Party in the United States Senate. The Senate seats up for election, known as "class 2" Senate seats, were last up for regular election in 1996. The election was held on November 5, 2002, almost fourteen months after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The Democrats had originally hoped to do well, as the party holding the presidency historically loses seats in midterm elections, and the Republicans had 20 seats up for election compared to 14 Democratic seats. In addition, four incumbent Republicans and no Democrats announced their retirement before the election. However, the Republicans were able to hold the four open seats, all of which were in the South. Ultimately, Republicans would pick up three seats and lose one, resulting in a net gain of two seats. Together with gains made in the House of Representatives, this election was one of the few mid-term elections in the last one hundred years in which the party in control of the White House gained Congressional seats (the others were 1902, 1934, and 1998). This was the first time since 1970 in which a first-term president's party made net gains in the Senate.

Trent Lott led the Senate Republicans through this election cycle and was due to become the new Senate Majority Leader upon the retaking of control of the Senate by the Republicans. However, Lott's controversial praise for Strom Thurmond's Dixiecrat presidential campaign at Thurmond's 100th birthday celebration led to Lott stepping down from Senate leadership and resulted in Bill Frist being selected as the new Senate Majority Leader.

This was the most recent Senate election cycle in which at least one incumbent senator from each party lost in the general election. This was also the second consecutive mid-term election held in a president's first term in which the Republican party both had a net gain of seats and regained control of the United States Senate from the Democratic Party. This was the only election cycle ever where the party of the incumbent President gained new control of a house of Congress in a midterm election.

Gains and losses

Defeated incumbents included Tim Hutchinson (R-AR), Max Cleland (D-GA), and Jean Carnahan (D-MO). The Republicans also gained the seat of deceased senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN).

Results summary

Summary of the 2002 United States Senate election results

Parties		Breakdown			Total Seats		Popular Vote		Total candidates (General)1
		Up	Elected	Not Up	2002	+/-	Vote	%
	Republican	20	22	29	51	2	20,626,192	49.476%	37
	Democratic	14	12	36	48	2	18,956,449	45.470%	32
	Independent	—	—	1	1		343,625	0.824%	9
	Libertarian	—	—	—	—	—	724,969	1.739%	20
	Reform	—	—	—	—	—	175,107	0.420%	3
	Green	—	—	—	—	—	94,702	0.227%	8
	Constitution	—	—	—	—	—	53,706	0.129%	3
	Independence	—	—	—	—	—	51,863	0.124%	2
	Other parties	—	—	—	—	—	54,108	0.130%	10
	Write-in	—	—	—	—	—	281,480	0.675%	—
Total		34	34	66	100	-	41,689,666	100.0%	125

Source: Election Statistics – Office of the Clerk

¹ Includes candidates from Louisiana's General Election, not run-off. Totals do not include participating voters who declined to cast a vote for U.S. Senate.

Change in Senate composition

Gains and losses

Race summary

Alabama

United States Senate election in Alabama, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Jeff Sessions Susan Parker Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 792,561 538,878 Percentage 58.6% 39.8%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Jeff Sessions Republican Elected U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions Republican

Incumbent Republican Jeff Sessions won re-election to a second term.^[1]

In the 1968 presidential election, Alabama supported native son and American Independent Party candidate George Wallace over both Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. Wallace was the official Democratic candidate in Alabama, while Humphrey was listed as the "National Democratic".^[2] In 1976, Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter from Georgia carried the state, the region, and the nation, but Democratic control of the region slipped after that.

Since 1980, conservative Alabama voters have increasingly voted for Republican candidates at the federal level, especially in Presidential elections. By contrast, Democratic candidates have been elected to many state-level offices and comprised a longstanding majority in the Alabama Legislature.

Sessions was not challenged in the primary.^[3]

McPhillips won many counties in the southern part of the state, but Parker won the most counties. Sowell endorsed Parker for the run off.

Arkansas

United States Senate election in Arkansas, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Mark Pryor Tim Hutchinson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 433,306 370,653 Percentage 53.90% 46.10%

County Results

Senator before election Tim Hutchinson Republican Elected Senator Mark Pryor Democratic

Incumbent Republican Tim Hutchinson ran for a second term, but lost re-election to Arkansas Attorney General Mark Pryor.

Republican State Representative Jim Bob Duggar challenged incumbent Tim Hutchinson in the primary.

Colorado

United States Senate election in Colorado, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Wayne Allard Tom Strickland Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 717,893 648,130 Percentage 50.7% 45.8%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Wayne Allard Republican Elected U.S. Senator Wayne Allard Republican

Incumbent Republican Wayne Allard won re-election to a second term.

