2004 United States Senate election in Colorado

The 2004 United States Senate election in Colorado took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (first elected in 1992 as a Democrat and re-elected in 1998 as a Republican, having switched parties in 1995) retired instead of seeking a third term. Democratic nominee Ken Salazar won the open seat, defeating Republican nominee Pete Coors despite Republican President George W. Bush carrying the state over John Kerry in the concurrent presidential race.

2004 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1998 November 2, 2004 2010 →
 
Nominee Ken Salazar Pete Coors
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,081,188 980,668
Percentage 51.30% 46.53%

County results
Salazar:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Coors:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Ken Salazar
Democratic

Background

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On March 3, 2004, incumbent Republican Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell announced that he would not seek reelection due to health concerns, having recently been treated for prostate cancer and heartburn.[1] Before Campbell's retirement, no prominent Democrat had entered the race, with educator Mike Miles and businessman Rutt Bridges pursuing the Democratic nomination. After Campbell's retirement, many expected popular Republican Governor Bill Owens to enter the race,[2] however he declined to run. Campbell's retirement and Owens' decision not to run prompted a number of prominent Democrats to reexamine the race.[3]

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Campaign

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On March 10, the same day Owens announced he would not run, U.S. Congressman Mark Udall entered the race.[4] The next day, state Attorney General Ken Salazar entered the race,[5] leading Udall to immediately withdraw and endorse him; Udall was eventually elected in 2008.[6] Salazar lost to Mike Miles at the State nominating convention. In spite of this loss, the national Democratic Party backed Salazar with contributions from the DSCC and promotion of Salazar as the only primary candidate.[7]

Results

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Democratic primary results by county
  Salazar
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  •   >90%
  Miles
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
Democratic Primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ken Salazar 173,167 73.02%
Democratic Mike Miles 63,973 26.98%
Total votes 237,140 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Campaign

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The two candidates got into an ideological battle, as Schaffer attacked Coors because his company had provided benefits to the partners of its gay and lesbian employees, in addition to promoting its beer in gay bars. Coors defended himself by saying that he was opposed to same-sex marriage and supported a constitutional amendment to ban it, although he noted that he supported civil unions for gay couples. According to the Rocky Mountain News, Coors described his company's pro-LGBT practices as "good business, separate from politics."[9]

Results

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Republican primary results by county
  Coors
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Schaffer
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%

Coors defeated Schaffer with 61% of the vote in the primary, with many analysts citing his high name recognition in the state as a primary factor.[10][11]

Republican Primary results[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Pete Coors 203,157 60.57%
Republican Bob Schaffer 132,274 39.43%
Total votes 335,431 100.00%

General election

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Candidates

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Major

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Minor

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  • Douglas Campbell (C)
  • Victor Good (Re)
  • Finn Gotaas (I)
  • John Harris (I)
  • Richard Randall (L)

Campaign

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Pete Coors, Chairman of Coors Brewing Company, ran as a moderate conservative. However, Salazar was also a moderate and a highly popular State Attorney General.[13] Coors is also a great-grandson of Adolph Coors, founder of the brewing company. His father is Joseph Coors, president of the company and a founding member of The Heritage Foundation. Salazar narrowly won the open seat. It was one of only two Democratic pickups in the 2004 Senate elections (Illinois was the other).

Debates

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Finances

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According to OpenSecrets, Coors gave his own campaign $1,213,657 and received individual donations of $60,550 from other Coors family members[citation needed].

A state record total of over $11 million was raised during the election.[14]

Predictions

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Source Ranking As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball[15] Lean D (flip) November 1, 2004

Polling

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Poll Source[16] Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
Error
Pete
Coors
(R)
Ken
Salazar
(D)
Unde-
cided
Survey USA August 14 618 ± 4.0% 48% 47% 5%
Rasmussen Reports August 19 500 ± 4.5% 45% 49% 4%
Tarrance Group (R) August 24 600 ± 4.0% 43% 47% 10%
RMN/News 4 Sep 14 500 ± 4.3% 42% 53% 4%
Tarrance Group (R) Sep 14 - ± 4.5% 44% 46% -
Rasmussen Reports Sep 16 500 ± 4.3% 49% 48% 1%
Ciruli Assoc Sep 14 600 ± 4.0% 45% 46% 9%
Survey USA Sep 24 625 ± 4.0% 51% 46% -
Gallup/CNN/USA Today October 3 667 ± 5.0% 43% 54% 3%
Mason-Dixon October 4 630 ± 5.0% 44% 46% 9%
Survey USA October 5 594 ± 4.1% 48% 48% 1%
Rocky Mountain News October 13 400 ± 4.9% 45% 40% 6%
Gallup/CNN/USA Today October 14 666 ± 4.0% 48% 49% 3%
Rasmussen Reports October 18 500 ± 4.5% 49% 48% 1%
Ciruli Assoc October 19 600 ± 4.0% 43% 47% 10%
Survey USA October 20 596 ± 4.1% 50% 46% 1%
Mason-Dixon October 25 625 ± 4.8% 46% 46% 7%
Rocky Mountain News October 27 500 ± 4.3% 42% 48% 4%
Zogby October 28 600 ± 4.1% 46% 52% 4%
Survey USA October 30 705 ± 3.8% 47% 51% 3%

Results

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General election results[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Ken Salazar 1,081,188 51.30% +16.29%
Republican Pete Coors 980,668 46.53% −15.96%
Constitution Douglas Campbell 18,783 0.89% +0.15%
Libertarian Richard Randall 10,160 0.48%
Independent John R. Harris 8,442 0.40%
Reform Victor Good 6,481 0.31%
Independent Finn Gotaas 1,750 0.08%
Majority 100,520 4.77% −22.70%
Turnout 2,107,472
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Janofsky, Michael (March 4, 2004). "G.O.P. Senator Campbell of Colorado Will Retire". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Analysis: Owens focus of Senate talk - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  3. ^ Chris Cillizza (March 3, 2004). "Campbell Exit Sparks a Scramble". Roll Call. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  4. ^ Writer, Steven K. Paulson/AP (March 10, 2004). "Rep. Udall announces his bid for senate". www.vaildaily.com. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  5. ^ Chris Cillizza (March 10, 2004). "Salazar Clears the Field". Roll Call. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  6. ^ "Colorado - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times". archive.nytimes.com. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  7. ^ Chris Cillizza (March 10, 2004). "Salazar Clears the Field". Roll Call. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2010. Retrieved June 6, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ "Rocky Mountain News: Denver News, Business, Homes, Jobs, Cars, & Information". Archived from the original on August 19, 2004. Retrieved January 9, 2006.
  10. ^ "The New York Times > Congressional Quarterly > Washington > Campaign 2004 > CQ Today: Republican Coors Gets Primary Win for Colorado Senate Seat". archive.nytimes.com. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  11. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (August 11, 2004). "Coors Among Winners in Primaries for U.S. Senate". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  12. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2010. Retrieved June 6, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ "The Coors campaign's deceptive advertising - Salon.com". Archived from the original on February 10, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
  14. ^ HighBeam
  15. ^ "The Final Predictions". Sabato's Crystal Ball. November 2004. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  16. ^ "RealClear Politics - Polls".
  17. ^ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives".