United States Senate elections, 2004
Encyclopedia
The United States Senate election, 2004 was an election for one-third of the seats in the United States Senate
which coincided with the re-election
of George W. Bush
as president
and the United States House election, as well as many state and local elections. Senators who were elected in 1998
, known as Senate Class 3
, were seeking reelection or retiring in 2004. This is notably the 3rd consecutive election for Senate Class 3 that a Democrat failed to end-up with a net gain.
Republicans won six seats but lost two themselves, giving them a net gain of four seats: conservative Democrat Zell Miller
of Georgia
, who campaigned for President Bush
, chose not to run for re-election and Republican Johnny Isakson
won his seat; Democrat Fritz Hollings of South Carolina
chose not to run for re-election and Republican Jim DeMint
succeeded him; Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee John Edwards
did not run for re-election and Republican Richard Burr
won that seat; Democrat Bob Graham
chose not to run for re-election, and his seat went to Republican Mel Martinez
; Democrat John Breaux
chose not to run for re-election and Republican David Vitter
won his seat, and in South Dakota
, Republican John Thune
defeated the incumbent Senate minority leader Tom Daschle
. Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois
chose not to run for re-election and Democrat and future president Barack Obama
won a landslide, becoming the only black Senator and only the 3rd popularly elected since Reconstruction. Also, Republican Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell
of Colorado
chose not to run for re-election and Democrat Ken Salazar
won the open seat.
, was composed of 51 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and 1 independent. (The independent, Jim Jeffords
of Vermont
, was allied with the Democratic caucus and had voted with Democrats to give them the majority in the past.) The Democrats, therefore, needed to make a net gain of at least two seats from retiring or incumbent Republicans to gain control of the Senate (one seat if Kerry won the presidency). In the election, incumbent senators won reelection in all races but one (Democratic leader Tom Daschle
, in South Dakota
, lost to Republican John Thune
). The seats of retiring senators were taken by the opposing party in Colorado
, Florida
, Georgia
, Illinois
, Louisiana
, North Carolina
, and South Carolina
. In fact, the only retiring senator whose seat was taken by a member of his party was Republican Don Nickles
of Oklahoma
, who was succeeded by Tom Coburn
.
Republicans gained four seats in the 2004 elections, and entered the 109th Congress
with a 55-44-1 lead. While such a majority is formidable, it is still less than the 60 seats needed to override a filibuster and completely control the body's agenda and procedures.
Minor parties in a number of states contested one or more Senate seats. Examples include the America First Party
, the Labor Party
, the Peace and Freedom Party
, and the Socialist Workers Party
. None of these parties gained a seat in this election nor received a significant number of votes.
, who would be elected President of the United States
four years later. In Colorado, retiring Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell's
seat was narrowly taken by Democrat Ken Salazar
. In Alaska, Republican Lisa Murkowski
won reelection in a tight race. In Oklahoma, Tom Coburn
kept Don Nickles'
seat in Republican hands, while in Kentucky, the ailing Republican Jim Bunning
won a second term by a very narrow margin.
of Arkansas
, easily won reelection). Retiring Georgia Sen. Zell Miller
's seat, contested by Denise Majette
, was lost in a landslide, as was that of South Carolina Sen. Ernest Hollings
. In North Carolina, Democrat Erskine Bowles
lost John Edwards
's seat to Republican Richard Burr
. Especially close races in Florida, Louisiana, and South Dakota all resulted in turnovers to the Republicans.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
which coincided with the re-election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
as president
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and the United States House election, as well as many state and local elections. Senators who were elected in 1998
United States Senate elections, 1998
The U.S. Senate election, 1998 was a roughly even contest between the Republican and Democratic parties. While the Democrats had more seats, Republican attacks on the morality of President Bill Clinton failed to connect with voters and anticipated Republican gains failed to materialize...
, known as Senate Class 3
Classes of United States Senators
The three classes of United States Senators are currently made up of 33 or 34 Senate seats. The purpose of the classes is to determine which Senate seats will be up for election in a given year. The three groups are staggered so that one of them is up for election every two years.A senator's...
, were seeking reelection or retiring in 2004. This is notably the 3rd consecutive election for Senate Class 3 that a Democrat failed to end-up with a net gain.
Republicans won six seats but lost two themselves, giving them a net gain of four seats: conservative Democrat Zell Miller
Zell Miller
Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the US state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005....
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, who campaigned for President Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, chose not to run for re-election and Republican Johnny Isakson
Johnny Isakson
John Hardy "Johnny" Isakson is the junior United States Senator from Georgia and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he represented in the House....
won his seat; Democrat Fritz Hollings of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
chose not to run for re-election and Republican Jim DeMint
Jim DeMint
James Warren "Jim" DeMint is the junior U.S. Senator from South Carolina, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party and a leader in the Tea Party movement. He previously served as the U.S. Representative for from 1999 to 2005.-Early life and education:DeMint was born in...
succeeded him; Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
did not run for re-election and Republican Richard Burr
Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
won that seat; Democrat Bob Graham
Bob Graham
Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham is an American politician. He was the 38th Governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and a United States Senator from that state from 1987 to 2005...
chose not to run for re-election, and his seat went to Republican Mel Martinez
Mel Martinez
Melquíades Rafael Martínez Ruiz, usually known as Mel Martinez , is a former United States Senator from Florida and served as Chairman of the Republican Party from November 2006 until October 19, 2007, the first Latino to serve as chairman of a major party...
