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2004 United States presidential election in Kentucky

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2004 United States presidential election in Kentucky

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FieldValue
election_name2004 United States presidential election in Kentucky
countryKentucky
typepresidential
ongoingno
previous_election2000 United States presidential election in Kentucky
previous_year2000
next_election2008 United States presidential election in Kentucky
next_year2008
election_dateNovember 2, 2004
image1File:George-W-Bush (cropped).jpeg
image_sizex200px
nominee1**George W. Bush**
party1Republican Party (United States)
home_state1Texas
running_mate1**Dick Cheney**
electoral_vote1**8**
popular_vote1**1,069,439**
percentage1**59.55%**
image2John F. Kerry (wide crop).jpg
nominee2John Kerry
party2Democratic Party (United States)
home_state2Massachusetts
running_mate2John Edwards
electoral_vote20
popular_vote2712,733
percentage239.69%
map_image{{Switcher
map_size380px
map_caption
titlePresident
before_electionGeorge W. Bush
before_partyRepublican Party (United States)
after_electionGeorge W. Bush
after_partyRepublican Party (United States)
turnout64.74%

Main article: 2004 United States presidential election

| [[File:Kentucky Presidential Election Results 2004.svg|380px]] | County results | [[File:2008 United States presidential election in Kentucky election by Congressional District.svg|380px]] | Congressional district results Bush Kerry

The 2004 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 2, 2004, and was part of the 2004 United States presidential election. Voters chose eight representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Kentucky was won by incumbent President George W. Bush by a 19.86% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 12 news organizations considered this a state Bush would win, or otherwise a red state. Bush widened his margin of victory since his victory in 2000 against Al Gore, the former Senator of neighboring Tennessee, by 4.73%. He made his strongest progress in the eastern part of the state and at the border with Virginia. As of 2024, this is the last election in which Fayette County home of Lexington, Kentucky has voted for the Republican candidate, and the last in which Knott County, Floyd County, Breathitt County, Bath County, Pike County, Carter County, and Magoffin County voted for the Democratic candidate. This was the first time ever that a Republican won a majority in Ballard County.

This victory coincided with a U.S. Senate election, where controversial Republican incumbent Jim Bunning was narrowly reelected over Daniel Mongiardo, most likely due to Bush's landslide victory.

Primaries

Campaign

Predictions

There were 12 news organizations who made state-by-state predictions of the election. Here are their last predictions before election day.

SourceRanking
D.C. Political Report
Cook Political Report
Research 2000
Zogby International
The Washington PostWashington Post
Washington Dispatch
Washington Times
The New York Times
CNN
Newsweek
Associated Press
Rasmussen Reports

Polling

Bush won every single pre-election poll, and won each by a double-digit margin of victory and with at least 52% of the vote. The final 3 poll averaged Bush leading 57% to 38%.

Fundraising

Bush raised $2,398,982. Kerry raised $1,433,748.

Advertising and visits

Neither campaign advertised or visited this state during the fall campaign.

Results

President George W. Bush easily defeated Massachusetts Senator John F. Kerry in Kentucky, capturing the state's 8 electoral votes. Bush did well throughout the state. Kerry only won a handful of counties. Kerry performed decently in coal country in east Kentucky but fared poorly in other rural parts of the state. Kerry did win Jefferson County, the most populous county in the state and home of Louisville. However this was not enough to overcome Bush's lead. This race was not close, whereas the concurrent senate race was very tight.

United States presidential election in Kentucky, 2004PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
**Republican****George W. Bush (incumbent)****1,069,439****59.55%****8**
DemocraticJohn Kerry712,73339.69%0
ReformRalph Nader8,8560.49%0
LibertarianMichael Badnarik2,6190.15%0
ConstitutionMichael Peroutka2,2130.12%0
**Totals****1,795,860****100.00%****8**
Voter turnout (Voting age population)**57.5%**

