2002 United States Senate election in Kentucky

The 2002 United States Senate election in Kentucky was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell won re-election to a fourth term. This election was McConnell's biggest margin of victory to date. It is the only election in which he won Franklin County, and the most recent in which he won urban Jefferson and Fayette counties. The latter two were the only Kentucky counties won by either Hillary Clinton in 2016 or Joe Biden in 2020, signifying their leftward drift.

2002 United States Senate election in Kentucky

← 1996
November 5, 2002
2008 →
 
Nominee Mitch McConnell Lois Combs Weinberg
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 731,679 399,634
Percentage 64.68% 35.32%

County results
McConnell:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Weinberg:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Mitch McConnell
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Mitch McConnell
Republican

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Lois Combs Weinberg, Vice Chair of the Council on Postsecondary Education in Kentucky
  • Tom Barlow, former U.S. Representative from Paducah (1993–95)

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lois Combs Weinberg 231,013 50.10%
Democratic Tom Barlow 230,055 49.90%
Total votes 461,068 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Mitch McConnell, incumbent U.S. Senator

Results

McConnell was unopposed.

General election

Candidates

  • Mitch McConnell (R), incumbent U.S. Senator
  • Lois Combs Weinberg (D), Vice Chair of the Council on Postsecondary Education in Kentucky

Predictions

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

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Mitch
McConnell (R)
Lois
Weinberg (D)
Other /
Undecided
SurveyUSA October 28–30, 2002 705 (LV) ± 3.8% 66% 29% 4%

Results

General election results
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mitch McConnell (incumbent) 731,679 64.68% +9.22%
Democratic Lois Combs Weinberg 399,634 35.32% −7.52%
Majority 332,045 29.35% +16.74%
Total votes 1,131,313 100.00%
Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

  • Magoffin (Largest city: Salyersville)
  • Webster (Largest city: Providence)
  • Morgan (Largest city: West Liberty)
  • Henderson (Largest city: Henderson)
  • Letcher (Largest city: Jenkins)
  • Muhlenberg (Largest city: Central City)
  • Fulton (Largest city: Fulton)
  • Bath (Largest city: Owingsville)
  • Marion (Largest city: Lebanon)
  • Menifee (Largest city: Frenchburg)
  • Rowan (Largest city: Morehead)
  • Jefferson (Largest city: Louisville)
  • Carlisle (Largest city: Bardwell)
  • Livingston (Largest city: Salem)
  • Hopkins (Largest city: Madisonville)
  • Marshall (Largest city: Benton)
  • Graves (Largest city: Mayfield)
  • Hickman (Largest city: Clinton)
  • Lyon (Largest city: Eddyville)
  • Montgomery (Largest city: Mount Sterling)
  • Union (Largest city: Morganfield)
  • Perry (Largest city: Hazard)
  • Ballard (Largest city: LaCenter)
  • Boyd (Largest city: Ashland)
  • Harlan (Largest city: Cumberland)

See also

wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about 2002 United States Senate election in Kentucky, What is 2002 United States Senate election in Kentucky? What does 2002 United States Senate election in Kentucky mean?