; Democrat John Breaux
John Breaux
John Berlinger Breaux is a former United States senator from Louisiana who served from 1987 until 2005. He was also a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1972 to 1987. He was considered one of the more conservative national legislators from the Democratic Party...
chose not to run for re-election and Republican David Vitter
David Vitter
David Vitter is the junior United States Senator from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the suburban Louisiana's 1st congressional district. He served as a member of the Louisiana House of...
won his seat, and in South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, Republican John Thune
John Thune
John Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:...
defeated the incumbent Senate minority leader Tom Daschle
Tom Daschle
Thomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
. Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
chose not to run for re-election and Democrat and future president Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
won a landslide, becoming the only black Senator and only the 3rd popularly elected since Reconstruction. Also, Republican Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Benjamin Nighthorse Campbell is an American politician. He was a U.S. Senator from Colorado from 1993 until 2005 and was during his tenure the only American Indian serving in the U.S. Congress. Campbell was a three term U.S. Representative from 1987 to 1993, when he was sworn into office as a...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
chose not to run for re-election and Democrat Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
won the open seat.
Change in composition
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Major parties
The Senate, as of the pre-election 108th Congress108th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eighth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 2003 to January 3, 2005, during the third and fourth years of George W. Bush's...
, was composed of 51 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and 1 independent. (The independent, Jim Jeffords
Jim Jeffords
James Merrill "Jim" Jeffords is a former U.S. Senator from Vermont. He served as a Republican until 2001, when he left the party to become an independent. He retired from the Senate in 2006.-Background:...
of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, was allied with the Democratic caucus and had voted with Democrats to give them the majority in the past.) The Democrats, therefore, needed to make a net gain of at least two seats from retiring or incumbent Republicans to gain control of the Senate (one seat if Kerry won the presidency). In the election, incumbent senators won reelection in all races but one (Democratic leader Tom Daschle
Tom Daschle
Thomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, in South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, lost to Republican John Thune
John Thune
John Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:...
). The seats of retiring senators were taken by the opposing party in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. In fact, the only retiring senator whose seat was taken by a member of his party was Republican Don Nickles
Don Nickles
Donald Lee Nickles is an American businessman and politician who was a Republican United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1981 until 2005. He was a fiscal and social conservative.-Early life:...
of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, who was succeeded by Tom Coburn
Tom Coburn
Thomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, M.D. , is an American politician, medical doctor, and Southern Baptist deacon. A member of the Republican Party, he currently serves as the junior U.S. Senator from Oklahoma. In the Senate, he is known as "Dr. No" for his tendency to place holds on and vote against bills...
.
Republicans gained four seats in the 2004 elections, and entered the 109th Congress
109th United States Congress
The One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, during the fifth and sixth years of George W. Bush's presidency. House members...
with a 55-44-1 lead. While such a majority is formidable, it is still less than the 60 seats needed to override a filibuster and completely control the body's agenda and procedures.
Third and minor parties
The Libertarian, Constitution, and Green parties contested many of the seats. No candidate from any of these parties received sufficient support to near election, but some may have affected the outcome of the Alaska and Florida races by drawing votes away from the major party candidates. Of the 34 senate seats up for grabs, the Libertarians ran candidates in 20 of the races, the Constitutionalists ran 10 candidates, and the Greens ran 7 candidates.Minor parties in a number of states contested one or more Senate seats. Examples include the America First Party
America First Party (2002)
The America First Party is a paleoconservative third party in the United States.The party was formed in 2002 when a group of Pat Buchanan supporters left the Reform Party. The party is pro-life, opposes all gun control, seeks to end affirmative action, racial quotas, and illegal and unlimited...
, the Labor Party
Labor Party (United States)
The Labor Party is an American social democratic political party advocating workers' interests. Membership at one point reached about 5,000....
, the Peace and Freedom Party
Peace and Freedom Party (United States)
The Peace and Freedom Party is a minor political party in California. Its first candidates appeared on the ballot in 1966, but the national party was officially founded in 1967 as a left-wing organization opposed to the Vietnam War. The party nominated Ralph Nader for President in the 2008 U.S...
, and the Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (United States)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far-left political organization in the United States. The group places a priority on "solidarity work" to aid strikes and is strongly supportive of Cuba...
. None of these parties gained a seat in this election nor received a significant number of votes.
Notable races
Republican seats
One Republican seat, that of retiring Senator Peter Fitzgerald in Illinois, was easily taken by Democrat Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, who would be elected President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
four years later. In Colorado, retiring Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell's
Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Benjamin Nighthorse Campbell is an American politician. He was a U.S. Senator from Colorado from 1993 until 2005 and was during his tenure the only American Indian serving in the U.S. Congress. Campbell was a three term U.S. Representative from 1987 to 1993, when he was sworn into office as a...
seat was narrowly taken by Democrat Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
. In Alaska, Republican Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann Murkowski is the senior U.S. Senator from the State of Alaska and a member of the Republican Party. She was appointed to the Senate in 2002 by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski. After losing a Republican primary in 2010, she became the second person ever to win a U.S...
won reelection in a tight race. In Oklahoma, Tom Coburn
Tom Coburn
Thomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, M.D. , is an American politician, medical doctor, and Southern Baptist deacon. A member of the Republican Party, he currently serves as the junior U.S. Senator from Oklahoma. In the Senate, he is known as "Dr. No" for his tendency to place holds on and vote against bills...
kept Don Nickles'
Don Nickles
Donald Lee Nickles is an American businessman and politician who was a Republican United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1981 until 2005. He was a fiscal and social conservative.-Early life:...
seat in Republican hands, while in Kentucky, the ailing Republican Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
won a second term by a very narrow margin.
- AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
: Tony KnowlesTony Knowles (politician)Anthony Carroll Knowles is an American Democratic politician and businessman who served as the seventh Governor of Alaska from December 1994 to December 2002. Barred from seeking a third consecutive term as governor in 2002, he ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2004 and again for governor in...
lost by nearly 3% after staying in a statistical dead heat with incumbent Lisa MurkowskiLisa MurkowskiLisa Ann Murkowski is the senior U.S. Senator from the State of Alaska and a member of the Republican Party. She was appointed to the Senate in 2002 by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski. After losing a Republican primary in 2010, she became the second person ever to win a U.S...
in opinion polling throughout the summer. Despite Alaska being a heavily Republican state, popular opinion had swung against the Murkowski family because of a tax increase passed by Lisa's father, Governor Frank MurkowskiFrank MurkowskiFrancis Hughes Murkowski is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He was a United States Senator from Alaska from 1981 until 2002 and the eighth Governor of Alaska from 2002 until 2006.- Early life and career :...
