2004 United States presidential election in Idaho

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

Main article: 2004 United States presidential election
2004 United States presidential election in Idaho
November 2, 2004
 
Nominee George W. Bush John Kerry
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Texas Massachusetts
Running mate Dick Cheney John Edwards
Electoral vote 4 0
Popular vote 409,235 181,098
Percentage 68.38% 30.26%
County Results
President before election

George W. Bush
Republican

 Elected President

George W. Bush
Republican

Elections in Idaho
Federal government
Presidential elections
Idaho presidential caucuses/primaries
Democratic
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
Republican
2008
2020
United States Senate elections
United States House elections
State government
General elections
Gubernatorial elections
Idaho Legislature elections
Idaho Senate elections
Idaho House elections
Ballot measures
Ballot Measures
Boise
Mayoral elections

Idaho was won by incumbent President George W. Bush by a 38.1 point margin of victory. Prior to the election, all twelve news organizations considered this a state Bush would win, or otherwise considered as a safe red state. No Democratic presidential nominee won the state since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. In 2004, President George W. Bush easily won the state and every congressional district and county, except the Democratic stronghold of Blaine County. As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last election in which Latah County voted for a Republican presidential candidate.

With 68.38 percent of the popular vote, Idaho would prove to be Bush's third strongest state in the 2004 election after neighboring Utah and Wyoming.[1]

Caucuses

Campaign

Predictions

There were 12 news organizations who made state-by-state predictions of the election. Here are their last predictions before election day.[2]

  1. D.C. Political Report: Solid Republican
  2. Associated Press: Solid Bush
  3. CNN: Bush
  4. Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
  5. Newsweek: Solid Bush
  6. New York Times: Solid Bush
  7. Rasmussen Reports: Bush
  8. Research 2000: Solid Bush
  9. Washington Post: Bush
  10. Washington Times: Solid Bush
  11. Zogby International: Bush
  12. Washington Dispatch: Bush

Polling

Only one pre-election poll was taken, which gave Bush 59%, Kerry 30%, and Nader 3%.[3]

Fundraising

Bush raised $371,495.[4] Kerry raised $359,011.[5]

Advertising and visits

Neither campaign visited or campaigned here during the fall election.[6][7]

Analysis

With a substantial Mormon population, Idaho is one of the most reliable GOP bastions in the country. Both senators and representatives are Republican. It has not supported a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. Democrats have not held the state legislature since 1958, though Democrats held the governorship from 1971 to 1995. Voters tend to be extremely conservative on fiscal and social issues.

Results
2004 United States presidential election in Idaho[8]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican George W. Bush 409,235 68.38% 4
Democratic John Kerry 181,098 30.26% 0
Libertarian Michael Badnarik 3,844 0.64% 0
Constitution Party Michael Peroutka 3,038 0.51% 0
Write In Ralph Nader 1,115 0.19% 0
Write In David Cobb 58 0.01% 0
Write In John Joseph Kennedy 9 <0.01% 0
Write In Walt Brown 3 <0.01% 0
Totals 598,447 100.00% 4
Voter turnout (Voting age population) 60.2%

