2002 Georgia gubernatorial election

The 2002 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic Governor Roy Barnes sought re-election to a second term as governor. State Senator Sonny Perdue emerged as the Republican nominee from a crowded and hotly contested primary, and he faced off against Barnes, who had faced no opponents in his primary election, in the general election. Though Barnes had been nicknamed "King Roy" due to his unique ability to get his legislative priorities passed, he faced a backlash among Georgia voters due to his proposal to change the state flag from its Confederate design.

Ultimately, Perdue was able to defeat incumbent Governor Barnes and became the first Republican to serve as governor of the state since Reconstruction. This was only the second election that a Republican won in the state's history, the other being in 1868. The result was widely considered a major upset. As of 2022, this is the last governor election in which Decatur, Grady, Meriwether, and Wilkes counties voted for the Democratic candidate. This is the last time that a gubernatorial nominee and a lieutenant gubernatorial nominee from different political parties were elected governor and lieutenant governor in Georgia. Barnes later unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Georgia again in 2010 when Perdue was term limited.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Roy Barnes, incumbent Governor of Georgia

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Sonny Perdue, State Senator from Bonaire
• Linda Schrenko, Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Bill Byrne, chairman of the Cobb County Commission

Results

General election

Predictions

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Atkinson (Largest city: Pearson)
• Baldwin (Largest city: Milledgeville)
• Berrien (Largest city: Nashville)
• Butts (Largest city: Jackson)
• Chattooga (Largest city: Summerville)
• Cook (Largest city: Adel)
• Crawford (Largest city: Roberta)
• Crisp (Largest city: Cordele)
• Dodge (Largest city: Eastman)
• Emanuel (Largest city: Swainsboro)
• Greene (Largest city: Greensboro)
• Heard (Largest city: Franklin)
• Irwin (Largest city: Ocilla)
• Jasper (Largest city: Monticello)
• Jenkins (Largest city: Millen)
• Johnson (Largest city: Wrightsville)
• Lamar (Largest city: Barnesville)
• Lanier (Largest city: Lakeland)
• Miller (Largest city: Colquitt)
• Montgomery (Largest city: Mount Vernon)
• Polk (Largest city: Cedartown)
• Pulaski (Largest city: Hawkinsville)
• Putnam (Largest city: Eatonton)
• Schley (Largest city: Ellaville)
• Screven (Largest city: Sylvania)
• Sumter (Largest city: Americus)
• Treutlen (Largest city: Soperton)
• Turner (Largest city: Ashburn)
• Wheeler (Largest city: Alamo)
• Wilcox (Largest city: Abbeville)
• Coffee (largest town: Douglas)
• Colquitt (largest town: Moultrie)
• Echols (largest town: Statenville)
• Evans (largest town: Claxton)
• Bleckley (largest town: Cochran)
• Candler (largest town: Metter)
• Lowndes (largest town: Valdosta)
• Haralson (largest town: Bremen)
• Houston (largest town: Warner Robins)
• Jones (largest town: Gray)
• Jeff Davis (largest town: Hazlehurst)
• Monroe (largest town: Forsyth)
• Morgan (largest town: Madison)
• Lincoln (largest town: Lincolnton)
• Tattnall (largest town: Glennville)
• Tifton (largest town: Tifton)
• Upson (largest town: Thomaston)
• Thomas (largest town: Thomasville)
• Laurens (largest town: Dublin)
• Franklin (largest town: Lavonia)
• Ware (largest town: Waycross)
• Peach (largest municipality: Fort Valley)
• Telfair (largest municipality: McRae-Helena)
• Wayne (largest town: Jesup)
• Worth (largest town: Sylvester)
• Bacon (largest town: Alma)
• Brantley (largest town: Nahunta)
• Ben Hill (Largest city: Fitzgerald)
• Long (Largest city: Ludowici)
• Seminole (Largest city: Donalsonville)
• Charlton (largest town: Folkston)
• Lincoln (largest town: Lincolnton)
• Lumpkin (largest town: Dahlonega)
• McDuffie (largest town: Thomson)
• Bartow (largest town: Cartersville)
• Bulloch (largest town: Stateboro)
• Rabun (largest town: Clayton)
• Towns (largest town: Young Harris)
• Union (largest town: Blairsville)
• Appling (largest town: Baxley)
• Johnson (Largest city: Wrightsville)
• Habersham (largest town: Cornelia)
• Lumpkin (largest town: Dahlonega)
• Dooly (largest city: Vienna) (became tied)
• Toombs (largest town: Vidalia)
• Pierce (largest town: Blackshear)
• Columbia (largest town: Martinez)

See also

• 2002 United States gubernatorial elections
• 2002 United States Senate election in Georgia
• 2002 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia
• State of Georgia
• Governors of Georgia

References

External links