2004 United States presidential election in Kentucky Last updated February 14, 2025
2004 United States presidential election in Kentucky Turnout 64.74% [ 1] County results Congressional district results Bush
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
80-90%
Kerry
40-50%
50-60%
60-70%
The 2004 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 2, 2004, and was part of the 2004 United States presidential election . Voters chose eight representatives, or electors to the Electoral College , who voted for president and vice president .
Kentucky was won by incumbent President George W. Bush by a 19.86% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 12 news organizations considered this a state Bush would win, or otherwise a red state . Bush widened his margin of victory since his victory in 2000 against Al Gore , the former Senator of neighboring Tennessee , by 4.73%. He made his strongest progress in the eastern part of the state and at the border with Virginia . As of 2024 , this is the last election in which Fayette County home of Lexington, Kentucky has voted for the Republican candidate, and the last in which Knott County , Floyd County , Breathitt County , Bath County , Pike County , Carter County , and Magoffin County voted for the Democratic candidate. This was the first time ever that a Republican won a majority in Ballard County .
This victory coincided with a U.S. Senate election , where controversial Republican incumbent Jim Bunning was narrowly reelected over Daniel Mongiardo , most likely due to Bush's landslide victory.
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]
Source Ranking D.C. Political Report Solid R Cook Political Report Solid R Research 2000 Solid R Zogby International Likely R Washington Post Likely R Washington Dispatch Likely R Washington Times Solid R The New York Times Solid R CNN Likely R Newsweek Solid R Associated Press Solid R Rasmussen Reports Likely R
Polling Bush won every single pre-election poll, and won each by a double-digit margin of victory and with at least 52% of the vote. The final 3 poll averaged Bush leading 57% to 38%. [ 3]
Fundraising Bush raised $2,398,982. [ 4] Kerry raised $1,433,748. [ 5]
Advertising and visits Neither campaign advertised or visited this state during the fall campaign. [ 6] [ 7]
Results President George W. Bush easily defeated Massachusetts Senator John F. Kerry in Kentucky, capturing the state's 8 electoral votes. Bush did well throughout the state. Kerry only won a handful of counties. Kerry performed decently in coal country in east Kentucky but fared poorly in other rural parts of the state. Kerry did win Jefferson County , the most populous county in the state and home of Louisville . However this was not enough to overcome Bush's lead. This race was not close, whereas the concurrent senate race was very tight.