. Moreover, many voters disapproved of the manner in which Lisa Murkowski entered the Senate: she was appointed by her father to the seat he vacated after he was elected governor. Knowles, who preceded the elder Murkowski as governor, had enlisted extensive out-of-state support for his bid to oust the younger Murkowski. - ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
: Democratic attorney generalAttorney GeneralIn most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
Ken SalazarKen SalazarKenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
maintained a small lead in polls over Republican brewing executive Pete CoorsPete CoorsPeter Hanson Coors is a U.S. businessman and entrepreneur. He currently is the Chairman of the Molson Coors Brewing Company and Chairman of MillerCoors, a joint operating venture, announced October 9, 2007 and completed June 30, 2008. Molson Coors headquarters are located in Colorado and...
through the campaign, and ultimately prevailed. Salazar may have benefitted from an extended (and, by many descriptions, extraordinarily negative) Republican primary campaign between Coors and U.S. Representative Bob SchafferBob SchafferRobert Warren "Bob" Schaffer was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from the State of Colorado in the 105th Congress and the two succeeding Congresses . In 2004, Schaffer lost in the primary election to be the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat...
. - IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
: Democratic candidate Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, a widely popular state legislator, ran without serious opposition following the withdrawal of Republican candidate Jack RyanJack Ryan (Senate candidate)Jack Ryan is a Republican from the state of Illinois who was forced to withdraw from the 2004 United States Senate race due to an alleged sex scandal involving his relationship with his ex-wife, actress Jeri Ryan...
. After a long search that saw Republicans considering numerous substitutes for Ryan, including former Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
coach Mike DitkaMike DitkaMichael Keller Ditka, Jr. is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for three years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach, and a head...
, former governors, and state senators, perennial candidate and MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
resident Alan KeyesAlan KeyesAlan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author, former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. A doctoral graduate of Harvard University, Keyes began his diplomatic career in the U.S...
accepted the nomination on August 8. Obama remained a heavy favorite, and won with a margin of more than 40%. - KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
: While Kentucky, like Alaska and Oklahoma, was a very conservative state, one-term incumbent Jim BunningJim BunningJames Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
's increasingly erratic behavior brought long-shot Democrat Daniel MongiardoDaniel MongiardoFrank Daniel Mongiardo is an American physician and politician from Kentucky. Mongiardo is a Democrat and has been Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky since 2007. He was a member of the Kentucky State Senate from 2001 to 2007. He also ran for the U.S...
into a dead heat in October, and the lead fluctuated as returns were reported on Election Night.
Democratic seats
The Democrats' prospects were weakened by the fact that five of their six incumbent Senators in Southern states were retiring (the sixth, Blanche LincolnBlanche Lincoln
Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln is a former U.S. Senator from Arkansas and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1998, she was the first woman elected to the Senate from Arkansas since Hattie Caraway in 1932 and, at age 38, was the youngest woman ever elected to the...
of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, easily won reelection). Retiring Georgia Sen. Zell Miller
Zell Miller
Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the US state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005....
's seat, contested by Denise Majette
Denise Majette
Denise L. Majette is a Democratic U.S. politician from the state of Georgia.Born in Brooklyn, she attended Yale University and completed a Juris Doctor degree at Duke University in 1979...
, was lost in a landslide, as was that of South Carolina Sen. Ernest Hollings
Ernest Hollings
Ernest Frederick "Fritz" Hollings served as a Democratic United States Senator from South Carolina from 1966 to 2005, as well as the 106th Governor of South Carolina and Lt. Governor . He served 38 years and 55 days in the Senate, which makes him the 8th-longest-serving Senator in history...
. In North Carolina, Democrat Erskine Bowles
Erskine Bowles
Erskine Boyce Bowles is an American businessman and political figure from North Carolina. He served from 2005 to 2010 as the President of the University of North Carolina system...
lost John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
's seat to Republican Richard Burr
Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
. Especially close races in Florida, Louisiana, and South Dakota all resulted in turnovers to the Republicans.
- FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
: After a heated primary race on both sides following Bob GrahamBob GrahamDaniel Robert "Bob" Graham is an American politician. He was the 38th Governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and a United States Senator from that state from 1987 to 2005...
's retirement, the Florida race was considered to be a tossup, with Democrat Betty CastorBetty CastorBetty Castor , neeElizabeth Bowe, is an American educator and former politician and elected officeholder. Castor was elected to the Florida Senate and the Florida Education Commissioner, and she later served as the President of the University of South Florida, and President of the National Board...
leading Republican Mel MartinezMel MartinezMelquíades Rafael Martínez Ruiz, usually known as Mel Martinez , is a former United States Senator from Florida and served as Chairman of the Republican Party from November 2006 until October 19, 2007, the first Latino to serve as chairman of a major party...
in statewide polls by a very slight margin. High Republican turnout, indicated by an unexpectedly large victory in Florida for President Bush, brought Martinez to victory. - GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
: Zell Miller's seat was contested as fiercely as Graham's into the primary elections on July 20. Rep. Johnny IsaksonJohnny IsaksonJohn Hardy "Johnny" Isakson is the junior United States Senator from Georgia and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he represented in the House....
won the Republican nomination; Rep. Denise MajetteDenise MajetteDenise L. Majette is a Democratic U.S. politician from the state of Georgia.Born in Brooklyn, she attended Yale University and completed a Juris Doctor degree at Duke University in 1979...
defeated her closest rival, Cliff Oxford, in a runoffTwo-round systemThe two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
for the Democratic nomination on August 10. Isakson, as predicted, won the general election by a comfortable margin. - LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
: John BreauxJohn BreauxJohn Berlinger Breaux is a former United States senator from Louisiana who served from 1987 until 2005. He was also a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1972 to 1987. He was considered one of the more conservative national legislators from the Democratic Party...
