If the 2004 Presidential election were held today, which candidate would you vote for?

The 2004 Presidential election in the United States was a contest between incumbent Republican President George W. Bush and Democratic nominee John Kerry, a senator from Massachusetts. The election took place on November 2, 2004.

The campaign was dominated by issues such as the war in Iraq, terrorism, and the economy. President Bush, who had launched the Iraq War in 2003, defended his decision to go to war, arguing that it was necessary to protect American security. On the other hand, Kerry criticized the way Bush had handled the war, saying that he had rushed into it without a pro…  Read moreper plan. The economy was also a major issue, with Kerry accusing Bush of favoring the wealthy and Bush arguing that his tax cuts had helped to stimulate economic growth.

The election was closely contested, with both candidates running neck-and-neck in the polls for much of the campaign. However, Bush was able to build a small but consistent lead in the final weeks of the campaign. The election also saw a high voter turnout, with more than 60% of eligible voters casting their ballots, the highest turnout since 1968.

On election day, Bush won a majority of the popular vote, receiving over 62 million votes (50.7%) compared to Kerry's 59 million (48.3%). In the Electoral College, Bush won 286 votes to Kerry's 251. This made Bush the first incumbent president to win re-election while gaining both the popular and electoral vote since his father, George H.W. Bush, in 1988.

The 2004 election was notable for the high level of polarization between supporters of the two candidates, with Bush's supporters strongly approving of his handling of the war on terror and the economy, while Kerry's supporters strongly disapproved. The election was also marked by controversy over issues such as the conduct of the war in Iraq, the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison, and allegations of voter suppression in some states. Despite these controversies, the election was generally seen as a validation of Bush's policies, particularly his decision to go to war in Iraq.