 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
From January 14 to June 8, 2004, voters of theDemocratic Party chose its nominee forpresident in the2004 United States presidential election.
SenatorJohn Kerry ofMassachusetts was selected as the nominee through a series ofprimary elections andcaucuses culminating in the2004 Democratic National Convention held from July 26 to July 29, 2004, inBoston,Massachusetts. Kerry went on to lose the general election on November 2, 2004, to incumbentRepublican PresidentGeorge W. Bush.
| Candidate | Most recent office | Home state | Campaign Withdrawal date | Popular vote | Contests won | Running mate | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | John Kerry | U.S. Senator fromMassachusetts (1985–2013) |  Massachusetts |  (Campaign) | 9,930,497 (60.98%) | 52 | John Edwards |  | |
The following candidates received more than 1% of the national popular vote or were included in multiple major national polls:
| Candidate | Most recent office | Home state | Campaign Withdrawal date | Popular vote | Contests won | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | Dennis Kucinich | U.S. Representative fromOhio (1997–2013) |  Ohio |  Withdrew: July 22 (Campaign) | 620,242 (3.81%) | 0 | |
.jpg) | Al Sharpton | Activist and television host |  New York |  Withdrew: March 15 (Campaign) | 380,865 (2.34%) | 0 | |
.jpg) | John Edwards | U.S. Senator fromNorth Carolina (1999–2005) |  North Carolina |  Withdrew: March 2 (Campaign) | 3,162,337 (19.42%) | 2 NC, SC | |
 | Howard Dean | Governor of Vermont (1991–2003) |  Vermont |  Withdrew: February 18 | 903,460 (5.55%) | 1 VT | |
.jpg) | Wesley Clark | Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1997–2000) |  Arkansas |  Withdrew: February 11 (Campaign) | 547,369 (3.36%) | 1 OK | |
_(cropped).jpg) | Joe Lieberman | U.S. Senator fromConnecticut (1989–2013) |  Connecticut |  Withdrew: February 3 (Campaign) | 280,940 (1.73%) | 0 | |
 | Dick Gephardt | House Minority Leader (1995–2003) |  Missouri |  Withdrew: January 20 (Campaign) | 63,902 (0.39%) | 0 | |
 | Carol Moseley Braun | U.S. Senator fromIllinois (1993–1999) |  Illinois |  Withdrew: January 15 | 98,469 (0.61%) | 0 | |
| Candidate | Experience | Home state | Campaign Withdrawal date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Bob Graham | U.S. Senator fromFlorida (1987–2005) |  Florida |  Withdrew: October 6, 2003 (Campaign) |
![Joe Biden, U.S. Senator from Delaware[1]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aJoe_Biden%2c_official_photo_portrait_2-cropped.jpg)
![Tom Daschle, U.S. Senator from South Dakota[2]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aTom_Daschle_portrait_(1).jpg)
_(1).jpg)
%2c_Reverend_Jesse_Jackson%2c_to_HUD_Headquarters_for_meeting_with_-_DPLA_-_5b7267d542044f1387a91c632b631c26_(1).JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
![Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc. from California[3]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSteve_Jobs_with_red_shawl_edit.jpg)
Ten candidates vied for the nomination, including retiredfour-star generalWesley Clark, formerVermont GovernorHoward Dean, andSenatorsJohn Edwards andJohn Kerry. For most of 2003, Howard Dean had been the apparent front-runner for the nomination, performing strongly in most polls and leading the pack in fund-raising. However, Kerry won theIowa caucuses andNew Hampshire primary, which gave him enough momentum to carry the majority of the rest of the states.
According to exit polls taking during theIowa Caucuses, the top 4 issues were ranked as follows:[4]
Despite being characterized by many as an election onIraq, the economy and jobs were repeatedly cited as voters' top or one of top three concerns during the course of the primary season. InIowa, of those who cited theeconomy as their most important issue, 34% supported Kerry, while 33% supported Edwards, with Dean trailing at 16% and Gephardt at 12%.
