The 2002 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 2002 to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of New York. Republican incumbent George Pataki was re-elected to a third term with 49.4 percent of the vote over state comptroller Carl McCall and businessman Tom Golisano. McCall carried New York City but performed poorly in upstate New York. Golisano received 14.3 percent of the vote, carrying his home county of Monroe and finishing ahead of McCall in 23 counties.
As of 2026, this was the last time a Republican won any statewide election in New York, and this is the last time a Republican carried Westchester, Albany, Onondaga, and Tompkins counties in a gubernatorial election. This is also the longest drought nationally for the Republican Party to win in a statewide office. This was the first time since 1978 that the winner of the gubernatorial election was of the same party as the incumbent president.
Republican primary
Candidates
- George Pataki, Governor of New York since 1995
Declined
- Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City (1994–2001)
Results
Pataki won the Republican nomination unopposed.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- H. Carl McCall, New York state comptroller
Withdrew
- Andrew Cuomo, former U.S. secretary of housing and urban development and son of former governor Mario Cuomo
Campaign
Comptroller Carl McCall defeated Andrew Cuomo at the Democratic state convention, and Cuomo withdrew from the race less than a week before the Democratic primary.
Other nominations
Conservative and Independence
Besides his standard Republican nomination, Pataki sought the nominations of the Conservative Party and the Independence Party. Golisano, who sought (and ultimately won) the nomination of the Independence Party, also ran against the Governor in the Conservative primary as a write-in candidate. Pataki secured the Conservative line.
Liberal
Andrew Cuomo was nominated by the Liberal Party before his withdrawal from the race, and his withdrawal came too late for his name to be removed from the Liberal Party line.
General election
Candidates
- Stanley Aronowitz, CUNY Graduate Center professor of sociology and urban education (Green)
- Running mate: Jennifer Daniels, Syracuse physician and social activist
- Gerard Cronin, St. Francis Preparatory School social studies and history teacher (Right to Life)
- Running mate: Stasia T. Vogel, former Evans town prosecutor
- Tom Golisano, CEO of Paychex and 1994 and 1998 nominee for governor (Independence)
- Running mate: Mary Donohue, incumbent lieutenant governor since 1999 (also running as Republican)
- Scott Jeffrey, activist and director of internet radio for MTV Networks (Libertarian)
- Running mate: Jay Greco, intellectual property and startup attorney
- Thomas Leighton, 1998 nominee for governor (Marijuana Reform)
- Running mate: Thomas J. Hillgardner, Jamaica, Queens tenant advocate and lawyer
- H. Carl McCall, New York state comptroller (Democratic, Working Families)
- Running mate: Dennis Mehiel, chairman, CEO, and owner of Box USA
- George Pataki, incumbent governor since 1995 (Republican, Conservative)
- Running mate: Mary Donohue, incumbent lieutenant governor since 1999 (also running as Independence)
Withdrew
- Andrew Cuomo, former U.S. secretary of housing and urban development and son of former governor Mario Cuomo (Liberal)
- Running mate: Charlie King, attorney, housing advocate, and former regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Results
Results by county
Counties that flipped from Republican to Independence
- Monroe (largest city: Rochester)
Analysis
As of 2026, the 2002 was the last time a Republican won any statewide election in New York, and this is the last time a Republican carried Westchester, Albany, Onondaga, and Tompkins counties in a gubernatorial election. This was the first time since 1978 that the winner of the gubernatorial election was of the same party as the incumbent president.