2004 Missouri gubernatorial election

none related races 2004 United States gubernatorial elections January 2025 September 2023 2004 Missouri gubernatorial election Missouri presidential no 2000 Missouri gubernatorial election 2000 2008 Missouri gubernatorial election 2008 November 2, 2004 150x150px File:Mattblunt3 (cropped).jpg Matt Blunt Republican Party (United States) 1,382,419 50.83% File:Claire McCaskill 2007.jpg Claire McCaskill Democratic Party (United States) 1,301,442 47.85% 2004 Missouri gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 275px County results Blunt: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%McCaskill: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% Governor Bob Holden Democratic Party (United States) Matt Blunt Republican Party (United States) The 2004 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2004, for the post of Governor of Missouri. The Republican nominee, Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt, defeated Democratic State Auditor Claire McCaskill. This gave the Republican Party control of both the governorship and the Missouri General Assembly for the first time in 80 years. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A24024-2004Nov3?language=printer The Midwest 2008-02-24 2004-11-04 The Washington Post September 2022 InternetArchiveBot yes August 2021 InternetArchiveBot yes McCaskill had earlier defeated incumbent Governor Bob Holden in the Democratic primary. This was the first time a sitting governor of Missouri had ever been defeated in a primary, and the first time any United States governor had lost in a primary since the 1994 elections. https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/vote2004/2004-11-03-mo-gov-blunt_x.htm Blunt wins Missouri governor's race 2008-02-24 2004-11-03 USA Today Coincidentally, McCaskill's mother Betty Anne had previously been defeated by Blunt's grandfather, Leroy Blunt, in a 1978 election for the state house. Blunt's father, Roy Blunt, was a U.S. representative and later served with McCaskill in the U.S. Senate from 2011 to 2019. Republican primary Campaign Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt faced only token opposition in the Republican primary, easily defeating several lesser known opponents. Results Republican primary resultshttp://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/statewideresults.asp?arc=1&eid=116 Statewide Races https://web.archive.org/web/20110514004429/http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/statewideresults.asp?eid=116&arc=1 2011-05-14 Matt Blunt Republican Party (United States) 534,393 68.28 Karen Skelton-Memhardt Republican Party (United States) 126,089 20.85 Jen Sievers Republican Party (United States) 18,733 3.10 Jeff Killian Republican Party (United States) 10,423 1.72 Roy W. Lang Republican Party (United States) 8,750 1.45 Martin Lindstedt Republican Party (United States) 6,369 1.05 604,757 100 Democratic primary Campaign Bob Holden had a difficult term as Missouri governor, starting at his inauguration on January 8, 2001, which cost $1 million, and which he struggled to pay for. The state economy suffered a downturn forcing him to make budget cuts and the Republican party gained control of the State Senate for the first time in 50 years. https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/state/missouri/2004-08-04-mo-primary_x.htm After ousting embattled Mo. governor in Dem. primary, state auditor reaches out to him 2008-02-25 2004-08-04 USA Today Holden was nicknamed by his opponents as "One Term Bob". https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5592789 Missouri voters approve gay marriage ban 2008-02-25 2004-08-04 NBC News Holden announced that he would run for re-election in March 2003, blaming the Republican party for many of the problems during his term as governor.http://www.hannibal.net/stories/031003/hap_0310030020.shtml Holden to seek re-election 2008-02-25 2003-03-10 The Hannibal Courier-Post dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050223114509/http://www.hannibal.net/stories/031003/hap_0310030020.shtml February 23, 2005 However, Holden was challenged by State Auditor Claire McCaskill for the Democratic nomination, who said that she would be a stronger candidate in the general election against Blunt. McCaskill attacked Holden for delays in education funding, the state's deteriorating roads and increases in tuition fees at Missouri's universities. Holden sought to defend his term in office and attacked McCaskill for the people she accepted campaign contributions from. McCaskill picked up most newspaper endorsements during the primary, and won the primary on August 3 against Holden. https://www.nytimes.com/cq/2004/08/04/news-1283573.html Missouri Governor Ousted in