By county County George W. Bush John Kerry Various candidates Margin Total # % # % # % # % Adair 5,628 75.57% 1,764 23.69% 55 0.74% 3,864 51.88% 7,447 Allen 5,202 72.62% 1,923 26.85% 38 0.53% 3,279 45.77% 7,163 Anderson 6,363 66.34% 3,141 32.75% 87 0.91% 3,222 33.59% 9,591 Ballard 2,389 57.19% 1,759 42.11% 29 0.70% 630 15.08% 4,177 Barren 10,822 67.05% 5,216 32.32% 102 0.63% 5,606 34.73% 16,140 Bath 2,269 46.13% 2,608 53.02% 42 0.85% -339 -6.89% 4,919 Bell 6,722 61.10% 4,210 38.27% 70 0.64% 2,512 22.83% 11,002 Boone 32,329 71.71% 12,391 27.49% 362 0.80% 19,938 44.22% 45,082 Bourbon 4,953 60.28% 3,198 38.92% 66 0.80% 1,755 21.36% 8,217 Boyd 11,501 52.81% 10,132 46.53% 144 0.66% 1,369 6.28% 21,777 Boyle 7,764 62.16% 4,646 37.20% 80 0.64% 3,118 24.96% 12,490 Bracken 2,363 65.46% 1,213 33.60% 34 0.95% 1,150 31.86% 3,610 Breathitt 2,542 42.77% 3,327 55.97% 75 1.26% -785 -13.20% 5,944 Breckinridge 5,580 65.49% 2,884 33.85% 56 0.66% 2,696 31.64% 8,520 Bullitt 19,433 67.88% 9,043 31.59% 151 0.53% 10,390 36.29% 28,627 Butler 4,109 73.66% 1,436 25.74% 33 0.59% 2,673 47.92% 5,578 Caldwell 4,066 64.04% 2,245 35.36% 38 0.60% 1,821 28.68% 6,349 Calloway 9,293 61.36% 5,728 37.82% 124 0.81% 3,565 23.54% 15,145 Campbell 25,540 63.57% 14,253 35.48% 382 0.96% 11,287 28.09% 40,175 Carlisle 1,734 60.95% 1,102 38.73% 9 0.32% 632 22.22% 2,845 Carroll 2,175 55.81% 1,688 43.32% 34 0.87% 487 12.49% 3,897 Carter 5,422 48.77% 5,577 50.17% 118 1.06% -155 -1.40% 11,117 Casey 5,109 80.83% 1,174 18.57% 38 0.60% 3,935 62.26% 6,321 Christian 13,935 66.31% 6,970 33.17% 110 0.52% 6,965 33.14% 21,015 Clark 9,540 62.28% 5,661 36.96% 116 0.76% 3,879 25.32% 15,317 Clay 5,726 74.49% 1,901 24.73% 60 0.77% 3,825 49.76% 7,687 Clinton 3,369 77.41% 952 21.88% 31 0.72% 2,417 55.53% 4,352 Crittenden 2,726 65.06% 1,438 34.32% 26 0.62% 1,288 30.74% 4,190 Cumberland 2,356 72.74% 848 26.18% 35 1.09% 1,508 46.56% 3,239 Daviess 25,372 61.16% 15,788 38.06% 323 0.78% 9,584 23.10% 41,483 Edmonson 3,595 65.59% 1,856 33.86% 30 0.55% 1,739 31.73% 5,481 Elliott 871 29.46% 2,064 69.80% 22 0.75% -1,193 -40.34% 2,957 Estill 3,633 65.17% 1,907 34.21% 35 0.63% 1,726 30.96% 5,575 Fayette 66,406 52.88% 57,994 46.18% 1,176 0.94% 8,412 6.70% 125,576 Fleming 3,749 60.44% 2,406 38.79% 48 0.78% 1,343 21.65% 6,203 Floyd 6,612 36.97% 11,132 62.24% 141 0.79% -4,520 -25.27% 17,885 Franklin 12,281 50.89% 11,620 48.15% 232 0.96% 661 2.74% 24,133 Fulton 1,527 52.84% 1,340 46.37% 23 0.80% 187 6.47% 2,890 Gallatin 1,869 60.82% 1,188 38.66% 16 0.52% 681 22.16% 3,073 Garrard 4,784 71.85% 1,841 27.65% 33 0.50% 2,943 44.20% 6,658 Grant 5,951 67.44% 2,818 31.94% 55 0.62% 3,133 35.50% 8,824 Graves 9,903 61.02% 6,206 38.24% 120 0.74% 3,697 22.78% 16,229 Grayson 7,170 70.69% 2,905 28.64% 68 0.67% 4,265 42.05% 10,143 Green 3,866 74.26% 1,312 25.20% 28 0.54% 2,554 49.06% 5,206 Greenup 8,696 52.91% 7,630 46.43% 109 0.67% 1,066 6.48% 16,435 Hancock 2,286 56.74% 1,709 42.42% 34 0.84% 577 14.32% 4,029 Hardin 24,627 67.58% 11,507 31.58% 307 0.84% 13,120 36.00% 36,441 Harlan 6,659 60.15% 4,332 39.13% 79 0.71% 2,327 21.02% 11,070 Harrison 4,855 62.80% 2,807 36.31% 69 0.89% 2,048 26.49% 