2004 Utah gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2004 United States gubernatorial elections.

2004 Utah gubernatorial election
November 2, 2004
 
Nominee Jon Huntsman Jr. Scott Matheson Jr.
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Gary Herbert Karen Hale
Popular vote 531,190 380,359
Percentage 57.74% 41.35%
County results
Huntsman:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Matheson:      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election

Olene Walker
Republican

Elected Governor

Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Republican

The 2004 Utah gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2004. The incumbent governor was Republican Olene S. Walker, who had become governor following Mike Leavitt's resignation to join the George W. Bush administration. However, Walker placed fourth in the Republican primary, far behind Jon Huntsman Jr. Huntsman won the nomination and went on to win the general election, carrying 25 of the 29 counties and winning 57.7% of the overall vote. This was the last time that a Democratic nominee for any statewide office has received forty percent or more of the popular vote, and the most recent election in which a Democratic gubernatorial nominee carried the counties of Carbon and Salt Lake.

Background

In the aftermath of the 2002 Winter Olympics, some Utah political observers briefly speculated that Salt Lake Organizing Committee president Mitt Romney might seek statewide office in Utah, including the governorship. Romney publicly ruled out any Utah campaign as he left the state in March 2002; he then returned to Massachusetts, ran for governor in 2002, and won the general election. Years later, Romney re-entered Utah politics and successfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2018.[1][2][3]

In March 2003, Huntsman resigned his post in the Bush administration. In mid-August, three term incumbent Governor Mike Leavitt, whom Huntsman strongly supported, decided not to run for re-election to a fourth term, in order to become the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under the Bush administration.[4][5][6] Shortly thereafter, Huntsman filed papers to run for Governor of Utah.[7] In November 2003, Lieutenant Governor Olene S. Walker became the Utah's first female governor as Leavitt was confirmed to become EPA Administrator.[8]

Democratic nomination

Scott Matheson, Jr. entered the race on March 27, 2004.[9] He won the May Democratic nomination unopposed.[10]

Republican primary

Convention

Candidates

Declined

Results, first round

Republican Convention results[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jon Huntsman Jr. 959 27.98%
Republican Nolan Karras 607 17.71%
Republican Fred Lampropoulos 584 17.04%
Republican Olene Walker (incumbent) 495 14.44%
Republican Marty Stephens 380 11.09%
Republican James Hansen 278 8.11%
Republican Parley Hellewell 121 3.53%
Republican Gary Benson 4 0.12%

Results, final round, instant-runoff

Republican Convention Results: Candidates Reduced to Two with Instant Runoff[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jon Huntsman Jr. 1,707 51.28%
Republican Nolan Karras 1,622 48.72%

Primary

Candidates

Campaign
Huntsman gained the endorsements from U.S. Senator Jake Garn[15] and former U.S. President George H. W. Bush.[16] Polls showed he was the front-runner.

Results

Republican primary results[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jon Huntsman Jr. 102,955 66.42%
Republican Nolan Karras 52,048 33.58%
Total votes 155,003 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Campaign

Jon Huntsman Jr., a former advisor for U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush and son of industrialist Jon Huntsman, Sr.—the founder of Huntsman Chemical Corporation—filed papers to run for governor in September 2003.[18] Jason Chaffetz was his campaign manager. In April 2004, Utah County Commissioner Gary Herbert decided to drop out of the Republican nomination and become Huntsman's running mate.[19] Herbert helped Huntsman with the rural community.[20] Huntsman campaigned on eliminating the sales tax on food[21] and on ethics reform. He proposed that lawmakers have to disclose all their gifts, they have to report monthly their campaign contributions, and they can't work as lobbyists immediately after leaving state government.[22] Huntsman opposed President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act. He said he would leave a label on the door of the governor's office "Economic Development Czar" if he's elected.