's seat was widely viewed as a tossup, although Louisiana's open primaryOpen primaryAn open primary is a primary election that does not require voters to be affiliated with a political party in order to vote for partisan candidates. In a traditional open primary, voters may select one party's ballot and vote for that party's nomination. As in a closed primary, the highest voted...
system made it difficult to gauge who had the lead in the race. Only one Republican, Rep. David VitterDavid VitterDavid Vitter is the junior United States Senator from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the suburban Louisiana's 1st congressional district. He served as a member of the Louisiana House of...
, was in the running; he was challenged by three major Democratic candidates, foremost among them Rep. Chris JohnChris JohnChristopher Charles "Chris" John is American politician who was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2005, representing Louisiana's 7th congressional district.-Early life:...
. Although the Democrats' combined vote totalled 47%, Vitter won the absolute majority needed to avert a runoff election, becoming the first Republican Senator from Louisiana since Reconstruction (133 years). Louisiana was the last state to elect a Republican Senator since the passage of the 17th AmendmentSeventeenth Amendment to the United States ConstitutionThe Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution established direct election of United States Senators by popular vote. The amendment supersedes Article I, § 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, under which senators were elected by state legislatures...
in 1913. - North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
: Richard BurrRichard BurrRichard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
in North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
faced Democrat Erskine BowlesErskine BowlesErskine Boyce Bowles is an American businessman and political figure from North Carolina. He served from 2005 to 2010 as the President of the University of North Carolina system...
for the seat John EdwardsJohn EdwardsJohnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
vacated for his vice-presidentialVice President of the United StatesThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
bidJohn Kerry presidential campaign, 2004The Presidential Campaign of John Kerry, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and the nominee of the Democratic Party challenged Republican incumbent President George W. Bush in the U.S. presidential election on November 2, 2004. Ultimately, Kerry conceded defeat in the race in a telephone call to Bush...
. Early polling showed Bowles leading Burr by approximately 50% to 40%, largely due to Bowles' wider name recognition from his 2002 Senate run, but his lead evaporated in the weeks before the election. Burr unleashed a massive ad buy with six weeks until the election criticizing Bowles (a chief of staff to former President Clinton) for supporting NAFTA, which has been blamed for job losses in North Carolina. Burr pulled even in polls by Election Day, and won 52%–47%, which some election watchers attributed to President Bush's high vote total in North Carolina. - South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
: Although GOP confidence was supported by early polls showing Republican Rep. Jim DeMintJim DeMintJames Warren "Jim" DeMint is the junior U.S. Senator from South Carolina, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party and a leader in the Tea Party movement. He previously served as the U.S. Representative for from 1999 to 2005.-Early life and education:DeMint was born in...
to be several points ahead of Democratic nominee Inez TenenbaumInez TenenbaumInez Moore Tenenbaum is an American politician from the state of South Carolina. She is currently serving as head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.-Education:...
, the race tightened in late September. A factor in the tightening was DeMint's support of a proposal to replace the income tax with a national sales tax, which Tenenbaum heavily criticized. Nevertheless, DeMint won, 54%-44%. - South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
: Tom DaschleTom DaschleThomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, then the Democratic floor leader, was challenged by John ThuneJohn ThuneJohn Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:...
. Daschle was a prime target for Republicans in Washington because he was the federal government's highest-ranking Democrat and because he was perceived to be obstructing PresidentPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's legislative proposals and judicial nominees. Polls showed a very tight race, with the lead fluctuating. The state's tendency toward conservatism in federal elections, as well as the Republicans' drive, made Daschle's race for reelection more difficult than most incumbents'. When Daschle indeed lost by a very narrow margin, he became the first Senate party leader to do so in more than a half century. (Democratic floor leader Ernest McFarlandErnest McFarlandErnest William McFarland was an American politician and, with Warren Atherton, is considered one of the "Fathers of the G.I. Bill". He is the only Arizonan to serve in the highest office in all three branches of Arizonan government—two at the state level, one at the federal level...
was defeated by Republican Barry GoldwaterBarry GoldwaterBarry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
in the 1952 Senate elections.) The South Dakota race was the most expensive senatorial campaign in the country, with Daschle and Thune together raising more than $United States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
33 million.