7,731 Hart 4,269 62.93% 2,470 36.41% 45 0.67% 1,799 26.52% 6,784 Henderson 10,467 55.97% 8,101 43.32% 133 0.72% 2,366 12.65% 18,701 Henry 4,094 62.99% 2,366 36.41% 39 0.60% 1,728 26.58% 6,499 Hickman 1,395 59.56% 926 39.54% 21 0.90% 469 20.02% 2,342 Hopkins 12,314 65.35% 6,420 34.07% 109 0.58% 5,894 31.28% 18,843 Jackson 4,369 84.38% 769 14.85% 40 0.78% 3,600 69.53% 5,178 Jefferson 164,566 48.75% 170,158 50.41% 2,845 0.84% -5,592 -1.66% 337,569 Jessamine 12,972 69.82% 5,476 29.47% 132 0.71% 7,496 40.35% 18,580 Johnson 5,940 63.84% 3,288 35.34% 76 0.81% 2,652 28.50% 9,304 Kenton 43,664 65.05% 22,834 34.02% 625 0.93% 20,830 31.03% 67,123 Knott 2,648 35.81% 4,685 63.36% 61 0.83% -2,037 -27.55% 7,394 Knox 8,108 67.41% 3,822 31.78% 98 0.82% 4,286 35.63% 12,028 LaRue 4,111 68.88% 1,823 30.55% 34 0.57% 2,288 38.33% 5,968 Laurel 16,819 75.54% 5,297 23.79% 148 0.66% 11,522 51.75% 22,264 Lawrence 3,755 57.65% 2,705 41.53% 53 0.81% 1,050 16.12% 6,513 Lee 2,018 69.11% 878 30.07% 24 0.82% 1,140 39.04% 2,920 Leslie 3,661 73.75% 1,266 25.50% 37 0.74% 2,395 48.25% 4,964 Letcher 4,801 52.96% 4,192 46.24% 72 0.79% 609 6.72% 9,065 Lewis 3,778 68.89% 1,667 30.40% 39 0.71% 2,111 38.49% 5,484 Lincoln 5,996 67.65% 2,796 31.55% 71 0.80% 3,200 36.10% 8,863 Livingston 2,675 56.84% 2,007 42.65% 24 0.51% 668 14.19% 4,706 Logan 6,815 64.03% 3,768 35.40% 61 0.57% 3,047 28.63% 10,644 Lyon 2,132 54.32% 1,769 45.07% 24 0.61% 363 9.25% 3,925 McCracken 18,218 61.14% 11,361 38.13% 218 0.73% 6,857 23.01% 29,797 McCreary 4,121 72.39% 1,530 26.88% 42 0.74% 2,591 45.51% 5,693 McLean 2,584 58.26% 1,823 41.10% 28 0.64% 761 17.16% 4,435 Madison 18,922 61.62% 11,525 37.53% 260 0.85% 7,397 24.09% 30,707 Magoffin 2,836 49.60% 2,843 49.72% 39 0.68% -7 -0.12% 5,718 Marion 3,905 53.10% 3,399 46.22% 50 0.68% 506 6.88% 7,354 Marshall 9,049 58.30% 6,383 41.12% 89 0.58% 2,666 17.18% 15,521 Martin 2,996 66.01% 1,504 33.14% 39 0.86% 1,492 32.87% 4,539 Mason 4,381 61.89% 2,644 37.35% 54 0.76% 1,737 24.54% 7,079 Meade 7,152 65.31% 3,724 34.01% 75 0.69% 3,428 31.30% 10,951 Menifee 1,215 48.06% 1,284 50.79% 29 1.15% -69 -2.73% 2,528 Mercer 6,745 67.26% 3,224 32.15% 59 0.59% 3,521 35.11% 10,028 Metcalfe 2,645 63.63% 1,472 35.41% 40 0.96% 1,173 28.22% 4,157 Monroe 4,657 79.70% 1,158 19.82% 28 0.48% 3,499 59.88% 5,843 Montgomery 5,647 55.20% 4,506 44.05% 77 0.76% 1,141 11.15% 10,230 Morgan 2,682 50.87% 2,532 48.03% 58 1.10% 150 2.84% 5,272 Muhlenberg 6,749 50.07% 6,636 49.23% 94 0.70% 113 0.84% 13,479 Nelson 10,161 60.32% 6,524 38.73% 159 0.94% 3,637 21.59% 16,844 Nicholas 1,700 55.57% 1,332 43.54% 27 0.88% 368 12.03% 3,059 Ohio 6,311 62.93% 3,627 36.17% 80 0.80% 2,684 26.76% 10,028 Oldham 18,801 69.29% 8,080 29.78% 251 0.93% 10,721 39.51% 27,132 Owen 3,084 65.05% 1,615 34.06% 42 0.89% 1,469 30.99% 4,741 Owsley 1,558 77.94% 430 21.51% 11 0.55% 1,128 56.43% 1,999 Pendleton 4,045 67.14% 1,940 32.20% 40 0.67% 2,105 34.94% 6,025 Perry 6,187 53.08% 5,400 46.33% 68 0.58% 787 6.75% 11,655 Pike 12,611 47.11% 14,002 