2002 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

See also: 2002 United States gubernatorial elections

2002 Oklahoma gubernatorial election
November 5, 2002
 
Nominee Brad Henry Steve Largent Gary Richardson
Party Democratic Republican Independent
Popular vote 448,143 441,277 146,200
Percentage 43.27% 42.61% 14.12%
Henry:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Largent:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Governor before election

Frank Keating
Republican

Elected Governor

Brad Henry
Democratic

The 2002 Oklahoma gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002, and was a race for Governor of Oklahoma. Democrat Brad Henry won the election with 43 percent of the vote, beating Republican Steve Largent and conservative independent Gary Richardson.

Henry's narrow win has been attributed to Richardson and Largent's split of the conservative vote[1] and the inclusion of a cockfighting ban on the ballot, an issue which brought opponents of the referendum from Southeastern Oklahoma, a traditional Democratic stronghold that strongly supported Henry, out to vote.[1][2][3]

As of 2024, this is the last time that a gubernatorial nominee and a lieutenant gubernatorial nominee of different political parties were simultaneously elected in Oklahoma to date.

Background

Though Democrats had dominated state politics for most of Oklahoma's history, the Oklahoma Republican Party had made historic gains, including five of the state's six Congressional seats at the time of the election. This made it especially hard for Henry to win with a growing Republican dominance in the state. This was most notable in the urban areas of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, both of which voted for Largent.[4]

Democratic primary

Three state legislators sought the Democratic Party nomination, trailing Vince Orza who had previously sought the Governor's office as a Republican, only to be defeated by Bill Price in the primary runoff.[5] State Senator Brad Henry advanced to the runoff with 28% against Orza's 44%, but opposition to the former Republican from New York coalesced behind Henry. Orza found himself once again losing the runoff after winning the initial primary.[6][7][8]

Primary results

Democratic primary results[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Vince Orza 154,263 44.03%
Democratic Brad Henry 99,883 28.51%
Democratic Kelly Haney 59,044 16.85%
Democratic Jim Dunegan 28,130 8.03%
Democratic James E. Lamkin 9,069 2.59%
Total votes 350,389 100.00%

Runoff primary results

Democratic runoff primary results[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Henry 135,336 52.42%
Democratic Vince Orza 122,855 47.58%
Total votes 258,191 100.00%

Republican primary

Steve Largent easily won the GOP nomination against token opposition.[10]

Primary results

Republican primary results[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Largent 179,631 87.25%
Republican Jim Denny 16,713 8.12%
Republican Andrew Marr, Jr 9,532 4.63%
Total votes 205,876 100.00%

General election

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[11] Likely R October 31, 2002
Sabato's Crystal Ball[12] Lean R November 4, 2002

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		Brad
Henry (D) 		Steve
Largent (R) 		Gary
Richardson (I) 		Other /
Undecided
SurveyUSA[13] November 1–3, 2002 710 (LV) ± 3.8% 42% 38% 17% 3%

Results

This election was extremely close, with Henry prevailing by just 6,866 votes or 0.6%. Under Oklahoma law, if the margin of victory is less than one percent but greater than half a percent, the losing candidate can request a recount that their campaign has to pay for. However, Largent ultimately decided against it, considering that because Henry led by 6,866 votes, the possibility of him prevailing were extremely difficult. On November 23, Largent officially conceded defeat. Two days later on November 25, Oklahoma Secretary of State Kay Dudley certified the results, declaring Henry the governor-elect.

2002 Oklahoma gubernatorial election[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Brad Henry 448,143 43.27% +2.34%
Republican Steve Largent 441,277 42.61% −15.25%
Independent Gary Richardson 146,200 14.12%
Total votes 1,035,620 100.00%
Plurality 6,866 0.66%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing +17.60%