Eventual nomineeJohn Kerry, much like other Democrats adopted policy stances of tax-cuts for the middle class, increased spending for Social Security, and assisting small businesses.[5] On the aspect of job creation, Kerry strongly supported the creation and safety of infrastructure-related jobs, like those in the railroad industry. During the course of the primary Kerry continued to advocate positions such as fiscal responsibility and end state fiscal crises by giving states increased fiscal aid.
Runner upJohn Edwards ran a position of support for themiddle class as well asbudget caps and enforcement.[6] Strongly opposing Social Security privatization, and interested in middle class tax cuts, Edwards's main economic theme was support for the middle class touting his own struggle, growing up the son of a poor mill worker inSouth Carolina. Another major component of Edwards's message was to be able to reinstate fiscal responsibility.
Howard Dean, despite taking many of the same positions of his rivals including Edwards and Kerry, had a starkly different approach on the issue of Social Security and tax cuts.[7] On taxes, Dean favored repealing theBush Tax cuts not only for the wealthiest of Americans as Senator Edwards and Senator Kerry proposed, but for all, including middle and lower classes.[8]
After the 9/11 attacks, the Bush administration argued that the need to removeSaddam Hussein from power inIraq had now become urgent. Over the course of several months, Bush presented several premises for war, but the turning point was the allegation that Saddam's regime had tried to acquirenuclear material and had not properly accounted forbiological andchemical material it was known to have possessed, potentialweapons of mass destruction (WMD) in violation ofU.N. sanctions. Thissituation escalated to the point that the United States assembled a group of about forty nations, including theUnited Kingdom,Spain,Italy, andPoland, which Bush called the "coalition of the willing", to invade Iraq without UN authorization.
The coalition invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003. Most contenders for the nomination were supportive of the effort. Only Dean and Kucinich firmly questioned the aims and tactics of the administration, setting themselves apart in the eyes of war protesters. John Kerry, who had voted in favor of coalition invasion, said Bush had “failed miserably” in building that coalition and that "We need a regime change not just in Iraq. We need a regime change here in the United States."[9] Republicans criticized Kerry for speaking out against a wartime president.[10]
The invasion was swift, with the collapse of the Iraq government and themilitary of Iraq in about three weeks. The oil infrastructure of Iraq was rapidly secured with limited damage in that time. On May 1,George W. Bush landed on the aircraft carrierUSSAbraham Lincoln in aLockheedS-3 Viking, where he gave a speech announcing the end of major combat in the Iraq war. Clearly visible in the background was a banner stating "Mission Accomplished". Bush's landing was criticized by opponents as being overly theatrical and expensive. The banner, made byWhite House personnel (according to aCNN story:[11]) and placed there by the U.S. Navy, was criticized as premature. Nonetheless, Bush's approval rating in the month of May rode at 66%, according to a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll.[12]
On May 3, 2003, Democrats met at theUniversity of South Carolina in the first formal debate between the nine challengers for the nomination. The candidates disagreed on thewar against Iraq, health insurance,President Bush's tax cuts, but united in criticizing Bush's handling of the economy.
On May 31, 2002,Vermont governorHoward Dean formed a presidential exploratory committee. Though this was almost two years before the Iowa Caucus, Dean hoped the early start would give him some much needed name recognition. As a governor of a small state, Dean was not well known outside of New England.
In December of that year,John F. Kerry,U.S. senator fromMassachusetts, announced onNBC'sMeet the Press his plans to form an exploratory committee for a possible 2004 presidential run, anticipating a formal announcement "down the road some months". Kerry's experience as a decoratedVietnam veteran generated some excitement among Democrats tired of being on the defensive about their candidates' suitability in the role of "commander in chief".
Two weeks later, formervice president and2000 Democratic presidential nomineeAl Gore announced on theCBS program60 Minutes that he would not seek election to the presidency in 2004. Gore had recently wrapped up a nationwide book tour and had been widely expected to run.
