| Election Name: | 2004 United States gubernatorial elections |
| Country: | United States |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2003 United States gubernatorial elections |
| Previous Year: | 2003 |
| Next Election: | 2005 United States gubernatorial elections |
| Next Year: | 2005 |
| Seats For Election: | 13 governorships 11 states; 2 territories |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| 1Blank: | Seats up |
| 2Blank: | Seats won |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Seats Before1: | 28 |
| Seats After1: | 28 |
| 1Data1: | 5 |
| 2Data1: | 5 |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Seats Before2: | 22 |
| Seats After2: | 22 |
| 1Data2: | 6 |
| 2Data2: | 6 |
| Map Size: | 320px |
United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 2, 2004, in 11 states and two territories. There was no net gain in seats for either party, as Democrats picked up an open seat in Montana while defeating incumbent Craig Benson in New Hampshire, while Republicans defeated incumbent Joe Kernan in Indiana and won Missouri after Bob Holden lost in the primary. These elections coincided with the presidential election.
| State | Incumbent | Last race | Sabato [1] | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Ruth Ann Minner | data-sort-value="-59.2" | 59.2% D | data-sort-value="-50.9" | Minner (50.9%) | |||
| Indiana | Joe Kernan | data-sort-value="-56.6" | 56.6% D | data-sort-value="53.2" | Daniels (53.2%) | |||
| Missouri | data-sort-value="-49.1" | 49.1% D | data-sort-value="50.8" | Blunt (50.8%) | ||||
| Montana | Judy Martz | data-sort-value="51.0" | 51.0% R | data-sort-value="-50.4" | Schweitzer (50.4%) | |||
| New Hampshire | Craig Benson | data-sort-value="58.7" | 58.7% R | data-sort-value="-51.0" | Lynch (51.0%) | |||
| North Carolina | Mike Easley | data-sort-value="-52.0" | 52.0% D | data-sort-value="-55.6" | Easley (55.6%) | |||
| North Dakota | John Hoeven | data-sort-value="55.0" | 55.0% R | data-sort-value="71.3" | Hoeven (71.3%) | |||
| Utah | data-sort-value="55.7" | 55.7% R | data-sort-value="57.7" | Huntsman Jr. (57.7%) | ||||
| Vermont | Jim Douglas | data-sort-value="44.9" | 44.9% R | data-sort-value="56.3" | Douglas (56.3%) | |||
| Washington | data-sort-value="-58.4" | 58.4% D | data-sort-value="-48.9" | Gregoire (48.9%) | ||||
| West Virginia | data-sort-value="-50.1" | 50.1% D | data-sort-value="-63.5" | Manchin (63.5%) |
| State | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Ruth Ann Minner | Democratic | 2000 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
| |||
| Indiana | Joe Kernan | Democratic | 2003 | Incumbent lost election to full term. New governor elected. Republican gain. | nowrap |
| |||
| Missouri | Bob Holden | Democratic | 2000 | Incumbent lost re-nomination. New governor elected. Republican gain. | nowrap |
| |||
| Montana | Judy Martz | Republican | 2000 | Incumbent retired. New governor elected. Democratic gain. | nowrap |
| |||
| New Hampshire | Craig Benson | Republican | 2002 | Incumbent lost re-election. New governor elected. Democratic gain. | nowrap |
| |||
| North Carolina | Mike Easley | Democratic | 2000 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
| |||
| North Dakota | John Hoeven | Republican | 2000 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
| |||
| Utah | Olene Walker | Republican | 2003 | Incumbent lost nomination to full term. New governor elected. Republican hold. | nowrap |
| |||
| Vermont | Jim Douglas | Republican | 2002 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
| |||
| Washington | Gary Locke | Democratic | 1996 | Incumbent retired. New governor elected. Democratic hold. | nowrap |
| |||
| West Virginia | Bob Wise | Democratic | 2000 | Incumbent retired. New governor elected. Democratic hold. | nowrap |
|
| Territory | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Samoa | Togiola Tulafono | Democratic | 2003 | Incumbent elected to full term. | nowrap |
| |||
| Puerto Rico | Sila Calderón | Popular Democratic | 2000 | Incumbent retired. New governor elected. Popular Democratic hold. | nowrap |
|
States where the margin of victory was under 1%:
States where the margin of victory was under 5%:
States where the margin of victory was under 10%:
| Election Name: | 2004 Delaware gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Delaware |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 Delaware gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 Delaware gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Nominee1: | Ruth Ann Minner |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 185,548 |
| Percentage1: | 50.9% |
| Nominee2: | Bill Lee |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 167,008 |
| Percentage2: | 45.8% |
| Map Size: | 210px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Ruth Ann Minner |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Ruth Ann Minner |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 2004 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2004, coinciding with the U.S. presidential election. Incumbent Governor Ruth Ann Minner faced a serious challenge from retired Superior Court Judge Bill Lee, but managed a five-point victory on election day., this was the last time Kent County voted for the Republican candidate in a gubernatorial election or that the statewide margin was within single digits.
| Election Name: | 2004 Indiana gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Indiana |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 Indiana gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 Indiana gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Nominee1: | Mitch Daniels |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Running Mate1: | Becky Skillman |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,302,912 |
| Percentage1: | 53.2% |
| Nominee2: | Joe Kernan |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Running Mate2: | Kathy Davis |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,113,900 |
| Percentage2: | 45.5% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Joe Kernan |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Mitch Daniels |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 2004 Indiana gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2004, to elect the Governor of Indiana.
