# 2004 Indiana gubernatorial election

Elections in Indiana :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
1996
2000
2004
2008
2016
2020
Republican
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1816
1818
1821
1821 sp
1824
1827
1830
1832 sp
1832
1836
1838
1842
1844
1848
1850
1853 sp
1856
1857 sp
1860
1862
1863 sp
1867
1868
1873
1879
1879 sp
1885
1887
1891
1893
1897
1899
1903
1905
1905 sp
1909
1911
1914
1916
1916 sp
1920
1922
1926
1926 sp
1928
1932
1934
1938
1940
1944
1944 sp
1946
1950
1952
1956
1958
1962
1964
1968
1970
1974
1976
1980
1982
1986
1988
1990 sp
1992
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2012
2016
2018
2022
2024
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1816
1817
1818
1820
1822
AL sp
1824
1st sp
1826
1828
1831
1833
1835
1837
6th sp
1839
1840
7th sp
1841
1843
1845
1847
1849
1851
1852
1854
1856
1857
1st sp
10th sp
1858
1860
1862
1864
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
2nd sp
3rd sp
1878
1880
1882
1883
9th sp
1884
13th sp
1886
1888
1889
1st sp
1890
1892
1894
1896
1897
4th sp
1898
1900
1902
1904
1905
1st
1906
12th sp
1908
13th sp
1910
1912
1914
1916
1917
6th sp
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1935
2nd sp
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1947
10th sp
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1st sp
1984
1986
1988
1989
4th sp
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
7th sp
2010
3rd sp
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2nd sp
2024 :
State government
State elections
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1816
1819
1822
1825
1828
1831
1834
1837
1840
1843
1846
1849
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Secretary of State elections
2010
2014
2018
2022
Attorney General elections
2012
2016
2020
2024
State Treasurer elections
2010
2014
2018
2022
Senate elections
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
House of Representatives elections
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Indianapolis
Mayoral elections
1925
1929
1947
1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1979
1983
1987
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
City-County Council elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Other localities
Carmel (mayoral)
Evansville (mayoral)
Fort Wayne (mayoral)
Gary (mayoral)
South Bend (mayoral)vte :
vte :
The 2004 Indiana gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2004, to elect the governor of Indiana.
Incumbent Democratic governor Joe Kernan was defeated by Republican Mitch Daniels. Daniels' victory was the first time the Republican Party had been elected governor since 1984, and gave the party control of all the important statewide offices. It was also the first time an incumbent governor had been defeated since the Constitution of Indiana was amended in 1972 to permit governors to serve two consecutive terms.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Joe Kernan, incumbent governor since 2002

#### Withdrew

* Joe Andrew, former chair of the Democratic National Committee
* Vi Simpson, state senator from Bloomington

### Campaign

Frank O'Bannon had been re-elected governor of Indiana in 2000 and was prevented from running for governor again by term limits. His lieutenant governor, Joe Kernan, on December 15, 2002, said that he would not be a candidate for governor. State Senator Vi Simpson and Joe Andrew then vied for nomination for the next ten months. However, on September 13, 2003, O'Bannon had a stroke and died, resulting in Kernan taking over as governor. Kernan decided two months later, on November 4, 2003, that he would run for governor in 2004 and was unopposed in the Democratic primary after both Simpson and Andrew dropped out.

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Joe Kernan (incumbent) | 283,924 | 100.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 283,924 | 100.00 |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Mitch Daniels, former White House Director of the Office of Management and Budget
* Eric Miller, activist

#### Withdrew

* David M. McIntosh, nominee in 2000 and former U.S. representative from Muncie

### Campaign

Former White House Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mitch Daniels easily defeated conservative activist Eric Miller in the Republican primary on May 4, 2004. The Republican candidate for governor in 2000, David M. McIntosh, had earlier dropped out of the race after President George W. Bush gave his support to Daniels. Daniels had quit as White House budget director in 2003 so he could return to Indiana and run for governor. President Bush came to South Bend, Indiana before the primary to support Daniels, and the President's nickname for Daniels, "My Man Mitch", became his campaign slogan.

