The 2004 United States Senate election in Georgia 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. This election was the fifth consecutive even-number year in which a senate election was held in Georgia after elections in 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2002. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Zell Miller decided to retire instead of seeking a first full term in office, leaving an open seat.
Representative Johnny Isakson, a Republican and former gubernatorial candidate, won the open seat, defeating Democratic nominee Denise Majette, who was both the first African American and the first woman to be nominated for Senate in Georgia. Isakson would remain in the Senate until his resignation on December 31, 2019. This election was the first open-seat Senate election in Georgia for this seat since 1956 and marked the first time in history that Republicans held both of the state’s Senate seats.
Democratic primary Following reports that Miller would retire, Democratic leaders unsuccessfully tried to convince outgoing Governor Roy Barnes to run for Senate. Max Cleland, a former Senator who lost his seat in the 2002 election, was also considered a possible candidate before choosing not to run.
Majette's announcement that she would seek to replace Miller caught Democrats by surprise, as she was not on anyone's call list when Democrats began seeking a candidate to replace Miller. Further skepticism among Democrats about the viability of her candidacy surfaced when she announced that God had told her to run for the Senate.
Nominee: Denise Majette, U.S. Representative from Decatur Eliminated in Runoff: Cliff Oxford, Businessman Eliminated in Primary: Jim Boyd, Perennial candidate Mary Squires, Former State Senator Leigh Baier James N. Filkelstein Sid Cottingham Govind N. Patel Declined to run:
Roy Barnes, former Governor of Georgia Max Cleland, former Senator Zell Miller, incumbent Senator Michelle Nunn, nonprofit executive and daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn
Initial results Results for the first round showed that since Denise Majette did not win a majority of the vote, a runoff was held between her and Cliff Oxford.
Runoff
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Johnny Isakson, U.S. Representative from Marietta and candidate for the United States Senate in 1996. Defeated in primary Herman Cain, former CEO of Godfather's Pizza"Three Republicans battling for spots in Georgia's likely Senate runoff". New.accessnorthga.com. March 27, 2004. Retrieved August 6, 2011. Mac Collins, U.S. Representative from Butts County Declined to run Ralph Reed, chair of the Georgia Republican Party
Campaign Positioning himself as a political outsider, businessman Herman Cain spent nearly $1 million of his own money on his Senate campaign. To discredit Cain, Isakson's campaign dropped campaign mail pieces noting that Cain had donated to Democrats in the past, such as Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy.
Results
General election Candidates Allen Buckley (Libertarian) Johnny Isakson, U.S. Representative from Marietta (Republican) Denise Majette, U.S. Representative from Decatur (Democratic)
Campaign Majette received extremely important endorsements from U.S. Senators Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, along with many others in Washington who campaigned and raised money for Majette. Her Senate campaign slogan was "I'll be nobody's Senator, but yours."
A number of factors led to Majette's loss. These include her late start, her valuable time and money spent in the runoff, larger conservative turnout from a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages (which Majette opposed), the popularity of President George W. Bush in Georgia, and her lack of experience (being a one-term congresswoman).
Debates Complete video of debate, October 31, 2004
Predictions Source Ranking As of Sabato's Crystal Ball November 1, 2004
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin JohnnyIsakson (R) DeniseMajette (D) Other /UndecidedSurveyUSASurveyUSA October 28–30, 2004 624 (LV) ± 4.0% 56% 40% 5%
Results
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
See also 2004 United States Senate elections
Notes
References
External links Official campaign websites (archived) Johnny Isakson (R) for Senate Denise Majette (D) for Senate