2002 Michigan gubernatorial election

Summary

The 2002 Michigan gubernatorial election was one of the 36 United States gubernatorial elections held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican Governor John Engler, after serving three terms, was term-limited and was ineligible to run for a fourth term; his lieutenant governor Dick Posthumus, also a Republican, ran in his place. Jennifer Granholm, then Attorney General of Michigan, ran on the Democratic Party ticket. Douglas Campbell ran on the Green Party ticket, and Joseph M. Pilchak[1] ran on the Constitution Party[2] ticket.

2002 Michigan gubernatorial election

← 1998 November 5, 2002 2006 →
Turnout3,177,565
 
Nominee Jennifer Granholm Dick Posthumus
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate John Cherry Loren Bennett
Popular vote 1,631,276 1,504,755
Percentage 51.4% 47.4%

Granholm:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70-80%      80-90%
Posthumus:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election

John Engler
Republican

Elected Governor

Jennifer Granholm
Democratic

Granholm won with 51% of the vote, followed by Posthumus' 47%, Campbell with 1%, and Pilchak with less than 1%.[3][4] This made Granholm the first female Michigan governor and the first Democratic governor of Michigan in 12 years.[5]

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

With incumbent Governor John Engler ineligible to seek re-election for a fourth term,[6] Posthumus, Michigan's lieutenant governor, was considered the overwhelming favorite for the Republican nomination. Following his primary win, Posthumus selected state Sen. Loren Bennett as his running mate.[7]

Results edit

 
Primary results by county:
  Posthumus
  •   Posthumus—50–60%
  •   Posthumus—60–70%
  •   Posthumus—70–80%
  •   Posthumus—80–90%
  •   Posthumus—90–100%
Republican primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dick Posthumus 474,804 81.39
Republican Joe Schwarz 108,581 18.61
Total votes 583,385 100.00

Jim Moody created a candidate committee and filed a Statement of Organization, but did not submit sufficient ballot-access petition signatures to be included on the 2002 primary ballot.[9]

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

Eliminated in primary edit

The Democratic Party was a competitive, three-way race with between state Attorney General Jennifer Granholm, former Gov. James Blanchard (who was upset by Engler in 1990) and former House Minority Whip David Bonior.

Granholm was accused in the 2002 Democratic primary of several allegations of cronyism while working as Wayne County Corporation Counsel. Her husband, Daniel Mulhern, had received several contracts for his leadership training company shortly after Granholm left her position as a Wayne County Corporation Counsel in 1998. He received nearly $300,000 worth of contracts, despite being the highest bidder for one of those contracts. Opponents criticized Granholm supporters for engaging in cronyism and giving contracts to her husband immediately after leaving county employment. Granholm and her supporters responded that no ethical violations occurred and that Mulhern had earned the contracts on his own merits.[10]

Granholm was the first woman ever nominated by a major party to be Michigan governor.[11] Following her primary victory, Granholm chose state Sen. John Cherry as her running mate.[7]

Results edit

 
Primary results by county:
  Granholm
  •   Granholm—30–40%
  •   Granholm—40–50%
  •   Granholm—50–60%
  •   Granholm—60–70%
  •   Granholm—70–80%
  •   Granholm—80–90%
  Bonior
  •   Bonior—40–50%
  •   Bonior—50–60%
Democratic primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Granholm 499,129 47.69
Democratic David Bonior 292,958 27.99
Democratic James Blanchard 254,586 24.32
Total votes 1,046,673 100.00

General election edit

Candidates edit

 
Green Party candidate Douglas Campbell.