Incumbent Democratic Governor Joe Kernan was defeated by Republican Mitch Daniels. Daniels' victory was the first time the Republican Party had been elected governor since 1984, and gave the party control of all the important statewide offices.[2] It was also the first time an incumbent governor had been defeated since the Constitution of Indiana was amended in 1972 to permit governors to serve two consecutive terms.[3]
| Election Name: | 2004 Missouri gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 Missouri gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 Missouri gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Nominee1: | Matt Blunt |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,382,419 |
| Percentage1: | 50.8% |
| Nominee2: | Claire McCaskill |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,301,442 |
| Percentage2: | 47.9% |
| Map Size: | 270px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Bob Holden |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Matt Blunt |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 2004 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2004 for the post of Governor of Missouri. The Republican nominee, Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt, defeated Democratic State Auditor Claire McCaskill. This gave the Republican Party control of both the governorship and the Missouri General Assembly for the first time in 80 years.[4]
McCaskill had earlier defeated incumbent Governor Bob Holden in the Democratic primary. This was the first time a sitting Governor of Missouri had been defeated in a primary and the first time any United States governor had lost in a primary since the 1994 elections.[5]
Coincidentally, McCaskill's mother, Betty Anne, had previously been defeated by Blunt's grandfather, Leroy Blunt, in a 1978 General Assembly election. Blunt's father, Roy Blunt, was a Congressman and served with McCaskill in the U.S. Senate from 2011 to 2019.
| Election Name: | 2004 Montana gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Montana |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 Montana gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 Montana gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Nominee1: | Brian Schweitzer |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Running Mate1: | John Bohlinger |
| Popular Vote1: | 225,016 |
| Percentage1: | 50.4% |
| Nominee2: | Bob Brown |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Running Mate2: | Dave Lewis |
| Popular Vote2: | 205,313 |
| Percentage2: | 46.0% |
| Map Size: | 300px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Judy Martz |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Brian Schweitzer |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Turnout: | 71.4%11.5[6] |
The 2004 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2004 for the post of Governor of Montana. Democrat Brian Schweitzer defeated Montana Secretary of State and Republican nominee Bob Brown with 50.4% of the vote against 46%. Schweitzer formed a ticket with a Republican running mate, choosing state legislator John Bohlinger for the lieutenant governorship.
| Election Name: | 2004 New Hampshire gubernatorial election |
| Country: | New Hampshire |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2002 New Hampshire gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2002 |
| Next Election: | 2006 New Hampshire gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2006 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Nominee1: | John Lynch |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 340,299 |
| Percentage1: | 51.0% |
| Nominee2: | Craig Benson |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 325,981 |
| Percentage2: | 48.9% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Craig Benson |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | John Lynch |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 2004 New Hampshire gubernatorial election occurred on November 2, 2004, concurrent with that year's presidential election. Democrat John Lynch, a multimillionaire businessman from Hopkinton, narrowly defeated incumbent Republican Governor Craig Benson of Rye, winning a two-year term. Benson was the first New Hampshire governor in 80 years to lose reelection after one term. Lynch was sworn in on January 6, 2005.
To date, Benson is the most recent incumbent governor to lose reelection in any New England state.
| Election Name: | 2004 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Country: | North Carolina |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Nominee1: | Mike Easley |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,939,154 |
| Percentage1: | 55.6% |
| Nominee2: | Patrick Ballantine |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,495,021 |
| Percentage2: | 42.9% |
| Map Size: | 325px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Mike Easley |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Mike Easley |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 2004 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2004. The general election was between the Democratic incumbent Mike Easley and the Republican nominee Patrick J. Ballantine. Easley won by 56% to 43%, winning his second term as governor. This is the last time a Democrat was elected governor of North Carolina by double digits.
| Election Name: | 2004 North Dakota gubernatorial election |
| Country: | North Dakota |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 North Dakota gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 North Dakota gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Nominee1: | John Hoeven |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Running Mate1: | Jack Dalrymple |
| Popular Vote1: | 220,803 |
| Percentage1: | 71.3% |
| Nominee2: | Joe Satrom |
| Party2: | North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party |
| Running Mate2: | Deb Mathern |
| Popular Vote2: | 84,877 |
| Percentage2: | 27.4% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | John Hoeven |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | John Hoeven |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Map Size: | 250px |
The 2004 North Dakota gubernatorial election took place on 2 November 2004 for the post of Governor of North Dakota. Incumbent Republican Governor John Hoeven was easily re-elected defeating Democratic-NPL former state senator Joe Satrom.
