2004 Delaware gubernatorial election

2004 Delaware gubernatorial election

← 2000 November 2, 2004 2008 →

Nominee Ruth Ann Minner William Swain Lee Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 185,548 167,008 Percentage 50.9% 45.8%

County results House district results Minner:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Lee:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election Ruth Ann Minner Democratic Elected Governor Ruth Ann Minner Democratic

Elections in Delaware
Federal government Presidential elections 1788-89 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2004 2008 2016 2020 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1788 1790 1792 1793 1797 1799 1803 1805 1809 1811 1815 1817 1820 1822 1823 1827 1829 1832 1835 1841 1845 1851 1853 1857 1858 1863 1864 1869 1870 1875 1876 1881 1883 1887 1893 1899 1907 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1934 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1954 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2026 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1789 1790 1792 1794 1796 1798 1800 1802 1804 1806 1808 1810 1812 1814 1816 1818 1820 1822 1824 1826 1828 1830 1832 1834 1836 1838 1840 1842 1844 1846 1848 1850 1852 1854 1856 1858 1860 1862 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Special elections Senate 1795 1796 1798 1799 1802 1804 1810 1813 1822 1824 1827 1830 1836 1837 1841 1849 1857 1864 1869 1885 1897 1899 1903 1906 1922 1930 2010 House 1805 1806 1807 1822 1827 1863 1900
State government General elections 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Gubernatorial elections 1792 1795 1798 1801 1804 1807 1810 1813 1816 1819 1820 sp 1822 sp 1823 sp 1826 1829 1832 1836 1840 1844 1846 sp 1850 1854 1858 1862 1866 1870 1874 1878 1882 1886 1890 1894 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Lieutenant gubernatorial elections 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Attorney General elections 2018 2022 Treasurer elections 2018 2022 Senate elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2017 10th sp 2018 2020 2022 2024 House of Representatives elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Wilmington Mayoral elections 2012 2016 2020 2024
v t e

The 2004 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2004, coinciding with the U.S. presidential election. Incumbent Governor Ruth Ann Minner faced a serious challenge from retired Superior Court Judge Bill Lee, but managed a five-point victory on election day. As of 2024, this was the last time Kent County voted for the Republican candidate in a gubernatorial election or that the statewide margin was within single digits.^{[original research?]}

Primaries

Democratic Party

• Ruth Ann Minner, incumbent Governor of Delaware

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ruth Ann Minner (incumbent)	41,671	100.00

Republican Party

• Bill Lee, former Delaware Superior Court Justice
• David Charles Graham, state government employee
• Michael D. Protack, pilot

Republican primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	William Swain Lee	15,270	70.47
	Republican	Michael D. Protack	5,108	23.57
	Republican	David Charles Graham	1,292	5.96
Total votes			21,670	100.00

Independent Party/Libertarian Party

• Frank Infante, Independent Party of Delaware and Libertarian Party of Delaware fusion ticket nominee

Campaign

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball[2]	Likely D	November 1, 2004

Results

Delaware gubernatorial election, 2004^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ruth Ann Minner (incumbent)	185,548	50.87%	-8.38%
	Republican	William Swain Lee	167,008	45.79%	+6.04%
	Independent Party	Frank Infante	12,203	3.34%	+1.8%
Majority			18,540	5.08%	-14.42%
Turnout			364,759
	Democratic hold		Swing

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Kent (largest city: Dover)
• Sussex (largest city: Seaford)

See also

• Politics of Delaware

References