The Green Party of Michigan nominated Douglas Campbell. Campbell, a registered professional engineer and published Atheist from Ferndale, joined the Green party upon learning of its existence in 2000,[12] and was the Wayne-Oakland-Macomb county campaign coordinator for Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader, 2000.[13] During the 2002 campaign he claimed he was beaten, arrested and jailed (in Brighton, Michigan) for attempting to participate in a gubernatorial debate from which he was excluded, at the time being the only candidate who was not either a Republican or Democrat.[14]

Capac resident Joseph Pilchak was nominated by convention to be the U.S. Taxpayers Party candidate for Governor of Michigan. He was the U.S. Taxpayers Party candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 10th District in 2000.[1] The Michigan US Taxpayers' Party is affiliated with the United States Constitution Party,[15] but Michigan election law does not provide a mechanism for changing the name of a political party.[16]

Campaign edit

Posthumus, who had been previous Governor Engler's Lieutenant Governor, ran his general election campaign promising to maintain the Engler legacy.[17]

Granholm promised change, running as a tough crime fighter and consumer advocate. Granholm criticized the Engler administration for coming into office with a budget surplus and leaving with a deficit.[17]

Kilpatrick memo controversy edit

In the biggest event of the election, Posthumus released a memo from Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick asking for more appointments for blacks and jobs for Detroit contractors in a Granholm administration. Posthumus pointed to the memo as an example of Democratic Party corruption. Granholm, however, denied ever receiving the memo and said she wouldn't have agreed to it anyway. She said Posthumus was trying to be racially divisive.[17]

Predictions edit

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[18] Lean D (flip) October 31, 2002
Sabato's Crystal Ball[19] Likely D (flip) November 4, 2002

Polling edit

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Jennifer
Granholm (D)
Dick
Posthumus (R)
Other /
Undecided
SurveyUSA November 1–3, 2002 730 (LV) ± 3.7% 52% 46% 3%

Results edit

2002 Michigan gubernatorial election[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jennifer Granholm 1,633,796 51.42% +13.64%
Republican Dick Posthumus 1,506,104 47.40% −14.81%
Green Douglas Campbell 25,236 0.79%
Constitution Joseph Pilchak 12,411 0.39%
Write-in 18 0.00%
Majority 127,692 4.02% −20.41%
Turnout 3,177,565
Democratic gain from Republican