Delaware

United States Senate election in Delaware, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Joe Biden Raymond Clatworthy Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 135,253 94,793 Percentage 58.2% 40.8%

U.S. Senator before election Joe Biden Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Joe Biden Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Joe Biden won re-election to a sixth term.

Georgia

United States Senate election in Georgia, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Saxby Chambliss Max Cleland Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,071,153 931,857 Percentage 52.8% 45.9%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Max Cleland Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss Republican

Incumbent Democrat Max Cleland ran for re-election to a second term, but lost to Republican Saxby Chambliss.

Chambliss's campaign used the refrain of national defense and security, but drew criticism for television ads that paired images of Cleland and Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, and for questioning the commitment to homeland security of his opponent, a triple amputee and decorated Vietnam veteran.^[11][12] Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona said of one ad, "It's worse than disgraceful, it's reprehensible."^[13] McCain, along with Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, made significant complaints to the Republican National Committee until the ads were taken down.^[14]

Idaho

United States Senate election in Idaho, 2002

November 4, 2002

Nominee Larry Craig Alan Blinken Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 266,215 132,975 Percentage 65.2% 32.6%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Larry Craig Republican Elected U.S. Senator Larry Craig Republican

Incumbent Republican Larry Craig won re-election to a third term.

Illinois

United States Senate election in Illinois, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Dick Durbin Jim Durkin Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,103,766 1,325,703 Percentage 60.33% 38.02%

County Results

U.S. Senator before election Dick Durbin Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Dick Durbin Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Dick Durbin won re-election to a second term. Durbin faced off against State Representative Jim Durkin, whom he was able to easily beat, ensuring his return to the Senate.

Durbin won re-election to a second term easily, carrying a majority of the states 102 counties.

Iowa

United States Senate election in Iowa, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Tom Harkin Greg Ganske Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 554,278 447,892 Percentage 54.18% 43.78%

County Results

Senator before election Tom Harkin Democratic Elected Senator Tom Harkin Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Tom Harkin won re-election to a fourth term. Harkin was opposed in the general election by United States Congressman Greg Ganske, who fought off a surprisingly difficult challenger in the Republican primary. Though Harkin had narrowly defeated his opponent six years earlier, he was able to defeat Ganske by a fairly comfortable margin to win re-election.

Kansas

United States Senate election in Kansas, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Pat Roberts Steven Rosile Party Republican Libertarian Popular vote 641,075 70,725 Percentage 82.5% 9.1%   Nominee George Cook Party Reform Popular vote 65,050 Percentage 8.4%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Pat Roberts Republican Elected U.S. Senator Pat Roberts Republican

Incumbent Pat Roberts won re-election to a second term easily because no Democrat filed to run.

Kentucky

United States Senate election in Kentucky, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Mitch McConnell Lois Combs Weinberg Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 731,679 399,634 Percentage 64.7% 35.3%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Mitch McConnell Republican Elected U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell Republican

Incumbent Republican Mitch McConnell won re-election to a fourth term.

Louisiana

United States Senate election in Louisiana, 2002

November 5 and December 7, 2002

Nominee Mary Landrieu Suzanne Haik Terrell Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 638,654 596,642 Percentage 51.7% 48.3%

Parish Results

U.S. Senator before election Mary Landrieu Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu won re-election to a second term.

During the run-off, Landrieu was out-spent three-to-one by Republican contender Suzanne Haik Terrell, the Louisiana Elections Commissioner. Terrell also had prominent Republicans including President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney visit Louisiana to campaign on her behalf. Republicans, confident of victory having gained seats in the elections to the House of Representatives and to the Senate, solidifying control of the former and taking control of the latter, publicly called the election "Operation Icing on the Cake".^[20][21] Some Democrats responded by calling their efforts "Operation Wipe that Smirk off of Bush's Face"^[22] and dubbed Landrieu's subsequent run-off victory, "Operation Pie in the Face".^[23]

Landrieu pulled off what many considered to be an upset victory. The Republicans believed they would most likely win the race. Before the election many Republicans called the race operation icing on the cake. After Landrieu won the runoff Democrats dubbed her victory operation pie in the face. The race was close. In terms of rural parishes the vote was split fairly evenly. Landrieu did well in Caddo Parish home of Shreveport, and in East Baton Rouge Parish home of East Baton Rouge. Ultimately though it was Landrieu's huge win in Orleans Parish home of New Orleans that pushed her over the finish line. Haik Terrell conceded defeat to Landrieu at 12:38 P.M. EST, congratulating Landrieu on her victory. Landrieu would go on to be reelected to a third term in 2008.

