Distribution of votes in the 2004 US presidential election
September 11 attacks in 2001, and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq dominated the campaigns. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were re-nominated for the Republican ticket with no opposition, as his response following the 9/11 attacks and his role as a wartime president caused his popularity to soar. The Democratic nomination was contested by a number of candidates, with Howard Dean seen as the frontrunner in the beginning of the race, before Kerry emerged as the surprise victor following the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary. Kerry then went on to win the Democratic nomination comfortably, and named Senator John Edwards at the 2004 Democratic National Convention (the DNC also featured a keynote address from the little-known US Senate candidate, Barack Obama).
The 2004 US presidential election was contested by incumbent President George W. Bush of the Republican Party, and John Kerry of the Democratic Party. The US' political landscape had changed drastically since the 2000 election, following the