2002 Idaho gubernatorial election

The 2002 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002 to select the governor of the state of Idaho. Dirk Kempthorne, the Republican incumbent, defeated Democratic nominee Jerry Brady to win a second term, but the win was not nearly as overwhelming as Kempthorne's 1998 victory. This was the first Idaho gubernatorial election since 1978 in which the winner was of the same party as the incumbent president. This was the first time since 1962 that an incumbent Republican Governor of Idaho was re-elected.

Candidates

 * Walter L. Bayes
 * Milt Erhart, perennial candidate
 * Raynelle J. George
 * Dirk Kempthorne, incumbent Governor of Idaho

Candidates

 * Jerry Brady, newspaper publisher
 * Rue T. Stears

Candidates

 * Daniel L. J. Adams, perennial candidate
 * Michael Monroe Gollaher (write-in)

Campaign
Although Brady performed considerably better than 1998 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Robert C. Huntley and won in Ada County, Kempthorne won reelection with a comfortable majority.

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

 * Ada (largest municipality: Boise)
 * Bannock (largest municipality: Pocatello)
 * Nez Perce (Largest city: Lewiston)
 * Shoshone (Largest city: Kellogg)
 * Latah (Largest city: Moscow)