Governor, 2002 Election

General

Date:	November 5, 2002
Cycle:	2002
Office:	Governor
State:	Minnesota
District:	Statewide

Candidate	Gender	Running mate	Party	Votes	Percent	Margin
Tim Pawlenty	Man	Carol Molnau (Woman)	Republican	999,473	44.37	+7.91
Roger D. Moe	Man	Julie Ann Sabo (Woman)	Democratic-Farmer-Labor	821,268	36.46
Timothy J. (Tim) Penny	Man	Martha Robertson (Woman)	Independence	364,534	16.18
Ken Pentel	Man	Rhoda Gilman (Woman)	Green	50,589	2.25
Booker Hodges IV	Man	Kamal Buchanan (Man)	Independent	9,698	0.43
Kari Sachs	Woman	Samuel Farley (Man)	Socialist Workers	3,026	0.13
Lawrence Aeshliman	Man	Tamara Ann Houle (Woman)	Constitution	2,537	0.11

Pawlenty was an attorney from Eagan, former Eagan City Councilman (1991-1992), and sitting state Representative (HD 38B, 1993-2003); Molnau was a farmer from Chaska, former Chaska City Councilwoman (1989-1992), and sitting state Representative (HD 35A, 1993-2003).

Moe was a state Senator (SD 66, 1971-1973; SD 02, 1973-2003) from Erksine and DFL nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1998; Sabo was a teacher from Minneapolis, state Senator (SD 62, 2001-2003), and daughter of DFL U.S. Representative Martin Olav Sabo.

Penny was a former DFL state Senator (SD 30, 1977-1983), DFL U.S. Representative (CD 01, 1983-1995) and public relations specialist from Waseca; Robertson was a former business executive from Minnetonka and sitting GOP state Senator (SD 45, 1993-2003).

Pentel was a former grassroots organizer for Greenpeace from Minneapolis and Green Party gubernatorial nominee in 1998; Gilman was a retired historian from St. Paul.

Hodges was a resident of Minneapolis and youth ministry executive director; Buchanan was a financial adviser.

Sachs was a meatpacker from West St. Paul and Socialist Workers nominee for New Jersey governor in 2001.

Aeshliman was a resident of Eden Prairie; Houle was a resident of Redwood Falls.

Related Reports

Will Minnesota’s Competitive Gubernatorial Election Streak Continue in 2018? (August 24, 2017)
Will Minnesotans Elect a Plurality-Winning Governor for a 4th Straight Cycle? (June 6, 2010)
Will Margaret Anderson Kelliher Break the Upper Midwestern Glass Ceiling? (April 25, 2010)

Sources

Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, 2002 General Election Results.