By county

CountyGeorge W. Bush
RepublicanJohn Kerry
DemocraticVarious candidates
Other partiesMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Totals1,069,43959.54%712,73339.68%13,9070.77%356,70619.86%1,796,079
Adair5,62875.57%1,76423.69%550.74%3,86451.88%7,447
Allen5,20272.62%1,92326.85%380.53%3,27945.77%7,163
Anderson6,36366.34%3,14132.75%870.91%3,22233.59%9,591
Ballard2,38957.19%1,75942.11%290.70%63015.08%4,177
Barren10,82267.05%5,21632.32%1020.63%5,60634.73%16,140
Bath2,26946.13%2,60853.02%420.85%-339-6.89%4,919
Bell6,72261.10%4,21038.27%700.64%2,51222.83%11,002
Boone32,32971.71%12,39127.49%3620.80%19,93844.22%45,082
Bourbon4,95360.28%3,19838.92%660.80%1,75521.36%8,217
Boyd11,50152.81%10,13246.53%1440.66%1,3696.28%21,777
Boyle7,76462.16%4,64637.20%800.64%3,11824.96%12,490
Bracken2,36365.46%1,21333.60%340.95%1,15031.86%3,610
Breathitt2,54242.77%3,32755.97%751.26%-785-13.20%5,944
Breckinridge5,58065.49%2,88433.85%560.66%2,69631.64%8,520
Bullitt19,43367.88%9,04331.59%1510.53%10,39036.29%28,627
Butler4,10973.66%1,43625.74%330.59%2,67347.92%5,578
Caldwell4,06664.04%2,24535.36%380.60%1,82128.68%6,349
Calloway9,29361.36%5,72837.82%1240.81%3,56523.54%15,145
Campbell25,54063.57%14,25335.48%3820.96%11,28728.09%40,175
Carlisle1,73460.95%1,10238.73%90.32%63222.22%2,845
Carroll2,17555.81%1,68843.32%340.87%48712.49%3,897
Carter5,42248.77%5,57750.17%1181.06%-155-1.40%11,117
Casey5,10980.83%1,17418.57%380.60%3,93562.26%6,321
Christian13,93566.31%6,97033.17%1100.52%6,96533.14%21,015
Clark9,54062.28%5,66136.96%1160.76%3,87925.32%15,317
Clay5,72674.49%1,90124.73%600.77%3,82549.76%7,687
Clinton3,36977.41%95221.88%310.72%2,41755.53%4,352
Crittenden2,72665.06%1,43834.32%260.62%1,28830.74%4,190
Cumberland2,35672.74%84826.18%351.09%1,50846.56%3,239
Daviess25,37261.16%15,78838.06%3230.78%9,58423.10%41,483
Edmonson3,59565.59%1,85633.86%300.55%1,73931.73%5,481
Elliott87129.46%2,06469.80%220.75%-1,193-40.34%2,957
Estill3,63365.17%1,90734.21%350.63%1,72630.96%5,575
Fayette66,40652.88%57,99446.18%1,1760.94%8,4126.70%125,576
Fleming3,74960.44%2,40638.79%480.78%1,34321.65%6,203
Floyd6,61236.97%11,13262.24%1410.79%-4,520-25.27%17,885
Franklin12,28150.89%11,62048.15%2320.96%6612.74%24,133
Fulton1,52752.84%1,34046.37%230.80%1876.47%2,890
Gallatin1,86960.82%1,18838.66%160.52%68122.16%3,073
Garrard4,78471.85%1,84127.65%330.50%2,94344.20%6,658
Grant5,95167.44%2,81831.94%550.62%3,13335.50%8,824
Graves9,90361.02%6,20638.24%1200.74%3,69722.78%16,229
Grayson7,17070.69%2,90528.64%680.67%4,26542.05%10,143
Green3,86674.26%1,31225.20%280.54%2,55449.06%5,206
Greenup8,69652.91%7,63046.43%1090.67%1,0666.48%16,435
Hancock2,28656.74%1,70942.42%340.84%57714.32%4,029
Hardin24,62767.58%11,50731.58%3070.84%13,12036.00%36,441
Harlan6,65960.15%4,33239.13%790.71%2,32721.02%11,070
Harrison4,85562.80%2,80736.31%690.89%2,04826.49%7,731
Hart4,26962.93%2,47036.41%450.67%1,79926.52%6,784
Henderson10,46755.97%8,10143.32%1330.72%2,36612.65%18,701
Henry4,09462.99%2,36636.41%390.60%1,72826.58%6,499
Hickman1,39559.56%92639.54%210.90%46920.02%2,342
Hopkins12,31465.35%6,42034.07%1090.58%5,89431.28%18,843
Jackson4,36984.38%76914.85%400.78%3,60069.53%5,178
Jefferson164,56648.75%170,15850.41%2,8450.84%-5,592-1.66%337,569
Jessamine12,97269.82%5,47629.47%1320.71%7,49640.35%18,580
Johnson5,94063.84%3,28835.34%760.81%2,65228.50%9,304