Senate contests in 2004
Bold = Winning Candidate| State | Incumbent | Party | Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama United States Senate election in Alabama, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Alabama took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican U.S... |
Richard Shelby Richard Shelby Richard Craig Shelby is the senior U.S. Senator from Alabama. First elected to the Senate in 1986, he is the ranking member of the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and was its chairman from 2003 to 2007.... |
Republican | Re-elected, 68% | Wayne Sowell Wayne Sowell Wayne Sowell was the Democratic candidate for Alabama in the United States Senate election of 2004. He was also a former Gubernatorial candidate in 1998 and former congressional candidate in 2000.-2002 elections:... (Democratic) 32% |
| Alaska United States Senate election in Alaska, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Alaska took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives, various state and local elections, and the presidential election of that year.... |
Lisa Murkowski Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann Murkowski is the senior U.S. Senator from the State of Alaska and a member of the Republican Party. She was appointed to the Senate in 2002 by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski. After losing a Republican primary in 2010, she became the second person ever to win a U.S... |
Republican | Appointee elected to full term, 48.6% | Tony Knowles Tony Knowles (politician) Anthony Carroll Knowles is an American Democratic politician and businessman who served as the seventh Governor of Alaska from December 1994 to December 2002. Barred from seeking a third consecutive term as governor in 2002, he ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2004 and again for governor in... (Democratic) 45.5% Marc Millican (Independent) 2.9% Jerry Sanders (Alaskan Independence) 1.2% Jim Sykes Jim Sykes James L. "Jim" Sykes is a radio journalist and producer, and Green Party politician, in the U.S. state of Alaska. The founder of the Green Party of Alaska, Sykes initiated a lawsuit, Sykes v. Alaska, relying heavily upon case law established in the earlier ballot access lawsuits of Joe Vogler... (Green) 1% Scott Kohlhaas (Libertarian Party) 0.4% |
| Arizona United States Senate election in Arizona, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Arizona took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican U.S... |
John McCain John McCain John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election.... |
Republican | Re-elected, 76% | Stuart Starky Stuart Starky Stuart Marc "Stu" Starky is a perennial United States politician from Arizona, who ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic nominee for the State Senate, United States House of Representatives and United States Senate.... (Democratic) 21% Ernest Hancock (Libertarian) 3% |
| Arkansas United States Senate election in Arkansas, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Arkansas took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Democrat incumbent U.S. Senator Blanche... |
Blanche Lincoln Blanche Lincoln Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln is a former U.S. Senator from Arkansas and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1998, she was the first woman elected to the Senate from Arkansas since Hattie Caraway in 1932 and, at age 38, was the youngest woman ever elected to the... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 56% | Jim Holt (Republican) 44% |
| California United States Senate election in California, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in California took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator... |
Barbara Boxer Barbara Boxer Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives .... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 57.7% | Bill Jones (Republican) 37.8% Marsha Feinland Marsha Feinland Marsha Feinland was a third-party candidate for President of the United States in the 1996 U.S. presidential election. Her running mate was Kate McClatchy; they were only on the ballot in California and received 25,332 votes... (Peace and Freedom) 2% James P. Gray James P. Gray James "Jim" P. Gray is an American jurist, politician, and writer. He was the presiding judge of the Superior Court of Orange County, California. Gray was the 2004 Libertarian candidate for the United States Senate in California... (Libertarian) 1.8% Don J. Grundmann (Constitution) 0.7% |
| Colorado United States Senate election in Colorado, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Colorado took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Ben... |
Ben Nighthorse Campbell Ben Nighthorse Campbell Benjamin Nighthorse Campbell is an American politician. He was a U.S. Senator from Colorado from 1993 until 2005 and was during his tenure the only American Indian serving in the U.S. Congress. Campbell was a three term U.S. Representative from 1987 to 1993, when he was sworn into office as a... |
Republican | Retired Democratic gain |
Ken Salazar Ken Salazar Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S... (Democratic) 51.3% Pete Coors Pete Coors Peter Hanson Coors is a U.S. businessman and entrepreneur. He currently is the Chairman of the Molson Coors Brewing Company and Chairman of MillerCoors, a joint operating venture, announced October 9, 2007 and completed June 30, 2008. Molson Coors headquarters are located in Colorado and... (Republican) 46.5% Doug Cambell (Constitution) 1% Richard Randall (Libertarian) 0.5% John Harris (Independent) 0.4% Victor Good (Reform Party) 0.3% |
| Connecticut United States Senate election in Connecticut, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Connecticut took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democrat U.S... |
Christopher Dodd Christopher Dodd Christopher John "Chris" Dodd is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States Senator from Connecticut for a thirty-year period ending with the 111th United States Congress.... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 66.4% | Jack Orchulli Jack Orchulli Jack Orchulli . He was raised in Alpha, New Jersey, went to Phillipsburg Catholic High School and, then, received a degree from Rutgers University. He later attended night school and received a master's degree in finance from B. M. Baruch College in New York City... (Republican) 32.1% Timothy Knibbs (C) 0.9% Lenny Rasch (L) 0.6% |
| Florida United States Senate election in Florida, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Florida took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Bob... |
Bob Graham Bob Graham Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham is an American politician. He was the 38th Governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and a United States Senator from that state from 1987 to 2005... |
Democratic | Retired Republican gain |
Mel Martinez Mel Martinez Melquíades Rafael Martínez Ruiz, usually known as Mel Martinez , is a former United States Senator from Florida and served as Chairman of the Republican Party from November 2006 until October 19, 2007, the first Latino to serve as chairman of a major party... (Republican) 49.5% Betty Castor Betty Castor Betty Castor , neeElizabeth Bowe, is an American educator and former politician and elected officeholder. Castor was elected to the Florida Senate and the Florida Education Commissioner, and she later served as the President of the University of South Florida, and President of the National Board... (Democratic) 48.3% Dennis Bradley (Veterans) 2.2% |
| Georgia United States Senate election in Georgia, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Georgia took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Zell... |
