Arkansas gubernatorial election, 2002
Encyclopedia
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
governor Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
defeated Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
State Treasurer
Arkansas State Treasurer
The Arkansas State Treasurer acts as the head banker for the State of Arkansas, handling deposits, withdrawals, redemptions of state warrants, and investments of state funds. The position was created in 1819 when Arkansas became a territory...
Jimmie Lou Fisher
Jimmie Lou Fisher
Jimmie Lou Fisher , grew up in Paragould, Arkansas. She attended school at Delaplaine School in Delaplaine, Arkansas. She, at a very early age, became interested in politics, and aspired to be successful...
.
Republican primary
Mike Huckabee filed to run for re-election for a second full term in March 2002 at the same time as his wife, Janet HuckabeeJanet Huckabee
Janet McCain Huckabee is the wife of former 2008 Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee...
, filed to run for Secretary of State of Arkansas
Secretary of State of Arkansas
The Secretary of State of Arkansas is one of the elected constitutional officers of the U.S. state of Arkansas.The current Secretary of State is Mark Martin.-Organization:The Secretary of State's Office is composed of seven divisions:...
. They became the first governor and spouse to run on the same ballot for state offices. Huckabee easily won the Republican primary on May 21 defeating retired banker Doyle Cannady.
Democratic primary
In the Democratic primary State Treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher easily defeated lesser known opponents.| Candidate | # of votes | % of votes |
|---|---|---|
| Jimmie Lou Fisher Jimmie Lou Fisher Jimmie Lou Fisher , grew up in Paragould, Arkansas. She attended school at Delaplaine School in Delaplaine, Arkansas. She, at a very early age, became interested in politics, and aspired to be successful... |
176,126 | 63.1 |
| Joe Holmes | 77,516 | 27.8 |
| Jim Billie | 25,455 | 9.1 |
Source: 2002 Gubernatorial Democratic Primary Election Results - Arkansas
Campaign
At the start of the election campaign Huckabee was expected to win the election easily with a pollOpinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
in July showing him 16% ahead. Fisher began the campaign by unveiling plans on issues such as prescription drugs, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
. She also attacked Huckabee for mismanagement and likened him to a dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
for his response to criticism over cost overrun
Cost overrun
A cost overrun, also known as a cost increase or budget overrun, is an unexpected cost incurred in excess of a budgeted amount due to an under-estimation of the actual cost during budgeting...
s in a new computer system.
Huckabee's record as Governor became an issue in the election with Fisher's campaign attacking Huckabee for granting clemency
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
to violent criminals, including a rapist. However Huckabee responded that he had signed more death warrant
Execution warrant
An execution warrant is a writ which authorizes the execution of a judgment of death on an individual...
s and executed more people than any other governor of Arkansas. Huckabee called on voters to support him due to the progress in education, health care and the economy during his period as governor. Huckabee also criticised Fisher for receiving help from former governor Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, describing him as having had his turn.
Huckabee's lead in the polls declined as the election neared, with a poll in September showing him with a 12% lead and one in mid-October showing him 10% ahead. Near the end of October a poll showed Huckabee only 2% ahead of Fisher. Huckabee's campaign was hurt by his wife's struggling campaign to become Arkansas secretary of state; voters were concerned over the couple holding too much power, with polls showing Janet Huckabee over 20% behind. In late October a fundraising letter from Huckabee's campaign described it as in crisis. Huckabee was also sued by his daughter Sarah in his role as governor in a lawsuit he wanted to lose. This came after a state court ordered that students should be removed from the voting rolls in Arkadelphia
Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Arkadelphia is a city in Clark County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,548. The city is the county seat of Clark County. The city is situated at the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. Two universities, Henderson State...
. Huckabee suggested his daughter join a federal lawsuit which succeeded in getting the students restored.
Election results
Huckabee won the election by 53% to 47%, however his wife was decisively defeated in the Secretary of State election. After his victory Huckabee received a call from PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to congratulate him.