Results by county edit

County Granholm Votes Posthumus Votes Others Votes
Alcona 47.20% 2,165 52.04% 2,387 0.76% 35
Alger 52.59% 1,855 46.02% 1,623 1.39% 49
Allegan 36.66% 12,772 62.28% 21,695 1.06% 369
Alpena 56.95% 6,391 42.07% 4,722 0.98% 110
Antrim 39.67% 3,752 58.96% 5,576 1.36% 129
Arenac 51.14% 2,821 47.34% 2,611 1.52% 84
Baraga 50.93% 1,263 47.18% 1,170 1.89% 47
Barry 40.15% 8,136 58.93% 11,983 0.92% 187
Bay 53.29% 21,190 45.27% 18,001 1.44% 571
Benzie 45.83% 3,036 52.53% 3,480 1.64% 109
Berrien 41.85% 17,094 57.24% 23,278 0.91% 373
Branch 45.04% 5,001 54.14% 6,012 0.82% 91
Calhoun 52.59% 21,298 46.40% 18,789 1.01% 409
Cass 45.10% 5,741 53.77% 6,845 1.13% 143
Charlevoix 39.89% 3,836 58.31% 5,608 1.80% 173
Cheboygan 43.29% 4,107 55.53% 5,268 1.18% 112
Chippewa 49.81% 5,428 49.16% 5,357 1.03% 113
Clare 50.05% 4,719 48.56% 4,578 1.39% 131
Clinton 46.39% 12,070 52.61% 13,711 1.08% 279
Crawford 45.65% 2,233 52.45% 2,566 1.90% 93
Delta 50.37% 6,862 48.37% 6,590 1.26% 172
Dickinson 46.47% 3,882 52.17% 4,358 1.35% 113
Eaton 52.24% 20,395 46.74% 18,247 1.02% 398
Emmet 37.16% 4,330 61.02% 7,111 1.82% 212
Genesee 60.12% 80,687 38.61% 51,828 1.27% 1,700
Gladwin 48.17% 4,350 50.59% 4,569 1.24% 112
Gogebic 57.90% 3,292 40.59% 2,308 1.51% 86
Grand Traverse 40.92% 12,330 57.69% 17,382 1.39% 418
Gratiot 44.94% 5,203 54.00% 6,252 1.06% 122
Hillsdale 38.45% 4,778 60.33% 7,498 1.22% 152
Houghton 48.56% 5,026 49.46% 5,119 1.98% 205
Huron 39.41% 4,783 59.48% 7,218 1.11% 134
Ingham 60.95% 55,571 37.74% 34,414 1.31% 1,192
Ionia 43.25% 7,919 55.88% 10,232 0.87% 160
Iosco 50.32% 5,031 48.17% 4,817 1.51% 151
Iron 53.51% 2,429 44.44% 2,017 2.05% 93
Isabella 49.50% 7,534 48.80% 7,428 1.70% 259
Jackson 46.92% 22,036 51.83% 24,344 1.25% 585
Kalamazoo 52.29% 39,090 46.54% 34,795 1.17% 873
Kalkaska 42.02% 2,234 56.62% 3,010 1.36% 72
Kent 38.53% 74,823 60.63% 117,755 0.84% 1,634
Keweenaw 45.99% 482 52.00% 545 2.01% 21
Lake 52.24% 1,904 45.84% 1,671 1.92% 70
Lapeer 39.40% 11,384 58.98% 17,040 1.62% 467
Leelanau 42.95% 4,241 55.71% 5,501 1.34% 133
Lenawee 47.13% 13,314 51.86% 14,650 1.01% 287
Livingston 37.09% 22,006 61.86% 36,699 1.05% 625
Luce 52.26% 1,016 45.73% 889 2.01% 39
Mackinac 47.28% 2,206 51.97% 2,425 0.75% 35
Macomb 47.16% 121,065 51.64% 132,583 1.20% 3,082
Manistee 49.31% 4,389 49.45% 4,401 1.24% 110
Marquette 57.69% 12,779 40.21% 8,906 2.10% 465
Mason 45.58% 4,802 53.09% 5,594 1.33% 140
Mecosta 44.28% 5,020 54.66% 6,197 1.06% 121
Menominee 47.41% 3,335 50.83% 3,576 1.76% 124
Midland 41.31% 12,342 57.43% 17,156 1.26% 376
Missaukee 32.92% 1,724 66.61% 3,462 0.97% 51
Monroe 47.75% 19,845 51.17% 21,266 1.08% 447
Montcalm 44.18% 7,763 55.14% 9,689 0.68% 119
Montmorency 42.94% 1,722 55.64% 2,231 1.42% 57
Muskegon 56.49% 29,884 42.72% 22,600 0.79% 420
Newaygo 40.84% 6,268 58.06% 8,910 1.10% 169
Oakland 50.52% 220,082 48.30% 210,414 1.18% 5,115
Oceana 45.18% 3,886 53.91% 4,637 0.91% 78
Ogemaw 49.54% 3,727 49.04% 3,689 1.42% 107
Ontonagon 48.38% 1,301 49.61% 1,334 2.01% 54
Osceola 39.97% 2,973 59.13% 4,399 0.90% 67
Oscoda 41.85% 1,242 56.23% 1,669 1.92% 57
Otsego 39.49% 3,346 58.80% 4,982 1.71% 145
Ottawa 28.11% 24,654 71.22% 62,464 0.67% 583
Presque Isle 48.15% 2,717 50.72% 2,862 1.13% 64
Roscommon 47.85% 4,909 50.91% 5,223 1.24% 128
Saginaw 52.65% 38,051 46.27% 33,440 1.08% 786
St. Clair 45.44% 23,813 52.76% 27,647 1.80% 943
St. Joseph 40.87% 6,341 58.10% 9,014 1.03% 159
Sanilac 37.39% 5,265 60.94% 8,581 1.67% 235
Schoolcraft 52.86% 1,701 45.62% 1,468 1.52% 49
Shiawassee 47.05% 11,843 51.53% 12,971 1.42% 359
Tuscola 42.13% 8,097 56.32% 10,824 1.55% 298
Van Buren 49.15% 10,518 49.93% 10,685 0.92% 197
Washtenaw 61.41% 65,995 36.90% 39,659 1.69% 1,820
Wayne 67.81% 384,121 31.05% 175,899 1.14% 6,478
Wexford 42.28% 4,230 56.37% 5,640 1.35% 135

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic edit

By congressional district edit

Posthumus won 10 of 15 congressional districts, including one won by a Democrat.