U.S. Attorney, former Harvard University professor, and dean of the University of Utah law school Scott Matheson, Jr. won the Democratic nomination unopposed. He is the son of former Utah Governor Scott Matheson who was also the last Democrat to be elected governor of the red state of Utah. He made education the number one priority. He explained how better schools would attract new business. In one television ad, he called himself "Utah's Education Governor."[23] He criticized Huntsman for supporting school choice reform.[24]

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball[25] Lean R November 1, 2004

Polling

In a March Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll, Matheson was leading all the Republicans running for the nomination except for Huntsman and Walker.[9] An early September Jones poll showed Huntsman leading 49%-39%.[26] An October 6 Salt Lake Tribune poll showed Huntsman leading 49%-33%.[27] An October 7 Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll showed Huntsman only leading 49%-40%.[28] An October 29 Salt Lake Tribune poll showed Huntsman leading 50%-36%.[29]

Fundraising

Huntsman raised a little over $3.5 million. Nearly $950,000 of the money raised was from his own personal loans and from family donations. He also raised 100,000 from the Republican Governors Association. Matheson raised almost $2.0 million. About one-fourth of Matheson's funds came from political committees, including $325,000 from the Democratic Governors Association.[30]

Results

2004 Utah gubernatorial election[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jon Huntsman Jr. 531,190 57.74% +1.97%
Democratic Scott Matheson Jr. 380,359 41.35% −0.92%
Personal Choice Ken Larsen 8,399 0.91%
Write-in Stoney Fonua 12 0.00%
Total votes 919,960 100.00%
Majority 150,831 16.40%
Republican hold Swing +2.89%

Results by county

County[31] Jon Huntsman
Republican 		Scott Matheson
Democratic 		Ken Larsen
Personal Choice 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # %
Beaver 1,541 60.46% 991 38.88% 17 0.67% 550 21.58% 2,549
Box Elder 12,631 69.04% 5,497 30.05% 166 0.91% 7,134 39.00% 18,294
Cache 25,307 64.48% 13,660 34.81% 278 0.71% 11,647 29.68% 39,245
Carbon 3,232 38.43% 5,111 60.77% 68 0.81% -1,879 -22.34% 8,411
Daggett 287 59.67% 194 40.33% 0 0.00% 93 19.33% 481
Davis 68,545 63.44% 38,726 35.84% 782 0.72% 29,819 27.60% 108,053
Duchesne 3,939 71.29% 1,550 28.05% 36 0.65% 2,389 43.24% 5,525
Emery 2,754 59.12% 1,848 39.67% 56 1.20% 906 19.45% 4,658
Garfield 1,562 72.99% 558 26.07% 20 0.93% 1,004 46.92% 2,140
Grand 1,811 43.92% 2,239 54.31% 73 1.77% -428 -10.38% 4,123
Iron 10,673 69.59% 4,526 29.51% 137 0.89% 6,147 40.08% 15,336
Juab 1,995 58.80% 1,363 40.17% 35 1.03% 632 18.63% 3,393
Kane 2,168 71.74% 823 27.23% 31 1.03% 1,345 44.51% 3,022
Millard 3,150 64.89% 1,654 34.07% 50 1.03% 1,496 30.82% 4,854
Morgan 2,535 66.15% 1,272 33.19% 25 0.65% 1,263 32.96% 3,832
Piute 517 68.39% 237 31.35% 2 0.26% 280 37.04% 756
Rich 706 68.88% 317 30.93% 2 0.20% 389 37.95% 1,025
Salt Lake 168,818 46.81% 188,002 52.12% 3,851 1.07% -19,184 -5.32% 360,681[a]
San Juan 2,555 52.45% 2,244 46.07% 72 1.48% 311 6.38% 4,871
Sanpete 5,441 65.32% 2,799 33.60% 90 1.08% 2,642 31.72% 8,330
Sevier 5,059 66.64% 2,470 32.54% 62 0.82% 2,589 34.11% 7,591
Summit 6,151 40.75% 8,822 58.44% 123 0.81% -2,671 -17.69% 15,096
Tooele 9,181 55.71% 7,106 43.12% 192 1.17% 2,075 12.59% 16,479
Uintah 7,345 74.63% 2,399 24.38% 98 1.00% 4,946 50.25% 9,842
Utah 107,429 72.90% 38,921 26.41% 1,003 0.68% 68,508 46.49% 147,355[b]
Wasatch 4,353 58.52% 3,032 40.76% 53 0.71% 1,321 17.76% 7,438
Washington 31,295 72.25% 11,683 26.97% 335 0.77% 19,612 45.28% 43,313
Wayne 880 65.77% 458 34.23% 0 0.00% 422 31.54% 1,338
Weber 39,330 54.68% 31,857 44.29% 742 1.03% 7,473 10.39% 71,929
Total 531,190 57.74% 380,359 41.35% 8,399 0.91% 150,831 16.40% 919,960