Kenton43,66465.05%22,83434.02%6250.93%20,83031.03%67,123
Knott2,64835.81%4,68563.36%610.83%-2,037-27.55%7,394
Knox8,10867.41%3,82231.78%980.82%4,28635.63%12,028
LaRue4,11168.88%1,82330.55%340.57%2,28838.33%5,968
Laurel16,81975.54%5,29723.79%1480.66%11,52251.75%22,264
Lawrence3,75557.65%2,70541.53%530.81%1,05016.12%6,513
Lee2,01869.11%87830.07%240.82%1,14039.04%2,920
Leslie3,66173.75%1,26625.50%370.74%2,39548.25%4,964
Letcher4,80152.96%4,19246.24%720.79%6096.72%9,065
Lewis3,77868.89%1,66730.40%390.71%2,11138.49%5,484
Lincoln5,99667.65%2,79631.55%710.80%3,20036.10%8,863
Livingston2,67556.84%2,00742.65%240.51%66814.19%4,706
Logan6,81564.03%3,76835.40%610.57%3,04728.63%10,644
Lyon2,13254.32%1,76945.07%240.61%3639.25%3,925
McCracken18,21861.14%11,36138.13%2180.73%6,85723.01%29,797
McCreary4,12172.39%1,53026.88%420.74%2,59145.51%5,693
McLean2,58458.26%1,82341.10%280.64%76117.16%4,435
Madison18,92261.62%11,52537.53%2600.85%7,39724.09%30,707
Magoffin2,83649.60%2,84349.72%390.68%-7-0.12%5,718
Marion3,90553.10%3,39946.22%500.68%5066.88%7,354
Marshall9,04958.30%6,38341.12%890.58%2,66617.18%15,521
Martin2,99666.01%1,50433.14%390.86%1,49232.87%4,539
Mason4,38161.89%2,64437.35%540.76%1,73724.54%7,079
Meade7,15265.31%3,72434.01%750.69%3,42831.30%10,951
Menifee1,21548.06%1,28450.79%291.15%-69-2.73%2,528
Mercer6,74567.26%3,22432.15%590.59%3,52135.11%10,028
Metcalfe2,64563.63%1,47235.41%400.96%1,17328.22%4,157
Monroe4,65779.70%1,15819.82%280.48%3,49959.88%5,843
Montgomery5,64755.20%4,50644.05%770.76%1,14111.15%10,230
Morgan2,68250.87%2,53248.03%581.10%1502.84%5,272
Muhlenberg6,74950.07%6,63649.23%940.70%1130.84%13,479
Nelson10,16160.32%6,52438.73%1590.94%3,63721.59%16,844
Nicholas1,70055.57%1,33243.54%270.88%36812.03%3,059
Ohio6,31162.93%3,62736.17%800.80%2,68426.76%10,028
Oldham18,80169.29%8,08029.78%2510.93%10,72139.51%27,132
Owen3,08465.05%1,61534.06%420.89%1,46930.99%4,741
Owsley1,55877.94%43021.51%110.55%1,12856.43%1,999
Pendleton4,04567.14%1,94032.20%400.67%2,10534.94%6,025
Perry6,18753.08%5,40046.33%680.58%7876.75%11,655
Pike12,61147.11%14,00252.30%1570.59%-1,391-5.21%26,770
Powell2,68754.17%2,24945.34%240.48%4388.83%4,960
Pulaski19,53576.56%5,82922.84%1520.60%13,70653.72%25,516
Robertson67061.47%41337.89%70.64%25723.58%1,090
Rockcastle4,80477.91%1,32021.41%420.68%3,48456.50%6,166
Rowan4,06346.67%4,55652.33%871.00%-493-5.66%8,706
Russell6,00976.83%1,77222.66%400.51%4,23754.17%7,821
Scott10,60062.17%6,32537.10%1250.73%4,27525.07%17,050
Shelby10,90966.87%5,27732.35%1270.78%5,63234.52%16,313
Simpson4,27360.67%2,73038.76%400.57%1,54321.91%7,043
Spencer4,81670.60%1,97028.88%360.53%2,84641.72%6,822
Taylor7,24770.39%2,97928.94%690.67%4,26841.45%10,295
Todd3,24268.20%1,49131.36%210.44%1,75136.84%4,754
Trigg4,02365.83%2,04633.48%420.69%1,97732.35%6,111
Trimble2,33261.53%1,42837.68%300.79%90423.85%3,790
Union3,53459.13%2,39840.12%450.75%1,13619.01%5,977
Warren25,10063.21%14,32636.08%2850.72%10,77427.13%39,711
Washington3,47966.44%1,72432.93%330.63%1,75533.51%5,236
Wayne5,02765.41%2,61634.04%420.54%2,41131.37%7,685
Webster3,20757.82%2,30441.54%360.65%90316.28%5,547
Whitley9,55970.14%3,98529.24%850.62%5,57440.90%13,629
Wolfe1,38543.90%1,74455.28%260.82%-359-11.38%3,155
Woodford6,93760.31%4,48038.95%850.74%2,45721.36%11,502
County Flips: {{col-begin}}

