George W. Bush Republican George W. Bush Republican The 2004 United States presidential election in Michigan took place on November 2, 2004, and was part of the 2004 United States presidential election.

Michigan was won by Democratic nominee John Kerry by a 3.4% margin of victory.

Prior to the election, most news organizations considered this a toss-up, or a crucial swing state.

The biggest key to Kerry's victory was winning Wayne County with 69.39% of the vote.

Bush was the first president elected to two terms in office without carrying Michigan either time since Woodrow Wilson in 1912 and 1916, and is to date the only Republican presidential candidate to win the presidency without carrying the state at least once, as well as the most recent Republican to win without the state.

Bush was the first Republican to win the national popular vote without Michigan since the 1968 presidential race.

As of 2024, this is the most recent election to date in which Michigan would vote for the losing candidate, thus the state is tied with Wisconsin and Pennsylvania for the longest bellwether streak in the nation.

While a reduced margin with respect to Gore's in 2000, the state trended Democratic in 2004 relative to the nation.

Meanwhile, Kerry maintained the traditional Democratic domination of Wayne County, winning about the same 69% vote share in it that Gore had won in 2000.