2004 United States Presidential Election (The New Millennium)

The 2004 United States Presidential Election was the 55th quadrennial United States presidential election held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. The Democratic ticket of incumbent President Al Gore and incumbent Vice-President Joe Lieberman were re-elected to a second term, defeating the Republican ticket of U.S. Senator John McCain from Arizona and former Governor Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania. Due to the high turnout, both major party nominees set records for the most popular votes received by candidates, with both surpassing Reagan's record from 1984.

Gore and Lieberman were easily re-nominated however there was discussion among Democratic leaders to drop Lieberman from the ticket due to his war hawk and centrist views. This discussion did not result in any action as Gore stood by keeping Lieberman on the ticket. In the Republican primaries, McCain emerged as the front-runner but faced an intensive battle against the more conservative members of the party who rallied around Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Eventually McCain clinched the nomination in March and chose Tom Ridge to be his running mate.

Gore's popularity soared to record heights in the aftermath of the September 11 Attacks in 2001, but by 2004 his popularity had waned. Foreign policy and Gore's handling of the War on Terror and Operation Enduring Freedom dominated national discussion. Gore presented himself as a decisive and strong leader who took the necessary steps to eliminate al-Queda and ensure Americans remain safe and free. McCain meanwhile attacked Gore for not taking a stronger stance of Iraq and advocated for potential military operations to remove Saddam Hussein from power. Domestic policy was also a theme in the election season, with Gore touting his successful policies including the Patient's Bill of Rights, his widely praised bipartisan campaign finances reform, his reforms to Medicare spending, and his economic policies in response to the early 2000s recession.

Gore won in an landslide, winning 362 electoral votes and winning 52.6% of the popular vote while McCain managed to win 175 electoral votes, with 1 faithless elector from Arkansas casting their vote for Mike Huckabee, and 46.3% of the popular vote. Gore swept the Northeast and Rustbelt while managing to win several states in the Southwest, including Nevada, which last voted for a Democrat in 1996 and Colorado, which last voted for a Democrat in 1992, and managed to win back several southern states including Missouri, which last voted for Bill Clinton in 1996, Tennessee, which also last voted for a Democrat in 1996, and North Carolina, which last voted for a Democrat in 1976. Gore won Florida by over 3%, a major improvement over his razor-thin margin in the state 4 years earlier.