Zell Miller Zell Miller Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the US state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005.... |
Democratic | Retired Republican gain |
Johnny Isakson Johnny Isakson John Hardy "Johnny" Isakson is the junior United States Senator from Georgia and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he represented in the House.... (Republican) 57.9% Denise Majette Denise Majette Denise L. Majette is a Democratic U.S. politician from the state of Georgia.Born in Brooklyn, she attended Yale University and completed a Juris Doctor degree at Duke University in 1979... (Democratic) 40% Allen Buckley Allen Buckley Allen Buckley is an attorney and CPA, who in 2008 ran for one of Georgia's United States Senate seats as a member of the Libertarian Party. He was the party's candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia in 2006, where he drew 3.6% of the vote, and for Senator in 2004, where he took 2% of the... (Libertarian) 2.1% |
| Hawaii United States Senate election in Hawaii, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Hawaii took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democrat U.S... |
Daniel Inouye Daniel Inouye Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 75.5% | Campbell Cavasso Campbell Cavasso Campbell Cavasso , is an American politician and businessman. He served three consecutive terms in the Hawaii House of Representatives from January 1985 to January 1991, representing House District 51 in Windward Oahu.-Early life:Cavasso was born on October 14, 1950 in San Francisco, California,... (Republican) 21% James Brewer (Independent) 2.2% Lloyd Mallan (Libertarian) 1.3% |
| Idaho United States Senate election in Idaho, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Idaho took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican U.S... |
Mike Crapo Mike Crapo Michael Dean "Mike" Crapo is the senior United States Senator from the state of Idaho and a member of the Republican Party.Born in the city of Idaho Falls, Crapo is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Harvard Law School. He practiced law in his home city throughout the 1980s, while... |
Republican | Re-elected, 99% | Write-in for Scott McClure Scott McClure Scott F. McClure is a farmer, engineer, businessman, Army veteran, and American politician. In 2004, he ran a write-in campaign for United States Senate in Idaho. A Democrat, McClure ran against Republican incumbent Mike Crapo.-2004 U.S. Senate campaign:... (Democratic) 1% |
| Illinois United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Illinois was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald decided to retire after one term. The Democratic and Republican primary elections were held in March, which included a total of 15 candidates who combined to spend a... |
Peter Fitzgerald | Republican | Retired Democratic gain |
Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... (Democratic) 70% Alan Keyes Alan Keyes Alan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author, former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. A doctoral graduate of Harvard University, Keyes began his diplomatic career in the U.S... (Republican) 27% Albert Franzen (Independent) 1.6% Jerry Kohn (Libertarian) 1.3% |
| Indiana United States Senate election in Indiana, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Indiana was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Evan Bayh won re-election to a second term.- Campaign :In September, Bayh had $6.5 million cash on hand... |
Evan Bayh Evan Bayh Birch Evans "Evan" Bayh III is a lawyer, advisor and former Democratic politician who served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011. He earlier served as the 46th Governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997. Bayh is a current Fox News contributor as of March 14, 2011.Bayh first held... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 62% | Marvin Scott Marvin Scott Marvin Scott is a politician in Indianapolis, and unsuccessful 2010 Republican candidate for election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 7th Congressional District. He was previously the unsuccessful Republican candidate for U.S. Senator from Indiana in 2004 against incumbent... (Republican) 37% Albert Barger (Libertarian) 1% |
| Iowa United States Senate election in Iowa, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley won re-election to a fifth term. His Democratic opponent topped 40% in just one county: Johnson County, Iowa.-Results:... |
Chuck Grassley Chuck Grassley Charles Ernest "Chuck" Grassley is the senior United States Senator from Iowa . A member of Republican Party, he previously served in the served in the United States House of Representatives and the Iowa state legislature... |
Republican | Re-elected, 70.1% | Arthur Small (Democratic) 27.9% Christy Welty (Libertarian) 1% Daryl Northrop (Green) 0.8% Edwin Fruit (Socialist Workers) 0.1% |
| Kansas United States Senate election in Kansas, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Kansas was held November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Sam Brownback won re-election to a second term.-Results:... |
Sam Brownback Sam Brownback Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback is the 46th and current Governor of Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011, and as a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 1996... |
Republican | Re-elected, 69% | Lee Jones Lee Jones Lee Jones may refer to:* Lee Jones , formerly of Liverpool F.C.* Lee Jones , Welsh footballer* Lee Jones , New Zealand international football player... (Democratic) 28% Stephen A. Rosile (Libertarian) 2% George Cook (Reform) 1% |
| Kentucky United States Senate election in Kentucky, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Kentucky took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican U.S... |
Jim Bunning Jim Bunning James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career... |
Republican | Re-elected, 51% | Daniel Mongiardo Daniel Mongiardo Frank Daniel Mongiardo is an American physician and politician from Kentucky. Mongiardo is a Democrat and has been Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky since 2007. He was a member of the Kentucky State Senate from 2001 to 2007. He also ran for the U.S... (Democratic) 49% |
| Louisiana United States Senate election in Louisiana, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Louisiana was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John Breaux decided to retire. Republican U.S. Representative David Vitter won the jungle primary with 51% of the vote and avoided a runoff.... |
John Breaux John Breaux John Berlinger Breaux is a former United States senator from Louisiana who served from 1987 until 2005. He was also a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1972 to 1987. He was considered one of the more conservative national legislators from the Democratic Party... |
Democratic | Retired Republican gain |
David Vitter David Vitter David Vitter is the junior United States Senator from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the suburban Louisiana's 1st congressional district. He served as a member of the Louisiana House of... (Republican) 51% Chris John Chris John Christopher Charles "Chris" John is American politician who was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2005, representing Louisiana's 7th congressional district.-Early life:... (Democratic) 29% John N. Kennedy (Democratic) 15% Arthur Morrell (Democratic) 3% Richard Fontanesi (Independent) 1% R.A. Galan (Independent) 1% Sam Melton (Democratic) 1% |
| Maryland United States Senate election in Maryland, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Maryland was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski won re-election to a fourth term.- Candidates :*Barbara Mikulski, incumbent U.S. Senator*Robert Kaufman, social organizer... |