Results by county

County[14] Brad Henry
Democratic 		Steve Largent
Republican 		Gary Richardson
Independent 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # %
Adair 2,803 46.32% 2,374 39.23% 874 14.44% 429 7.09% 6,051
Alfalfa 782 38.28% 964 47.19% 297 14.54% -182 -8.91% 2,043
Atoka 2,429 63.57% 1,211 31.69% 181 4.74% 1,218 31.88% 3,821
Beaver 561 28.38% 1,297 65.60% 119 6.02% -736 -37.23% 1,977
Beckham 2,511 47.69% 2,105 39.98% 649 12.33% 406 7.71% 5,265
Blaine 1,554 45.81% 1,285 37.88% 553 16.30% 269 7.93% 3,392
Bryan 6,158 61.81% 3,422 34.35% 383 3.84% 2,736 27.46% 9,963
Caddo 3,948 50.93% 2,341 30.20% 1,463 18.87% 1,607 20.73% 7,752
Canadian 9,658 33.81% 14,422 50.49% 4,485 15.70% -4,764 -16.68% 28,565
Carter 7,099 52.75% 5,458 40.56% 900 6.69% 1,641 12.19% 13,457
Cherokee 6,549 51.16% 3,731 29.15% 2,520 19.69% 2,818 22.02% 12,800
Choctaw 2,472 63.91% 1,183 30.58% 213 5.51% 1,289 33.32% 3,868
Cimarron 298 23.26% 909 70.96% 74 5.78% -611 -47.70% 1,281
Cleveland 28,112 43.05% 29,160 44.66% 8,022 12.29% -1,048 -1.61% 65,294
Coal 1,360 66.47% 554 27.08% 132 6.45% 806 39.39% 2,046
Comanche 8,363 38.40% 9,077 41.68% 4,340 19.93% -714 -3.28% 21,780
Cotton 799 43.21% 717 38.78% 333 18.01% 82 4.43% 1,849
Craig 2,253 49.92% 1,409 31.22% 851 18.86% 844 18.70% 4,513
Creek 8,385 41.90% 7,497 37.46% 4,132 20.65% 888 4.44% 20,014
Custer 3,426 42.60% 3,438 42.75% 1,179 14.66% -12 -0.15% 8,043
Delaware 4,845 44.75% 4,253 39.29% 1,728 15.96% 592 5.47% 10,826
Dewey 820 44.40% 744 40.28% 283 15.32% 76 4.11% 1,847
Ellis 633 38.55% 739 45.01% 270 16.44% -106 -6.46% 1,642
Garfield 6,421 36.55% 8,381 47.70% 2,767 15.75% -1,960 -11.16% 17,569
Garvin 4,525 51.05% 3,064 34.57% 1,275 14.38% 1,461 16.48% 8,864
Grady 6,291 43.74% 5,583 38.82% 2,509 17.44% 708 4.92% 14,383
Grant 875 40.87% 941 43.95% 325 15.18% -66 -3.08% 2,141
Greer 957 49.36% 651 33.57% 331 17.07% 306 15.78% 1,939
Harmon 446 50.17% 310 34.87% 133 14.96% 136 15.30% 889
Harper 594 41.77% 642 45.15% 186 13.08% -48 -3.38% 1,422
Haskell 2,516 60.05% 1,165 27.80% 509 12.15% 1,351 32.24% 4,190
Hughes 2,355 57.36% 1,173 28.57% 578 14.08% 1,182 28.79% 4,106
Jackson 2,363 37.48% 3,156 50.06% 785 12.45% -793 -12.58% 6,304
Jefferson 1,057 53.71% 756 38.41% 155 7.88% 301 15.29% 1,968
Johnston 2,280 66.84% 990 29.02% 141 4.13% 1,290 37.82% 3,411
Kay 6,071 38.88% 7,264 46.52% 2,279 14.60% -1,193 -7.64% 15,614
Kingfisher 1,767 36.05% 2,426 49.50% 708 14.45% -659 -13.45% 4,901
Kiowa 1,742 55.92% 1,000 32.10% 373 11.97% 742 23.82% 3,115
Latimer 1,984 60.58% 914 27.91% 377 11.51% 1,070 32.67% 3,275
Le Flore 6,941 58.29% 4,468 37.52% 499 4.19% 2,473 20.77% 11,908
Lincoln 4,935 43.72% 4,251 37.66% 2,103 18.63% 684 6.06% 11,289
Logan 4,245 37.71% 5,048 44.84% 1,964 17.45% -803 -7.13% 11,257
Love 1,753 64.17% 884 32.36% 95 3.48% 869 31.81% 2,732
Major 907 32.45% 1,490 53.31% 398 14.24% -583 -20.86% 2,795
Marshall 2,694 63.12% 1,402 32.85% 172 4.03% 1,292 30.27% 4,268
Mayes 6,460 51.82% 4,025 32.29% 1,981 15.89% 2,435 19.53% 12,466
McClain 4,102 42.06% 4,115 42.19% 1,536 15.75% -13 -0.13% 9,753
McCurtain 5,187 59.97% 3,035 35.09% 427 4.94% 2,152 24.88% 8,649
McIntosh 3,631 53.42% 1,809 26.61% 1,357 19.96% 1,822 26.81% 6,797
Murray 2,662 59.82% 1,325 29.78% 463 10.40% 1,337 30.04% 4,450
Muskogee 9,867 48.67% 6,132 30.25% 4,275 21.09% 3,735 18.42% 20,274
Noble 1,757 41.56% 1,767 41.79% 704 16.65% -10 -0.24% 4,228
Nowata 1,718 46.84% 1,241 33.83% 709 19.33% 477 13.00% 3,668
Okfuskee 1,932 55.04% 976 27.81% 602 17.15% 956 27.24% 3,510
Oklahoma 73,236 38.73% 91,270 48.27% 24,570 12.99% -18,034 -9.54% 189,076
Okmulgee 5,823 52.28% 3,341 30.00% 1,974 17.72% 2,482 22.28% 11,138
Osage 6,843 49.28% 4,696 33.82% 2,347 16.90% 2,147 15.46% 13,886
Ottawa 4,508 52.04% 3,018 34.84% 1,136 13.11% 1,490 17.20% 8,662
Pawnee 2,251 45.30% 1,814 36.51% 904 18.19% 437 8.79% 4,969
Payne 8,714 43.56% 8,697 43.47% 2,595 12.97% 17 0.08% 20,006
Pittsburg 8,035 54.93% 4,686 32.03% 1,908 13.04% 3,349 22.89% 14,629
Pontotoc 5,447 52.08% 3,904 37.33% 1,107 10.59% 1,543 14.75% 10,458
Pottawatomie 11,262 55.12% 6,975 34.14% 2,194 10.74% 4,287 20.98% 20,431
Pushmataha 2,336 61.86% 1,119 29.63% 321 8.50% 1,217 32.23% 3,776
Roger Mills 614 42.91% 632 44.16% 185 12.93% -18 -1.26% 1,431
Rogers 10,508 42.10% 10,264 41.13% 4,184 16.76% 243 0.97% 24,957
Seminole 4,260 57.19% 2,307 30.97% 882 11.84% 1,953 26.22% 7,449
Sequoyah 5,158 54.79% 3,391 36.02% 865 9.19% 1,767 18.77% 9,414
Stephens 5,484 38.47% 6,290 44.12% 2,482 17.41% -806 -5.65% 14,256
Texas 1,424 28.98% 3,208 65.28% 282 5.74% -1,784 -36.30% 4,914
Tillman 1,263 47.93% 1,034 39.24% 338 12.83% 229 8.69% 2,635
Tulsa 65,383 37.42% 84,187 48.18% 25,158 14.40% -18,804 -10.76% 174,728
Wagoner 7,320 39.37% 7,595 40.85% 3,676 19.77% -275 -1.48% 18,591
Washington 5,801 33.75% 8,700 50.62% 2,687 15.63% -2,899 -16.87% 17,188
Washita 1,810 47.58% 1,440 37.85% 554 14.56% 370 9.73% 3,804
Woods 1,471 46.51% 1,339 42.33% 353 11.16% 132 4.17% 3,163
Woodward 2,339 40.09% 2,695 46.19% 801 13.73% -356 -6.10% 5,835
Totals 448,143 43.27% 441,277 42.61% 146,200 14.12% 6,866 0.66% 1,035,620