Other potential candidates were likely waiting to see what Gore's plans were, and thus the floodgates opened in January 2003. SenatorJoseph Lieberman, Gore's 2000 vice presidential running mate, had previously promised not to run should Gore seek their party's nomination and was willing to be Gore's running mate again. Freed from that obligation, Lieberman announced his intention to run. Additionally, many other candidates announced their intention to form committees (a formality usually indicating an official run): U.S. Sen.John R. Edwards ofNorth Carolina, U.S. Rep.Richard A. "Dick" Gephardt ofMissouri, and ReverendAl Sharpton ofNew York. In February, more candidates announced their intentions: former Senator fromIllinoisCarol Moseley Braun, U.S. Representative fromOhioDennis Kucinich, andSenatorBob Graham ofFlorida.
There were other potential candidates for whom some speculation was buzzing about a potential run. These candidates felt it necessary to officially state that they would not seek the party nomination. These includedUnited States Senate Minority LeaderTom Daschle, U.S. SenatorChristopher Dodd ofConnecticut, and former U.S. SenatorGary Hart fromColorado.
In April, Democratic fund-raising totals for the first quarter of 2003 were reported. John Edwards raised $7.4 million, John Kerry raised $7.0 million, Dick Gephardt raised $3.5 million, Joe Lieberman raised $3.0 million, Howard Dean raised $2.6 million, Bob Graham raised $1.1 million, and Dennis Kucinich and Carol Moseley Braun raised less than $1 million each.
In June 2003,Howard Dean aired the firsttelevision advertising of the 2004 campaign, spending more than $300,000. During that time, he formally announced his run for president, filing to form a presidential election campaign with the FEC. Later that month, liberal advocacy websiteMoveOn held the first ever online Democratic "primary", which lasted just over 48 hours. It was an unofficial and nonbinding affair, but with important symbolic and financial value. Of 317,647 votes,Howard Dean received 44%,Dennis Kucinich 24%, andJohn Kerry 16%. Had any candidate received 50% of the vote, the candidate would have received MoveOn's endorsement and financial support. Instead, MoveOn supported all the candidates.[13]
In July, the Democratic fund-raising numbers for the second quarter of 2003 were reported and announced. Howard Dean surprised many raising $7.5 million, John Kerry raised $6 million, while John Edwards and Joseph Lieberman raised roughly $5 million each. Dean's strength as a fund-raiser was attributed mainly to his innovative embrace of the Internet for campaigning. The majority of his donations came from individual Dean supporters, who came to be known asDeanites, or, more commonly,Deaniacs. His campaign's innovative use of theInternet helped to build a strongly supportivegrassroots constituency, much of which remained intensely loyal to him long after the end of his candidacy.
By autumn of 2003, Dean had become the apparent front-runner for the Democratic nomination, performing strongly in most polls. Generally regarded as a pragmaticcentrist during his time as governor, Dean emerged during his presidential campaign as something of apopulist, denouncing the policies of the Bush administration (especially the2003 invasion of Iraq) as well as fellow Democrats, who, in his view, failed to strongly oppose them.
During his presidential campaign, critics on the right labeled Dean's political views as those of an extremeliberal; however, in liberalVermont, Dean, long known as a staunch advocate of fiscal restraint, was regarded as a moderate. Many critics on the left, who supported fellow DemocratDennis Kucinich or independentRalph Nader, charged that, at heart, Dean was a "Rockefeller Republican"—socially liberal, while fiscally conservative.[14]
Over the summer of 2003, several organized groups began anationwide campaign to "draft" retiredfour-star generalWesley Clark for the Democratic Party's nomination for the 2004 presidential election. CNN on August 13 showed acommercial by one of these groups and interviewed Clark. He disavowed any connection with the "draft Clark" groups, but said he had been considering his position and that within a few weeks he would likely make public his decision on whether torun. He also fueled speculation with a television interview in which he first declared himself a Democrat.
On September 17, 2003, in Little Rock, Arkansas, Clark announced his intention to run in thepresidential primary election for the Democratic Party nomination, becoming the tenth and last Democrat to do so (coming many months after the others): "My name is Wes Clark. I am from Little Rock, Arkansas, and I am here to announce that I intend to seek the presidency of the United States of America." He said, "We're going to run a campaign that will move this country forward, not back."
