The Green Papers
2004 Presidential Primaries at a Glance


 

This "at a glance" look at the Presidential Primaries simply lists the winner (and, in many cases, the candidate who came in second) in each Primary in chronological order. It seems a quick method of discerning the progress of the eventual presidential nominee of the given Major Party (along with that of any significant challengers to that nominee) as the Primaries have progressed through time.

In fact, [presidential] primaries have been much more likely to sow division than unity, and most likely to leave things as they are [re: a potential consensus nominee identified prior to the earliest presidential primaries and caucuses]--
William R. Keech and Donald R. Matthews: The Party's Choice: Studies in Presidential Selection (Brookings Institution, 1977)

 
2004 Presidential Primaries at a Glance
Date State Democrat
Democrat
Republican
Republican
    Winner%Second%     Winner%Second%
13 JanuaryDistrict of Columbia Dean43Sharpton34     
27 JanuaryNew Hampshire Kerry38Dean26 Bush   
3 FebruaryArizona Kerry43Clark27     
Delaware KerryNLieberman      
Missouri KerryNEdwards  Bush   
Oklahoma Clark30Edwards30 Bush   
South CarolinaPREdwards45Kerry30     
7 FebruaryMichiganPRKerryNDean      
10 FebruaryTennessee Kerry41Edwards26 Bush   
Virginia KerryNEdwards      
17 FebruaryWisconsin Kerry40Edwards34 Bush   
24 FebruaryUtahPRKerryDEdwards      
2 MarchCalifornia KerryLEdwards  BushU  
Connecticut KerryDEdwards      
Georgia Kerry47Edwards41 BushU  
Maryland KerryDEdwards  BushU  
Massachusetts KerryLEdwards  Bush   
New York KerryLEdwards      
Ohio KerryNEdwards  BushU  
Rhode Island KerryLEdwards  Bush   
Vermont DeanDKerry  BushU  
9 MarchFlorida Kerry        
Louisiana KerryLEdwards  Bush   
Mississippi Kerry        
Texas KerryLEdwards  Bush   
16 MarchIllinois KerryLEdwards  BushU  
27 AprilPennsylvania KerryLDean  BushU  
4 MayIndiana KerryLEdwards  BushU  
North Carolina          
11 MayNebraska KerryLEdwards  BushU  
West Virginia KerryLEdwards  BushU  
18 MayArkansas KerryLUncommitted  Bush   
Kentucky KerryDEdwards  Bush   
Oregon Kerry    BushU  
25 MayIdaho Kerry    Bush   
1 JuneAlabama KerryLUncommitted  Bush   
New Mexico      Bush   
South Dakota Kerry        
8 JuneMontana KerryLKucinich  Bush   
New Jersey Kerry    BushU  
 

Key

  • If a presidential contender wins 75.5% or more of the primary vote, the second place finisher is not listed.
  • U means that this presidential contender- or his/her delegate slate [depending on the type of Primary]- ran in that particular Primary unopposed (that is, with no other candidates appearing on the ballot but him/her). Please note that write-ins do NOT count as such "other candidates on the ballot" but the appearance of "Uncommitted" (or equivalent, such as "None of the Above") on a ballot DOES.
  • L indicates a landslide majority [60.5 to 75.4% of the primary vote] for the winner.
  • D indicates a decisive majority [52.5 to 60.4% of the primary vote] for the winner.
  • N indicates a narrow majority [50.0(+1 vote) to 52.4% of the primary vote] for the winner.
  • Where a winning presidential contender has failed to win at least a majority of the primary vote, the winner of the primary and the contender who came in second are both listed with their respective percentages of the primary vote rounded up or down to the nearest whole integer.
  • PR indicates a Party-run Primary.
 

  Election 2004 - Primary, Caucus, and Convention Home  
 
  States Alphabetically  
  Events Chronologically  
  Major Events Chronologically  
  Poll Closing Times  
  Democratic "First Determining Step" Chronologically  
 
  Chronological Cumulative Allocation of Delegates  
 
Delegate Counts
  State by State Summary  
  Democratic Pledged and Unpledged Summary   --   Republican Pledged and Unpledged Summary  
  Democratic Hard and Floor Summary   --   Republican Hard and Floor Summary  
 
Delegate Allocation
  Democratic Quick Reference   --   Republican Quick Reference  
  Democratic Detailed Delegate Allocation   --   Republican Detailed Delegate Allocation  
 
  Democratic Delegate Selection and Voter Eligibility   --   Republican Delegate Selection and Voter Eligibility  
 
  Primaries at a Glance  
 
Ballot Access
  Democratic Candidates   --   Republican Candidates  
 
Documentation
  Historical Analysis of the Presidential Nominating Process  
  Historical Analysis of the apportionment of delegate votes at the National Conventions of the two major parties  
  Primary/Caucus/Convention Glossary  
 
  Third Parties (Green, Libertarian, Reform)