Maine

United States Senate election in Maine, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Susan Collins Chellie Pingree Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 295,041 209,858 Percentage 58.4% 41.6%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Susan Collins Republican Elected U.S. Senator Susan Collins Republican

Incumbent Republican Susan Collins won re-election to a second term.

Chellie Pingree, State Senator and Senate Majority Leader attacked Collins for supporting the Bush tax cuts.^[24] Both candidates opposed the Iraq War in the fall of 2002.^[25] However, Collins then supported the congressional resolution to attack Iraq, while Pingree opposed it.^[26]

Collins, a popular moderate, was supported by health care groups, environmentalists and gay rights advocates. She handily defeated State Senator Chellie Pingree of North Haven in one of the few U.S. Senate elections in which both major parties nominated women in U.S. history.^[27]

Massachusetts

United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee John Kerry Michael Cloud Party Democratic Libertarian Popular vote 1,605,976 369,807 Percentage 80.0% 18.4%

County results

U.S. Senator before election John Kerry Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John Kerry Democratic

Incumbent Democrat John Kerry won re-election to a fourth term against Libertarian Michael Cloud. The lack of a Republican party candidate caused Cloud to receive the largest percentage of votes for a U.S. Senate candidate in the Libertarian Party's history, though this record has since been eclipsed by Joe Miller in Alaska in 2016.

Michigan

United States Senate election in Michigan, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Carl Levin Andrew Raczkowski Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,896,614 1,185,545 Percentage 60.6% 37.9%

U.S. Senator before election Carl Levin Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Carl Levin Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Carl Levin won re-election to a fifth term.

Minnesota

United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Norm Coleman Walter Mondale Party Republican DFL Popular vote 1,116,697 1,067,246 Percentage 49.5% 47.3%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Dean Barkley Independence Elected U.S. Senator Norm Coleman Republican

Incumbent Democrat Paul Wellstone was running for re-election to a third term, but died in a plane crash eleven days before the election. The Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) chose former Vice President and 1984 Presidential candidate Walter Mondale to replace Wellstone on the ballot. Mondale lost to Republican Mayor of Saint Paul Norm Coleman. The day before the election, Independence Governor Jesse Ventura had appointed Dean Barkley (IP) to serve the rest of Wellstone's term.^[29] As of 2018, this is the last Senate election in Minnesota won by a Republican.

In the primaries, Paul Wellstone defeated Dick Franson 93% to 5% and Norm Coleman defeated Jack Shepard 95% to 5%.

At the time of his death, Wellstone was slightly ahead in the polls. After Walter Mondale was chosen as the DFL candidate, in a poll taken a few days before the election Mondale was leading 51% to 45%. Early on Election Day, Mondale was leading in votes. By nightfall, however, Norm Coleman pulled ahead, winning by 49.5 percent to 47.3 percent.

Paul Wellstone still appeared on the ballot despite his death, despite a court order replacing Wellstone's name with Mondale's.

Mississippi

United States Senate election in Mississippi, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Thad Cochran Shawn O'Hara Party Republican Reform Popular vote 533,269 97,226 Percentage 84.6% 15.4%

U.S. Senator before election Thad Cochran Republican Elected U.S. Senator Thad Cochran Republican

Incumbent Republican Thad Cochran overwhelmingly won re-election to a fifth term. The Democratic Party did not field a candidate, resulting in Reform Party candidate Shawn O'Hara winning 15.42%. O'Hara's percentage of the vote was more than double Ross Perot's statewide total of 5.84% in the 1996 presidential election.

Missouri (Special)

Missouri special election

November 5, 2002

Nominee Jim Talent Jean Carnahan Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 935,032 913,778 Percentage 49.8% 48.7%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Jean Carnahan Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Jim Talent Republican

The election would decide who would serve the rest of Senator-elect Mel Carnahan's term, after he died. The winner would serve four more years until the next election in 2006. Governor Roger Wilson had appointed Carnahan's widow Jean Carnahan to serve temporarily. She then ran for the remainder of the term. Republican Jim Talent defeated her narrowly. While the race should have flipped control of the Senate from Democrats to Republicans, the Senate was adjourned, so Talent could not take office and no change in leadership occurred until the 108th Congress began in January 2003.

In the 2000 election, Mel Carnahan, who had died in a plane crash three weeks before, remained on the ballot for election to the Senate. Carnahan beat his Republican opponent, John Ashcroft, who did not legally contest being defeated by a dead candidate. Carnahan's successor as governor, Roger B. Wilson, fulfilled his pre-election promise to appoint Carnahan's widow in her husband's place and a special election was scheduled for 2002.^[30][31]

The Seventeenth Amendment requires that appointments to the Senate last only until a special election is held.