His campaign focused on themes of leadership and patriotism; early campaign ads relied heavily on biography. His late start left him with relatively few detailed policy proposals. This weakness was apparent in his first few debates, although he soon presented a range of position papers, including a major tax-relief plan. Nevertheless, many Democrats flocked to his campaign. They were drawn by his military background, and saw such foreign policy credentials as a valuable asset in challengingGeorge W. Bush post-September 11. Advisors and supporters portrayed him as more electable thanHoward Dean, who was still the front-runner for the party's nomination. Despite the burst of enthusiasm for Clark in late 2003, Dean maintained a strong lead in the polls for the latter half of the year. Clark won the Democratic Presidential Primary inOklahoma, the only state carried by Clark in the primary election.
Criticism of Clark began almost the moment he entered the race. Originally heralded as an antiwar general, he stumbled in the first few days of his candidacy. He was perceived as changing his answer on how he would have voted on the Iraq war resolution. His supporters argued that his perceived indecision was due to lack of experience with the media and their insistence on short "sound bite" answers.
Throughout the early campaigning season,the Iowa caucuses appeared to be a two-way contest between formerVermont GovernorHoward Dean andMissouri RepresentativeRichard Gephardt. Dean, the national front runner, had been able to pour money intoIowa andNew Hampshire. In total, Dean spent nearly $40 million in the two states.[15] Gephardt, coming from neighboring Missouri, won the state's caucus in 1988 when he first ran for the party nomination.
However, days before the Iowa caucuses were held, negative campaigning by Dean and Gephardt took a late toll on the two campaigns in Iowa as well as nationally. This, along with the resurgence of John Kerry and the emergence of John Edwards as major contenders in Iowa, put the Gephardt and Dean campaigns on edge.
A poll released by theDes Moines Register days before the caucus was held showed Dean and Gephardt had lost all of their lead in Iowa. In the poll, Kerry led with 26% of those surveyed, Edwards came in second with 23%, Dean came in third with 20%, and Gephardt came in fourth with 18%.[16]
On caucus night, as results were being tallied, it became evident that Kerry and Edwards were in a battle for first and Dean and Gephardt were in a battle for third.
After all votes were tallied, John Kerry received 38% of the delegates, John Edwards received 32%, Howard Dean received 18%, and Richard Gephardt received 11%.
After his poor showing, Gephardt dropped out of the race.[17] Kerry and Edwards claimed newfound momentum, while Dean attempted to downplay the results, which resulted into his infamousDean scream.
Inthe New Hampshire primary, Kerry was able to defeat Howard Dean once again, beating him 38%-26%. The final debate before the primary was held atSaint Anselm College; Kerry's performance was superior to the others, helping him win the primary a few days later.[18] Kerry carried nearly all constituencies during the primary according to exit polling data. Clark came in third with 12%, Edwards fourth with 12%, and Lieberman fifth with 9%.[19]
After Kerry's wins, he received attention for using the phrase "Bring it on!" during his speeches before and after the contests in response to potential attacks on his candidacy.[20]
.jpg)
Nominating contests: 10
Pledged delegates at stake: 1,164[21]
Key results
Edwards's late stage momentum, as well as his departure from thenegative campaigning which characterized other leading candidates,[22] carried him into a surprising second-place finish inIowa with the support of 32% of caucus delegates, behind onlyJohn Kerry's 38% and ahead of former front-runnerHoward Dean at 18%. He finished with 12% in theNew Hampshire primary one week later, essentially tied for third-place position with retired generalWesley Clark. The following week, dubbedMini Tuesday, Edwards won inSouth Carolina and nearly beat Clark inOklahoma. However, Kerry won five primaries in various regions of the country to reinforce his status as frontrunner.
After Dean's withdrawal from the contest, Edwards became the only major challenger to Kerry for the nomination. However, Kerry continued to dominate, taking in wins inMichigan,Washington,Maine,Tennessee,Washington, D.C.,Nevada,Wisconsin,Utah,Hawaii andIdaho. Remarking on an unexpectedly strong finish inWisconsin on February 17, Edwards humorously cautioned Kerry: "Objects in your mirror may be closer than they appear." At this point, only Kerry, Edwards, Sharpton and Kucinich remained in the running. Dean, while not officially running, did not release his delegates, and still put in a strong showing considering that he was no longer mounting an official campaign.
