2002 United States Senate election in Minnesota

For related races, see 2002 United States Senate elections.

The 2002 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Senator Paul Wellstone was running for a third term but died in a plane crash eleven days before the election. The Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) quickly chose former Vice President and 1984 presidential nominee Walter Mondale to replace Wellstone on the ballot. Mondale had previously held the seat from 1964 to 1976, resigning to assume the vice presidency. He narrowly lost to Republican Norm Coleman, the former mayor of Saint Paul. The day before the election, Governor Jesse Ventura appointed the 1996 Independence Party candidate, Dean Barkley, to serve the remainder of Wellstone's term.

2002 United States Senate election in Minnesota

November 5, 2002

Nominee Norm Coleman Walter Mondale (replaced Paul Wellstone on the ballot) Party Republican Democratic (DFL) Popular vote 1,116,697 1,067,246 Percentage 49.53% 47.34%

Coleman:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Mondale:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Moore:      40–50% Wellstone:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Write-ins:      40–50%      >90% Tie:      30–40%      40–50%      50%      No votes

U.S. senator before election Dean Barkley Independence Elected U.S. Senator Norm Coleman Republican

This is the last time in a midterm election that the party controlling the White House flipped a Senate seat in a state they did not win in the preceding presidential election. This marked the first election that Mondale had lost in Minnesota, as he had even narrowly carried it against Ronald Reagan in his landslide defeat in the 1984 United States presidential election, where he lost 49 states, winning only Minnesota and the District of Columbia. As a result of his defeat in this election, Mondale became the first, and so far only, major-party candidate in American history to have lost a general election in every single state. As of 2024, this is the last time a Republican won a U.S. Senate election in Minnesota, and the only time since 1994.

Primary elections

DFL

Paul Wellstone defeated Dick Franson 93% to 5%.

Following Wellstone's death 11 days prior to Election Day, the DFL Party nominated Walter Mondale as its replacement candidate.

Republican

Norm Coleman defeated Jack Shepard 95% to 5%.

General election

Candidates

• Norm Coleman, former mayor of Saint Paul and nominee for governor in 1998 (Republican)
• Miro Drago Kovatchevick, systems analyst from Minneapolis (Constitution)
• Walter Mondale, former Vice President of the United States and United States Senator (Democratic-Farmer-Labor)
• Jim Moore, commercial banker from Minneapolis (Independent)
• Ray Tricomo, professor from Oakdale (Green)

Deceased

• Paul Wellstone, incumbent Senator since 1991 (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) (died October 25)

Campaign

Mondale campaigned on his experience, and promised more education for students, more safety for seniors, and to "continue Wellstone's fight for people". Coleman campaigned on more jobs, less taxes, a promise of "a brighter future for Minnesota", and to "help change the tone in Washington D.C."

At the time of his death, Wellstone was slightly ahead in the polls. After Mondale was chosen as the DFL candidate, he led 47% to 39% in a poll taken a few days before the election.

Four days after Wellstone's death, a televised public memorial drew significant backlash for a tone that was widely characterized as more appropriate for a "political rally"—a story that dominated the final days before the election.

Early on Election Day, Mondale was leading, but by nightfall Coleman pulled ahead, winning by 2.2%. Many observers, including the event's host, former St. Paul mayor George Latimer, blamed the memorial's tone for the election result.

Debates

• Complete video of debate, October 15, 2002
• Complete video of debate, November 1, 2002
• Complete video of debate, November 4, 2002

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball	Lean D (flip)	November 4, 2002

Results

General election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Norm Coleman	1,116,697	49.53%	+8.25%
	Democratic (DFL)	Walter Mondale	1,067,246	47.34%	−2.98%
	Independence	Jim Moore	45,139	2.00%	−4.98%
	Democratic (DFL)	Paul Wellstone (incumbent)†	11,381	0.50%	n/a
	Green	Ray Tricomo	10,119	0.48%	n/a
	Constitution	Miro Drago Kovatchevich	2,254	0.10%	n/a
	Write-in		1,803	0.08%	n/a
Total votes			2,254,639	100.00%	n/a
	Republican gain from Independence

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Anoka (largest city: Blaine)
• Blue Earth (largest city: Mankato)
• Chisago (largest city: North Branch)
• Clay (largest city: Moorhead)
• Dakota (largest city: Hastings)
• Goodhue (largest city: Red Wing)
• Isanti (largest city: Cambridge)
• Kanabec (largest city: Mora)
• Kandiyohi (largest city: Willmar)
• Le Sueur (largest city: Le Sueur)
• Mahnomen (largest city: Mahnomen)
• Marshall (largest city: Warren)
• Mille Lacs (largest city: Princeton)
• Murray (largest city: Slayton)
• Nicollet (largest city: North Mankato)
• Polk (largest city: East Grand Forks)
• Renville (largest city: Olivia)
• Stevens (largest city: Morris)
• Washington (largest city: Stillwater)
• Watonwan (largest city: St. James)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Fillmore (largest city: Spring Valley)
• Winona (largest city: Winona)

Aftermath

After Coleman was declared the winner, Mondale conceded and said in his speech: "At the end of what will be my last campaign, I want to say to Minnesota, you always treated me well, you always listened to me". His loss, combined with his landslide defeat in the United States presidential election in 1984, made him the only American major-party candidate to have lost a general election in every state. Although George McGovern had also lost 49 states in the 1972 presidential election and lost the Massachusetts Democratic presidential primary in 1984, he never lost a general election in Massachusetts. Although Mondale did not seek office again, he remained active politically.

Coleman was sworn in on January 3, 2003. He served one term in the United States Senate, losing to Al Franken by a very narrow margin of just 312 votes or 0.01% in the 2008 election.

See also

• 2002 United States Senate elections