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mitch Daniels | 335,828 | 66.40 |
| | Republican | Eric Miller | 169,930 | 33.60 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 505,758 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Campaign

Daniels campaigned by traveling throughout Indiana in his RV visiting all 92 Indiana counties at least three times. Kernan fell behind in the polls in May 2004 and never caught up, despite closing the gap in September after attacking Daniels' plan to sell an Indiana utility to an out of state firm. The economy of Indiana was a major issue in the campaign with Kernan, as incumbent, facing pressure over the state's budget troubles.
In addition to the two major party tickets, there was the Libertarian ticket of Kenn Gividen and Elaine Badnarik.
All three candidates took part in two debates during the campaign. The first was held on September 28, 2004, at Franklin College with the candidates clashing over the state's economy, prescription drugs and the extension of Interstate 69 from Indianapolis to Evansville. The second debate was held on October 17, 2004, in New Albany, Indiana. Negative campaigning was the major issue.
Between Daniels and Kernan the two candidates raised over 28 million dollars, easily surpassing the previous record set in 2000 of 19.2 million dollars.

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Likely R (flip) | November 1, 2004 |

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Mitch Daniels (R) | Joe Kernan (D) | Other / Undecided |
| SurveyUSA | October 27–29, 2004 | 587 (LV) | ± 4.1% | 52% | 44% | 4% |

### Statewide Results

Indiana gubernatorial election, 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Mitch Daniels/Becky Skillman | 1,302,912 | 53.21% | +11.54% |
| | Democratic | Joe Kernan/Kathy Davis (incumbents) | 1,113,900 | 45.49% | −11.06% |
| | Libertarian | Kenn Gividen/Elaine Badnarik | 31,664 | 1.29% | −0.48% |
| | Write-ins | | 22 | 0.00% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 189,012 | 7.72% | −7.16% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,448,498 | 57% | |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | | |

### County Results

Kernan won 17 of Indiana's counties compared to 73 for Daniels. The candidates finish tied in 2 counties.
| County | Daniels | Votes | Kernan | Votes | Gividen | Votes | Total |
| Adams | 62.9% | 8,350 | 36.3% | 4,816 | 0.7% | 99 | 13,265 |
| Allen | 57.2% | 73,689 | 41.9% | 53,899 | 0.9% | 1,183 | 128,771 |
| Bartholomew | 59.4% | 16,858 | 38.8% | 11,008 | 1.8% | 519 | 28,385 |
| Benton | 60.8% | 2,432 | 37.2% | 1,498 | 1.7% | 69 | 3,999 |
| Blackford | 51.2% | 2,741 | 47.9% | 2,567 | 0.9% | 46 | 5,354 |
| Boone | 70.9% | 16,189 | 27.3% | 6,326 | 1.3% | 305 | 22,820 |
| Brown | 55.0% | 4,010 | 42.8% | 3,118 | 2.2% | 164 | 7,292 |
| Carroll | 59.2% | 5,090 | 39.4% | 3,387 | 1.3% | 115 | 8,592 |
| Cass | 56.9% | 7,946 | 41.6% | 5,808 | 1.6% | 221 | 13,975 |
| Clark | 49.0% | 20,471 | 50.2% | 20,964 | 0.9% | 360 | 41,795 |
| Clay | 54.3% | 5,724 | 44.3% | 4,677 | 1.4% | 148 | 10,549 |
| Clinton | 63.8% | 7,537 | 35.0% | 4,129 | 1.3% | 148 | 11,814 |
| Crawford | 49.3% | 2,231 | 49.3% | 2,231 | 1.4% | 60 | 4,522 |
| Daviess | 59.5% | 6,223 | 38.7% | 4,049 | 1.8% | 183 | 10,455 |
| Dearborn | 61.3% | 12,514 | 37.2% | 7,573 | 1.5% | 297 | 20,384 |
| Decatur | 63.4% | 6,355 | 35.2% | 3,524 | 1.4% | 140 | 10,019 |
| DeKalb | 59.8% | 9,242 | 39.0% | 6,012 | 1.2% | 181 | 15,435 |
| Delaware | 48.0% | 22,917 | 50.6% | 24,132 | 1.4% | 663 | 47,712 |
| Dubois | 57.1% | 9,385 | 41.9% | 6,871 | 1.0% | 169 | 16,425 |
| Elkhart | 62.7% | 38,430 | 36.5% | 22,406 | 0.8% | 503 | 61,339 |
| Fayette | 53.4% | 4,981 | 45.3% | 4,224 | 1.3% | 121 | 9,326 |
| Floyd | 50.1% | 16,869 | 49.1% | 16,503 | 0.8% | 279 | 33,651 |
| Fountain | 61.6% | 4,786 | 37.1% | 2,878 | 1.3% | 101 | 7,765 |
| Franklin | 59.4% | 5,822 | 39.4% | 3,862 | 1.2% | 114 | 9,798 |
| Fulton | 58.4% | 5,103 | 40.3% | 3,513 | 1.3% | 110 | 8,726 |
| Gibson | 50.1% | 7,289 | 48.1% | 7,101 | 1.1% | 166 | 14,556 |
| Grant | 57.2% | 15,543 | 41.8% | 11,376 | 1.0% | 275 | 27,194 |
| Greene | 51.7% | 6,791 | 46.7% | 6,123 | 1.6% | 213 | 13,127 |
| Hamilton | 73.0% | 76,433 | 26.1% | 27,316 | 0.9% | 920 | 104,669 |
| Hancock | 67.4% | 18,825 | 31.3% | 8,746 | 1.3% | 359 | 27,930 |
| Harrison | 53.7% | 9,242 | 45.3% | 7,809 | 1.0% | 171 | 17,222 |
| Hendricks | 68.6% | 35,761 | 30.2% | 15,691 | 1.2% | 641 | 52,093 |
| Henry | 56.0% | 11,408 | 42.6% | 8,674 | 1.4% | 289 | 20,371 |
| Howard | 53.7% | 19,885 | 45.2% | 16,742 | 1.1% | 415 | 37,042 |
| Huntington | 67.1% | 10,484 | 31.7% | 4,953 | 1.2% | 183 | 15,620 |
| Jackson | 58.8% | 9,587 | 40.0% | 6,527 | 1.2% | 191 | 16,305 |
| Jasper | 58.2% | 6,781 | 40.4% | 4,701 | 1.4% | 167 | 11,649 |
| Jay | 56.2% | 4,537 | 42.8% | 3,453 | 1.0% | 80 | 8,070 |
| Jefferson | 51.1% | 6,542 | 47.7% | 6,109 | 1.2% | 150 | 12,801 |
