Florida gubernatorial election, 2002

The 2002 Florida gubernatorial election took place on 5 November 2002 for the post of Governor of Florida. Incumbent Republican governor Jeb Bush defeated Democratic candidate Bill McBride. Bush became the first Republican governor of Florida to win re-election to a second term.cite web| url = http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/04/politics/main527998.shtml | title = Jeb Bush Makes History In Florida | accessdate = 2008-05-22 | date = 2002-11-06| publisher = "CBS News"] cite web| url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E07E5DF1F3EF934A35752C1A9649C8B63 | title = THE 2002 ELECTIONS: FLORIDA; Bush Looks to 2nd Term As Analysts Point to 2004 | accessdate = 2008-05-25 | date = 2002-11-07| publisher = "The New York Times"]

Republican nomination

Jeb Bush announced that he would run for re-election in June 2001 after first being elected in 1998.cite web| url = http://www.polkonline.com/stories/060901/sta_bush.shtml | title = Gov. Jeb Bush says he's eager for a second term | accessdate = 2008-05-22 | date = 2001-06-09| publisher = "polkonline.com"]

Democratic primary

In the Democratic primary Bill McBride, a lawyer from Tampa won a narrow upset victory over former United States Attorney General Janet Reno with State Senator Daryl Jones coming in third.

Reno led throughout much of the campaign for the Democratic nomination with much better name recognition at first. However in the final few weeks McBride gained significantly to gain a victory by less than five thousand votes.cite web| url = http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/09/12/elec02.florida.elections/index.html | title = McBride declares victory; Reno asks review | accessdate = 2008-05-22 | date = 2002-09-12| publisher = "CNN"]

Reno disputed the results after the primary was marred by problems. Several areas had technical glitches and delayed openings of the poll especially in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, both of which Reno was strong in. As a result of the problems Governor Bush extended the polls by two hours.cite web| url = http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/09/10/florida.election.woes/index.html | title = Gov. Bush extends voting in Florida primary | accessdate = 2008-05-22 | date = 2002-09-10| publisher = "CNN"]

Source: [http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=12&year=2002&f=0&off=5&elect=1 2002 Gubernatorial Democratic Primary Election Results - Florida]

Campaign

McBride's campaign focused on the importance of public education, supporting policies such as teacher pay rises and less emphasis on standardized tests. McBride was helped towards the end of the campaign by visits from national Democratic figures such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Jesse Jackson.

However President George W. Bush made numerous visits to Florida to support his brother for re-election. Bush had a strong fundraising advantage over McBride in what was seen as one of the pivotal races in the 2002 midterm elections. Republican adverts targeted McBride as a failed lawyer and as a tax and spender.cite web| url = http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-1031govpoll,0,4779918.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines | title = Poll shows Bush with open road to victory | accessdate = 2008-05-25 | date = 2002-10-31| publisher = "South Florida Sun-Sentinel"]

The two main candidates faced each other in two debates on 27 September and 22 October in the most expensive Florida gubernatorial election yet.cite web| url = http://www.sptimes.com/2002/09/27/State/Bush__McBride_debate_.shtml| title = Bush, McBride debate tonight | accessdate = 2008-05-25 | date = 2002-09-27| publisher = "St. Petersburg Times"] cite web| url = http://www.nbc6.net/news/1733655/detail.html | title = Bush, McBride Face Off In Final Debate | accessdate = 2008-05-25 | date = 2002-10-22| publisher = "Associated Press"] cite web| url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A11040-2002Nov5?language=printer | title = Bush Bets His Popularity And Scores a Big Victory | accessdate = 2008-05-25 | date = 2002-11-06| publisher = "The Washington Post"] Polls towards the end of the campaign showed Bush with a lead over McBride. Department of Justice observers were stationed at some of the polls, but unlike the problems during the 2000 presidential election and the Democratic primary, voting went smoothly.cite web| url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE6DF113EF935A35752C1A9649C8B63 | title = THE 2002 ELECTIONS: THE FLORIDA VOTE; Bush Wins 2nd Term With Surge | accessdate = 2008-05-25 | date = 2002-11-06| publisher = "The New York Times"]

At the same time as the election an initiative was passed to limit class sizes. This had been opposed by Bush due to the cost of implementing it, but had been supported by McBride.

Election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = Jeb Bush
votes = 2,856,845
percentage = 56.0
change = +0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Bill McBride
votes = 2,201,427
percentage = 43.2
change = -1.5Election box candidate
party = No Party Affiliation
candidate = Robert Kunst
votes = 42,039
percentage = 0.8
change = +0.8Election box candidate
party = Write-ins
candidate =
votes = 270
percentage = 0.01
change = +0.0Election box majority
votes = 655,418
percentage = 12.8
change = +2.3Election box turnout
votes = 5,100,581
percentage = 54.8
change = +6.6Election box hold with party link
winner = Republican Party (US)
swing =

References

ee also