# 2004 United States Senate election in Florida

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vte :
The 2004 United States Senate election in Florida took place on November 2, 2004, alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Graham decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. Graham made an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. The primary elections were held on August 31, 2004. Republican Mel Martínez won the open seat with 49.4% of the vote to Democratic nominee Betty Castor's 48.3%. With a margin of 1.1%, this election was the closest race of the 2004 Senate election cycle. This was the first open-seat United States Senate election in Florida for this seat since 1974.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Betty Castor, former President of the University of South Florida, former Education Commissioner of Florida, and former State Senator
* Peter Deutsch, U.S. Representative from Broward County
* Bernard Klein, businessman
* Alex Penelas, Mayor of Miami-Dade County

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Betty Castor | 669,346 | 58.1% |
| | Democratic | Peter Deutsch | 321,922 | 27.9% |
| | Democratic | Alex Penelas | 115,898 | 10.1% |
| | Democratic | Bernard E. Klein | 45,347 | 3.9% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,152,513 | 100.0% |

## Republican primary

Martínez was supported by the Bush Administration.

### Candidates

* Johnnie Byrd, State Representative from Plant City
* Doug Gallagher, businessman
* Larry Klayman, attorney
* William Kogut
* Sonya March
* Mel Martínez, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1994
* Bill McCollum, former U.S. Representative and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2000
* Karen Saull

### Results

Republican Primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mel Martínez | 522,994 | 44.9% |
| | Republican | Bill McCollum | 360,474 | 30.9% |
| | Republican | Doug Gallagher | 158,360 | 13.6% |
| | Republican | Johnnie Byrd | 68,982 | 5.9% |
| | Republican | Karen Saull | 20,365 | 1.8% |
| | Republican | Sonya March | 17,804 | 1.5% |
| | Republican | Larry Klayman | 13,257 | 1.1% |
| | Republican | William Billy Kogut | 3,695 | 0.3% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,165,931 | 100.0% |

## General election
### Candidates

* Dennis Bradley (V), activist
* Betty Castor (D), former State Senator
* Mel Martínez (R), Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

### Predictions

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

### Polling

Graphical summary
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Betty Castor (D) | Mel Martínez (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Rasmussen Reports | August 24 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 44% | 44% | | |
| Survey USA | September 12 | 602 | ± 4.1% | 49% | 45% | 5% | 1% |
| Quinnipiac | September 18–21, 2004 | 819 | ± 3.4 | 43% | 42% | 0% | 14% |
| Gallup | September 18 | 674 | ± 4.0% | 51% | 45% | 0% | 4% |
| Survey USA | October 1 | 706 | ± 3.8% | 46% | 50% | 3% | 1% |
| Quinnipiac | October 1–5, 2004 | 717 | ± 3.7 | 47% | 48% | 0% | 5% |
| Mason-Dixon | October 4 | 625 | ± 4.0% | 41% | 46% | 1% | 12% |
| UNF | October 10 | 641 | ± 4.0% | 38% | 35% | 15% | 12% |
| Mason-Dixon | October 14 | 625 | ± 4.0% | 45% | 45% | 1% | 9% |
| Survey USA | October 15 | 596 | ± 4.1% | 47% | 49% | 3% | 1% |
| Quinnipiac | October 15–19, 2004 | 808 | ± 3.5 | 47% | 47% | 0% | 5% |
| Research 2000 | October 18 | | | 48% | 48% | 4% | 4% |
| Miami Herald | October 19 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 44% | 44% | | |
| Survey USA | October 22 | 741 | ± 3.7% | 50% | 47% | | |
| Insider Advantage | October 22 | 400 | ± 5.0% | 44% | 46% | | |
| Quinnipiac | October 22–26, 2004 | 944 | ± 3.2 | 46% | 49% | 0% | 5% |
| The New York Times | October 23 | 802 | ± 3.0% | 47% | 44% | 0% | 10% |
| Mason Dixon | October 26 | 625 | ± 4.0% | 46% | 47% | | 6% |
| CNN/USA Today/Gallup | October 28 | 1138 | ± 4.0% | 48% | 46% | | 5% |
| Quinnipiac University | October 31 | 1098 | ± 3.0% | 44% | 49% | | 6% |
| Zogby International | October 31 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 46% | 46% | 0% | 7% |