Democratic Republican ]]

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

  • Ballard (Largest city: LaCenter)
  • Boyd (Largest city: Ashland)
  • Franklin (Largest city: Frankfort)
  • Fulton (Largest city: Fulton)
  • Harlan (Largest city: Cumberland)
  • Henderson (Largest city: Henderson)
  • Letcher (Largest city: Jenkins)
  • Muhlenberg (Largest city: Central City)
  • Perry (Largest city: Hazard)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

  • Bath (Largest city: Owingsville)
  • Carter (Largest city: Grayson)
  • Magoffin (Largest city: Salyersville)
  • Menifee (Largest city: Frenchburg)
  • Rowan (Largest city: Morehead)
  • Wolfe (Largest city: Campton)

By congressional district

Bush won five of six congressional districts, both candidates won a district held by the other party.

DistrictBushKerryRepresentative
**63%**36%Ed Whitfield
**65%**34%Ron Lewis
49%**51%**Anne Northup
**63%**36%Geoff Davis
**61%**39%Hal Rogers
**58%**41%Ben Chandler

Electors

Main article: List of 2004 United States presidential electors

Technically the voters of Kentucky cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Kentucky is allocated 8 electors because it has 6 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 8 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 8 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector.

The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 13, 2004, to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.

The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All 8 were pledged to Bush/Cheney:

  1. Rachel N. McCubbin
  2. Keith A. Hall
  3. Carolyn Cole
  4. Martha G. Prewitt
  5. Donald E. Girdler
  6. Constance M. Gray
  7. Frank Schwendeman
  8. Carla T. Bartleman

References

References

  1. "Voter turnout report for the 11/02/04 General Election". Commonwealth of Kentucky - State Board of Elections.
  2. {{usurped
  3. "2004 Presidential Election Polls". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections.
  4. "George W Bush - $374,659,453 raised, '04 election cycle, Republican Party, President".
  5. "John F Kerry - $345,826,176 raised, '04 election cycle, Democrat Party, President".
  6. "America votes 2004: Campaign ad buys". CNN.
  7. "America votes 2004: Candidate tracker". [[CNN]].
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