Primary 2008-02-25 2004-08-04 The New York Times Gregory L. Giroux Results Democratic primary results Claire McCaskill Democratic Party (United States) 437,780 51.64 Bob Holden (incumbent) Democratic Party (United States) 383,734 45.27 Jim LePage Democratic Party (United States) 16,761 1.98 Jeffery A. Emrick Democratic Party (United States) 9,473 1.12 847,748 100 General election Campaign After the primaries finished Holden and McCaskill met to unite the Democratic party for the general election for what was always seen as being a close race against Blunt. http://www.kmbc.com/politics/3616239/detail.html Democrats Mend Fences; Blunt Rallies GOP Supporters 2008-02-25 2004-08-04 The New York Times dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110719003036/http://www.kmbc.com/politics/3616239/detail.html 2011-07-19 http://www.kmbc.com/politics/3558083/detail.html Poll Shows Tight Primary Race For Mo. Governor 2008-02-25 2004-07-20 KMBC-TV dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110719003058/http://www.kmbc.com/politics/3558083/detail.html 2011-07-19 The first of two debates between Blunt and McCaskill was held on 18 October. McCaskill compared her experience to Blunt's inexperience, while Blunt said that McCaskill would not support the marriage protection amendment to the State Constitution.http://www.kmbc.com/politics/3829288/detail.html Blunt, McCaskill Debate In KC 2008-02-25 2004-10-18 KMBC-TV dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110719003117/http://www.kmbc.com/politics/3829288/detail.html 2011-07-19 In the two debates, Blunt described himself as bringing change to Missouri and was assisted by President George W. Bush during the campaign. McCaskill kept her distance from Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, due to Bush's lead in Missouri. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57459-2004Oct23.html Age May Be Trump Card in Governor's Race 2008-02-25 2004-10-24 The Washington Post Peter Slevin In the end, Blunt narrowly defeated McCaskill, with surveys showing that his conservative stance on social issues and the strong showing of President Bush in Missouri helped him to victory. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/politics/campaign/04sbmissouri.html?pagewanted=print&position= Missouri 2008-02-25 2004-11-04 The New York Times Blunt obtained strong leads in the rural parts of the state, as well as the large cities of southwest Missouri, Springfield and Joplin, which was sufficient to overcome McCaskill's leads in St. Louis and Jackson County. Blunt thus became Missouri's second youngest governor. Predictions Source Ranking As of Sabato's Crystal BallThe Final Predictions https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/ljs2004110101/ Sabato's Crystal Ball May 2, 2021 Lean R Flip November 1, 2004 Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesizekey Key:A – all adultsRV – registered votersLV – likely votersV – unclear Marginof error ClaireMcCaskill (D) MattBlunt (R) Other /UndecidedSurveyUSASurveyUSA October 29–31, 2004 689 (LV) ± 3.8% 47% 47% 5% Results Missouri gubernatorial election, 2004http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/statewideresults.asp?arc=1&eid=14 Statewide Races https://web.archive.org/web/20110514004031/http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/statewideresults.asp?eid=14&arc=1 2011-05-14 Republican Party (United States) Matt Blunt 1,382,419 50.83% +2.63% Democratic Party (United States) Claire McCaskill 1,301,442 47.85% -1.27% Libertarian Party (United States) John Swenson 24,378 0.90% +0.42% Constitution Party (United States) Robert Wells 11,299 0.42% +0.28% 80,977 2.98% +2.06% 2,719,538 64.8 +4.0 Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Platte (largest city: Kansas City) Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Audrain (largest city: Mexico) Clark (largest city: Kahoka) Monroe (largest city: Monroe City) Gentry (largest city: Albany) Oregon (largest city: Thayer) Buchanan (largest city: St. Joseph) St. Francois (largest city: Farmington) Reynolds (largest city: Ellington) Washington (largest city: Potosi) Iron (largest city: Ironton) Shannon (largest city: Winona) Bates (largest city: Butler) Chariton (largest city: Salisbury) Dunklin (largest city: Kennett) Nodaway (largest city: Maryville) Pike (largest city: Bowling Green) Howard (largest city: Fayette) Henry (largest city: Clinton) Hickory (largest city: Hermitage) Ralls (largest city: Hannibal) Randolph (largest city: Moberly) Linn (largest city: Brookfield) Callaway (largest city: Fulton) Notes References 30em External links Campaign websites (archived) Matt Blunt Claire McCaskill See also Missouri Governor 2004 Category:2004 in Missouri Category:November 2004 in the United States