2002 Maryland gubernatorial election

The 2002 Maryland gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Democratic Governor Parris Glendening was term-limited and could not seek a third term. Republican Bob Ehrlich defeated Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, making him the first Republican governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew in 1966. This was the last time Charles County voted Republican for any office.

2002 Maryland gubernatorial election
November 5, 2002
 
Nominee Bob Ehrlich Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Michael Steele Charles R. Larson
Popular vote 879,592 813,422
Percentage 51.6% 47.7%
County Results
Ehrlich:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Townsend:      60–70%      70–80%
Governor before election

Parris Glendening
Democratic

 Elected Governor

Bob Ehrlich
Republican

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Government

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results
Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kathleen Kennedy Townsend 434,948 80.01
Democratic Robert Fustero 108,659 19.99
Total votes 543,607 100

Republican primary

Candidates

Results
Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bob Ehrlich 229,927 92.88
Republican James J. Sheridan 9,181 3.71
Republican Ross Z. Pierpont 8,458 3.42
Total votes 247,566 100

General election

Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend won the Democratic nomination, and Congressman Bob Ehrlich won the Republican nomination, both over token opposition.

Ehrlich chose Maryland Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele as his running mate, while Townsend chose Admiral Charles R. Larson as her running mate. Larson switched to the Democratic Party just a few weeks before the election.

Kennedy's selection of Larson as her running mate proved to be an unpopular move, seeing as he was a white former Republican and had been selected without consultation with black Democratic leaders.[3] Ehrlich ran advertisements assailing incumbent Governor Parris Glendening for the increasingly dismal fiscal situation in Maryland, an issue that resonated with Maryland voters. Glendening's unpopularity did little to help his Lieutenant Governor's flailing campaign.[4]

Results
Maryland gubernatorial election, 2002
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Bob Ehrlich 879,592 51.55% +6.74%
Democratic Kathleen Kennedy Townsend 813,422 47.68% -7.47%
Libertarian Spear Lancaster 11,546 0.68%
Write-ins 1,619 0.09%
Majority 66,170 3.88% -6.45%
Turnout 1,706,179
Republican gain from Democratic Swing

References
  1. http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/2002/results/p_governor.html
  2. http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/2002/results/p_governor.html
  3. http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/11/05/elec02.md.g.hotrace/index.html
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2011-04-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)


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