Edwards maintained a positive campaign and largely avoided attacking Kerry until a February 29, 2004, debate inNew York City, where he attempted to put Kerry on the defensive by characterizing the front-runner as a "Washington insider" and by mocking Kerry's plan to form a committee to examine trade agreements.
InSuper Tuesday, March 2, Kerry won decisive victories in theCalifornia,Connecticut,Georgia,Maryland,Massachusetts,New York,Ohio andRhode Island primaries and theMinnesota caucuses. Dean, despite having withdrawn from the race two weeks earlier, won his home state of Vermont. Edwards finished only slightly behind Kerry in Georgia but, failing to win a single state, chose to withdraw, making Kerry thepresumptive nominee. PresidentBush called Senator Kerry to congratulate him that evening.
On March 11, after meetings with Democraticsuperdelegates inWashington, D.C., and formerprimary election opponents, Kerry accumulated the 2,162 delegates required to clinch the nomination. TheDNC's website acknowledged him as the party's nominee at that time, four and a half months prior to theConvention.
See also theJohn Kerry 2004 presidential campaign
On July 6, John Kerry selected John Edwards as his running mate shortly before the 2004 Democratic National Convention inBoston, Massachusetts, held later that month. Senators Kerry and Edwards were formally nominated by the Democratic Party at the convention. The Kerry/Edwards ticket was on the ballot in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. InNew York, the ticket was also on the ballot as candidates of theWorking Families Party.
New Mexico GovernorBill Richardson served as chairman of the convention while former presidential advisor toBill ClintonLottie Shackelford served as vice chairman. Defining moments of the 2004 Democratic National Convention included the featuredkeynote speech ofBarack Obama, aHonolulu native and candidate for theUnited States Senate fromIllinois,Bill Clinton's opening night speech and the confirmation of thenomination ofJohn Kerry as the candidate for president and ofJohn Edwards as the candidate forvice president. Kerry made hisVietnam War experience a prominent theme. In accepting the nomination, he began his speech with "I'm John Kerry and I'm reporting for duty."
Kerry and Edwards faced incumbentsGeorge W. Bush andDick Cheney of theRepublican Party in the2004 presidential election. Following his official nomination at the convention, Kerry received only a smallbounce in the polls and remained "neck and neck" with Bush. This was the first time in recent political history that a candidate failed to receive a substantial boost in post-convention poll numbers. Some political pundits attributed this small boost to the unusually small number of undecided voters as compared with previous presidential elections.[23]
The general election was won by Bush, who defeated Kerry. The election was fought primarily on the issue of the conduct of thewar on terror. Bush defended the actions of his administration, while Kerry contended that the war had been fought incompetently, and that theIraq War was a distraction from the war on terror, not a part of it.
 |
|
| Delegates | Wesley Clark | Howard Dean | John Edwards | Richard Gephardt | John Kerry | Dennis Kucinich | Al Sharpton | Others | |||||||||||
| Total Delegates¹ | 4,322 | 60 | 167.5 | 559 | -- | 2573.5 | 40 | 26 | |||||||||||