| Election Name: | 2004 Utah gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Utah |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 Utah gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 Utah gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Flag Year: | 1922 |
| Nominee1: | Jon Huntsman Jr. |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Running Mate1: | Gary Herbert |
| Popular Vote1: | 531,190 |
| Percentage1: | 57.7% |
| Nominee2: | Scott Matheson Jr. |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Running Mate2: | Karen Hale |
| Popular Vote2: | 380,359 |
| Percentage2: | 41.4% |
| Map Size: | 220px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Olene Walker |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Jon Huntsman, Jr. |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 2004 Utah gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2004. The incumbent governor was Republican Olene S. Walker, who had become governor following Mike Leavitt's resignation to join the George W. Bush administration. However, Walker placed fourth in the Republican primary, far behind Jon Huntsman Jr. Huntsman won the nomination and went on to win the general election, carrying 25 of the 29 counties and winning 57.7% of the overall vote. This was the last time that a Democratic nominee for any statewide office has received forty percent or more of the popular vote, and the most recent election in which a Democratic nominee carried more than three counties in the state.
| Election Name: | 2004 Vermont gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Vermont |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2002 Vermont gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2002 |
| Next Election: | 2006 Vermont gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2006 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Nominee1: | Jim Douglas |
| Party1: | Vermont Republican Party |
| Popular Vote1: | 181,540 |
| Percentage1: | 58.7% |
| Nominee2: | Peter Clavelle |
| Party2: | Vermont Democratic Party |
| Popular Vote2: | 117,327 |
| Percentage2: | 37.9% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Jim Douglas |
| Before Party: | Vermont Republican Party |
| After Election: | Jim Douglas |
| After Party: | Vermont Republican Party |
The 2004 Vermont gubernatorial election took place November 2, 2004 for the post of Governor of Vermont. Incumbent Republican Governor Jim Douglas was re-elected. Douglas defeated Peter Clavelle, the Progressive Mayor of Burlington, who ran as a Democrat.
| Election Name: | 2004 Washington gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 Washington gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 Washington gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Nominee1: | Christine Gregoire |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,373,361 |
| Percentage1: | 48.873% |
| Nominee2: | Dino Rossi |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,373,228 |
| Percentage2: | 48.868% |
| Map Size: | 275px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Gary Locke |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Christine Gregoire |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 2004 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2004. The race gained national attention for its legal twists and extremely close finish, among the closest political races in United States election history. Republican Dino Rossi was declared the winner in the initial automated count and again in a subsequent automated recount, but after a second recount done by hand, Democrat Christine Gregoire took the lead by a margin of 129 votes.
Although Gregoire was sworn in as governor of Washington on January 12, 2005, Rossi did not formally concede and called for a re-vote over concerns about the integrity of the election. The Republican Party filed a lawsuit in Chelan County Superior Court contesting the election, but the trial judge ruled against it, citing lack of evidence of deliberate electoral sabotage.[7] Rossi chose not to appeal to the Washington State Supreme Court, formally conceding the election on June 6, 2005.
| Election Name: | 2004 West Virginia gubernatorial election |
| Country: | West Virginia |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 West Virginia gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 West Virginia gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Nominee1: | Joe Manchin |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 472,758 |
| Percentage1: | 63.5% |
| Nominee2: | Monty Warner |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 253,131 |
| Percentage2: | 34.0% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Bob Wise |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Joe Manchin |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 2004 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2004 for the post of Governor of West Virginia. Democratic Secretary of State of West Virginia Joe Manchin defeated Republican Monty Warner. Manchin won all but three counties. Despite Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry losing the state to George W. Bush by double digits in the concurrent presidential election, Manchin won by nearly 30 points.
| Election Name: | 2004 American Samoan general election |
| Country: | American Samoa |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 American Samoan general election |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 American Samoan general election |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Image1: | Togiola Tulafono official.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Togiola Tulafono |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| 1Data1: | 48.4% |
| 2Data1: | 6,407 (55.72%) |
| Nominee2: | Afoa Moega Lutu |
| Party2: | Independent politician |
| 1Data2: | 39.4% |
| 2Data2: | 5,091 (44.28%) |
| Image3: | 3x4.svg |
| Nominee3: | Alo Paul Stevenson |
| Party3: | Independent politician |
| 1Data3: | 12.2% |
| 1Blank: | First round |
| 2Blank: | Second round |
| Country: | Puerto Rico | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Previous Election: | 2000 Puerto Rican general election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Previous Year: | 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Next Election: | 2008 Puerto Rican general election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Next Year: | 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Election Date: | 2 November 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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