The 2004 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2004. The general election was between the Democratic incumbent Mike Easley and the Republican nominee Patrick J. Ballantine. Easley won by 56% to 43%, winning his second term as governor.
Primaries Democratic Mike Easley was first elected as governor in 2000 and opted to run for a second term. He faced opposition in the Democratic primary from Rickey Kipfer, a former corporate manager from Lee County. Kipfer campaigned on a platform of abolishing North Carolina's personal income tax and exploring potential natural gas resources in the state. He envisioned the state replacing income tax revenue with revenue from natural gas exploration. Kipfer also proposed a system similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund as a means of distributing potential natural gas revenues to citizens in North Carolina.
Easley's campaign manager stated that they did not consider Kipfer as serious competition. Easley did not campaign against Kipfer.
Mike Easley won the primary comfortably with over 85% of the vote. Candidates Declared Mike Easley, incumbent governor Rickey Kipfer, businessman
Results
Republican Candidates Declared Patrick J. Ballantine, Minority Leader of the North Carolina Senate (1999–2004) Dan Barett, attorney and Davie County Commissioner Bill Cobey, Chair of the North Carolina Republican Party (1999–2003) and U.S. Representative from NC-04 (1985–1987) George Little, insurance executive Fern Shubert, state senator (2003–2005) Richard Vinroot, Mayor of Charlotte (1991–1995), nominee for governor in 2000 and candidate for governor in 1996
Withdrawn Timothy Cook, chemist (running for lieutenant governor)
Declined James Cain, former president of the Carolina Hurricanes I. Beverly Lake Jr., Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court (2001–2006)
Results
General election
Predictions Source Ranking As of Sabato's Crystal Ball November 1, 2004
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin MikeEasley (D) PatrickBallantine (R) Other /UndecidedSurveyUSASurveyUSA October 29–31, 2004 617 (LV) ± 4.0% 55% 41% 5%
Results
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Cleveland (largest town: Shelby) Polk (Largest city: Tryon) Rutherford (Largest city: Forest City) Surry (Largest city: Mount Airy) Mecklenburg (Largest city: Charlotte) Alleghany (largest town: Sparta)
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Currituck (largest town: Moyock) Johnston (largest town: Clayton)
Notes
References
External links 2004 Gubernatorial Republican Primary Election Results
Official campaign websites (Archived) Mike Easley Patrick Ballantine Dan Barrett Bill Cobey George Little Fern Shubert Richard Vinroot Tim Cook