"A Tidal Wave"
[By Eric M. Appleman -- Posted December 4, 2002] On November 5, 2002, New Hampshire Democrats were engulfed by what NHDP executive director Ken Robinson described as "a tidal wave."  In the most closely watched race, Rep. John Sununu (R) defeated Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) by a margin of  4.4 percent, or 19,751 votes out of 447,135 cast.  Republicans comfortably kept both congressional seats.  In the governor's race, Craig Benson (R) trounced state Sen. Mark Fernald (D) as expected.  In the State Senate Republicans increased their majority from 13-11 to 18-6.  Several veteran Democrats were ousted; in District 6 (Rochester), Dick Green defeated three-term Sen. Caroline McCarley and in District 8 (Claremont) Bob Odell (R) defeated Sen. George Disnard (D) .  Republicans also made gains in the 400-seat House, paring Democrats' numbers from 141 to 117.  Among other factors, Robinson pointed to the boost President Bush's trips and his standing as a wartime president gave to the Republicans.  Fernald's emphasis on the income tax did not help; Republicans successfully labeled Democrats as "the tax team."  In the closing three weeks of the campaign, Republicans spread about 5,000 signs around the state, done in the same green and black as Gov. Shaheen's signs, carrying witty slogans such as "Shaheen/Fernald The Courage to Raise Taxes."

New Hampshire state Republican chair John Dowd pointed to three factors that came together to produce this outcome: "an extraordinary collection of very high quality candidates," visits by President and Mrs. Bush and Rudy Guiliani, and "the best grassroots operation in the history of the state."  Dowd pointed to record turnout in the November 5th election, some 30 percent higher than the previous mid-term high.

Asked whether he could find any silver lining in the results, Robinson said the outcome provides an "an opportunity to rethink." He also said he hoped the presidential primary would not gear up too soon, and that '04 prospects would hold off serious organizing at least until March or the Spring.  "New Hampshire activists need to reconnect with their nonpolitical lives," he said.
 
U.S. Senator
John Sununu (R)
227,229
 50.82%
Jeanne Shaheen (D)
207,478
46.40%
Ken Blevens (L)
                     9,835
2.20%
Bob Smith
                            2,396
0.54%
Scatter
197
0.04%
Total
 447,135
 plurality: 19,751
 
 
U.S. House-First District
Jeb Bradley (R)
128,993
 58.11%
Martha Fuller Clark (D)
85,426
38.48%
Dan Belforti (L)
                     7,387
3.33%
Scatter
181
0.08%
Total
 221,987
 plurality: 43,567
 
 
U.S. House-Second District
Charlie Bass (R)
125,804
 56.81%
Katrina Swett (D)
90,479
40.86%
Rosalie Babiarz (L)
5,051
2.28%
Scatter
122
0.06%
Total
221,456
 plurality: 35,325
 
 
Governor
Craig Benson (R)
259,663
 58.6%
Mark Fernald (D)
169,277
38.2%
John Babiarz (L)
13,028
2.9%
Scatter
1,008
0.2%
Total
442,976
 plurality: 90,386
 

Copyright © 2002  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.