United States Presidential Election, 2004 (Florida Voted Blue)

The United States Presidential election of 2004 pitted incumbent Democratic President Al Gore against a Republican challenger.

The Republican Party was determined to win back the White House after twelve years of Democratic rule. Candidates who sought the nomination:

Senator Wayne Allard of Colorado

Senator George Allen of Virginia

Governor George Pataki of New York

Governor John Ellis "Jeb" Bush of Florida

Former Governor Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania

2000 candidate John McCain, who lost the nomination to George W. Bush, elected not to run again.

Senator Allard won the Iowa Caucus and was the front runner for the first few months of the campaign, before overtaken by Bush. Ridge won the New Hampshire primary but Bush's victories in Florida and California gave his campaign a boost. Allen dropped out after losing the Virginia primary to Bush, and Pataki dropped out after a disappointing performance, in the New York primary, though he won over Bush and Ridge by a narrow margin.

At the Republican convention, at which his brother was the keynote speaker, Jeb Bush was nominated for President. Bush chose as his running mate Lamar Alexander, who had been Bush Snr's Secretary of Education.

President Gore and Vice President Lieberman were re-nominated by the Democratic convention.

Electoral College result:

Gore/Lieberman: 260

Bush/Alexander: 278

Popular Vote result

Gore/Lieberman: 48.4%

Bush/Alexander: 50.2%