Indiana gubernatorial election, 2004

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Federal government
Elections in Indiana

Presidential elections: 2004 · 2008
Senate elections: 2004 · 2006
House elections: 2008 Indiana 7th, 2006
Primaries: Democratic, 2008 · Republican, 2008
Special elections: Indiana 7th, 2008
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Gubernatorial elections: 2004 · 2008
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The 2004 Indiana gubernatorial election took place on 2 November 2004 for the post of Governor of Indiana. The incumbent Governor, Democrat Joe Kernan, was defeated by Republican Mitch Daniels.

Daniel's victory was the first time the Republican Party had held the Governor's office for 16 years and gave the party control of all the important statewide offices.^[1] It was also the first time an incumbent governor had been defeated for re-election since the Constitution of Indiana was amended in 1972 to permit governors to serve two consecutive terms.^[2]

1 Republican primary
2 Democratic nomination
3 Campaign
4 Election results
5 References

[edit] Republican primary

Republican candidate Mitch Daniels

Former White House budget director Mitch Daniels easily defeated conservative activist Eric Miller in the Republican primary on the 4 May.^[3] The Republican candidate for Governor in 2000, David M. McIntosh, had earlier dropped out of the race after President George W. Bush gave his support to Daniels. Daniels had quit as White House budget director in 2003 so he could return to Indiana and run for Governor. President Bush came to South Bend, Indiana before the primary to support Daniels and the Presidents term for Daniels "My man Mitch" became his campaign slogan.^[4]

Candidate	# of votes	% of votes
Mitch Daniels	284,446	66.3
Eric Miller	144,904	33.7

[edit] Democratic nomination

Frank O'Bannon had been re-elected governor of Indiana in 2000 and was prevented from running for Governor again by term limits. His Lieutenant Governor Joe Kernan in December 2002 said that he would not be a candidate for Governor.^[5] State Senator Vi Simpson and Joe Andrew then vied for nomination for the next ten months. However in September 2003 Frank O'Bannon had a stroke and died, resulting in Joe Kernan taking over as Governor. Kernan decided two months later that he would run for Governor in 2004 and was unopposed in the Democratic primary after both Simpson and Andrew dropped out.^[2]

[edit] Campaign

Daniels campaigned by travelling throughout Indiana in his RV visiting all 92 Indiana counties at least three times.^[2] Kernan fell behind in the polls in May 2004 and never caught up, despite closing the gap in September after attacking Daniels plan to sell an Indiana utility to an out of state firm.^[2] The economy of Indiana was a major issue in the campaign with Kernan, as incumbent, facing pressure over the states budget troubles.^[6]

All three candidates took part in two debates during the campign. The first was held on 28 September at Franklin College with the candidates clashing over the state's economy, prescription drugs and the extension of Interstate 69 from Indianapolis to Evansville.^[7] The second debate was held on 17 October where negative campaigning was the major issue.^[8]

Between Daniels and Kernan the two candidates raised over 28 million dollars, easily surpassing the previous record set in 2000 of 19.2 million dollars.^[9]

[edit] Election results

Election results by county.

2004 gubernatorial election, Indiana^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mitch Daniels	1,302,912	53.2	+11.5
	Democratic	Joe Kernan (incumbent)	1,113,900	45.5	-11.1
	Libertarian	Kenn Gividen	31,664	1.3	-0.5
	Write-in	Velko Kapetnanov	22	0.0	+0.0
Majority			189,012	7.7
Turnout			2,448,498	57.0	+2.4
	Republican gain from Democratic		Swing