52.30% 157 0.59% -1,391 -5.21% 26,770 Powell 2,687 54.17% 2,249 45.34% 24 0.48% 438 8.83% 4,960 Pulaski 19,535 76.56% 5,829 22.84% 152 0.60% 13,706 53.72% 25,516 Robertson 670 61.47% 413 37.89% 7 0.64% 257 23.58% 1,090 Rockcastle 4,804 77.91% 1,320 21.41% 42 0.68% 3,484 56.50% 6,166 Rowan 4,063 46.67% 4,556 52.33% 87 1.00% -493 -5.66% 8,706 Russell 6,009 76.83% 1,772 22.66% 40 0.51% 4,237 54.17% 7,821 Scott 10,600 62.17% 6,325 37.10% 125 0.73% 4,275 25.07% 17,050 Shelby 10,909 66.87% 5,277 32.35% 127 0.78% 5,632 34.52% 16,313 Simpson 4,273 60.67% 2,730 38.76% 40 0.57% 1,543 21.91% 7,043 Spencer 4,816 70.60% 1,970 28.88% 36 0.53% 2,846 41.72% 6,822 Taylor 7,247 70.39% 2,979 28.94% 69 0.67% 4,268 41.45% 10,295 Todd 3,242 68.20% 1,491 31.36% 21 0.44% 1,751 36.84% 4,754 Trigg 4,023 65.83% 2,046 33.48% 42 0.69% 1,977 32.35% 6,111 Trimble 2,332 61.53% 1,428 37.68% 30 0.79% 904 23.85% 3,790 Union 3,534 59.13% 2,398 40.12% 45 0.75% 1,136 19.01% 5,977 Warren 25,100 63.21% 14,326 36.08% 285 0.72% 10,774 27.13% 39,711 Washington 3,479 66.44% 1,724 32.93% 33 0.63% 1,755 33.51% 5,236 Wayne 5,027 65.41% 2,616 34.04% 42 0.54% 2,411 31.37% 7,685 Webster 3,207 57.82% 2,304 41.54% 36 0.65% 903 16.28% 5,547 Whitley 9,559 70.14% 3,985 29.24% 85 0.62% 5,574 40.90% 13,629 Wolfe 1,385 43.90% 1,744 55.28% 26 0.82% -359 -11.38% 3,155 Woodford 6,937 60.31% 4,480 38.95% 85 0.74% 2,457 21.36% 11,502 Totals 1,069,439 59.54% 712,733 39.68% 13,907 0.77% 356,706 19.86% 1,796,079
County Flips: Democratic Hold
Gain from Republican
Republican Hold
Gain from Democratic
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic By congressional district Bush won 5 of 6 congressional districts, both candidates won a district held by the other party.
Electors Technically the voters of Kentucky cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College . Kentucky is allocated 8 electors because it has 6 congressional districts and 2 senators . All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 8 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 8 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 8 were pledged to Bush/Cheney:
Rachel N. McCubbin Keith A. Hall Carolyn Cole Martha G. Prewitt Donald E. Girdler Constance M. Gray Frank Schwendeman Carla T. Bartleman References ↑ "Voter turnout report for the 11/02/04 General Election" (PDF) . Commonwealth of Kentucky - State Board of Elections. ↑ http://www.dcpoliticalreport.com/members/2004/Pred2.htm#NW [ permanent dead link ] ↑ "2004 Presidential Election Polls" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections. ↑ "George W Bush - $374,659,453 raised, '04 election cycle, Republican Party, President" . ↑ "John F Kerry - $345,826,176 raised, '04 election cycle, Democrat Party, President" . ↑ "America votes 2004: Campaign ad buys" . CNN. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2022 . ↑ "America votes 2004: Candidate tracker" . CNN . Retrieved May 27, 2022 .
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