2002 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

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2002 United States Senate election in New Hampshire
Flag of New Hampshire.svg
←  1996 November 5, 2002 2008  →
  John E. Sununu (cropped).jpg Jeanne Shaheen, official Senate portrait cropped.jpg
Nominee John E. Sununu Jeanne Shaheen
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote227,229207,478
Percentage51.12%46.67%
2002 United States Senate election in New Hampshire results map by county.svg
2002 United States Senate election in New Hampshire results map by municipality.svg
Sununu:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     >90%
Shaheen:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     >90%
Tie:     40–50%
U.S. senator before election

Bob Smith
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

John E. Sununu
Republican

The 2002 United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Bob Smith was defeated in the Republican primary by U.S. Representative John E. Sununu. [1] Sununu won the open seat, defeating Democratic Governor Jeanne Shaheen. As of 2025, this was the last time Republicans or a male candidate won the Class 2 Senate seat in New Hampshire; Shaheen defeated Sununu in their 2008 rematch for this seat and has held it since 2009. This was Shaheen’s only unsuccessful run for elected office. Smith later ran for this seat again in 2014 and lost the Republican primary.

Contents

Republican primary

Campaign

Senator Bob Smith, the incumbent Republican Senator, briefly left the party in 1999 to run for president as an independent, claiming that the Republican platform was "not worth the paper it's written on". [2] He rejoined the GOP a few months later, saying he made a mistake. [2] Nonetheless, the party never fully forgave him, and some of his fellow Republican Senators went so far as to endorse his primary opponent, Rep. John Sununu, [3] who would go on to win by more than eight percentage points.

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size [a] 		Margin
of error		Bob
Smith		John
Sununu		OtherUndecided
University of New Hampshire/WMUR [4] August 26 – September 3, 2002335 (LV)± 5.0%34%56%1% [b] 9%
University of New Hampshire [5] June 23 – July 1, 2002230 (LV)± 6.0%40%52%3% [c] 9%
American Research Group [6] June 21–25, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%41%48%–11%
American Research Group [7] June 3–5, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%38%55%–7%
American Research Group [8] April 30 – May 2, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%29%56%–15%
University of New Hampshire/WMUR [9] April 10–14 2002237 (LV)± 6.4%30%59%2%10%
American Research Group [6] April 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%33%51%–16%
American Research Group [10] February 6–10, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%34%44%–22%
University of New Hampshire [11] January 25 – February 5, 2002230 (LV)± 6.5%37%51%4%8%
American Research Group [12] January 5, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%27%51%–22%
American Research Group [13] November 16–20 2001600 (LV)± 4.0%47%39%–14%
University of New Hampshire [14] October 19–29, 2001202 (LV)± 6.7%35%53%4%8%
American Research Group [15] October 16–18, 2001600 (LV)± 4.0%47%41%–12%
Results by county: .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} Sununu 50-60% Smith 50-60% Results of the Republican primary for United States Senate in New Hampshire, 2002.svg
Results by county:
  Sununu
  •   50–60%
  Smith
  •   50–60%

Results

Republican primary results [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican John Sununu 81,920 53.35%
Republican Bob Smith (incumbent)68,60844.68%
Total votes150,528 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Campaign

During the campaign, there was a major scandal that involved the use of a telemarketing firm hired by that state's Republican Party (NHGOP) for election tampering. The GOP Marketplace, based in Northern Virginia, jammed another phone bank being used by the state Democratic Party and the firefighters' union for efforts to turn out voters on behalf of then-governor Jeanne Shaheen on Election Day. The tampering involved using a call center to jam the phone lines of a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) operation. In the end, 900 calls were made for 45 minutes of disruption to the Democratic-leaning call centers. In addition to criminal prosecutions, disclosures in the case have come from a civil suit filed by the state's Democratic Party against the state's Republican Party (now settled). Four men have been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, federal crimes and sentenced to prison for their involvement as of 2008. One conviction has been reversed by an appeals court, a decision prosecutors are appealing. James Tobin, freed on appeal, was later indicted on charges of lying to the FBI during the original investigation.

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
Sabato's Crystal Ball [17] Lean D (flip)November 4, 2002

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size [a] 		Margin
of error		John
Sununu (R)		Jeanne
Shaheen (D)		OtherUndecided
American Research Group [18] November 2–3, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%48%44%–8%
UNH/CNN/USA Today [19] October 30 – November 2, 2002644 (LV)± 3.8%46%45%6% [d] 2%
47% [e] 46%6% [d] –
Concord Monitor [20] October 29–31, 2002––46%47%–7%
American Research Group [21] October 28–30, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%48%46%–6%
Franklin Pierce College/WNDS-TV [22] October 27–30, 2002926 (RV)± 3.0%40%45%4% [f] 10%
University of New Hampshire/WMUR [23] October 23–29, 2002648 (LV)± 3.8%42%46%4% [f] 7%
American Research Group [24] October 20–22, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%48%46%–6%
American Research Group [18] October 16, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%51%43%–6%
University of New Hampshire/WMUR [25] October 3–10, 2002651 (LV)± 4.0%44%47%4% [g] 5%
American Research Group [18] October 2, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%55%34%–11%
GQR (D) [26] September 18–19, 2002––46%43%–11%
American Research Group [26] September 14–18, 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%47%38%–15%
University of New Hampshire [5] June 23 – July 1, 2002529 (LV)± 4.0%51%42%3%4%
American Research Group [18] June 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%37%33%–30%
University of New Hampshire [9] April 10–14, 2002526 (LV)± 4.3%50%42%2%6%
American Research Group [18] March 2002600 (LV)± 4.0%40%36%–24%
University of New Hampshire [11] January 25 – February 5, 2002554 (RV)± 4.1%49%42%4%6%
American Research Group [18] December 2001600 (LV)± 4.0%39%29%–32%
University of New Hampshire [14] October 19–29, 2001505 (RV)± 4.4%50%38%3%9%
American Research Group [18] September 2001600 (LV)± 4.0%47%39%–14%
American Research Group [18] July 2001600 (LV)± 4.0%49%35%–16%
American Research Group [18] June 2001600 (LV)± 4.0%50%35%–15%
Hypothetical polling