| Jennings | 55.4% | 5,806 | 42.8% | 4,482 | 1.8% | 190 | 10,478 |
| Johnson | 66.9% | 34,269 | 31.7% | 16,253 | 1.4% | 701 | 51,223 |
| Knox | 48.5% | 7,569 | 50.0% | 7,797 | 1.5% | 228 | 15,594 |
| Kosciusko | 71.0% | 20,047 | 27.9% | 7,885 | 1.1% | 316 | 28,248 |
| LaGrange | 63.2% | 5,748 | 35.2% | 3,171 | 1.1% | 97 | 9,016 |
| Lake | 33.7% | 61,720 | 64.9% | 118,697 | 1.4% | 2,617 | 183,034 |
| LaPorte | 38.5% | 16,234 | 59.4% | 25,049 | 2.1% | 881 | 42,164 |
| Lawrence | 65.0% | 11,480 | 33.5% | 5,904 | 1.5% | 257 | 17,641 |
| Madison | 51.4% | 28,142 | 47.5% | 25,972 | 1.1% | 623 | 54,737 |
| Marion | 46.5% | 148,825 | 52.3% | 167,097 | 1.2% | 3,895 | 319,817 |
| Marshall | 60.6% | 10,745 | 38.2% | 6,756 | 1.2% | 204 | 17,705 |
| Martin | 53.7% | 2,664 | 44.4% | 2,205 | 1.9% | 94 | 4,963 |
| Miami | 60.9% | 8,155 | 37.8% | 5,062 | 1.3% | 179 | 13,396 |
| Monroe | 44.5% | 22,031 | 53.1% | 26,317 | 2.4% | 1,192 | 49,540 |
| Montgomery | 66.2% | 9,639 | 32.4% | 4,711 | 1.4% | 199 | 14,549 |
| Morgan | 64.6% | 16,716 | 33.8% | 8,740 | 1.6% | 424 | 25,880 |
| Newton | 54.5% | 3,164 | 43.6% | 2,531 | 1.9% | 111 | 5,806 |
| Noble | 61.3% | 9,570 | 37.6% | 5,863 | 1.1% | 176 | 15,609 |
| Ohio | 52.5% | 1,512 | 46.1% | 1,328 | 1.4% | 41 | 2,881 |
| Orange | 56.4% | 4,818 | 42.4% | 3,621 | 1.3% | 109 | 8,548 |
| Owen | 55.0% | 4,179 | 42.7% | 3,249 | 2.3% | 176 | 7,604 |
| Parke | 53.8% | 3,745 | 44.6% | 3,101 | 1.6% | 108 | 6,954 |
| Perry | 43.0% | 3,559 | 56.2% | 4,640 | 0.8% | 64 | 8,263 |
| Pike | 41.1% | 2,517 | 57.3% | 3,510 | 1.6% | 99 | 6,126 |
| Porter | 43.2% | 27,565 | 55.1% | 35,206 | 1.7% | 1,108 | 63,879 |
| Posey | 52.6% | 6,252 | 46.5% | 5,525 | 0.9% | 109 | 11,886 |
| Pulaski | 57.8% | 3,185 | 41.1% | 2,267 | 1.1% | 61 | 5,513 |
| Putnam | 60.8% | 8,002 | 37.8% | 4,984 | 1.4% | 185 | 13,171 |
| Randolph | 56.8% | 6,274 | 41.9% | 4,628 | 1.3% | 146 | 11,048 |
| Ripley | 59.1% | 6,925 | 39.6% | 4,635 | 1.3% | 151 | 11,711 |
| Rush | 61.9% | 4,529 | 36.6% | 2,676 | 1.6% | 116 | 7,321 |
| Saint Joseph | 45.3% | 49,198 | 53.8% | 58,327 | 0.9% | 1,000 | 108,525 |
| Scott | 44.7% | 3,862 | 54.3% | 4,681 | 1.0% | 90 | 8,633 |
| Shelby | 61.9% | 9,862 | 36.9% | 5,885 | 1.2% | 194 | 15,941 |
| Spencer | 52.3% | 5,183 | 46.5% | 4,612 | 1.2% | 114 | 9,909 |
| Starke | 46.6% | 4,024 | 52.2% | 4,539 | 1.5% | 131 | 8,694 |
| Steuben | 60.2% | 7,684 | 38.5% | 4,915 | 1.3% | 165 | 12,764 |
| Sullivan | 44.2% | 3,687 | 54.4% | 4,530 | 1.4% | 116 | 8,333 |
| Switzerland | 49.3% | 1,780 | 49.3% | 1,780 | 1.4% | 48 | 3,608 |
| Tippecanoe | 54.9% | 28,458 | 43.4% | 22,504 | 1.7% | 865 | 51,827 |
| Tipton | 60.5% | 4,729 | 38.1% | 2,973 | 1.4% | 108 | 7,810 |
| Union | 61.5% | 2,040 | 36.7% | 1,217 | 1.8% | 59 | 3,316 |
| Vanderburgh | 48.9% | 34,129 | 49.9% | 34,819 | 1.2% | 863 | 69,811 |