Barbara Mikulski Barbara Mikulski Barbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 64.8% | E. J. Pipkin (Republican) 33.7% Maria Allwine (Green) 1.1% Thomas Trump (Constitution) 0.4% |
| Missouri United States Senate election in Missouri, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Missouri was held November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Kit Bond won re-election to a third term.-Results:*Nancy Farmer, State Treasurer of Missouri, former Missouri State Representative... |
Kit Bond Kit Bond Christopher Samuel "Kit" Bond is a former United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, he defeated Democrat Harriett Woods by a margin of 53%-47%. He was re-elected in 1992, 1998, and 2004... |
Republican | Re-elected, 56% | Nancy Farmer Nancy Farmer (politician) For the author, see Nancy FarmerNancy Farmer is Missouri politician who was the 43rd State Treasurer of Missouri, serving from 2001 to 2005.... (Democratic) 42.8% Kevin Tull (Libertarian) 0.7% Don Griffin (Constitution) 0.4% |
| Nevada United States Senate election in Nevada, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Nevada was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Harry Reid, the Senate Minority Whip, won re-election to a fourth term.- Candidates :*Richard Ziser, anti-gay marriage activist... |
Harry Reid Harry Reid Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 61.1% | Richard Ziser Richard Ziser Richard Ziser is a Nevada Real Estate Investor, Socially Conservative Political activist and U.S. Republican Politician. He was born June 7, 1953, in Pomona, CA., and has resided in Las Vegas Nevada since 1991... (Republican) 35.1% None of These Candidates None of These Candidates None of These Candidates is a voting option for Nevada voters for President of the United States and for state constitutional positions. This is listed along with the names of individuals running for the position.... 1.6% Tomas Hurst (Libertarian) 1.2% David Schumann (Constitution) 0.7% Gary Marinch (Natural Law) 0.3% |
| New Hampshire United States Senate election in New Hampshire, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Judd Gregg won re-election to his third term.-Results:... |
Judd Gregg Judd Gregg Judd Alan Gregg is a former Governor of New Hampshire and former United States Senator from New Hampshire, who served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. He is a member of the Republican Party and was a businessman and attorney in Nashua before entering politics... |
Republican | Re-elected, 66% | Doris Haddock (Democratic) 34% |
| New York United States Senate election in New York, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in New York took place on November 2, 2004 along with elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as the presidential election, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent... |
Chuck Schumer | Democratic | Re-elected, 71.16% | Howard Mills III Howard Mills III Howard D. Mills III is an insurance consultant and former politician from Goshen, New York. He served as New York's Superintendent of Insurance from 2005 to 2007, and previously held elective office in both the New York State Assembly and the Town of Wallkill.In 2004, he ran against Senator... (Republican) 24.24% Marilyn O'Grady (Conservative) 3% David McReynolds David McReynolds David McReynolds is an American democratic socialist and pacifist activist who described himself as "a peace movement bureaucrat" during his 40-year career with Liberation magazine and the War Resisters League... (Green) 0.5% Donald Silberger (Libertarian) 0.3% Abraham Hirschfeld Abraham Hirschfeld Abraham Jacob "Abe" Hirschfeld , was a Polish-born New York real estate developer known for his eccentric endeavors, love for publicity, $2 neckties, strong Yiddish accent, and murder-for-hire plot against a former business partner.Hirschfeld was born in Tarnów, Poland and immigrated to the British... (Builders Party) 0.2% Martin Koppel Martin Koppel Martín Koppel is one of the leaders of the Socialist Workers Party in the United States.-Early life:Before joining the staff of the SWP's paper The Militant in 1991, he was a steelworker in Chicago and member of the United Steelworkers of America union.... (Socialist Workers) 0.2% |
| North Carolina United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John Edwards decided to retire from the Senate, ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic Party presidential nomination, and became his party's vice presidential nominee... |
John Edwards John Edwards Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in... |
Democratic | Retired Republican gain |
Richard Burr Richard Burr Richard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.... (Republican) 52% Erskine Bowles Erskine Bowles Erskine Boyce Bowles is an American businessman and political figure from North Carolina. He served from 2005 to 2010 as the President of the University of North Carolina system... (Democratic) 47% Tom Bailey (Libertarian) 1% |
| North Dakota United States Senate election in North Dakota, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in North Dakota was held on November 2, 2004 along other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Dem-NPL U.S. Senator Byron... |
Byron Dorgan Byron Dorgan Byron Leslie Dorgan is a former United States Senator from North Dakota and is now a senior policy advisor for a Washington, DC law firm. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party. In the Senate, he was Chairman of the Democratic... |
Democratic-NPL | Re-elected, 68% | Mike Liffrig (Republican) 32% |
| Ohio United States Senate election in Ohio, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Ohio took place on November 2, 2004. It was concurrent with elections to the United States House of Representatives and the presidential election. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator George Voinovich won re-election to a second term.-Democratic:*Eric... |
George Voinovich George Voinovich George Victor Voinovich is a former United States Senator from the state of Ohio, and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as the 65th Governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998, and as the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989.-Personal life:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his father was... |
Republican | Re-elected, 63.9% | Eric Fingerhut Eric Fingerhut Eric David Fingerhut is an American politician of the Ohio Democratic party. Fingerhut was appointed the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents on March 14, 2007 by Governor Ted Strickland. This position makes him a member of the Ohio Governor's Cabinet... (Democratic) 36.1% |
| Oklahoma United States Senate election in Oklahoma, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Oklahoma took place on November 2, 2004. The election was concurrent with elections to the United States House of Representatives and the presidential election. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Don Nickles decided to retire instead of seeking a fifth term... |
Don Nickles Don Nickles Donald Lee Nickles is an American businessman and politician who was a Republican United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1981 until 2005. He was a fiscal and social conservative.-Early life:... |
Republican | Retired Republican hold |