Bob Smith vs. Jeanne Shaheen

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size [a] 		Margin
of error		Bob
Smith (R)		Jeanne
Shaheen (D)		OtherUndecided
University of New Hampshire [5] June 23 – July 1, 2002529 (LV)± 4.0%45%47%3%4%
University of New Hampshire [9] April 10–14 2002526 (LV)± 4.3%42%49%5%4%
University of New Hampshire [11] January 25 – February 5, 2002558 (RV)± 4.1%43%46%4%6%
University of New Hampshire [14] October 19–29, 2001505 (RV)± 4.4%44%45%5%6%

Results

General election results [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican John Sununu 227,229 51.12%
Democratic Jeanne Shaheen 207,47846.67%
Libertarian Ken Blevens9,8352.21%
Total votes444,542 100.0%
Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  2. ↑ Ken Stremsky with 1%
  3. ↑ "Other/Neither" with 2%; Ken Stremsky with 1%
  4. 1 2 Ken Blevens (L) with 4%; "Other" with 2%
  5. ↑ With undecided voters allocated
  6. 1 2 Ken Blevens (L) and "Other" with 2%
  7. ↑ Ken Blevens (L) with 1%; "Other" with 3%

    References

    1. ↑ Hulse, Carl (September 12, 2002). "Campaign Season; G.O.P. Is Relieved At Republican's Loss". The New York Times.
    2. 1 2 Cole, Jim (September 10, 2002). "Sununu ousts Smith in New Hampshire primary". Associated Press . Retrieved April 8, 2015.
    3. ↑ Hulse, Carl (September 12, 2002). "Campaign Season; G.O.P. Is Relieved At Republican's Loss". The New York Times . Retrieved April 8, 2015.
    4. ↑ Smith, Andrew E. (September 4, 2002). "Sununu Holds Comfortable Lead". University of New Hampshire . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    5. 1 2 3 Smith, Andrew E. (July 2, 2002). "Senate Race Tightening". University of New Hampshire . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    6. 1 2 "Keough Jumps to Second Place in Republican Race for Governor, Sununu Maintains Lead Over Smith in Republican Race for US Senate". American Research Group . June 26, 2002. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    7. ↑ "Sununu Maintains Comfortable Lead Over Smith Following Giuliani Endorsement of Smith". American Research Group . June 6, 2002. Archived from the original on June 7, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    8. ↑ "Sununu Strengthens Lead Over Smith Among Likely Republican Primary Voters". American Research Group . May 3, 2002. Archived from the original on June 5, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    9. 1 2 3 Smith, Andrew E. (April 22, 2002). "Sununu Pulls Away from Smith". University of New Hampshire . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    10. ↑ "Sununu Maintains Lead Over Smith Among Likely Republican Primary Voters". American Research Group . February 14, 2002. Archived from the original on April 8, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    11. 1 2 3 Smith, Andrew E. (February 12, 2002). "Little Change in U.S. Senate Race in NH". University of New Hampshire . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    12. ↑ "American Research Group". American Research Group . January 17, 2002. Archived from the original on January 18, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    13. ↑ "Smith Maintains Slight Edge Over Sununu Among Likely Republican Primary Voters". American Research Group . November 21, 2001. Archived from the original on December 17, 2001. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    14. 1 2 3 Smith, Andrew E. (November 14, 2001). "Tight Race for U.S. Senate in NH". University of New Hampshire . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    15. ↑ "Likely Republican Primary Voters in NH Give Smith Slight Edge Over Sununu". American Research Group . October 19, 2001. Archived from the original on October 21, 2001. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    16. ↑ "Election and voting information".
    17. ↑ "Senate Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on November 18, 2002. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
    18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "US Senate Race Remains Too Close To Call As Shaheen Slips". American Research Group . November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on December 7, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    19. ↑ Smith, Andrew E. (November 3, 2002). "USA Today / CNN Poll - Too Close to Call". University of New Hampshire . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    20. ↑ "Polling on 2002 Key Senate Races". RealClearPolitics . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    21. ↑ "N.H. Gubernatorial Race Nearly Even". Fort Worth Star-Telegram . October 31, 2002. Archived from the original on December 19, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    22. ↑ "Franklin Pierce College/WNDS-TV Poll Shows Shaheen Leading Senate Race". PoliticsNH. October 31, 2002. Archived from the original on November 8, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    23. ↑ Smith, Andrew E. (October 31, 2002). "WMUR / UNH Poll – NH Senate Race Down to the Wire". University of New Hampshire . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    24. ↑ Belluck, Pam (October 29, 2002). "THE 2002 CAMPAIGN: SENATE; New Hampshire Rivals Look to Independents". The New York Times . Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    25. ↑ Smith, Andrew E. (October 10, 2002). "Shaheen & Sununu, Neck and Neck". University of New Hampshire . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    26. 1 2 "Polling on 2002 Key Senate Races". RealClearPolitics . Archived from the original on October 4, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
    27. ↑ State of New Hampshire, Elections Division, State General Election - November 5, 2002 retrieved September 5, 2011

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