| Vermillion | 39.5% | 2,769 | 58.8% | 4,121 | 1.7% | 118 | 7,008 |
| Vigo | 42.4% | 16,804 | 55.6% | 22,054 | 2.0% | 806 | 39,664 |
| Wabash | 64.9% | 8,691 | 34.1% | 4,569 | 1.0% | 134 | 13,394 |
| Warren | 56.0% | 2,214 | 42.5% | 1,679 | 1.5% | 58 | 3,951 |
| Warrick | 53.8% | 13,877 | 45.2% | 11,678 | 1.0% | 262 | 25,817 |
| Washington | 59.2% | 6,419 | 39.6% | 4,297 | 1.2% | 134 | 10,850 |
| Wayne | 52.5% | 14,530 | 45.4% | 12,565 | 2.1% | 595 | 27,690 |
| Wells | 66.4% | 8,071 | 32.7% | 3,979 | 0.9% | 113 | 12,163 |
| White | 57.5% | 5,980 | 40.9% | 4,260 | 1.6% | 167 | 10,407 |
| Whitley | 62.9% | 8,332 | 36.0% | 4,758 | 1.1% | 149 | 13,239 |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Madison (largest city: Anderson)
* Spencer (largest city: Santa Claus)
* Tippecanoe (largest city: Lafayette)
* Blackford (Largest city: Hartford City)
* Crawford (Largest city: Marengo) (became tied)
* Floyd (Largest city: New Albany)
* Gibson (Largest city: Princeton)
* Jefferson (Largest city: Madison)
* Posey (Largest city: Mount Vernon)
* Switzerland (Largest city: Vevay) (became tied)
* Warrick (Largest city: Boonville)
* Adams (Largest city: Decatur)
* Allen (Largest city: Fort Wayne)
* Bartholomew (Largest city: Columbus)
* Benton (Largest city: Fowler)
* Brown (Largest city: Nashville)
* Carroll (Largest city: Delphi)
* Warrick (Largest city: Logansport)
* Clay (Largest city: Brazil)
* Decatur (Largest city: Greensburg)
* DeKalb (Largest city: Auburn)
* Dubois (Largest city: Jasper)
* Fayette (Largest city: Connersville)
* Fountain (Largest city: Attica)
* Franklin (Largest city: Brookville)
* Fulton (Largest city: Rochester)
* Grant (Largest city: Marion)
* Greene (Largest city: Linton)
* Hancock (Largest city: Greenfield)
* Harrison (Largest city: Corydon)
* Henry (Largest city: New Castle)
* Howard (Largest city: Kokomo)
* Jackson (Largest city: Seymour)
* Jay (Largest city: Portland)
* Jennings (Largest city: North Vernon)
* LaGrange (Largest city: LaGrange)
* Marshall (Largest city: Plymouth)
* Martin (Largest city: Loogootee)
* Montgomery (Largest city: Crawfordsville)
* Newton (Largest city: Kentland)
* Noble (Largest city: Kendallville)
* Ohio (Largest city: Rising Sun)
* Orange (Largest city: Paoli)
* Owen (Largest city: Spencer)
* Parke (Largest city: Rockville)
* Pulaski (Largest city: Winamac)
* Putnam (Largest city: Greencastle)
* Randolph (Largest city: Winchester)
* Ripley (Largest city: Batesville)
* Rush (Largest city: Rushville)
* Shelby (Largest city: Shelbyville)
* Steuben (Largest city: Angola)
* Tipton (Largest city: Tipton)
* Warren (Largest city: Williamsport)
* Washington (Largest city: Salem)
* Wayne (Largest city: Richmond)
* White (Largest city: Monticello)
* Whitley (Largest city: Columbia City)