On election day, Cleland lost to Chambliss 53-46. Some supporters blamed a Chambliss TV ad featuring the likenesses of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein while criticizing Cleland's votes against homeland security measures.[16] Cleland supporters claimed the ad questioned the senator's patriotism,[17] while Chambliss supporters claimed it simply questioned his judgment.[17][18] The ad was removed after protests from prominent politicians, including Republicans such as John McCain and Chuck Hagel, both of whom are also veterans of the war in Vietnam.[19][20]

The 2002 United States elections were held on November 5, in the middle of Republican President George W. Bush's first term. Unusual in midterm elections, the incumbent president's party gained seats in both chambers of the United States Congress. The Republicans picked up net gains of 2 Senate seats and 8 House seats.[1]

These elections were held just a little under fourteen months after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Thus the elections were heavily overshadowed by the war on terror, the impending war with Iraq, the Early 2000s recession, and the sudden death of Democratic Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone about one week before the election.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_elections,_2002