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

By congressional district

Henry won 2 of 5 congressional districts, including one that elected a Republican.[15]

District Henry Largent Richardson Representative
1st 37.37% 47.43% 15.20% John Sullivan
2nd 52.98% 33.22% 13.80% Brad Carson
3rd 41.05% 43.19% 15.75% Wes Watkins (107th Congress)
Frank Lucas (108th Congress)
4th 44.28% 42.02% 13.70% J. C. Watts (107th Congress)
Tom Cole (108th Congress)
5th 40.95% 46.29% 12.77% Ernest Istook

Notes

  1. ^ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear

References

  1. ^ a b Averill, David, "Eyeing another campaign: Richardson had impact on 2002 governor's race", Tulsa World, March 22, 2009.
  2. ^ "Henry upsets Steve Largent in governor's race", AP at USA Today, November 5, 2002.
  3. ^ John M. Broder, "The 2002 Elections: Governors; Bright Spots, Amid Dim Ones, for Democrats", The New York Times, November 7, 2009.
  4. ^ Gaddie, Ronald Keith, "Oklahoma Republican Party Archived 2011-09-03 at the Wayback Machine", Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Archived May 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine (accessed May 31, 2010).
  5. ^ "An Editorial: Orza is the Worst". The Oklahoman. September 9, 1990.
  6. ^ a b c "Primary Election August 27, 2002 Summary Results" (PDF). Oklahoma State Election Board.
  7. ^ "1990 Results" (PDF). Oklahoma State Election Board. p. C-4.
  8. ^ "The primary runoff alternative that could have changed Oklahoma elections | by Chris Powell | Medium". July 20, 2019.
  9. ^ "Runoff Primary Election September 17, 2002 Summary Results" (PDF). Oklahoma State Election Board.
  10. ^ Greiner, John; Hinton, Mick (August 28, 2002). "Largent easily wins GOP nod Orza, Henry divide Democrats". The Oklahoman.
  11. ^ "Governor Updated October 31, 2002 | The Cook Political Report". The Cook Political Report. October 31, 2002. Archived from the original on December 8, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  12. ^ "Governors Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on December 12, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  13. ^ SurveyUSA
  14. ^ a b "Governor - General Election - November 5, 2002" (PDF). Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  15. ^ "Twitter".
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