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Notes

  1. ^ Includes 10 write-in votes
  2. ^ Includes 2 write-in votes

See also

References

  1. ^ "Is Mitt's mind made up?". Deseret News. March 17, 2002. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  2. ^ "Romney rules out Utah races". Deseret News. Associated Press. March 18, 2002. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  3. ^ "Mitt Romney wins Utah Senate race". PBS NewsHour. November 6, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  4. ^ Swisher, Larry. "Bush picks Utah governor for EPA".
  5. ^ Harrie, Dan (August 18, 2003). "Leavitt's move is a gamble". Salt Lake Tribune, The.
  6. ^ "NewsLibrary". March 30, 2003.
  7. ^ "Huntsman Jr. files campaign papers". Deseret News. September 11, 2003. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  8. ^ "Walker sworn in as Utah's first female governor". Deseret News. November 5, 2003. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Scott Matheson enters race for governor". Deseret News. March 28, 2004.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  10. ^ "No Demo runoffs; protest targets Rep. Matheson". Deseret News. May 9, 2004. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  11. ^ Romboy, Dennis (November 14, 2011). "Sandstrom announces bid for Utah's new congressional district seat". Deseret News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  12. ^ "Our Campaigns - UT Governor - R Convention Race - May 08, 2004".
  13. ^ "GOP selects Huntsman, Karras". Deseret News. May 9, 2004. Archived from the original on June 25, 2011.
  14. ^ "May 8, 2004 Utah GOP convention Gubernatorial, US Congressional, and National Committeeman/Comitteewoman race results".
  15. ^ "Garn endorsing Jon Huntsman Jr". Deseret News. February 13, 2004. Archived from the original on September 22, 2018.
  16. ^ "Bush Sr. Backs Huntsman". Deseret News. June 15, 2004. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  17. ^ "Official Results - State of Utah Primary Election June 22, 2004" (PDF). Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  18. ^ "Huntsman Jr. Files campaign papers". Deseret News. September 11, 2003. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012.
  19. ^ "Huntsman, Herbert join forces". Deseret News. April 21, 2004. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  20. ^ Harrie, Dan (April 21, 2004). "Herbert's rural ties bolster Huntsman ticket". Salt Lake Tribune, The.
  21. ^ Harrie, Dan (January 27, 2004). "Huntsman would end sales tax on groceries". Salt Lake Tribune, The.
  22. ^ "NewsBank". January 14, 2004.
  23. ^ "Huntsman and Matheson target education". Deseret News. September 12, 2004. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  24. ^ "Rhetoric growing sharper in gubernatorial campaign". Deseret News. October 20, 2004. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  25. ^ "The Final Predictions". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  26. ^ "Mathesons on the march". Deseret News. September 12, 2004. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  27. ^ Harrie, Dan (October 6, 2004). "Huntsman has a double-digit lead in new poll". Salt Lake Tribune, The.
  28. ^ "Matheson inches closer". Deseret News. October 7, 2004. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  29. ^ Harrie, Dan (October 29, 2004). "Matheson needs a big finish". Salt Lake Tribune, The.
  30. ^ "Matheson 'mild attack ad' criticized". Deseret News. October 27, 2004. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  31. ^ a b "2004 General Election Canvass" (PDF). Retrieved January 1, 2026.
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