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Hatch: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Kelly: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% 50% | |||||||||||||||||
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The2002Minnesota Attorney General election was held on Tuesday, November 5, 2002, to elect theMinnesota Attorney General for a four-year term. IncumbentDFL Attorney GeneralMike Hatch ran for reelection and won.[1] The election marked the ninth attorney general race in a row won by the DFL since 1970.
Incumbent attorney generalMike Hatch won the DFL nomination unopposed at the party's May 3 convention inMinneapolis.[2] There was some speculation that Hatch would not seek the endorsement for attorney general and instead launch his third run for governor, but it did not come to pass.
The primary was held on September 10. Incumbent attorney general Mike Hatch won the primary unopposed.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Mike Hatch | 216,309 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 216,309 | 100% | ||
Lawyer Thomas Kelly ofMedina was endorsed uncontested at the state Republican convention in St. Paul on June 15.[4]
The primary was held on September 10. Kelly defeated perennial candidate and 1994 Republican nominee for attorney general Sharon Anderson.[3]

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Thomas Kelly | 126,407 | 68.81% | |
| Republican | Sharon Anderson | 57,299 | 31.19% | |
| Total votes | 183,706 | 100% | ||
Lawyer Dale Nathan was the only candidate to seek the Independence Party endorsement for attorney general at the party's July 13 convention inSt. Cloud. He did not receive the endorsement after word spread of a pending disciplinary action against him by theMinnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board[5]
The primary was held on September 10. Nathan defeated challenger Richard Bullock.

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence | Dale Nathan | 14,410 | 54.04% | |
| Independence | Richard Bullock | 12,256 | 45.96% | |
| Total votes | 26,666 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Mike Hatch | 1,197,362 | 54.64% | +6.81% | |
| Republican | Thomas Kelly | 894,654 | 40.83% | −3.00% | |
| Independence | Dale Nathan | 96,817 | 4.42% | −1.38% | |
| N/A | Write Ins | 2,511 | 0.12% | +0.03% | |
| Total votes | 2,191,344 | 100.00% | |||
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