The 2002 Maryland gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002. Democratic Governor Parris Glendening was term-limited and could not seek a third term. Republican Bob Ehrlich defeated Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, making him the first Republican governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew, who served from 1967 to 1969. As of , this is the last time Charles County voted Republican in a statewide election.

This election marked the first time since the 1934 gubernatorial election that a Republican won Maryland without Baltimore City or Montgomery County.

Democratic primary Candidates Robert Fustero, retired grocery store stock clerk and perennial candidate Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, lieutenant governor

Results

Fustero's receiving one-fifth of the vote brought surprise, given his non-political background and relatively small campaign spending of less than $1,500 to Kennedy Townsend's $2.3 million. Townsend's campaign spokesman said such results were typical for a challenger in a Maryland Democratic primary. Fustero said it showed that a significant number of Democrats were not happy with Townsend, and predicted (correctly) that Townsend would lose to Ehrlich in the general election. Fustero previously ran for Montgomery County Council and congress, and ran for Montgomery County executive in 2006, placing third in the Democratic primary. He died in 2013 at age 62.

Republican primary Candidates Bob Ehrlich, U.S. Representative Ross Z. Pierpont, perennial candidate James J. Sheridan

Results

General election Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend won the Democratic nomination, and Congressman Bob Ehrlich won the Republican nomination, both over token opposition.

Ehrlich chose Maryland Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele as his running mate, while Townsend chose Admiral Charles R. Larson as her running mate. Larson switched to the Democratic Party just a few weeks before the election.

Kennedy's selection of Larson as her running mate proved to be an unpopular move, seeing as he was a white former Republican and had been selected without consultation with black Democratic leaders.Election 2002 CNN. Ehrlich ran advertisements assailing incumbent Governor Parris Glendening for the increasingly dismal fiscal situation in Maryland, an issue that resonated with Maryland voters. Glendening's unpopularity did little to help his Lieutenant Governor's flailing campaign.

Predictions SourceRankingAs ofThe Cook Political Report October 31, 2002Sabato's Crystal Ball November 4, 2002

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin BobEhrlich (R) KathleenKennedyTownsend (D) Other /UndecidedSurveyUSASurveyUSA October 31 – November 2, 2002 797 (LV) ± 3.6% 51% 46% 2%

Results

Results by county CountyKathleen Kennedy TownsendDemocraticRobert EhrlichRepublicanVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal votes cast # % # % # % # % Allegany 7,831 34.9% 14,416 64.2% 201 0.9% 6,585 29.3% 22,448 Anne Arundel 60,753 34.5% 113,968 64.7% 1,458 0.8% 53,215 30.2% 176,179 Baltimore 106,195 38.0% 170,920 61.2% 2,272 0.8% 64,725 23.2% 279,387 Baltimore City 120,070 75.0% 38,838 24.3% 1,198 0.7% -81,232 -50.7% 160,106 Calvert 9,854 37.5% 16,193 61.7% 208 0.8% 6,339 24.2% 26,255 Caroline 2,069 24.6% 6,286 74.7% 63 0.8% 4,217 50.1% 8,418 Carroll 12,107 20.2% 47,328 79.0% 511 0.9% 35,221 58.8% 59,946 Cecil 7,668 30.8% 16,956 68.1% 267 1.1% 9,288 37.3% 24,891 Charles 15,149 43.2% 19,695 56.1% 256 0.8% 4,546 12.9% 35,100 Dorchester 3,316 32.1% 6,941 67.2% 68 0.7% 3,625 35.1% 10,325 Frederick 21,913 33.1% 43,646 66.0% 596 0.9% 21,733 32.9% 66,155 Garrett 2,355 26.1% 6,604 73.2% 60 0.6% 4,249 47.1% 9,019 Harford 21,246 24.8% 63,553 74.3% 704 0.8% 42,307 49.5% 85,503 Howard 42,438 44.0% 53,260 55.2% 810 0.8% 10,822 11.2% 96,508 Kent 2,641 34.3% 5,012 65.0% 57 0.7% 2,371 30.7% 7,710 Montgomery 180,576 60.9% 113,680 38.3% 2,278 0.8% -66,896 -22.6% 296,524 Prince George's 150,927 76.5% 45,193 22.9% 1,074 0.6% -105,734 -53.6% 197,194 Queen Anne's 4,190 25.2% 12,341 74.2% 111 0.7% 8,151 49.0% 16,642 Somerset 2,052 31.1% 4,516 68.3% 40 0.6% 2,464 37.2% 6,608 St. Mary's 9,048 35.8% 15,986 63.2% 265 1.1% 6,938 27.4% 25,299 Talbot 4,225 29.5% 10,002 69.9% 78 0.6% 5,777 40.4% 14,305 Washington 11,719 30.6% 26,312 68.6% 314 0.9% 14,593 38.0% 38,345 Wicomico 8,775 35.1% 16,054 64.2% 166 0.7% 7,279 29.1% 24,995 Worcester 6,305 34.4% 11,892 64.9% 120 0.6% 5,587 30.5% 18,317Totals813,42247.7%879,59251.7%13,1650.8%66,1703.9%1,706,179 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Alleghany (largest municipality: Cumberland) Howard (largest municipality: Columbia)

Notes

References

External links Official election website of Bob Ehrlich Official election website of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend