United States Senate election in South Carolina, 2002
Encyclopedia
The 2002 United States Senate election in South Carolina was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican
U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond
decided to retire at the age of 100. Republican Lindsey Graham
won the open seat.
, entered the race and faced no opposition from South Carolina Democrats
, thereby avoiding a primary election
.
Lindsey Graham
had no challenge for the Republican nomination and thus avoided a primary election
. This was due in large part because the South Carolina Republicans
were preoccupied with the gubernatorial race
and also because potential rivals were deterred by the huge financial war chest Graham had amassed early in the campaign.
. Sanders claimed that he was best to represent South Carolina in the Senate because he held membership in both the NAACP
, the Sons of Confederate Veterans
, the NRA
, and because he said that his positions more closely matched the citizens of the state. He said that he was against the death penalty for religious reasons, supported abortion rights, and was for greater government involvement in education. Graham attacked Sanders for these positions consistently throughout the campaign, but Sanders hit back at Graham for wanting to privatize social security
.
Graham scored an impressive victory in the general election and the margin of victory proved that Democrats had little chance of winning an election in the state for a federal position. He achieved his victory because he rolled up strong margins the Upstate
and was able to also achieve a majority in the Lowcountry
, an area which Sanders had been expected to do well since he hailed from Charleston
. However, strong support in the Lowcountry for Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Sanford
doomed Sanders chances of running up a margin in the coastal counties.
| colspan=5 |Republican
hold
|-
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...
U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond
Strom Thurmond
James Strom Thurmond was an American politician who served as a United States Senator. He also ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1948 as the segregationist States Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes...
decided to retire at the age of 100. Republican Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin Graham is the senior U.S. Senator from South Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously he served as the U.S. Representative for .-Early life, education and career:...
won the open seat.
Democratic primary
Alex Sanders, the former president of the College of CharlestonCollege of Charleston
The College of Charleston is a public, sea-grant and space-grant university located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States...
, entered the race and faced no opposition from South Carolina Democrats
South Carolina Democratic Party
The South Carolina Democratic Party is the South Carolina affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. The Democratic party thrived during the Second Party System between 1832 and the mid-1850s and was one of the causes of the collapse of the Whig Party....
, thereby avoiding a primary election
Primary 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....
.
Republican primary
RepresentativeUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin Graham is the senior U.S. Senator from South Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously he served as the U.S. Representative for .-Early life, education and career:...
had no challenge for the Republican nomination and thus avoided a primary election
Primary 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....
. This was due in large part because the South Carolina Republicans
South Carolina Republican Party
The South Carolina Republican Party and the South Carolina Democratic Party are the two major political parties within the U.S. state of South Carolina...
were preoccupied with the gubernatorial race
South Carolina gubernatorial election, 2002
The 2002 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Mark Sanford, the Republican nominee, beat incumbent Democratic Governor Jim Hodges to become the 115th governor of South Carolina...
and also because potential rivals were deterred by the huge financial war chest Graham had amassed early in the campaign.
Candidates
- Ted Adams (C)
- Lindsey Graham (R), U.S. Congressman
- Victor Kocher (L)
- Alex Sanders (D), former college president
Campaign
The election campaign between Graham and Sanders pitted ideology against personality. Graham spread his message to the voters that he had a consistent conservative voting record and that his votes in Congress closely matched that of outgoing Senator Strom ThurmondStrom Thurmond
James Strom Thurmond was an American politician who served as a United States Senator. He also ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1948 as the segregationist States Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes...
. Sanders claimed that he was best to represent South Carolina in the Senate because he held membership in both the NAACP
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
, the Sons of Confederate Veterans
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Sons of Confederate Veterans is an American national heritage organization with members in all fifty states and in almost a dozen countries in Europe, Australia and South America...
, the NRA
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, and because he said that his positions more closely matched the citizens of the state. He said that he was against the death penalty for religious reasons, supported abortion rights, and was for greater government involvement in education. Graham attacked Sanders for these positions consistently throughout the campaign, but Sanders hit back at Graham for wanting to privatize social security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
.
Graham scored an impressive victory in the general election and the margin of victory proved that Democrats had little chance of winning an election in the state for a federal position. He achieved his victory because he rolled up strong margins the Upstate
The Upstate
The Upstate is the region in northwestern South Carolina, United States, also known as The Upcountry, which is the historical term. Although loosely defined among locals, the general definition includes the 10 counties of the commerce-rich I-85 corridor in the northwest corner of South Carolina. ...
and was able to also achieve a majority in the Lowcountry
South Carolina Low Country
The Lowcountry is a geographic and cultural region located along South Carolina's coast. The region includes the South Carolina Sea Islands...
, an area which Sanders had been expected to do well since he hailed from Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. However, strong support in the Lowcountry for Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Sanford
Mark Sanford
Marshall Clement "Mark" Sanford Jr. is an American politician from South Carolina, who was the 115th Governor of South Carolina from 2003 to 2011....
doomed Sanders chances of running up a margin in the coastal counties.
Polling
| Source | Date | Graham (R) | Sanders (D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA SurveyUSA SurveyUSA is a polling firm in the United States. It conducts market research for corporations and interest groups, but is best known for conducting opinion polls for various political offices and questions... |
November 4, 2002 http://www.surveyusa.com/2002Elec.html | 49% | 48% |
| Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. is an independent polling firm that conducts voter surveys for news media, lobbyists, advocacy groups, trade associations, and political action committees. Mason-Dixon is the nation's most active state polling organization, conducting copyrighted public opinion... |
October 29, 2002 http://www.ncpp.org/files/Senate%20and%20Governor%20Polls%202002.pdf | 53% | 36% |
| SurveyUSA SurveyUSA SurveyUSA is a polling firm in the United States. It conducts market research for corporations and interest groups, but is best known for conducting opinion polls for various political offices and questions... |
October 27, 2002 http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Congressional/Senate_02_Polls.html | 49% | 48% |
| SurveyUSA SurveyUSA SurveyUSA is a polling firm in the United States. It conducts market research for corporations and interest groups, but is best known for conducting opinion polls for various political offices and questions... |
October 20, 2002 http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Congressional/Senate_02_Polls.html | 53% | 44% |
| Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. is an independent polling firm that conducts voter surveys for news media, lobbyists, advocacy groups, trade associations, and political action committees. Mason-Dixon is the nation's most active state polling organization, conducting copyrighted public opinion... |
October 13, 2002 http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Congressional/Senate_02_Polls.html | 51% | 34% |
| Zogby International Zogby International IBOPE Zogby International is an international market research, opinion polling firm founded in 1984 by John Zogby. The company polls and consults for a wide spectrum of business media, government, and political groups, and conducts public opinion research in more than 70 countries... |
October 11, 2002 http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Congressional/Senate_02_Polls.html | 47% | 35% |
Results
| colspan=5 |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...
hold
|-
See also
- List of United States Senators from South Carolina
- South Carolina gubernatorial election, 2002South Carolina gubernatorial election, 2002The 2002 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Mark Sanford, the Republican nominee, beat incumbent Democratic Governor Jim Hodges to become the 115th governor of South Carolina...