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2002 Kansas gubernatorial election

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The 2002 Kansas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Governor Bill Graves, a Republican, was barred from seeking a third term by the Kansas Constitution. Kansas Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius, the Democratic nominee, ran against Kansas State Treasurer Tim Shallenburger, the Republican nominee, with Sebelius defeating Shallenburger to become the second female Governor of Kansas after Joan Finney who served as governor from 1991 to 1995.

2002 Kansas gubernatorial election
← 1998 November 5, 2002 2006 →
 
Nominee Kathleen Sebelius Tim Shallenburger
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate John E. Moore Dave Lindstrom
Popular vote 441,858 376,830
Percentage 52.9% 45.1%
County results
Sebelius:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Shallenburger:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Tie:      40–50%
Governor before election

Bill Graves
Republican

Elected Governor

Kathleen Sebelius
Democratic

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kathleen Sebelius 87,499 100.00
Total votes 87,499 100.00

Republican primary

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Primary results by county:
Shallenburger
  •   Shallenburger—71-80%
  •   Shallenburger—51-60%
  •   Shallenburger—41-50%
  •   Shallenburger—31-40%
Kerr
  •   Kerr—41-50%
  •   Kerr—31-40%
Knight
  •   Knight—51-60%
  •   Knight—41-50%
  •   Knight—31-40%
  Tie between Shallenburger and Kerr-38%

Candidates

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Withdrawn

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Initially, Stovall was one of the presumed "front-runner" candidates, and her anticipated run against the probable Democratic nominee, Kansas Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius, drew national attention as becoming possibly a rare "woman-vs.-woman" gubernatorial race.[4][5] Though the front-runner among moderate candidates[6][7] — and confident that she would win if she stayed in the race[7] — Stovall dropped out in April, 2002, citing a lack of enthusiasm for campaigning, and for the job of governor,[7][8] and announced plans to marry Kansas media mogul Larry Steckline, whom she married in August.[9][10]

Stovall's abrupt withdrawal threw the moderate wing of the Kansas Republican Party into chaos, as they scrambled to replace her.[6][7] Kent Glasscock, her running mate, was the heir-apparent, and claimed entitlement to Stovall's campaign funds,[7] but conservative opponent Tim Shallenberger, the incumbent State Treasurer, argued that the funds, per his interpretation of state law, had to be returned to the state Republican party, or to the donors, a charity, or the state government's general revenue fund.[7] Additional Republican candidates began to emerge, also, further complicating the race.[7] Glasscock ultimately became a running mate for gubernatorial candidate Bob Knight.[11]

Stovall's withdrawal was credited with giving advantage to the Democratic nominee (and ultimate victor), Katheleen Sebelius.[6][8][12]

Results

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Republican primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Shallenburger 122,141 41.47
Republican Dave Kerr 86,995 29.54
Republican Bob Knight 77,642 26.36
Republican Dan Bloom 7,726 2.62
Total votes 294,504 100.00

General election

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Predictions

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Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[13] Lean D (flip) October 31, 2002
Sabato's Crystal Ball[14] Lean D (flip) November 4, 2002

Polling

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Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		Kathleen
Sebelius (D) 		Tim
Shallenburger (R) 		Dennis
Hawver (L) 		Theodore
Pettibone (Reform) 		Other /
undecided
SurveyUSA[15] October 31 – November 2, 2002 704 (LV) ± 3.8% 51% 44% 2% 1% 2%

Results

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Kansas gubernatorial election, 2002[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Kathleen Sebelius 441,858 52.87% +30.22%
Republican Tim Shallenburger 376,830 45.09% −28.28%
Reform Theodore Pettibone 8,907 1.07% +0.01%
Libertarian Dennis Hawver 8,097 0.97%
Majority 65,028 7.78% −42.93%
Turnout 835,692
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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Notes

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

References

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  1. ^ a b "2002 Primary Election Official Vote Totals" (PDF). Kansas Secretary of State.
  2. ^ Rothschild, Scott (July 24, 2022). "The Governor's Race: Bloom follows outsider's path in race". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  3. ^ Callaway, Kristin (July 28, 2002). "Eric Bloom: Bloom fills time with campaigning, sports". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  4. ^ Clymer, Adam: "In 2002, Woman's Place May Be the Statehouse," date, The New York Times, retrieved July 28, 2020
  5. ^ Broder, David: "Closing The Governor Gap," February 20, 2002, The Washington Post, retrieved July 28, 2020
  6. ^ a b c Associated Press: "Decision: Lt. Governor says he won't wait for formal announcement from Stovall before he makes decision," April 11, 2002, Garden City Telegram, page 1, from NewspaperArchive.com (OCR text), retrieved July 28, 2020
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "Stovall Drops Out," April 16, 2002, Lawrence Journal-World, retrieved July 28, 2020
  8. ^ a b "Sebelius: A Legacy," April 28, 2009, Topeka Capital-Journal, retrieved July 28, 2020
  9. ^ "Kansas official plans to marry," Archived July 27, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, May 9, 2002, Daily Oklahoman, retrieved July 29, 2020
  10. ^ "Stovall-Steckline wedding," last modified Nov. 13, 2002, Marion County Record, retrieved July 29, 2020
  11. ^ Beatty, Bob and Virgil W. Dean, editors: "Doing What Needed to Get Done, When It Needed to Get Done”: A Conversation with Former Governor Bill Graves," undated Kansas History pp.172-197, retrieved July 29, 2020 from Washburn University reference archives.
  12. ^ Beatty, Bob and Linsey Moddelmog, editors: "Find a Way to Find Common Ground": A Conversation with Former Governor Kathleen Sebelius," Winter 2017-2018, Kansas History, retrieved July 29, 2020; pp.277-278: former Gov. Sebelius: "I entered the race [when] Carla [Stovall] [was] in the primary, and... within four months [she was] dropping out. So [the race] changed dramatically."
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "Governors Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on December 12, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  15. ^ SurveyUSA
  16. ^ "2002 General Election Official Vote Totals" (PDF). Kansas Secretary of State.
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