2002 Illinois gubernatorial election
The 2002 Illinois gubernatorial election occurred on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican Governor George Ryan, who was plagued by scandal, did not run for a second term. Democrat Rod Blagojevich, a U.S. congressman, ran against Republican Jim Ryan (no relation to the incumbent), the Illinois attorney general. Blagojevich won 52% to 45%, snapping a losing streak of seven elections, and becoming the first Democrat to win an election for governor in 30 years, since 1972. As of 2026, this is the most recent Illinois governor election in which no candidate running was an incumbent.
Read on Wikipedia · Image Illinois Secretary of State, Public domain
Open boosters, collect cards and trade them. Free to play.
Play for free