2004 United States presidential election in Mississippi
The 2004 United States presidential election in Mississippi took place on November 2, 2004, and was part of the 2004 United States presidential election. Voters chose 6 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. It was the first presidential election since the 2000 United States census led to Mississippi losing an electoral vote, bringing its number of electoral votes from seven to six. This was the fewest electoral votes Mississippi had had in a presidential election since 1848.[1]
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| Elections in Mississippi |
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Mississippi was won by incumbent President George W. Bush by a 19.69% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 12 news organizations considered this a state Bush would win, or otherwise considered as a safe red state. Southern Democrat Jimmy Carter was the last Democrat to carry this state, in the 1976 election. U.S. President George W. Bush won here in 2004 carrying a majority of the counties and congressional districts.
Primaries
- Mississippi Democratic primary, 2004
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]
- D.C. Political Report: Leans Republican
- Associated Press: Leans Bush
- CNN: Bush
- Cook Political Report: Lean Republican
- Newsweek: Solid Bush
- New York Times: Solid Bush
- Rasmussen Reports: Bush
- Research 2000: Solid Bush
- Washington Post: Bush
- Washington Times: Solid Bush
- Zogby International: Bush
- Washington Dispatch: Bush
Polling
Bush won both pre-election polls, each with a double-digit margin.[3]
Advertising and visits
Neither campaign spent or visited this state during the fall campaign.[6]
Analysis
The last Democratic presidential nominee to win Mississippi was Jimmy Carter in 1976. Due to its status as a safe red state, little campaigning took place in Mississippi by either of the two major party candidates.
Mississippi is one of the most racially polarized states when it comes to voting for president. African Americans uniformly vote Democratic, while Caucasians vote Republican nearly as uniformly. In 2004, 14% of Caucasians voted for John Kerry and 10% of African Americans voted for Bush, according to exit polling.[7] The main support was in the western delta counties next to the Mississippi River. George W. Bush won with a 19.69-point margin of victory over John Kerry in 2004. As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last election in which Pike County, Copiah County, Oktibbeha County, and Yazoo County voted for the Republican candidate.
Results
| 2004 United States presidential election in Mississippi[8] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Republican Party | George W. Bush | 684,981 | 59.44% | 6 | |
| Democratic Party | John Kerry | 458,094 | 39.75% | 0 | |
| Reform Party | Ralph Nader | 3,177 | 0.28% | 0 | |
| Libertarian Party | Michael Badnarik | 1,793 | 0.16% | 0 | |
| Constitution Party | Michael Peroutka | 1,759 | 0.15% | 0 | |
| Independent (politician) | Roger Calero | 1,272 | 0.11% | 0 | |
| Green Party | David Cobb | 1,073 | 0.09% | 0 | |
| Independent (politician) | Write Ins | 216 | 0.02% | 0 | |
| Totals | - | 100.00% | 6 | ||
| Voter turnout (Voting Age population) | 54.4% | ||||
Results breakdown
By county
Bush won most of the counties in the state.[9]
| County | Kerry # | Kerry % | Bush # | Bush % | Other # | Other % | Total # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | 7,844 | 54.56% | 6,487 | 45.12% | 45 | 0.31% | 14,376 |
| Alcorn | 5,364 | 38.02% | 8,605 | 60.99% | 141 | 1.00% | 14,110 |