Tom Coburn Tom Coburn Thomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, M.D. , is an American politician, medical doctor, and Southern Baptist deacon. A member of the Republican Party, he currently serves as the junior U.S. Senator from Oklahoma. In the Senate, he is known as "Dr. No" for his tendency to place holds on and vote against bills... (Republican) 52.8% Brad Carson Brad Carson Brad Rogers Carson is an American lawyer and politician from the state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2005.-Background:... (Democratic) 41.2% Sheila Bilyeu Sheila Bilyeu Sheila Bilyeu was a candidate for the United States Green Party's nomination for President in 2004 in the District of Columbia, losing to David Cobb by a 2-1 margin.... (Independent) 6% |
| Oregon | Ron Wyden Ron Wyden Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden is the senior U.S. Senator for Oregon, serving since 1996, and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1996.... |
Democratic Democratic Party of Oregon The Democratic Party of Oregon, based in Portland, is the official Oregon affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. It is recognized by the state of Oregon as a major political party, along with the Oregon Republican Party... |
Re-elected, 63.4% | Al King (Republican) 31.8% Teresa Keane (Pacific Green Pacific Green Party The Pacific Green Party of Oregon is a political party in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is a member of the Green Party of the United States.The party first gained widespread public attention during Ralph Nader's presidential campaign in 2000.... ) 2.4% Dan Fitzgerald (Libertarian-Oregon Libertarian Party of Oregon The Libertarian Party of Oregon is a political party representing the national Libertarian Party in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is organized as a minor party for state election law, and recognized by the Oregon as a state-wide nominating party.... ) 1.7% David Brownlow (Constitution-Oregon Constitution Party of Oregon The Constitution Party of Oregon is a political party organized as a minor party pursuant to state election law, and recognized by the State of Oregon as a state-wide nominating party.... ) 0.7% |
| Pennsylvania United States Senate election in Pennsylvania, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Arlen Specter won re-election to a fifth term.-Campaign:... |
Arlen Specter Arlen Specter Arlen Specter is a former United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Specter is a Democrat, but was a Republican from 1965 until switching to the Democratic Party in 2009... |
Republican | Re-elected, 52.6% | Joe Hoeffel Joe Hoeffel Joseph Merrill "Joe" Hoeffel III is an American politician. A Democrat, he is currently a member of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, having previously served from 1992 to 1998.... (Democratic) 42% Jim Clymer Jim Clymer James N. Clymer is the current party chairman of the United States Constitution Party.He grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and earned a law degree. He was admitted into the Pennsylvania Bar Association in May 1978. In 1986 he was appointed Chairman of the Bob Smith for Senate Committee... (Constitution) 4% Betsy Summers (Libertarian) 1.4% |
| South Carolina United States Senate election in South Carolina, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in South Carolina was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings decided to retire... |
Fritz Hollings | Democratic | Retired Republican gain |
Jim DeMint Jim DeMint James Warren "Jim" DeMint is the junior U.S. Senator from South Carolina, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party and a leader in the Tea Party movement. He previously served as the U.S. Representative for from 1999 to 2005.-Early life and education:DeMint was born in... (Republican) 53.7% Inez Tenenbaum Inez Tenenbaum Inez Moore Tenenbaum is an American politician from the state of South Carolina. She is currently serving as head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.-Education:... (Democratic) 44.1% Patrick Tyndall (Constitution) 0.8% Rebekah Sutherland (Libertarian) 0.7% Tee Ferguson (United Citizens Party) 0.4% Efia Nwangaza (Green) 0.3% |
| South Dakota United States Senate election in South Dakota, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in South Dakota was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Tom Daschle ran for re-election a fourth term, but lost to Republican John Thune.-Campaign:... |
Tom Daschle Tom Daschle Thomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party.... |
Democratic | Lost re-election Republican gain, 49.4% |
John Thune John Thune John Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:... (Republican) 50.5% |
| Utah United States Senate election in Utah, 2004 The 2004 United States Senate election in Utah was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Bob Bennett won re-election to a third term.- Democratic :... |
Robert Foster Bennett Robert Foster Bennett Robert Foster "Bob" Bennett is a former United States Senator from Utah and a member of the Republican Party. In 2006, Bennett was tapped to serve on the Senate Republican Leadership Team as Counsel to the Minority Leader, United States Senator Mitch McConnell... |
Republican | Re-elected, 68.7% | Paul Van Dam (Democratic) 28.4% Gary R. Van Horn (Constitution) 1.9% Joe Labonte (Personal Choice Personal Choice Party The Personal Choice Party is a United States political party whose presidential candidate for 2004 qualified for the ballot in the state of Utah.... ) 1% |
| Vermont | Patrick Leahy Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph Leahy is the senior United States Senator from Vermont and member of the Democratic Party. He is the first and only elected Democratic United States Senator in Vermont's history. He is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Leahy is the second most senior U.S. Senator,... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 70.6% | Jack McMullen Jack McMullen Jack Michael McMullen is an actor from Liverpool. He is best known for his role as Finn Sharkey in Waterloo Road, as well as smaller appearances in Brookside and Grange Hill.- Career :... (Republican) 24.5% Cris Ericson (Marijuana) 2.1% Craig Hill (Green) 1.3% Keith Stern (independent) 1.1% Ben Mitchell (Liberty Union Liberty Union Party The Liberty Union Party of Vermont, founded in 1970 by former Congressman William H. Meyer, Peter Diamondstone and others, originated in the anti-war and People's Party movements of the late 1960s and defines itself as a nonviolent socialist party.-History:... ) 0.3% |
| Washington | Patty Murray Patty Murray Patricia Lynn "Patty" Murray is the senior United States Senator from Washington and a member of the Democratic Party. Murray was first elected to the Senate in 1992, becoming Washington's first female senator... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 55% | George Nethercutt George Nethercutt George R. Nethercutt, Jr. is an American politician, and is the founder and chairman of The George Nethercutt Foundation. He was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2005, representing .... (Republican) 42.7% J. Mills (Libertarian) 1.2% Mark Wilson (Green) 1.1% |
| Wisconsin | Russ Feingold Russ Feingold Russell Dana "Russ" Feingold is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as a Democratic party member of the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011. From 1983 to 1993, Feingold was a Wisconsin State Senator representing the 27th District.He is a recipient of the John F... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 55.4% | Tim Michels Tim Michels Timothy J. Michels is a former U.S. Senate candidate from Wisconsin. He earned the Republican nomination on September 15, 2004 for the U.S. Senate to run against the incumbent Senator, Russ Feingold. He defeated well-known car dealer Russ Darrow, Jr., State Senator Bob Welch, and attorney Robert... (Republican) 44.1% Arif Khan (Libertarian) 0.3% Eugene Hem (Independent) 0.2% |
External links
- List of the most expensive senatorial races, via Opensecrets.org
- Election results, via CNN.com