Results by county
County George Walker Bush
Republican		 John Forbes Kerry
Democratic		 Michael J. Badnarik[9]
Libertarian		 Michael Anthony Peroutka[9]
Constitution		 Ralph Nader[9]
Write-in		 Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # % # %
Ada 94,641 61.37% 58,523 37.95% 1,041 0.68% 449 0.29% 348 0.23% 36,118 23.42% 154,205
Adams 1,468 72.07% 555 27.25% 14 0.69% 24 1.18% 2 0.10% 913 44.82% 2,037
Bannock 21,479 62.03% 12,903 37.26% 244 0.70% 125 0.36% 92 0.27% 8,576 24.77% 34,626
Bear Lake 2,506 83.20% 494 16.40% 12 0.40% 22 0.73% 6 0.20% 2,012 66.80% 3,012
Benewah 2,823 70.49% 1,148 28.66% 34 0.85% 35 0.87% 7 0.17% 1,675 41.82% 4,005
Bingham 12,734 77.44% 3,605 21.92% 105 0.64% 107 0.65% 13 0.08% 9,129 55.52% 16,444
Blaine 4,034 39.92% 5,992 59.29% 80 0.79% 23 0.23% 17 0.17% -1,958 -19.37% 10,106
Boise 2,501 71.42% 970 27.70% 31 0.89% 15 0.43% 10 0.29% 1,531 43.72% 3,502
Bonner 10,697 61.18% 6,649 38.03% 139 0.79% 146 0.84% 50 0.29% 4,048 23.15% 17,485
Bonneville 30,048 77.78% 8,356 21.63% 229 0.59% 184 0.48% 54 0.14% 21,692 56.15% 38,633
Boundary 3,012 69.55% 1,268 29.28% 51 1.18% 31 0.72% 16 0.37% 1,744 40.27% 4,331
Butte 1,077 76.82% 321 22.90% 4 0.29% 4 0.29% 756 53.92% 1,402
Camas 450 76.27% 139 23.56% 1 0.17% 5 0.85% 311 52.71% 590
Canyon 41,599 75.14% 13,415 24.23% 346 0.63% 269 0.49% 63 0.11% 28,184 50.91% 55,360
Caribou 2,753 84.32% 491 15.04% 21 0.64% 8 0.25% 8 0.25% 2,262 69.28% 3,265
Cassia 6,562 84.53% 1,153 14.85% 48 0.62% 54 0.70% 4 0.05% 5,409 69.68% 7,763
Clark 302 86.29% 46 13.14% 2 0.57% 3 0.86% 256 73.14% 350
Clearwater 2,839 71.05% 1,117 27.95% 40 1.00% 35 0.88% 3 0.08% 1,722 43.09% 3,996
Custer 1,762 75.33% 559 23.90% 18 0.77% 13 0.56% 6 0.26% 1,203 51.43% 2,339
Elmore 6,011 75.00% 1,959 24.44% 45 0.56% 29 0.36% 15 0.19% 4,052 50.56% 8,015
Franklin 4,527 90.50% 456 9.12% 19 0.38% 51 1.02% 1 0.02% 4,071 81.39% 5,002
Fremont 4,965 86.68% 741 12.94% 22 0.38% 34 0.59% 7 0.12% 4,224 73.74% 5,728
Gem 5,416 76.52% 1,628 23.00% 34 0.48% 37 0.52% 19 0.27% 3,788 53.52% 7,078
Gooding 3,973 75.25% 1,278 24.20% 29 0.55% 31 0.59% 14 0.27% 2,695 51.04% 5,280
Idaho 6,017 77.59% 1,689 21.78% 49 0.63% 202 2.60% 8 0.10% 4,328 55.81% 7,755
Jefferson 7,703 87.26% 1,084 12.28% 41 0.46% 72 0.82% 6 0.07% 6,619 74.98% 8,828
Jerome 5,177 79.01% 1,344 20.51% 31 0.47% 18 0.27% 10 0.15% 3,833 58.50% 6,552
Kootenai 36,173 66.91% 17,584 32.53% 303 0.56% 408 0.75% 128 0.24% 18,589 34.39% 54,060
Latah 8,686 50.05% 8,430 48.57% 239 1.38% 125 0.72% 67 0.39% 256 1.48% 17,355
Lemhi 3,079 76.38% 915 22.70% 37 0.92% 16 0.40% 6 0.15% 2,164 53.68% 4,031
Lewis 1,359 72.71% 440 23.54% 70 3.75% 10 0.54% 4 0.21% 919 49.17% 1,869
Lincoln 1,388 74.50% 466 25.01% 9 0.48% 9 0.48% 3 0.16% 922 49.49% 1,863
Madison 10,693 92.55% 826 7.15% 35 0.30% 69 0.60% 14 0.12% 9,867 85.40% 11,554
Minidoka 5,797 80.95% 1,331 18.59% 33 0.46% 35 0.49% 4 0.06% 4,466 62.37% 7,161
Nez Perce 11,009 62.56% 6,476 36.80% 112 0.64% 82 0.47% 21 0.12% 4,533 25.76% 17,597
Oneida 1,789 85.11% 304 14.46% 9 0.43% 30 1.43% 1 0.05% 1,485 70.65% 2,102
Owyhee 2,859 80.06% 685 19.18% 27 0.76% 17 0.48% 2 0.06% 2,174 60.88% 3,571
Payette 6,256 76.83% 1,848 22.69% 39 0.48% 34 0.42% 3 0.04% 4,408 54.13% 8,143
Power 2,105 71.43% 829 28.13% 13 0.44% 10 0.34% 1 0.03% 1,276 43.30% 2,947
Shoshone 2,922 55.26% 2,331 44.08% 35 0.66% 41 0.78% 8 0.15% 591 11.18% 5,288
Teton 2,235 60.82% 1,416 38.53% 24 0.65% 2 0.05% 13 0.35% 819 22.29% 3,675
Twin Falls 19,672 74.87% 6,458 24.58% 146 0.56% 119 0.45% 40 0.15% 13,214 50.29% 26,276
Valley 2,863 60.46% 1,843 38.92% 29 0.61% 18 0.38% 19 0.40% 1,020 21.54% 4,735
Washington 3,274 75.72% 1,033 23.89% 17 0.39% 33 0.76% 2 0.05% 2,241 51.83% 4,324
Totals409,23568.38%181,09830.26%3,9070.65%3,0840.52%1,1150.19%228,13738.12%598,510[lower-alpha 1]


By congressional district

Bush won both congressional districts.

District Bush Kerry Representative
1st 69% 30% Butch Otter
2nd 69% 30% Mike Simpson

Electors
Main article: List of 2004 United States presidential electors

Technically the voters of Idaho cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Idaho is allocated 4 electors because it has 2 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 4 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 4 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector.

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

The following were the members of the Electoral College from Idaho. All were pledged to and voted for George Bush and Dick Cheney.

  1. Pete T. Cenarrusa
  2. Debbie Field
  3. Sandra Patano
  4. John Sandy

Notes
  1. This total includes 71 write-in votes not separated by county but given as a statewide total.[9]

References
  1. "2004 Presidential Election Statistics". Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
  4. "George W Bush - $374,659,453 raised, '04 election cycle, Republican Party, President". Campaignmoney.com. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  5. "John F Kerry - $345,826,176 raised, '04 election cycle, Democratic Party, President". Campaignmoney.com. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  6. "Specials". Cnn.com. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  7. "Specials". Cnn.com. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  8. Archived May 13, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  9. Our Campaigns; ID US President, November 02, 2004
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