2002 United States Senate election in South Dakota

2002 United States Senate election in South Dakota

← 1996 November 5, 2002 2008 →
 
Nominee Tim Johnson John Thune
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 167,481 166,957
Percentage 49.62% 49.47%

County results
Johnson:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Thune:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election

Tim Johnson
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Tim Johnson
Democratic

The 2002 United States Senate election in South Dakota was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Johnson narrowly won re-election to a second term over Republican John Thune by a margin of 524 votes, or 0.15%. This made the election the closest race of the 2002 Senate election cycle.

Thune later narrowly won South Dakota's other U.S. Senate seat in 2004, and was re-elected in 2010, 2016, and 2022 in uncompetitive elections.