2002 United States Senate election in Alabama

Summary

The 2002 United States Senate election in Alabama was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions won re-election to a second term.[1] Sessions became the first Republican to be elected to two full terms to the Senate from the state. As of 2022, this is the most recent Senate election in Alabama in which Colbert and Lawrence counties voted for the Democratic candidate.

2002 United States Senate election in Alabama

← 1996 November 5, 2002 2008 →
 
Nominee Jeff Sessions Susan Parker
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 792,561 538,878
Percentage 58.58% 39.83%

County results
Sessions:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Parker:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election

Jeff Sessions
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Jeff Sessions
Republican

Background edit

In the 1968 presidential election, Alabama supported native son and American Independent Party candidate George Wallace over both Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. Wallace was the official Democratic candidate in Alabama, while Humphrey was listed as the "National Democratic".[2] In 1976, Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter from Georgia carried the state, the region, and the nation, but Democratic control of the region slipped after that.

Since 1980, conservative Alabama voters have increasingly voted for Republican candidates at the federal level, especially in presidential elections. By contrast, Democratic candidates have been elected to many state-level offices and comprised a longstanding majority in the Alabama Legislature.

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

Sessions was not challenged in the primary.[3]

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

 
County results (initial primary)
 
County results (runoff)

Original on June 4[5]

Democratic primary results[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susan Parker 190,978 47.99%
Democratic Julian L. McPhillips 170,222 42.78%
Democratic Wayne Sowell 36,719 9.23%
Total votes 397,919 100.00%

McPhillips won many counties in the southern part of the state, but Parker won the most counties. Sowell endorsed Parker for the runoff.

Runoff on June 25

Democratic primary runoff results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susan Parker 176,708 65.15%
Democratic Julian L. McPhillips 94,540 34.85%
Total votes 271,248 100.00%

General election edit

Candidates edit

Debates edit

  • Complete video of debate, October 20, 2002

Predictions edit

Source Ranking As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball[8] Safe R November 4, 2002

Results edit

2002 United States Senate election, Alabama[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jeff Sessions (incumbent) 792,561 58.58% +6.13%
Democratic Susan Parker 538,878 39.83% −5.63%
Libertarian Jeff Allen 20,234 1.50% +0.06%
Write-in 1,350 0.10% +0.06%
Majority 253,683 18.75%
Turnout 1,353,023
Republican hold Swing

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Archived from the original on July 25, 2007. Retrieved August 8, 2007.
  2. ^ "1968 Presidential General Election Results - Alabama". Uselectionatlas.org. November 5, 1968. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  3. ^ "Primaries set stage for crucial Nov. vote". USA Today. June 5, 2002. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  4. ^ "The Tuscaloosa News - Google News Archive Search".
  5. ^ "Gadsden Times - Google News Archive Search".
  6. ^ 2002 Senatorial Democratic Primary Election Results - Alabama US Election Atlas
  7. ^ "The Tuscaloosa News - Google News Archive Search".
  8. ^ "Senate Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on November 18, 2002. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  9. ^ http://www.sos.alabama.gov/vb/election/her/her-sw2.aspx[dead link]