2004 North Carolina gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:2004 North Carolina gubernatorial election
Country:North Carolina
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2000 North Carolina gubernatorial election
Previous Year:2000
Next Election:2008 North Carolina gubernatorial election
Next Year:2008
Election Date:November 2, 2004
Image1:File:Mike Easley.jpg
Nominee1:Mike Easley
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:1,939,154
Percentage1:55.62%
Nominee2:Patrick Ballantine
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:1,495,021
Percentage2:42.88%
Map Size:325px
Governor
Before Election:Mike Easley
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Mike Easley
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 2004 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2004. The general election was between the Democratic incumbent Mike Easley and the Republican nominee Patrick J. Ballantine. Easley won by 56% to 43%, winning his second term as governor. This is the last time a Democrat was elected governor of North Carolina by double digits.

Primaries

Democratic

Mike Easley was first elected as governor in 2000 and opted to run for a second term. He faced opposition in the Democratic primary from Rickey Kipfer, a former corporate manager from Lee County. Kipfer campaigned on a platform of abolishing North Carolina's personal income tax and exploring potential natural gas resources in the state. He envisioned the state replacing income tax revenue with revenue from natural gas exploration. Kipfer also proposed a system similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund as a means of distributing potential natural gas revenues to citizens in North Carolina.[1] [2]

Easley's campaign manager stated that they did not consider Kipfer as serious competition. Easley did not campaign against Kipfer.

Mike Easley won the primary comfortably with over 85% of the vote.

Candidates

Declared

Results

Republican

Candidates

Declared
Withdrawn
Declined

Results

General election

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

External links

Official campaign websites (Archived)

Notes and References

  1. News: Robertson . Gary . Republicans not Easley's only competition . 29 June 2021 . Wilmington Star News . 19 July 2004 . en.
  2. News: Vinroot, Ballantine To Meet In GOP Gubernatorial Runoff . 29 June 2021 . WRAL.com . 21 July 2004 . en.
  3. News: Ballantine may step back from position . 29 June 2021 . Wilmington Star News . 17 April 2004 . en.
  4. News: Dyer . Eric . Fields set for N.C. elections in 2004 . Greensboro News and Record . 7 May 2004 . en.
  5. News: Davie lawyer, Republican, to run for governor . 29 June 2021 . Wilmington Star News . 20 May 2003 . en.
  6. Web site: The Final Predictions . Sabato's Crystal Ball . May 2, 2021.