On November 2, 2004, President George W. Bush won reelection, defeating Democratic challenger John Kerry. The campaign took place in the shadow of the September 11 attacks, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and debates over national security. Turnout was high, and key battleground states such as Ohio drew intense attention on election night. Bush won both the popular vote and the Electoral College, something that had not happened for a Republican since 1988. The result was interpreted as public backing for his administration’s counterterrorism and foreign policies, although the country remained strongly polarized. The election shaped the direction of U.S. policy in the Middle East and at home during Bush’s second term.
