The 2002 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. Incumbent Republican Governor Mark Schweiker, who took office in 2001 when Tom Ridge resigned to become Homeland Security advisor, was eligible to run for a full term, but did not do so. Democrat Ed Rendell, the former mayor of Philadelphia and Chair of the Democratic National Committee, emerged from a primary against Bob Casey Jr. to win the general election against Republican Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher.

Rendell was the first official from Philadelphia to win the governorship since 1914. This was the first time since 1826 that a Democrat won all four of Philadelphia's suburban counties, and the first time since 1970 that a Democrat won Montgomery County in a gubernatorial election.

Republican primary Attorney General Mike Fisher ran unopposed for the Republican nomination. Although incumbent Governor Mark Schweiker was eligible to run for election to a full term (he had served only a partial term after Tom Ridge resigned to become Homeland Security advisor), he chose not to seek his party's nomination. Despite polls showing that Schweiker polled well among the same groups that backed Ridge, the Republican establishment considered Schweiker to be a weak candidate and stood steadfast behind Fisher.

Democratic primary Candidates Bob Casey Jr., incumbent auditor general and son of former Governor Bob Casey Sr. Ed Rendell, former mayor of Philadelphia and candidate in 1986

Campaign In the Democratic primary, former mayor of Philadelphia Ed Rendell defeated Pennsylvania Auditor General Bob Casey Jr., bucking the "myth that a Philadelphian could never win" a statewide election. Despite strong support from organized labor for Casey, Rendell's ability to cast himself as a strong executive as well as Casey's pro-life stances allowed Rendell to pull out a primary win.

Results

General election Campaign Fisher emphasized Rendell's Philadelphia roots continuously during his campaign and described the mayor as an urban liberal whose programs would require huge tax increases.

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin EdRendell (D) MikeFisher (R) Other /UndecidedSurveyUSASurveyUSA October 26–28, 2002 668 (LV) ± 3.9% 56% 37% 7%

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

Results

Results by county County Ed RendellDemocratic Mike FisherRepublican Ken KrawchukLibertarian Michael MorrillGreen Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # % Adams 7,732 31.99% 15,950 65.98%1990.82%2921.21% -8,218 -33.99% 24,173 Allegheny 209,708 53.66% 169,414 43.35%6,6731.71%4,9911.28% 40,294 8.31% 390,786 Armstrong 7,965 39.11% 11,898 58.43%2881.41%2131.05% -3,933 -19.32% 20,364 Beaver 27,322 52.05% 23,744 45.23%7911.51%6361.21% 3,578 6.82% 52,493 Bedford 4,516 30.24% 10,190 68.23%980.66%1300.87% -5,674 -37.99% 14,934 Berks 56,592 55.20% 43,790 42.71%1,0271.00%1,1191.09% 12,802 12.49% 102,528 Blair 10,356 29.99% 23,530 68.15%3070.89%3360.97% -13,174 -38.16% 34,529 Bradford 4,947 30.83% 10,815 67.40%1300.81%1550.97% -5,868 -36.57% 16,047 Bucks 127,850 63.28% 70,000 34.64%2,6851.33%1,5160.75% 57,850 28.64% 202,051 Butler 18,145 34.91% 32,400 62.34%7681.48%6591.27% -14,255 -27.43% 51,972 Cambria 20,305 43.39% 25,556 54.61%4801.03%4550.97% -5,251 -11.22% 46,796 Cameron 571 35.07% 1,032 63.39%100.61%150.92% -461 -28.32% 1,628 Carbon 8,598 54.79% 6,600 42.05%2881.84%2081.33% 1,998 12.74% 15,692 Centre 14,557 41.71% 19,027 54.52%3971.14%9182.63% -4,470 -12.81% 34,899 Chester 81,996 57.41% 58,669 41.08%1,1590.81%9900.69% 23,327 16.33% 142,814 Clarion 3,934 34.08% 7,397 64.08%1030.89%1090.94% -3,463 -30.00% 11,543 Clearfield 10,221 41.64% 13,822 56.32%2320.95%2691.10% -3,601 -14.68% 24,544 Clinton 4,341 47.79% 4,434 48.81%1151.27%1942.14% -93 -1.02% 9,084 Columbia 7,004 41.89% 9,304 55.65%1470.88%2631.57% -2,300 -13.76% 16,718 Crawford 9,155 35.74% 15,551 60.71%4981.94%4111.60% -6,396 -24.97% 25,615 Cumberland 24,237 36.31% 40,966 61.37%7611.14%7881.18% -16,729 -25.06% 66,752 Dauphin 33,537 42.05% 44,231 55.45%1,0161.27%9801.23% -10,694 -13.40% 79,764 Delaware 123,117 65.12% 62,649 33.14%2,0441.08%1,2600.67% 60,468 31.98% 189,070 Elk 3,917 40.87% 5,468 57.05%1051.10%950.99% -1,551 -16.18% 9,585 Erie 32,774 41.72% 43,095 54.85%1,0711.36%1,6232.07% -10,321 -13.13% 78,563 Fayette 19,082 56.56% 13,878 41.14%4971.47%2790.83% 5,204 15.42% 33,736 Forest 613 33.76% 1,170 64.43%140.77%191.05% -557 -30.67% 1,816 Franklin 10,335 29.93% 23,689 68.61%2220.64%2790.81% -13,354 -38.68% 34,525 Fulton 1,138 29.47% 2,681 69.42%330.85%100.26% -1,543 -39.95% 3,862 Greene 5,013 53.02% 4,209 44.52%890.94%1441.52% 804 8.50% 9,455 Huntingdon 3,697 31.18% 7,842 66.13%770.65%2422.04% -4,145 -34.95% 11,858 Indiana 9,897 41.26% 13,462 56.12%2030.85%4241.77% -3,565 -14.86% 23,986 Jefferson 3,879 30.02% 8,745 67.67%1501.16%1491.15% -4,866 -37.65% 12,923 Juniata 2,187 29.76% 5,027 68.40%620.84%730.99% -2,840 -38.64% 7,349 Lackawanna 40,206 58.22% 26,099 37.79%1,8882.73%8681.26% 14,107 20.43% 69,061 Lancaster 40,791 32.23% 83,607 66.07%8710.69%1,2801.01% -42,816 -33.84% 126,549 Lawrence 14,628 52.01% 13,010 46.25%2440.87%2450.87% 1,618 5.76% 28,127 Lebanon 12,712 35.17% 22,659 62.69%4521.25%3230.89% -9,947 -27.52% 36,146 Lehigh 48,150 56.72% 34,738 40.92%1,0741.27%9341.10% 13,412 15.80% 84,896 Luzerne 45,641 52.61% 38,760 44.68%8911.03%1,4541.68% 6,881 7.93% 86,746 Lycoming 9,937 31.47% 20,751 65.72%3571.13%5321.68% -10,814 -34.25% 31,577 McKean 3,215 32.76% 6,373 64.94%1311.33%940.96% -3,158 -32.18% 9,813 Mercer 14,161 45.13% 16,429 52.36%3431.09%4441.42% -2,268 -7.23% 31,377 Mifflin 3,362 31.32% 7,122 66.35%1611.50%890.83% -3,760 -35.03% 10,734 Monroe 14,570 47.34% 15,258 49.57%4471.45%5031.63% -688 -2.23% 30,778 Montgomery 175,157 67.16% 81,835 31.38%2,1210.81%1,6900.65% 93,322 35.78% 260,803 Montour 1,847 38.00% 2,873 59.10%571.17%841.73% -1,026 -21.10% 4,861 Northampton 42,554 58.52% 28,228 38.82%1,0881.50%8461.16% 14,326 19.70% 72,716 Northumberland 10,774 41.52% 14,479 55.80%3821.47%3131.21% -3,705 -14.28% 25,948 Perry 3,426 26.28% 9,286 71.22%1651.27%1611.23% -5,860 -44.94% 13,038 Philadelphia 339,697 84.08% 59,223 14.66%1,9760.49%3,1290.77% 280,474 69.42% 404,025 Pike 4,049 37.46% 6,482 59.97%1241.15%1541.42% -2,433 -22.51% 10,809 Potter 1,357 27.67% 3,471 70.76%380.77%390.80% -2,114 -43.09% 4,905 Schuylkill 25,233 51.47% 22,692 46.29%5151.05%5851.19% 2,541 5.18% 49,025 Snyder 2,599 27.59% 6,623 70.32%670.71%1301.38% -4,024 -42.73% 9,419 Somerset 8,088 32.64% 16,244 65.56%1890.76%2571.04% -8,156 -32.92% 24,778 Sullivan 856 36.27% 1,441 61.06%311.31%321.36% -585 -24.79% 2,360 Susquehanna 4,244 33.35% 8,175 64.25%1040.82%2011.58% -3,931 -30.90% 12,724 Tioga 3,275 29.41% 7,696 69.12%620.56%1010.91% -4,421 -39.71% 11,134 Union 3,153 33.27% 6,058 63.93%740.78%1912.02% -2,905 -30.66% 9,476 Venango 5,551 36.54% 9,188 60.48%2381.57%2141.41% -3,637 -23.94% 15,191 Warren 4,823 40.45% 6,823 57.22%1251.05%1531.28% -2,000 -16.77% 11,924 Washington 30,368 50.67% 28,368 47.33%6421.07%5600.93% 2,000 3.34% 59,938 Wayne 4,395 33.87% 8,118 62.56%1190.92%3442.65% -3,723 -28.69% 12,976 Westmoreland 48,992 44.77% 58,018 53.01%1,4471.32%9800.90% -9,026 -8.24% 109,437 Wyoming 2,938 35.31% 5,152 61.92%700.84%1611.93% -2,214 -26.61% 8,321 York 33,248 33.27% 63,894 63.94%1,6911.69%1,0881.09% -30,646 -30.67% 99,921Totals1,913,23553.41%1,589,40844.37%40,9231.14%38,4231.07%323,8279.04%3,581,989

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Allegheny (largest city: Pittsburgh) Beaver (largest city: Beaver) Fayette (largest city: Uniontown) Carbon (largest municipality: Lehighton) Schuylkill (largest city: Pottsville) Bucks (largest municipality: Bensalem) Berks (largest city: Reading) Chester (largest municipality: West Chester) Greene (largest municipality: Waynesburg) Delaware (largest city: Upper Darby) Lackawanna (largest city: Scranton) Montgomery (largest city: Lower Merion) Lawrence (largest municipality: New Castle) Luzerne (largest municipality: Wilkes-Barre) Lehigh (largest municipality: Allentown) Northampton (largest municipality: Bethlehem) Washington (largest municipality: Peters Township)

Notes

References