In November 2002, Leman became the first person of Alaska Native ancestry to be elected to statewide office when he won the position of Alaska's eighth lieutenant governor. In the fall of 2002 Leman had campaigned to win the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. His opponents were Gail Phillips, State Representative from Homer; Robin Taylor, State Senator from Wrangell; and Sarah Palin, who had been a mayor of Wasilla. Leman won. Palin was a close second, within 2,000 votes. She later ran for Vice President on a ticket with Senator John McCain for president.