U.S. Democratic Party presidential nomination, 2004

The 2004 U.S. Democratic Party presidential nomination was won by U.S. Senator John Kerry from Massachusetts, who selected John Edwards from North Carolina as his running mate. The nomination process was a series of primaries and caucuses culminating in the Democratic National Convention. By this process, Kerry and Edwards were chosen to represent the Democrats in the 2004 election for President and Vice President of the United States.

The final stretch

Edwards' late stage momentum, as well as his departure from the negative campaigning which characterized other leading candidates http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/15/politics/campaign/15EDWA.html?ex=1128052800&en=15098e997467a46f&ei=5070&fta=y, carried him into a surprising second place finish in Iowa with the support of 32% of caucus delegates, behind only John Kerry's 39% and ahead of former front-runner Howard Dean at 18%. Edwards

Related Topics:
Negative campaigning - Iowa - John Kerry - Howard Dean

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finished with 12% support in the New Hampshire primary one week later, essentially tied for third place position with retired general Wesley Clark. The following week, Edwards won the South Carolina primary and nearly beat Clark in Oklahoma.

Related Topics:
New Hampshire primary - Wesley Clark - Oklahoma

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After Howard Dean's withdrawal from the contest, Edwards became the only major challenger to Kerry for the Democratic nomination. However, Kerry continued to dominate, taking in a string of wins in Michigan, Washington, Maine, Tennessee, Washington, D.C., Nevada, Wisconsin, Utah, Hawaii, and Idaho. Remarking on an unexpectedly strong finish in the Wisconsin primary on February 17, Edwards humorously cautioned Kerry: "Objects in your mirror may be closer than they appear." Many other candidates dropped out during this time, leaving only Sharpton, Kucinich, and Edwards in the running. Dean, while not officially running, did not release his delegates, and still put in a strong showing considering that he was no longer mounting an official campaign.

Related Topics:
Michigan - Washington - Maine - Tennessee - Washington, D.C. - Nevada - Wisconsin - Utah - Hawaii - Idaho

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Edwards maintained a positive campaign and largely avoided attacking Kerry until a February 29, 2004, debate in New York, where he attempted to put Kerry on the defensive by characterizing the front-runner as a "Washington insider" and by mocking Kerry's plan to form a committee to examine trade agreements.

Related Topics:
February 29 - 2004

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In March's Super Tuesday, Kerry won decisive victories in the California, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Rhode Island primaries and the Minnesota caucuses. Dean, despite having withdrawn from the race two weeks earlier, won his home state of Vermont. Edwards finished only slightly behind Kerry in Georgia but, failing to win a single state, chose to withdraw from the presidential race. President Bush called Senator Kerry to congratulate him that evening.

Related Topics:
Super Tuesday - California - Connecticut - Georgia - Maryland - Massachusetts - New York - Ohio - Rhode Island - Minnesota - Bush

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On March 11, after meetings with Democratic superdelegates in Washington, D.C., and former primary election opponents, Massachusetts Senator Kerry accumulated the 2,162 delegates required to clinch the nomination. The Democratic National Committee's website acknowledged him as the party's nominee at that time, almost three months prior to the party convention.

Related Topics:
March 11 - Superdelegates - Washington, D.C. - Primary election - Massachusetts - Democratic National Committee's

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See also the John Kerry presidential campaign, 2004

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