South Carolina was won by incumbent President George W. Bush by a 17.08% margin of victory.

On election day, Bush won a majority of the counties and congressional districts in the state.

South Carolina's 45 delegates to the 2004 Democratic National Convention were awarded proportionally based on the results of the primary.

As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the last time, in a non-incumbent Democratic primary, that the winner of South Carolina did not win the nomination.

[2] Bush won every pre-election poll, each with a double-digit margin (except for one) and with at least 49% of the vote.

Since Barry Goldwater carried the state in 1964, the only Democratic presidential nominee to win it was Jimmy Carter of neighboring Georgia in 1976.

Bush won five of six congressional districts including one that elected a Democrat.