| Superdelegates¹ | 802 | -- | 53 | 23 | -- | 381 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||
| January 14 | District of Columbia² (non-binding primary) | 0 | -- | 17,736 | -- | -- | -- | 3,435 | 14,248 | ||||||||||
| January 19 | Iowa³ (caucus) | 45 | -- | 2,342 (5) | 4,393 (10) | 1,507 | 5,002 (30) | 139 | 0 | ||||||||||
| January 27 | New Hampshire (primary) | 22 | 27,3144 | 57,761 (9) | 26,487 | -- | 84,3774 (13) | 1% | -- | ||||||||||
| February 3 (Mini Tuesday) | Arizona (primary) | 55 | 27% (14) | 14% (3) | 7% | -- | 43% (38) | 2% | -- | ||||||||||
| Delaware (primary) | 15 | 9%4 | 10% | 11% | 1%4 | 50% (14) | 1% | 6% (1) | |||||||||||
| Missouri (primary) | 74 | 4% | 9% | 25% (26) | 2% | 51% (48) | 1% | 3% | |||||||||||
| New Mexico (caucus) | 26 | 21% (8) | 16% (4) | 11% | 1%4 | 42% (14) | 6% | -- | |||||||||||
| North Dakota (caucus) | 14 | 24% (5) | 12% | 10% | 1% | 51%4 (9) | 3% | -- | |||||||||||
| Oklahoma (primary) | 40 | 30% (15) | 4% | 30% (13) | 1%4 | 27% (12) | 1% | 1% | |||||||||||
| South Carolina (primary) | 45 | 7% | 5% | 45% (27) | -- | 30% (17) | -- | 10% (1) | |||||||||||
| February 7 | Michigan (caucus) | 128 | 7% | 17% (24) | 13% (6) | 1%4 | 52% (91) | 3% | 7% (7) | ||||||||||
| Washington (caucus) | 76 | 3% | 30% (29) | 7% | -- | 48%4 (47) | 8% | -- | |||||||||||
| February 8 | Maine (caucus) | 24 | 4% | 27%4 (9) | 8% | -- | 45% (15) | 16% | -- | ||||||||||
| February 10 | Tennessee (primary) | 69 | 23% (18) | 4% | 26% (20) | -- | 41% (31) | 1% | 2% | ||||||||||
| Virginia (primary) | 82 | 9% | 7% | 27% (29) | -- | 52% (53) | 1% | 3% | |||||||||||
| February 14 | District of Columbia² (caucus) | 16 | 1%4 | 17%4 (3) | 10% | -- | 47% (9) | 3% | 20% (4) | ||||||||||
| Nevada (caucus) | 24 | -- | 17% (2) | 10% | -- | 63% (18) | 7% | 1% | |||||||||||
| February 17 | Wisconsin (primary) | 72 | 2% | 18% (13) | 34% (24) | -- | 40% (30) | 3% | 2% | ||||||||||
| February 24 | Hawaii (caucus) | 20 | 1%4 | 7%4 | 13%4 | -- | 47%4 (12) | 31%4 (8) | -- | ||||||||||
| Idaho³ (caucus) | 18 | -- | 11% | 22% (6) | -- | 54% (12) | 6% | -- | |||||||||||
| Utah (primary) | 23 | 1%4 | 4% | 30% (3) | -- | 55% (5) | 7% | -- | |||||||||||
| March 2 (Super Tuesday) | California (primary) | 370 | 2%4 | 4% | 20% (82) | 1%4 | 64% (288) | 5% | 4% | ||||||||||
| Connecticut (primary) | 49 | 1%4 | 4% | 24% (14) | -- | 58% (35) | 3% | 3% | |||||||||||
| Georgia (primary) | 86 | 1%4 | 2% | 42% (32) | -- | 47% (37) | 1% | 6% | |||||||||||
| Maryland (primary) | 69 | 1%4 | 3% | 26% (13) | -- | 60% (26) | 2% | 5% | |||||||||||
| Massachusetts (primary) | 93 | 1%4 | 3% | 18% (13) | -- | 72% (80) | 4% | 1% | |||||||||||
| Minnesota (caucus) | 72 | -- | 2% | 27% (22) | -- | 51% (41) | 17% (9) | 1% | |||||||||||
| New York (primary) | 236 | 1%4 | 20,471 3% | 143,960 20% | 1%4 | 437,754 61% | 36,680 5% | 8% (8) | |||||||||||
| Ohio (primary) | 140 | 1%4 | 3% | 34% (55) | 1%4 | 52% (81) | 9% (4) | -- | |||||||||||
| Rhode Island (primary) | 21 | 1%4 | 4% | 19% (4) | -- | 71% (17) | 3% | -- | |||||||||||
| Vermont (primary)[25] | 15 | 3%4 | 53%4 (9) | 6%4 | -- | 31%4 (6) | 4% | -- | |||||||||||
| March 9 | American Samoa (caucus) | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 83% (6) | 17% | -- | ||||||||||
| Florida (primary) | 177 | 1% | 3% | 10% (3) | 1% | 77% (119) | 2% | 3% | |||||||||||
| Louisiana (primary) | 60 | 4% | 5% | 16% (10) | -- | 70% (42) | 1% | -- | |||||||||||
| Mississippi (primary) | 33 | 2% | 3% | 7% | -- | 78% (33) | 1% | 5% | |||||||||||
