The 2004 United States presidential election took place on November 2, 2004, as Republican incumbent President George W. Bush sought re-election against Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. The campaign unfolded against the backdrop of the Iraq War, the War on Terror, the economy, and debates over homeland security, taxes, and same-sex marriage.

Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney emphasized continuity, national security, and the conduct of the war on terror, while…