Florida gubernatorial election, 2002
Encyclopedia
The 2002 Florida gubernatorial election took place on 5 November 2002 for the post of Governor of Florida. Incumbent
Republican
governor Jeb Bush
defeated Democratic
candidate Bill McBride
. Bush became the first Republican governor of Florida to win re-election to a second term.
.
Bill McBride, a lawyer from Tampa
won a narrow upset victory over former United States Attorney General
Janet Reno
with State Senator
Daryl Jones
coming in third.
Reno led throughout much of the campaign for the Democratic nomination with much better name recognition
at first. However in the final few weeks, McBride gained significantly to clinch a victory by less than five thousand votes.
Reno disputed the results after the primary was marred by problems. Several areas had technical glitches and delayed openings of the poll especially in Miami-Dade
and Broward
counties, both of which Reno performed strongly in. As a result of the problems, Governor Bush kept the polls open for two additional hours.
s. McBride was helped towards the end of the campaign by visits from national Democratic figures such as Bill Clinton
, Al Gore
and Jesse Jackson
.
However President
George W. Bush
made numerous visits to Florida to support his brother for re-election. Bush had a strong fundraising
advantage over McBride in what was seen as one of the pivotal races in the 2002 midterm elections
. Republican adverts targeted McBride as a failed lawyer and as a tax and spender
.
The two main candidates faced each other in two debates on 27 September and 22 October in the most expensive Florida gubernatorial election yet. Polls towards the end of the campaign showed Bush with a lead over McBride. Department of Justice
observers were stationed at some of the polls, but unlike the problems during the 2000 presidential election
and the Democratic primary, voting went smoothly.
At the same time as the election an initiative
was passed to limit class sizes. This had been opposed by Bush due to the cost of implementing it, but had been supported by McBride.
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 Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
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...
candidate Bill McBride
Bill McBride (candidate)
Bill McBride is an American lawyer and politician.A Democrat, he challenged Jeb Bush for Florida governor in the 2002 gubernatorial election. Bush won 56-43 percent, making him the first Republican governor of Florida to serve two terms...
. Bush became the first Republican governor of Florida to win re-election to a second term.
Republican nomination
Jeb Bush announced that he would run for re-election in June 2001 after first being elected in 1998Florida gubernatorial election, 1998
The 1998 Florida Gubernatorial Election was held on November 3, 1998. Governor Lawton Chiles was term-limited and could not run for re-election. Republican Jeb Bush, who had previously run for Governor in 1994 as the Republican nominee, defeated Democratic nominee Buddy MacKay in the general election...
.
Democratic primary
In the Democratic primaryPrimary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
Bill McBride, a lawyer from Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
won a narrow upset victory over former United States Attorney General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
Janet Reno
Janet Reno
Janet Wood Reno is a former Attorney General of the United States . She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1993, and confirmed on March 11...
with State Senator
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a state's Senate, the upper house in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a legislator in Nebraska's one house State Legislature.There are typically fewer state senators than there are members of a state's lower house...
Daryl Jones
Daryl Jones
Daryl Jones is a politician from Miami, Florida, United States.- Early years :The son of public school teachers, Daryl Jones was born in Jackson, MS, the oldest of four children. He attended Lanier High School where he was elected President of the Mississippi State Association of Student Councils...
coming in third.
Reno led throughout much of the campaign for the Democratic nomination with much better name recognition
Name recognition
Name recognition is a concept used in politics to describe the number of people who are aware of a politician. It is considered an important factor in elections, as candidates with low name recognition are unlikely to receive votes from people who only casually follow politics. Name recognition is...
at first. However in the final few weeks, McBride gained significantly to clinch a victory by less than five thousand votes.
Reno disputed the results after the primary was marred by problems. Several areas had technical glitches and delayed openings of the poll especially in Miami-Dade
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
and Broward
Broward County, Florida
-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile...
counties, both of which Reno performed strongly in. As a result of the problems, Governor Bush kept the polls open for two additional hours.
Campaign
McBride's campaign focused on the importance of public education, supporting policies such as teacher pay rises and less emphasis on standardized testStandardized test
A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a...
s. McBride was helped towards the end of the campaign by visits from national Democratic figures such as 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...
, Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
and Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
.
However President
President 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....
made numerous visits to Florida to support his brother for re-election. Bush had a strong fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
advantage over McBride in what was seen as one of the pivotal races in the 2002 midterm elections
United States gubernatorial elections, 2002
Although Republicans made some gains from Democrats, Democrats increased their overall number of governorships.-Democratic gains:* Arizona - State Attorney General Janet Napolitano won an open seat held by term-limited Gov. Jane Dee Hull...
. Republican adverts targeted McBride as a failed lawyer and as a tax and spender
Tax and spend
"Tax and Spend" is an epithet applied to politicians , programs, and opposing political philosophy by the American center-right, conservative, and libertarian movements. It does have another neutral, objective, connotation i.e. with regard to tax policy or fiscal policy but this usage is...
.
The two main candidates faced each other in two debates on 27 September and 22 October in the most expensive Florida gubernatorial election yet. Polls towards the end of the campaign showed Bush with a lead over McBride. Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
observers were stationed at some of the polls, but unlike the problems during the 2000 presidential election
United States presidential election in Florida, 2000
The 2000 United States presidential election in Florida took place on November 7, 2000 as it did in the other 49 states and D.C., which was part of the 2000 United States presidential election...
and the Democratic primary, voting went smoothly.
At the same time as the election an initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
was passed to limit class sizes. This had been opposed by Bush due to the cost of implementing it, but had been supported by McBride.