| Amite | 2,973 | 41.77% | 4,106 | 57.69% | 38 | 0.53% | 7,117 |
| Attala | 3,014 | 37.94% | 4,882 | 61.45% | 49 | 0.62% | 7,945 |
| Benton | 2,234 | 52.83% | 1,962 | 46.39% | 33 | 0.78% | 4,229 |
| Bolivar | 8,560 | 63.75% | 4,722 | 35.17% | 145 | 1.08% | 13,427 |
| Calhoun | 2,211 | 34.92% | 4,096 | 64.70% | 24 | 0.38% | 6,331 |
| Carroll | 1,897 | 34.01% | 3,652 | 65.48% | 28 | 0.50% | 5,577 |
| Chickasaw | 3,991 | 48.75% | 4,123 | 50.37% | 72 | 0.88% | 8,186 |
| Choctaw | 1,290 | 33.01% | 2,598 | 66.48% | 20 | 0.51% | 3,908 |
| Claiborne | 4,338 | 81.53% | 941 | 17.68% | 42 | 0.79% | 5,321 |
| Clarke | 2,377 | 31.96% | 5,027 | 67.59% | 34 | 0.46% | 7,438 |
| Clay | 4,732 | 51.94% | 4,333 | 47.56% | 46 | 0.50% | 9,111 |
| Coahkoma | 6,741 | 64.10% | 3,643 | 34.64% | 132 | 1.26% | 10,516 |
| Copiah | 4,902 | 43.49% | 6,316 | 56.03% | 54 | 0.48% | 11,272 |
| Covington | 3,135 | 38.26% | 5,010 | 61.14% | 49 | 0.60% | 8,194 |
| DeSoto | 13,247 | 27.05% | 35,437 | 72.35% | 297 | 0.61% | 48,981 |
| Forrest | 9,781 | 37.71% | 15,966 | 61.56% | 189 | 0.73% | 25,936 |
| Franklin | 1,566 | 35.01% | 2,883 | 64.45% | 24 | 0.54% | 4,473 |
| George | 1,715 | 21.57% | 6,182 | 77.76% | 53 | 0.67% | 7,950 |
| Greene | 1,419 | 26.90% | 3,827 | 72.55% | 29 | 0.55% | 5,275 |
| Grenada | 4,154 | 41.33% | 5,844 | 58.15% | 52 | 0.52% | 10,050 |
| Hancock | 5,023 | 28.62% | 12,332 | 70.27% | 195 | 1.11% | 17,550 |
| Harrison | 22,555 | 36.49% | 38,781 | 62.74% | 474 | 0.77% | 61,810 |
| Hinds | 51,370 | 59.55% | 34,269 | 39.73% | 626 | 0.73% | 86,265 |
| Holmes | 6,170 | 75.87% | 1,925 | 23.67% | 37 | 0.45% | 8,132 |
| Humphreys | 2,975 | 63.96% | 1,626 | 34.96% | 50 | 1.08% | 4,651 |
| Issaquena | 510 | 53.01% | 437 | 45.43% | 15 | 1.56% | 962 |
| Itawamba | 2,771 | 28.88% | 6,751 | 70.35% | 74 | 0.77% | 9,596 |
| Jackson | 15,046 | 30.45% | 34,035 | 68.88% | 333 | 0.67% | 49,414 |
| Jasper | 4,081 | 51.49% | 3,808 | 48.04% | 37 | 0.47% | 7,926 |
| Jefferson Davis | 2,955 | 51.30% | 2,667 | 46.30% | 138 | 2.40% | 5,760 |
| Jefferson | 2,798 | 81.34% | 627 | 18.23% | 15 | 0.44% | 3,440 |
| Jones | 7,344 | 27.69% | 19,032 | 71.77% | 142 | 0.54% | 26,518 |
| Kemper | 2,454 | 53.48% | 2,107 | 45.91% | 28 | 0.61% | 4,589 |
| Lafayette | 6,218 | 40.41% | 9,004 | 58.51% | 166 | 1.08% | 15,388 |
| Lamar | 3,876 | 19.10% | 16,288 | 80.26% | 130 | 0.64% | 20,294 |
| Lauderdale | 10,026 | 33.92% | 19,395 | 65.62% | 134 | 0.45% | 29,555 |
| Lawrence | 2,355 | 36.11% | 4,119 | 63.16% | 48 | 0.74% | 6,522 |
| Leake | 3,212 | 39.10% | 4,962 | 60.41% | 40 | 0.49% | 8,214 |
| Lee | 9,895 | 32.97% | 19,878 | 66.24% | 237 | 0.79% | 30,010 |
| Leflore | 7,240 | 61.97% | 4,427 | 37.89% | 17 | 0.15% | 11,684 |
| Lincoln | 4,372 | 30.52% | 9,889 | 69.03% | 65 | 0.45% | 14,326 |
| Lowndes | 7,904 | 38.10% | 12,642 | 60.93% | 202 | 0.97% | 20,748 |
| Madison | 12,942 | 34.84% | 24,015 | 64.65% | 191 | 0.51% | 37,148 |
| Marion | 3,828 | 32.63% | 7,845 | 66.87% | 59 | 0.50% | 11,732 |
| Marshall | 7,979 | 58.78% | 5,520 | 40.67% | 75 | 0.55% | 13,574 |
| Monroe | 6,149 | 39.78% | 9,223 | 59.66% | 87 | 0.56% | 15,459 |
| Montgomery | 2,422 | 44.89% | 2,953 | 54.73% | 21 | 0.39% | 5,396 |
| Neshoba | 2,515 | 24.82% | 7,581 | 74.81% | 37 | 0.37% | 10,133 |
| Newton | 2,274 | 26.84% | 6,156 | 72.66% | 42 | 0.50% | 8,472 |
| Noxubee | 4,293 | 71.31% | 1,698 | 28.21% | 29 | 0.48% | 6,020 |
| Oktibbeha | 4,178 | 42.89% | 5,485 | 56.30% | 79 | 0.81% | 9,742 |
| Panola | 6,540 | 49.06% | 6,734 | 50.52% | 56 | 0.42% | 13,330 |
| Pearl River | 4,392 | 22.97% | 14,612 | 76.42% | 117 | 0.61% | 19,121 |