| Texas (primary) | 195 | 2% | 5% | 14% (11) | 1% | 67% (62) | 2% | 4% | |||||||||||
| March 13 | Kansas (caucus) | 33 | 1% | 7% (1) | 9% | -- | 72% (32) | 10% | -- | ||||||||||
| March 16 | Illinois (primary) | 156 | 2% | 4% | 11% (2) | -- | 72% (154) | 2% | 3% | ||||||||||
| March 20 | Alaska (caucus) | 13 | -- | 11% | 3% | -- | 48% (8) | 27% (5) | -- | ||||||||||
| Wyoming (caucus) | 13 | -- | 3% | 5% | -- | 77% (13) | 6% | 1% | |||||||||||
| March 27 | Democrats Abroad5 (caucus) | 7 | 10% | 19% (2.5) | 9% | -- | 56% (4.5) | 5% | 1% | ||||||||||
| April 13 | Colorado (caucus) | 54 | -- | 2% | 1% | -- | 64% (39) | 13% (4) | -- | ||||||||||
| April 17 | North Carolina (caucus) | 90 | -- | 6% | 52% (57) | -- | 27% (29) | 12% (4) | 3% | ||||||||||
| Virgin Islands (caucus) | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- (3) | -- | -- | |||||||||||
| April 24 | Guam (caucus) | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 77% (3) | -- | -- | ||||||||||
| April 27 | Pennsylvania (primary) | 151 | -- | 10% (1) | 10% | -- | 74% (120) | 4% | -- | ||||||||||
| May 4 | Indiana (primary) | 67 | 6% | 7% | 11% | -- | 73% (62) | 2% | -- | ||||||||||
| May 11 | Nebraska (primary) | 24 | -- | 7% | 14% | -- | 73% (24) | 2% | 2% | ||||||||||
| West Virginia (primary) | 28 | 3% | 4% | 13% | -- | 70% (28) | 2% | -- | |||||||||||
| May 18 | Arkansas (primary) | 36 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 66% (29) | 5% | -- | ||||||||||
| Kentucky (primary) | 49 | 3% | 4% | 14% | -- | 60% (44) | 2% | 2% | |||||||||||
| Oregon (primary) | 46 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 81% (38) | 17% (4) | -- | |||||||||||
| June 1 | Alabama (primary) | 54 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 75% (47) | 4% | -- | ||||||||||
| South Dakota (primary) | 14 | -- | 6% | -- | -- | 82% (14) | 2% | -- | |||||||||||
| June 6 | Puerto Rico (caucus) | 51 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- (51) | -- | -- | ||||||||||
| June 8 | Montana (primary) | 15 | 4% | -- | 9% | -- | 68% (15) | 11% | -- | ||||||||||
| New Jersey (primary) | 107 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 92% (106) | 4% | -- | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Notes:
There were 4,353 total delegates to the2004 Democratic National Convention, of which 802 weresuperdelegates: party leaders, even including some of the candidates, who were not bound by any state'sprimary orcaucus votes and could change their support at any time. A candidate needed 2,162 delegates to become the nominee. Except for theNorthern Mariana Islands andMidway Atoll, all states, territories, and other inhabited areas of the United States offered delegates to the 2004 Democratic National Convention. John Kerry won 4,255 votes at the convention, including those won by all of his former rivals except Dennis Kucinich, who received 37 votes. There were 26 abstentions.
| Candidates | Votes | % | Delegates |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Kerry | 9,871,270 | 61% | 2573.5 |
| John Edwards | 3,133,899 | 19% | 559 |
| Howard Dean | 894,367 | 5% | 167.5 |
| Dennis Kucinich | 617,264 | 4% | 40 |
| Wesley Clark | 536,148 | 3% | 60 |
| Al Sharpton | 384,766 | 2% | 26 |
| Other | 744,178 | 5% | 0 |
| Total | 16,181,892 | 100% | 4322 |
| Source: Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections | |||
.jpg)
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)