National security and Carnahan's vote against fellow Missourian John Ashcroft as attorney general were major issues in the campaign. Republicans argued Carnahan owed her vote to Ashcroft, who had lost his bid for re-election to the Senate to Carnahan's husband.^[33] Talent, citing Carnahan's votes against homeland-security legislation and missile defense, accused her of being soft on national security, which she objected to, saying he was "doubt[ing] her patriotism."^[34]

Jack Abramoff contributed $2,000 to Talent's 2002 senatorial campaign^[35] and Preston Gates & Ellis, a former Abramoff employer, had also contributed $1,000 to Talent's campaign.^[36] Talent later returned both contributions.^[37] Talent's win returned Republican control of the Senate which had been under slight Democratic dominance resulting from Vermont junior senator Jim Jeffords's decision to renounce the Republican Party, turning independent and making the choice to caucus with the Democrats.

Talent's victory was certified November 21, 2002, one day before Congress adjourned, which prevented Republicans from claiming a senate majority. He automatically became a Senator the following day because, under federal law, he formally took office the day after both chambers of Congress adjourned. Because Republicans would hold the majority in the following congress, they saw no need to hold a special session in the 107th to take advantage of their brief majority.^[38][39]

Montana

United States Senate election in Montana, 2002

November 4, 2002

Nominee Max Baucus Mike Taylor Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 204,853 103,611 Percentage 62.7% 31.7%

U.S. Senator before election Max Baucus Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Max Baucus Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Max Baucus won re-election to a fifth term.^[40]

The Montana election got national attention when Baucus's opponent, state senator Mike Taylor, accused Baucus of having implied that Taylor was gay in a campaign ad. The ad was paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, though designed by the Baucus campaign. The ad, which alleged that Taylor had embezzled funds from the cosmetology school he once owned, showed footage from the early 1980s of Taylor massaging another man's face while wearing a tight suit with an open shirt. Taylor dropped out of the race and Baucus won with 63 percent of the vote.^[42]

Nebraska

United States Senate election in Nebraska, 2002

November 7, 2002

Nominee Chuck Hagel Charlie Matulka Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 397,438 70,290 Percentage 82.8% 14.6%

U.S. Senator before election Chuck Hagel Republican Elected U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Republican

Incumbent Republican Chuck Hagel won re-election to a second term.

New Hampshire

United States Senate election in New Hampshire, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee John E. Sununu Jeanne Shaheen Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 227,229 207,478 Percentage 50.8% 46.4%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Bob Smith Republican Elected U.S. Senator John E. Sununu Republican

Incumbent Republican/Independent U.S. Senator Bob Smith was defeated in the Republican primary and denied renomination.^[44] Republican John E. Sununu won the open seat. As of 2017 This is the last time a Republican won the Class 2 Senate seat in New Hampshire.

Senator Bob Smith, the incumbent Republican Senator, briefly left the party in 1999 to run for president as an independent, claiming that the Republican platform was "not worth the paper it's written on".^[45] He rejoined the GOP a few months later, saying he made a mistake.^[45] Nonetheless, the party never fully forgave him, and some of his fellow Republican Senators went so far as to endorse his primary opponent, Rep. John Sununu,^[46] who would go on to win by 8 points.

During the campaign, there was a major scandal that involved the use of a telemarketing firm hired by that state's Republican Party (NHGOP) for election tampering. The GOP Marketplace, based in Northern Virginia, jammed another phone bank being used by the state Democratic Party and the firefighters' union for efforts to turn out voters on behalf of New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen on Election Day. The tampering involved using a call center to jam the phone lines of a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) operation. In the end, 900 calls were made for 45 minutes of disruption to the Democratic-leaning call centers. In addition to criminal prosecutions, disclosures in the case have come from a civil suit filed by the state's Democratic Party against the state's Republican Party (now settled). Four of those involved were convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, federal crimes and sentenced to prison for their involvement as of 2018. One conviction has been reversed by an appeals court, a decision prosecutors are appealing. James Tobin, freed on appeal, was later indicted on charges of lying to the FBI during the original investigation.

New Jersey

United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Frank Lautenberg Doug Forrester Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,138,193 928,439 Percentage 53.88% 43.95%

County Results

U.S. Senator before election Robert Torricelli Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg Democratic

The race was to originally feature Democrat Robert Torricelli, who was running for a second term in the seat he had won when former Senator Bill Bradley elected not to run for a fourth term in 1996 and who had been the state's senior Senator following Frank Lautenberg's retirement at the end of the 106th United States Congress, against former West Windsor Township mayor Douglas Forrester, who had won the Republican nomination.