| Perry | 1,259 | 25.13% | 3,729 | 74.43% | 22 | 0.44% | 5,010 |
| Pike | 7,578 | 46.73% | 8,547 | 52.71% | 90 | 0.56% | 16,215 |
| Pontotoc | 2,591 | 23.42% | 8,375 | 75.72% | 95 | 0.86% | 11,061 |
| Prentiss | 3,327 | 33.50% | 6,538 | 65.83% | 40 | 0.67% | 9,932 |
| Quitman | 1,925 | 59.84% | 1,270 | 39.48% | 22 | 0.68% | 3,217 |
| Rankin | 10,738 | 20.12% | 41,971 | 78.65% | 656 | 1.23% | 53,365 |
| Scott | 3,780 | 37.15% | 6,364 | 62.55% | 31 | 0.30% | 10,175 |
| Sharkey | 1,553 | 50.41% | 1,115 | 36.19% | 413 | 13.40% | 3,081 |
| Simpson | 3,262 | 32.37% | 6,810 | 67.58% | 5 | 0.05% | 10,077 |
| Smith | 1,493 | 21.01% | 5,566 | 78.33% | 47 | 0.66% | 7,106 |
| Stone | 1,502 | 26.68% | 4,072 | 72.33% | 56 | 0.99% | 5,630 |
| Sunflower | 6,057 | 62.68% | 3,492 | 36.14% | 114 | 1.18% | 9,663 |
| Tallahatchie | 3,377 | 54.81% | 2,725 | 44.23% | 59 | 0.96% | 6,161 |
| Tate | 4,279 | 38.90% | 6,663 | 60.57% | 59 | 0.54% | 11,001 |
| Tippah | 2,983 | 32.73% | 6,048 | 66.37% | 82 | 0.90% | 9,113 |
| Tishomingo | 2,775 | 33.99% | 5,288 | 64.76% | 102 | 1.25% | 8,165 |
| Tunica | 1,934 | 68.70% | 845 | 30.02% | 36 | 1.28% | 2,815 |
| Union | 2,710 | 26.57% | 7,422 | 72.77% | 67 | 0.66% | 10,199 |
| Walthall | 2,550 | 39.48% | 3,873 | 59.96% | 36 | 0.56% | 6,459 |
| Warren | 8,244 | 40.98% | 11,773 | 58.52% | 100 | 0.50% | 20,117 |
| Washington | 10,562 | 59.09% | 7,031 | 39.33% | 282 | 1.58% | 17,875 |
| Wayne | 3,193 | 36.30% | 5,562 | 63.24% | 40 | 0.45% | 8,795 |
| Webster | 1,318 | 26.35% | 3,668 | 73.33% | 16 | 0.32% | 5,002 |
| Wilkinson | 2,794 | 63.67% | 1,563 | 35.62% | 31 | 0.71% | 4,388 |
| Winston | 3,978 | 42.25% | 5,386 | 57.21% | 51 | 0.54% | 9,415 |
| Yalobusha | 2,656 | 44.48% | 3,278 | 54.90% | 37 | 0.62% | 5,971 |
| Yazoo | 4,798 | 44.87% | 5,595 | 52.32% | 301 | 2.81% | 10,694 |
By congressional district
Bush won 3 of 4 congressional districts.
| District | Bush | Kerry | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 62% | 37% | Roger Wicker |
| 2nd | 40% | 57% | Bennie G. Thompson |
| 3rd | 65% | 34% | Chip Pickering |
| 4th | 68% | 31% | Gene Taylor |
Electors
Technically the voters of Mississippi cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Mississippi is allocated 6 electors because it has 4 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 6 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 6 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 13, 2004, to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.
The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All 6 were pledged for Bush/Cheney:[10]
- Kelly Segars
- John Phillips
- Wayne Parker
- Jimmy Creekmore
- Victor Mavar
- Billy Mounger
References
- "Mississippi Presidential Election Voting History". www.270towin.com. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- http://www.dcpoliticalreport.com/members/2004/Pred2.htm#NW%5B%5D
- http://uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/GENERAL/CAMPAIGN/2004/polls.php?fips=28
- "George W Bush - $374,659,453 raised, '04 election cycle, Republican Party, President". www.campaignmoney.com. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
- "John F Kerry - $345,826,176 raised, '04 election cycle, Democratic Party, President". www.campaignmoney.com. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
- "CNN.com Specials". CNN.
- "CNN Election 2004". CNN. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
- "2004 Presidential General Election Results - Mississippi".
- "Washington Post". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
- http://secure.sos.state.ms.us/ed_pubs/PressReleases/Articles/ElectoralCollegeMeets.asp%5B%5D
