2004 United States presidential election

2004 United States presidential election
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Election name	2004 United States presidential election
Country	United States
Type	presidential
Previous election	2000 United States presidential election
Previous year	2000
Election date	November 2, 2004
Next election	2008 United States presidential election
Next year	2008
Votes for election	538 members of the Electoral College
Needed votes	270 electoral
Turnout	60.1% 2.6 pp
Nominee1	George W. Bush
Party1	Republican Party (United States)
Home state1	Texas
Running mate1	Dick Cheney
Electoral vote1	286
States carried1	31
Popular vote1	62,040,610
Percentage1	50.7%
Nominee2	John Kerry
Party2	Democratic Party (United States)
Home state2	Massachusetts
Running mate2	John Edwards
Electoral vote2	251
States carried2	19 + DC
Popular vote2	59,028,444
Percentage2	48.3%
Title	President
Before election	George W. Bush
Before party	Republican Party (United States)
After election	George W. Bush
After party	Republican Party (United States)

2004 United States presidential election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican President George W. Bush and his running mate, Vice President Dick Cheney, defeated the Democratic ticket of John Kerry, a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, and his running mate, John Edwards, a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. The central issues of the campaign included the ongoing War in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, homeland security, and the state of the domestic economy. Bush's victory made him the first president since his father, George H. W. Bush in 1988, to win a majority of the popular vote.

Background

The political climate was dominated by the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the subsequent War on Terror. The Bush administration had launched the invasion of Iraq in 2003, arguing it was necessary to eliminate weapons of mass destruction and depose Saddam Hussein. By 2004, no such weapons had been found, and the conflict had evolved into a persistent insurgency, becoming a major point of contention. Domestically, the administration passed significant legislation like the No Child Left Behind Act and the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. The Democratic Party, still reeling from the contentious 2000 election and the 2002 midterms, sought a candidate to challenge Bush's wartime leadership and economic policies.

Nominations

The Republican Party unanimously renominated President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney at its convention in New York City. The Democratic nomination process was highly competitive. Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts emerged as the frontrunner after a strong showing in the Iowa caucuses, ultimately securing the nomination over rivals including Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, and retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark. Kerry selected Edwards as his vice-presidential running mate. The 2004 Democratic National Convention was held in Boston.

General election campaign

The campaign was intensely focused on national security and the character of the candidates. The Bush campaign emphasized the President's leadership after 9/11 and portrayed Kerry as a "flip-flopper" on issues like the Iraq War and funding for the troops. A group known as the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth ran advertisements questioning Kerry's service record and subsequent anti-war activism with Vietnam Veterans Against the War. The Kerry campaign criticized the decision to go to war in Iraq, the handling of the occupation, and the state of the economy. Key events included the three presidential debates moderated by the Commission on Presidential Debates. A significant moment occurred in the first debate when Kerry stated, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it," a line Republicans used to bolster their inconsistency argument.

Results

On Election Day, voter turnout reached a modern high. George W. Bush won 286 electoral votes and 50.7% of the popular vote (62,040,610 votes). John Kerry won 251 electoral votes and 48.3% of the popular vote (59,028,444 votes). Bush carried 31 states, including the crucial swing states of Ohio and Florida, which had been the center of the dispute in 2000. Kerry's victory in New Hampshire was the only state-level flip from the previous election. The results solidified a political map often described as divided between "red states" and "blue states." The House and Senate remained under Republican control.

Aftermath and legacy

The victory allowed George W. Bush to begin a second term, which would be dominated by challenges including the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the continuing Iraq War, and the looming financial crisis. The election demonstrated the enduring power of national security as a voting issue in the post-9/11 era. It also highlighted the growing importance of microtargeting and get out the vote efforts by both parties. The Swift Vets and POWs controversy foreshadowed a new. The election the vote and the War on the vote. The election. The election. The election. The election. The election. The election. The election. The election. The election. The election. The election. The election and the vote the vote the vote. The election and the vote. The election and the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote. The election and the vote. The election and the vote the vote. The vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote the vote. The vote. The vote. The vote. The vote the vote the vote. The vote. The vote. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The. The.