District Posthumus Granholm Representative
1st 50.1% 48.4% Bart Stupak
2nd 59.4% 39.8% Pete Hoekstra
3rd 60.0% 39.1% Vern Ehlers
4th 54.2% 44.6% Dave Camp
5th 40.7% 58.0% Dale Kildee
6th 51.8% 47.1% Fred Upton
7th 50.2% 48.7% Nick Smith
8th 50.9% 47.9% Mike Rogers
9th 49.8% 49.1% Joe Knollenberg
10th 56.8% 41.8% David Bonior
Candice Miller
11th 52.3% 46.5% Thaddeus McCotter
12th 39.7% 59.0% Sander Levin
13th 20.7% 78.2% Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick
14th 18.3% 80.8% John Conyers Jr.
15th 40.1% 58.3% John Dingell

Notes edit

  1. ^ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear

References edit

  1. ^ a b The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/pikiel-pinchot.html
  2. ^ The Constitution Party is still on the Michigan ballot as the United States Taxpayers' Party in Michigan. Although the party changed its name in 1999, the Michigan Bureau of Elections does not provide any mechanism for a political party changing its name.
  3. ^ CNN.com Election 2002 – Governor. CNN.
  4. ^ 2002 Official Michigan General Election Results – Governor 4 Year Term (1) Position Archived 2014-01-13 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Christian, Nichole M.; Cushman Jr, John H.; Day, Sherri; Dillon, Sam; Lewis, Neil A.; Pear, Robert; Pristin, Terry; Shenon, Philip; Steinberg, Jacques; Wayne, Leslie (November 7, 2002). "THE 2002 ELECTIONS: MIDWEST; MICHIGAN". The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  6. ^ "It's (finally) official: Posthumus enters race for governor". The Michigan Daily. Associated Press. September 5, 2001. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Mich. Candidate Chooses Running Mate". The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Associated Press. August 23, 2002. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 22, 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/cfr/com_det.cgi?com_id=510903[permanent dead link], Michigan Bureau of Elections, Committee Statement of Organization #510903
  10. ^ Selweski, Chad (January 13, 2002). "Granholm supporters helped her husband secure Wayne County contracts". Macomb Daily. Archived from the original on June 29, 2006. Retrieved November 13, 2006.
  11. ^ Longest-serving member of House wins fight of career. USA Today. Accessed 15 February 2009.
  12. ^ Greens, US. "Green Party Speakers Bureau". gp.org (website).
  13. ^ "Bio: Douglas Campbell". October 9, 2006. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
  14. ^ Campbell, Douglas (May 21, 2002). "Thinking Politically (Letter from the Brighton Jail)". Synthesis/Regeneration 29 Fall 2002).
  15. ^ The Constitution Party was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party in 1992. The national party's name was changed to the Constitution Party in 1999.
  16. ^ U.S. Taxpayers and Constitution Party of Michigan. "Gubernatorial Debate – Part II Bhagwan (Bob) Dashairya Enters Michigan Governor's Race " Archived 2007-02-17 at the Wayback Machine. ustaxpayersandconstitutionpartymi.com (website).
  17. ^ a b c Granholm becomes Michigan's first female governor. USA Today. (Associated Press). Accessed 15 February 2009.
  18. ^ "Governor Updated October 31, 2002 | The Cook Political Report". The Cook Political Report. October 31, 2002. Archived from the original on December 8, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  19. ^ "Governors Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on December 12, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  20. ^ "2002 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/05/2002".

External links edit

  • 2002 Official Michigan General Candidate Listing
  • 2002 Official Michigan Primary Election Results
  • 2002 Official Michigan General Election Results