2002 Minnesota Attorney General election

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2002 Minnesota Attorney General election

← 1998 November 5, 2002 (2002-11-05) 2006 →
 
Nominee Mike Hatch Thomas Kelly
Party Democratic (DFL) Republican
Popular vote 1,197,362 894,654
Percentage 54.6% 40.8%

Hatch:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Kelly:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Tie:      40–50%      50%

Attorney General before election

Mike Hatch
Democratic (DFL)

Elected Attorney General

Mike Hatch
Democratic (DFL)

The 2002 Minnesota Attorney General election was held on Tuesday, November 5, 2002 to elect the Minnesota Attorney General for a four-year term. Incumbent DFL Attorney General Mike Hatch ran for reelection and won.[1] The election marked the ninth attorney general race in a row won by the DFL since 1970.

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary[edit]

Incumbent attorney general Mike Hatch won the DFL nomination unopposed at the party's May 3 convention in Minneapolis.[2] There was some speculation that Hatch would not seek the endorsement for attorney general and instead launch his third run for governor, but it did not come to pass.

The primary was held on September 10. Incumbent attorney general Mike Hatch won the primary unopposed.[3]

Candidates[edit]

Nominated in primary[edit]

Declined[edit]

Results[edit]

2002 DFL Primary Election for Minnesota Attorney General[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Mike Hatch 216,309 100.00%
Total votes 216,309 100%

Republican primary[edit]

Lawyer Thomas Kelly of Medina was endorsed uncontested at the state Republican convention in St. Paul on June 15.[4]

The primary was held on September 10. Kelly defeated perennial candidate and 1994 Republican nominee for attorney general Sharon Anderson.[3]

Candidates[edit]

Nominated in primary[edit]

Eliminated in primary[edit]

Results[edit]

Results by county:
  Kelly
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  Anderson
  •   50–60%
2002 Republican Primary Election for Minnesota Attorney General[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Thomas Kelly 126,407 68.81%
Republican Sharon Anderson 57,299 31.19%
Total votes 183,706 100%

Independence primary[edit]

Lawyer Dale Nathan was the only candidate to seek the Independence Party endorsement for attorney general at the party's July 13 convention in St. Cloud. He did not receive the endorsement after word spread of a pending disciplinary action against him by the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board[5]

The primary was held on September 10. Nathan defeated challenger Richard Bullock.

Reform Party[edit]

Nominated in primary[edit]

  • Dale Nathan, lawyer

Eliminated in primary[edit]

  • Richard Bullock

Results[edit]

Results by county:
  Nathan
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  Bullock
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
2002 Republican Primary Election for Minnesota Attorney General[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independence Dale Nathan 14,410 54.04%
Independence Richard Bullock 12,256 45.96%
Total votes 26,666 100%

General election[edit]

Results[edit]

2002 Minnesota Attorney General election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic (DFL) Mike Hatch 1,197,362 54.64% +6.81%
Republican Thomas Kelly 894,654 40.83% -3.00%
Independence Dale Nathan 96,817 4.42% -1.38%
N/A Write Ins 2,511 0.12% +0.03%
Total votes 2,191,344 100.00%

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Our Campaigns - MN Attorney General Race - Nov 05, 2002". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
  2. ^ a b deFiebre, Conrad (May 4, 2002). "For Hatch, endorsement is a new experience". Minnesota Star Tribune. pp. A16. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e Kiffmeyer, Mary (2003). Minnesota Legislative Manual 2003-2004. Minnesota Secretary of State. pp. 312–313.
  4. ^ deFiebre, Conrad (June 16, 2002). "Long battle pushes Pawlenty forward". Minnesota Star Tribune. pp. A16. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c deFiebre, Conrad (September 7, 2002). "A varied cast in primary election". Minnesota Star Tribune. pp. B1, B11. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  6. ^ Featherly, Kevin (2018-08-09). "Quirky candidate Anderson's running for AG—again – Minnesota Lawyer". Retrieved 2022-09-26.