2002 Arkansas gubernatorial election

2002 Arkansas gubernatorial election
	County results; Huckabee: 50–60% 60–70% ; Fisher: 50–60% 60–70%
Governor before election; Mike Huckabee; Republican	Elected Governor ; Mike Huckabee; Republican

The 2002 Arkansas gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2002 for the post of Governor of Arkansas. Incumbent Republican Governor Mike Huckabee defeated Democratic State Treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Jimmie Lou Fisher, Arkansas State Treasurer
Joe Holmes, former prosecutor
Jim Billie

Results

Democratic Party primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jimmie Lou Fisher	176,126	63.11
	Democratic	Joe Holmes	77,516	27.77
	Democratic	Jim Billie	25,455	9.12
Total votes			279,097	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Mike Huckabee, incumbent Governor of Arkansas
Doyle Cannady, retired banker

Results

Republican Primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mike Huckabee (incumbent)	78,803	85.44
	Republican	Doyle Cannady	13,434	14.56
Total votes			92,237	100.00

General election

Campaign

At the start of the election campaign Huckabee was expected to win the election easily with a poll in July showing him 16% ahead.^[2]^[3] Fisher began the campaign by unveiling plans on issues such as prescription drugs, education and domestic violence.^[3] She also attacked Huckabee for mismanagement and likened him to a dictator for his response to criticism over cost overruns in a new computer system.^[4]^[5]

Huckabee's record as Governor became an issue in the election with Fisher's campaign attacking Huckabee for granting clemency to violent criminals, including a rapist.^[5] However Huckabee responded that he had signed more death warrants and executed more people than any other governor of Arkansas.^[6] Huckabee called on voters to support him due to the progress in education, health care and the economy during his period as governor.^[7] Huckabee also criticised Fisher for receiving help from former governor Bill Clinton, describing him as having had his turn.^[8]

Huckabee's lead in the polls declined as the election neared, with a poll in September showing him with a 12% lead and one in mid-October showing him 10% ahead.^[3]^[7] Near the end of October a poll showed Huckabee only 2% ahead of Fisher.^[5] Huckabee's campaign was hurt by his wife's struggling campaign to become Arkansas secretary of state; voters were concerned over the couple holding too much power, with polls showing Janet Huckabee over 20% behind.^[5] In late October a fundraising letter from Huckabee's campaign described it as in crisis.^[5] Huckabee was also sued by his daughter Sarah in his role as governor in a lawsuit he wanted to lose. This came after a state court ordered that students should be removed from the voting rolls in Arkadelphia. Huckabee suggested his daughter join a federal lawsuit which succeeded in getting the students restored.^[9]

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report^[10]	Tossup	October 31, 2002
Sabato's Crystal Ball^[11]	Lean R	November 4, 2002

Results

Arkansas gubernatorial election, 2002^[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Huckabee (incumbent)	427,082	53.02%	−6.75%
	Democratic	Jimmie Lou Fisher	378,250	46.96%	+8.30%
	Write-in		210	0.03%	N/A
Majority			48,832	6.06%	−15.05%
Turnout			805,542	100.00%	N/A
	Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Craighead (Largest city: Jonesboro)
Greene (Largest city: Paragould)
Hot Spring (Largest city: Malvern)
Izard (Largest city: Horseshoe Bend)
Arkansas (Largest city: Stuttgart)
Fulton (Largest city: Salem)
Poinsett (largest city: Harrisburg)
Lafayette (Largest city: Stamps)
Little River (largest city: Ashdown)
Bradley (largest city: Warren)
Clark (largest city: Arkadelphia)
Nevada (Largest city: Prescott)
Ouachita (Largest city: Camden)
Dallas (Largest city: Fordyce)
Monroe (largest city: Clarendon)
Mississippi (largest city: Osceola)
Desha (largest city: Dumas)
Lincoln (largest city: Star City)
Ashley (Largest city: Crossett)
Crittenden (Largest city: West Memphis)
Conway (Largest city: Morrilton)
Sevier (Largest city: De Queen)
Hempstead (largest city: Hope)
Phillips (largest city: Helena-West Helena)
Jefferson (largest city: Pine Bluff)
Pulaski (largest city: Little Rock)

References

^ ^a ^b "August 3, 2006, Democratic Primary: Governor" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
^ "Huckabee Goes Back to Work for 4 More Years". KAIT. November 6, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Fisher Unveils Domestic Abuse Plan". KAIT. September 24, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
^ "Fisher Calls Huckabee a Dictator". KAIT. October 1, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Halbfinger, David M. (October 31, 2002). "THE 2002 CAMPAIGN: THE STATES; Wedding Ring Is a Millstone in 2 Arkansas Races". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
^ "Fisher Launches Into Huckabee Over Commutation". KAIT. October 8, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
^ ^a ^b "Polling Shows Huckabee Ahead". KAIT. October 14, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
^ "Clinton's campaign role: Raise money, avoid the spotlight". USA Today. October 25, 2002. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
^ Liptak, Adam (November 1, 2002). "THE 2002 CAMPAIGN: VOTING DISPUTES; With Suit, Governor's Daughter Gets a Spotlight". The New York Times. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
^ "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.
^ "Governors Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on December 12, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
^ "2002 General: November 5, 2002" (PDF). Arkansas Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.

External links

Campaign websites (Archived)

[Primary_election_results-1] "August 3, 2006, Democratic Primary: Governor" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2014.

[work-2] "Huckabee Goes Back to Work for 4 More Years". KAIT. November 6, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.

[domestic-3] "Fisher Unveils Domestic Abuse Plan". KAIT. September 24, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.

[dictator-4] "Fisher Calls Huckabee a Dictator". KAIT. October 1, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2008.

[wedding-5] Halbfinger, David M. (October 31, 2002). "THE 2002 CAMPAIGN: THE STATES; Wedding Ring Is a Millstone in 2 Arkansas Races". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2008.

[commutation-6] "Fisher Launches Into Huckabee Over Commutation". KAIT. October 8, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2008.

[polling-7] "Polling Shows Huckabee Ahead". KAIT. October 14, 2002. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2008.

[clinton-8] "Clinton's campaign role: Raise money, avoid the spotlight". USA Today. October 25, 2002. Retrieved October 20, 2008.

[daughter-9] Liptak, Adam (November 1, 2002). "THE 2002 CAMPAIGN: VOTING DISPUTES; With Suit, Governor's Daughter Gets a Spotlight". The New York Times. Retrieved October 20, 2008.

[10] "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.

[11] "Governors Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on December 12, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.

[12] "2002 General: November 5, 2002" (PDF). Arkansas Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.

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v t e Elections in Arkansas
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U.S. Senate	Class 2: 1833 1839–40 1848 S 1853 1859 1868 S 1870 1876 1883 1885 S 1889 1895 1901 1907 1913 S 1913 1918 1924 1930 1936 1937 S 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 Class 3: 1837 1843 1845 S 1849 1855 1861 1867 1873 1879 1881 S 1885 1891 1897 1903 1909 1914 1916 S 1920 1926 1932 S 1932 1938 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016 2022
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'S,' denotes special election; 'U,' denotes election under Federal (Union) military occupation See also: Political party strength in Arkansas

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