## Results

United States Senate election in Florida, 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Melquíades Rafael Martínez Ruiz | 3,672,864 | 49.43% | +11.9% |
| | Democratic | Elizabeth Castor | 3,590,201 | 48.32% | −14.15% |
| | Veterans | Dennis F. Bradley | 166,642 | 2.24% | +2.24% |
| | Write-ins | | 187 | 0.00% | +0.0% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 82,663 | 1.11% | −23.83% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,429,894 | 70.92% | +24.08% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 7,429,894 | 100.00% | +3,529,732 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | | |

### Results by county

2004 United States Senate Election in Florida (By County) :
| County | Mel Martínez Republican | Mel Martínez Republican | Betty Castor Democratic | Betty Castor Democratic | Various Candidates Other Parties | Various Candidates Other Parties | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Alachua | 43,074 | 39.63% | 63,809 | 58.71% | 1,802 | 1.65% | -20,735 | -19.08% | 108,685 |
| Baker | 6,815 | 69.16% | 2,853 | 28.95% | 186 | 1.89% | 3,962 | 40.21% | 9,854 |
| Bay | 49,639 | 67.63% | 22,190 | 30.23% | 1,564 | 2.13% | 27,449 | 37.40% | 73,393 |
| Bradford | 6,534 | 60.83% | 3,938 | 36.66% | 270 | 2.51% | 3,596 | 24.17% | 10,742 |
| Brevard | 142,394 | 54.44% | 111,477 | 42.62% | 7,682 | 2.94% | 30,917 | 11.82% | 261,553 |
| Broward | 231,266 | 33.63% | 442,728 | 64.37% | 13,780 | 2.00% | -211,462 | -30.74% | 687,774 |
| Calhoun | 3,133 | 53.70% | 2,526 | 43.30% | 175 | 3.00% | 607 | 10.40% | 5,834 |
| Charlotte | 43,079 | 55.48% | 32,837 | 42.29% | 1,729 | 2.23% | 10,242 | 13.19% | 77,645 |
| Citrus | 33,998 | 49.68% | 31,699 | 46.32% | 2,742 | 4.01% | 2,299 | 3.36% | 68,439 |
| Clay | 58,131 | 72.24% | 20,831 | 25.89% | 1,503 | 1.86% | 37,300 | 46.35% | 80,465 |
| Collier | 81,948 | 65.97% | 40,332 | 32.47% | 1,934 | 1.56% | 41,616 | 33.50% | 124,214 |
| Columbia | 14,014 | 57.15% | 9,780 | 39.89% | 726 | 2.96% | 4,234 | 17.26% | 24,520 |
| DeSoto | 4,994 | 53.58% | 4,031 | 43.25% | 295 | 3.17% | 963 | 10.33% | 9,320 |
| Dixie | 3,322 | 52.67% | 2,735 | 43.36% | 250 | 3.97% | 587 | 9.31% | 6,307 |
| Duval | 205,001 | 54.68% | 163,748 | 43.68% | 6,160 | 1.64% | 41,253 | 11.00% | 374,909 |
| Escambia | 88,787 | 63.56% | 48,274 | 34.56% | 2,632 | 1.88% | 40,513 | 29.00% | 139,693 |
| Flagler | 18,294 | 48.13% | 18,812 | 49.49% | 904 | 2.38% | -518 | -1.36% | 38,010 |
| Franklin | 2,706 | 47.13% | 2,886 | 50.26% | 150 | 2.61% | -180 | -3.13% | 5,742 |
| Gadsden | 5,230 | 25.15% | 15,246 | 73.33% | 316 | 1.52% | -10,016 | -48.18% | 20,792 |
| Gilchrist | 4,060 | 58.87% | 2,578 | 37.38% | 258 | 3.74% | 1,482 | 21.49% | 6,896 |
| Glades | 2,147 | 52.15% | 1,821 | 44.23% | 149 | 3.62% | 326 | 7.92% | 4,117 |
| Gulf | 4,086 | 57.36% | 2,858 | 40.12% | 180 | 2.53% | 1,228 | 17.24% | 7,124 |
| Hamilton | 2,206 | 44.75% | 2,597 | 52.68% | 127 | 2.58% | -391 | -7.93% | 4,930 |
| Hardee | 4,024 | 56.38% | 2,806 | 39.32% | 307 | 4.30% | 1,218 | 17.06% | 7,137 |
| Hendry | 5,350 | 55.75% | 4,027 | 41.97% | 219 | 2.28% | 1,323 | 13.78% | 9,596 |
| Hernando | 36,557 | 46.08% | 39,634 | 49.96% | 3,143 | 3.96% | -3,077 | -3.88% | 79,334 |
| Highlands | 22,326 | 54.72% | 17,196 | 42.15% | 1,278 | 3.13% | 5,130 | 12.57% | 40,800 |
| Hillsborough | 207,331 | 46.29% | 230,298 | 51.42% | 10,261 | 2.29% | -22,967 | -5.13% | 447,890 |
| Holmes | 5,114 | 63.42% | 2,608 | 32.34% | 342 | 4.24% | 2,506 | 31.08% | 8,064 |
