United States Senate election in Georgia, 2002

United States Senate election in Georgia, 2002

1996 ← November 5, 2002 → 2008

Nominee Saxby Chambliss Max Cleland Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,071,153 931,857 Percentage 52.77% 45.90%

County Results

Senator before election Max Cleland Democratic Elected Senator Saxby Chambliss Republican

The 2002 United States Senate election in Georgia took place on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Max Cleland ran for re-election to a second term, but lost to Republican Saxby Chambliss.

Major candidates

Democratic

• Max Cleland, incumbent U.S. Senator

Republican

• Saxby Chambliss, U.S. Congressman

Campaign

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. Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona said of one ad, "It's worse than disgraceful, it's reprehensible;" Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska said the ads were "beyond offensive to me."

Results

2002 Georgia U.S. Senator general election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Saxby Chambliss	1,071,153	52.8%
	Democratic	Max Cleland	931,857	45.9%
	Libertarian	Claude Thomas	26,981	1.3%