2002 United States Senate election in Louisiana

The 2002 United States Senate election in Louisiana was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu won re-election to a second term, although she did not earn 50% of the vote in the first round and was therefore forced into a runoff election with Republican Suzanne Haik Terrell, the Louisiana Elections Commissioner.

2002 United States Senate election in Louisiana

← 1996 November 5, 2002 (first round) December 7, 2002 (runoff) 2008 →

Nominee Mary Landrieu Suzanne Haik Terrell Party Democratic Republican First round 573,347 46.00% 339,506 27.24% Runoff 638,654 51.70% 596,642 48.30%   Nominee John Cooksey Tony Perkins Party Republican Republican First round 171,752 13.78% 119,776 9.61% Runoff Eliminated Eliminated

First round parish results Runoff parish results Runoff congressional district results Landrieu   30–40%   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80% Terrell   40–50%   50–60%   60–70% Cooksey   30–40%   40–50%   60–70%

U.S. senator before election Mary Landrieu Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu Democratic

During the runoff, Landrieu was outspent three-to-one by Terrell, who also had prominent Republicans including President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney visit Louisiana to campaign on her behalf. Republicans, confident of victory having gained seats in the elections to the House of Representatives and to the Senate, solidifying control of the former and taking control of the latter, publicly called the election "Operation Icing on the Cake".^[1][2] Some Democrats responded by calling their efforts "Operation Wipe that Smirk off of Bush's Face"^[3] and dubbed Landrieu's subsequent run-off victory, "Operation Pie in the Face".^[4]

Candidates

Democratic

• Raymond Brown
• Mary Landrieu, incumbent U.S. Senator

Republican

• John Cooksey, U.S. Representative
• Tony Perkins, State Representative
• Ernest Edward Skillman
• Suzanne Haik Terrell, Louisiana Elections Commissioner

Independents

• Live Wire Landry
• James Lemann
• Gary D. Robbins

Primary results

Louisiana United States Senate jungle primary election, November 5, 2002

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Mary Landrieu (Incumbent)	573,347	46.00%
	Republican	Suzanne Haik Terrell	339,506	27.24%
	Republican	John Cooksey	171,752	13.78%
	Republican	Tony Perkins	119,776	9.61%
	Democratic	Raymond Brown	23,553	1.89%
	Independent	Patrick E. "Live Wire" Landry	10,442	0.84%
	Independent	James Lemann	3,866	0.31%
	Libertarian	Gary D. Robbins	2,423	0.19%
	Republican	Ernest Edward Skillman, Jr.	1,668	0.13%
Turnout			1,246,333	100.00%

Runoff

Debates (Jungle primary & runoff)

• Complete video of debate, October 24, 2002
• Complete video of debate, October 28, 2002
• Complete video of debate, October 29, 2002
• Complete video of debate, November 17, 2002
• Complete video of debate, November 21, 2002
• Complete video of debate, November 25, 2002
• Complete video of debate, December 2, 2002

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball[5]	Lean D	November 4, 2002

Results

Louisiana United States Senate election runoff, December 7, 2002

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Mary Landrieu (incumbent)	638,654	51.70%	+1.53%
	Republican	Suzanne Haik Terrell	596,642	48.30%	−1.53%
Majority			42,012	3.40%	+3.06%
Turnout			1,235,296	100.00%
	Democratic hold		Swing

Parishes that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Cameron (Largest community: Grand Lake)
• Catahoula (Largest town: Jonesville)
• East Baton Rouge (Largest city: Baton Rouge)
• Evangeline (Largest city: Ville Platte)
• Jefferson Davis (Largest city: Jennings)
• Morehouse (Largest city: Bastrop)
• Saint Martin (Largest city: Breaux Bridge)
• Saint Landry (Largest city: Opelousas)
• Washington (Largest city: Bogalusa)

Analysis

Landrieu pulled off what many considered to be an upset victory. The Republicans believed they would most likely win the race. Before the election, many Republicans called the race operation icing on the cake. After Landrieu won the runoff Democrats dubbed her victory operation pie in the face. The race was close. In terms of rural parishes, the vote was split fairly evenly. Landrieu did well in Caddo Parish home of Shreveport, and in East Baton Rouge Parish home of Baton Rouge. Ultimately though it was Landrieu's huge win in Orleans Parish home of New Orleans that pushed her over the finish line. Haik Terrell conceded defeat to Landrieu at 12:38 P.M. EST, congratulating Landrieu on her victory. Landrieu would go on to be reelected to a third term in 2008, but ultimately defeated in her bid for a fourth term in 2014.

See also

• 2002 United States Senate elections

References

1. Landrieu Faces Terrell for Senate in Louisiana Runoff Race Ms Magazine, December 6, 2002
2. Reversal of Fortune American Prospect, December 12, 2002
3. More thoughts on Louisiana victories Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Daily Kos, December 8, 2002
4. Operation "Pie in the Face": Dems sweep LA Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Daily Kos, December 8, 2002
5. "Senate Races". www.centerforpolitics.org. November 4, 2002. Archived from the original on November 18, 2002. Retrieved June 25, 2021.

External links

• Elections Division from the Louisiana Secretary of State