| Indian River | 34,338 | 57.82% | 23,511 | 39.59% | 1,543 | 2.60% | 10,827 | 18.23% | 59,392 |
| Jackson | 10,449 | 53.73% | 8,605 | 44.24% | 395 | 2.04% | 1,844 | 9.49% | 19,449 |
| Jefferson | 2,722 | 36.93% | 4,504 | 61.10% | 145 | 1.97% | -1,782 | -24.17% | 7,371 |
| Lafayette | 1,768 | 54.57% | 1,390 | 42.90% | 82 | 2.53% | 378 | 11.67% | 3,240 |
| Lake | 68,425 | 56.37% | 49,635 | 40.89% | 3,319 | 2.73% | 18,790 | 15.48% | 121,379 |
| Lee | 139,810 | 59.90% | 89,048 | 38.15% | 4,531 | 1.94% | 50,762 | 21.75% | 233,389 |
| Leon | 45,453 | 34.09% | 86,180 | 64.64% | 1,691 | 1.27% | -40,727 | -30.55% | 133,324 |
| Levy | 8,735 | 53.39% | 7,129 | 43.57% | 497 | 3.04% | 1,606 | 9.82% | 16,361 |
| Liberty | 1,448 | 48.75% | 1,459 | 49.12% | 63 | 2.12% | -11 | -0.37% | 2,970 |
| Madison | 3,318 | 40.58% | 4,640 | 56.74% | 219 | 2.68% | -1,322 | -16.16% | 8,177 |
| Manatee | 72,829 | 51.53% | 64,795 | 45.85% | 3,699 | 2.62% | 8,034 | 5.68% | 141,323 |
| Marion | 73,530 | 53.23% | 60,814 | 44.02% | 3,799 | 2.75% | 12,716 | 9.21% | 138,143 |
| Martin | 39,076 | 55.41% | 29,868 | 42.35% | 1,579 | 2.23% | 9,208 | 13.06% | 70,523 |
| Miami-Dade | 367,867 | 49.21% | 366,482 | 49.02% | 13,202 | 1.77% | 1,385 | 0.19% | 747,551 |
| Monroe | 18,075 | 47.19% | 18,961 | 49.50% | 1,267 | 3.31% | -886 | -2.31% | 38,303 |
| Nassau | 21,893 | 68.40% | 9,519 | 29.74% | 595 | 1.86% | 12,374 | 38.66% | 32,007 |
| Okaloosa | 65,146 | 74.71% | 19,645 | 22.53% | 2,413 | 2.77% | 45,501 | 52.18% | 87,204 |
| Okeechobee | 5,959 | 50.00% | 5,464 | 45.84% | 496 | 4.16% | 495 | 4.16% | 11,919 |
| Orange | 188,121 | 49.15% | 187,549 | 49.00% | 7,081 | 1.85% | 572 | 0.15% | 382,751 |
| Osceola | 42,103 | 52.00% | 36,569 | 45.16% | 2,296 | 2.84% | 5,534 | 6.84% | 80,968 |
| Palm Beach | 200,442 | 37.96% | 318,042 | 60.23% | 9,566 | 1.81% | -117,600 | -22.27% | 528,050 |
| Pasco | 89,400 | 48.01% | 90,761 | 48.74% | 6,044 | 3.24% | -1,361 | -0.73% | 186,205 |
| Pinellas | 197,640 | 42.55% | 254,451 | 54.78% | 12,379 | 2.66% | -56,811 | -12.23% | 464,470 |
| Polk | 108,774 | 52.28% | 93,231 | 44.81% | 6,051 | 2.91% | 15,543 | 7.47% | 208,056 |
| Putnam | 15,941 | 52.23% | 13,701 | 44.89% | 876 | 2.87% | 2,240 | 7.34% | 30,518 |
| St. Johns | 56,251 | 66.19% | 27,319 | 32.14% | 1,420 | 1.67% | 28,932 | 34.05% | 84,990 |
| St. Lucie | 44,436 | 45.34% | 50,660 | 51.69% | 2,905 | 2.96% | -6,224 | -6.35% | 98,001 |
| Santa Rosa | 49,149 | 74.65% | 15,165 | 23.03% | 1,524 | 2.31% | 33,984 | 51.62% | 65,838 |
| Sarasota | 95,425 | 50.08% | 91,651 | 48.10% | 3,455 | 1.81% | 3,774 | 1.98% | 190,531 |
| Seminole | 102,898 | 56.11% | 76,579 | 41.76% | 3,914 | 2.13% | 26,319 | 14.35% | 183,391 |
| Sumter | 17,929 | 57.05% | 12,844 | 40.87% | 656 | 2.09% | 5,085 | 16.18% | 31,429 |
| Suwannee | 9,095 | 58.45% | 6,069 | 39.00% | 397 | 2.55% | 2,629 | 19.45% | 15,561 |
| Taylor | 4,241 | 50.17% | 3,972 | 46.98% | 241 | 2.85% | 269 | 3.19% | 8,454 |
| Union | 2,874 | 62.49% | 1,632 | 35.49% | 93 | 2.05% | 1,242 | 27.00% | 4,599 |
| Volusia | 104,032 | 46.21% | 114,932 | 51.05% | 6,174 | 2.74% | -10,900 | -4.84% | 225,138 |
| Wakulla | 5,240 | 45.10% | 6,048 | 52.05% | 331 | 2.85% | -808 | -6.95% | 11,619 |
| Walton | 16,038 | 68.56% | 6,770 | 28.94% | 585 | 2.50% | 9,268 | 39.62% | 23,393 |
| Washington | 6,414 | 63.45% | 3,452 | 34.15% | 242 | 2.39% | 2,962 | 29.30% | 10,108 |
| Totals | 3,672,864 | 49.43% | 3,590,201 | 48.32% | 166,829 | 2.24% | 82,663 | 1.11% | 7,429,894 |

### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Calhoun (Largest city: Blountstown)
* Citrus (Largest city: Homosassa Springs)
* Dixie (Largest city: Cross City)
* Glades (Largest city: Moore Haven)
* Gulf (Largest city: Port St. Joe)
* Levy (Largest city: Williston)
* Putnam (Largest city: Palatka)
* Taylor (Largest city: Perry)
* Jackson (Largest city: Marianna)
* Lafayette (Largest city: Mayo)
* Union (Largest city: Lake Butler)
* Washington (Largest city: Chipley)
* Brevard (largest municipality: Palm Bay)
* Okeechobee (largest municipality: Okeechobee)
* Polk (largest municipality: Lakeland)
* Miami-Dade (largest city: Miami)
* Osceola (largest municipality: Kissimmee)
* Orange (Largest city: Orlando)
* Escambia (Largest city: Pensacola)
* Hendry (Largest city: Clewiston)
* Marion (Largest city: Ocala)
* Hardee (Largest city: Wachula)
* Highlands (Largest city: Sebring)
* Indian River (Largest city: Sebastian)
* Lake (Largest city: Clermont)
* Lee (Largest city: Cape Coral)
* Suwannee (Largest city: Live Oak)
* Duval (largest municipality: Jacksonville)
* Charlotte (Largest city: Charlotte)
* Columbia (Largest city: Lake City)
* DeSoto (Largest city: Arcadia)
* Gilchrist (Largest city: Trenton)
* Sumter (Largest city: The Villages)
* Bradford (Largest city: Starke)
* Baker (Largest city: Macclenny)
* Bay (Largest city: Panama City)
* Clay (Largest city: Lakeside)
* Holmes (Largest city: Bonifay)
* Manatee (Largest city: Bradenton)
* Martin (Largest city: Palm City)
* Nassau (Largest city: Yulee)
* St. Johns (Largest city: St. Johns)
* Walton (Largest city: Miramar Beach)
* Seminole (largest municipality: Sanford)