Torricelli, however, had been the target of an ethics probe and eventually dropped out of the race in late September 2002. After legal proceedings aimed as forcing Torricelli's name to remain on the ballot were filed by Forrester's campaign, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that Lautenberg, with whom the Democrats sought to replace him, could remain on the ballot.

In the general election, Lautenberg defeated Forrester and became the state's junior Senator for the second time when he was sworn in on January 3, 2003 (Bradley, elected in 1978, was the senior Senator during Lautenberg's first fourteen years in office and Jon Corzine, who was elected to Lautenberg's old Senate seat, became the senior Senator in 2003 as Lautenberg's previous eighteen years in the Senate w

As noted above, Torricelli dropped out of the race on September 30 due to ethical problems and poor poll numbers against Forrester, a relatively unknown opponent.^[49] The New Jersey Democratic Party convinced the retired Lautenberg to join the race after Torricelli dropped out. In the case of The New Jersey Democratic Party v. Samson, 175 N.J. 178 (2002), Forrester sued to stop Democratic Party efforts to have Lautenberg replace Torricelli. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled unanimously on October 2 that the party could switch Lautenberg's name in for Sen. Torricelli's on the ballot.^[50] Forrester received the endorsement of President George W. Bush.^[51]

New Mexico

United States Senate election in New Mexico, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Pete Domenici Gloria Tristani Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 314,193 168,886 Percentage 65.0% 35.0%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Pete Domenici Republican Elected U.S. Senator Pete Domenici Republican

Incumbent Republican Pete Domenici won re-election to a sixth term. As of 2018, this is the last Senate election in New Mexico won by a Republican.

North Carolina

United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Elizabeth Dole Erskine Bowles Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,248,664 1,047,983 Percentage 53.56% 44.96%

County Results

Senator before election Jesse Helms Republican Elected Senator Elizabeth Dole Republican

Incumbent Republican Jesse Helms decided to retire due to health issues. Republican Elizabeth Dole won the open seat over Democrat Erskine Bowles, former White House Chief of Staff.

Oklahoma

United States Senate election in Oklahoma, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Jim Inhofe David Walters Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 583,579 369,789 Percentage 57.30% 36.31%   Nominee James Germalic Party Independent Popular vote 65,056 Percentage 6.39%

County Results

U.S. Senator before election James Inhofe Republican Elected U.S. Senator James Inhofe Republican

Incumbent Republican Jim Inhofe won re-election to a second term over Democrat David Walters, the former Governor.

Oregon

United States Senate election in Oregon, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Gordon Smith Bill Bradbury Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 712,287 501,898 Percentage 56.2% 39.6%

County Results

Senator before election Gordon Smith Republican Elected Senator Gordon Smith Republican

Incumbent Republican Gordon Smith ran for re-election to a second term. Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury emerged as the Democratic nominee, and though a competitive gubernatorial election occurred at the same time, Bradbury's campaign was never able to gain traction and Smith overwhelmingly won re-election. As of 2017, this is the last Senate election in Oregon won by a Republican.

Smith, who had only served one term in the U.S. Senate, had slightly lower than a 50% approval rating before the summer of 2002 began.^[58] By July 2002, Smith had raised over $5 million, while Bradbury raised only about $1 million.^[59]

Rhode Island

United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2002

November 4, 2002

Nominee Jack Reed Robert Tingle Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 253,922 69,881 Percentage 78.4% 21.6%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Jack Reed Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Jack Reed Democratic

Incumbent Democrat Jack Reed won re-election to a second term. Reed's best performance was in Providence County, where he won with over 80% of the vote over Republican Robert Tingle, casino pit boss and nominee for RI-02 in 2000^[60]

Reed was an extremely popular senator who got token opposition in the general election. A May Brown University poll showed the incumbent with a 73% approval rating, higher than any other elected lawmaker in the state.^[62] In June 2002, Tingle announced his candidacy.^[63] Tingle described himself as a working man with a family, while Reed is single and a veteran politician.^[64] In an October poll, Reed was up 61% to 14%.^[65]

South Carolina

United States Senate election in South Carolina, 2002

November 5, 2002

Nominee Lindsey Graham Alex Sanders Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 600,010 487,359 Percentage 54.4% 44.2%

U.S. Senator before election Strom Thurmond Republican Elected U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham Republican