New Hampshire gubernatorial election, 2004
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In the 2004 New Hampshire gubernatorial race, businessman John Lynch, a Hopkinton Democrat, defeated Republican incumbent Governor Craig Benson of Rye, winning a two-year term. Lynch was the first challenger to defeat a one-term incumbent governor in New Hampshire in 78 years. He was sworn in on January 6, 2005.
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[edit] The Primary Election
A primary election for the office of governor of New Hampshire was held September 14, 2004.
Lynch faced three-time gubernatorial candidate Paul McEachern, 66, in the state's Democratic primary. Both agreed on most issues, but split on taxes. McEachern campaigned against what he called a "corrupt" tax system that relies heavily on property taxes and avoids a state income tax, while Lynch campaigned against implementing any "broad-based" taxes, including a statewide income tax. Lynch's stand was in line with previous governors who "took the pledge" to oppose a statewide income tax. Lynch won convincingly in the primary.
| Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|
| John Lynch | 43,798 |
| Paul McEachern | 14,403 |
Benson went into the state's Republican primary race facing some opposition within his own party. The multi-millionaire businessman was viewed by some as "bored" with the job of being governor, and others simply opposed his management style, which he brought with him from the private sector.
During the primary campaign, Bonnie Newman, a Republican activist who had served in the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, endorsed Democrat John Lynch in a letter published in major state newspapers. She was joined by several other Republicans in signing the letter. GOP activist Mary Bonser spearheaded a write-in campaign to elect State Sen. Dick Green (R - Rochester) in the primary election. Green had earlier decided against a run for governor, but allowed his name to be put forward by Bonser as a write-in candidate.
Benson was opposed on the Republican primary ballot by two-term New Castle selectman and real estate management company owner Charles Tarbell, 44, whom many say benefited from the discontent within the ranks of the Republican Party. Tarbell ran a low-key campaign until the final weeks, and said he was running to simply advocate a solution to the state's education funding crisis, which had lingered without a solution for many years. He said he disapproved of a bill passed by the state legislature in 2004 to deal with the crisis. The state employees union endorsed both Tarbell and Green in the GOP primary.
The Benson campaign dismissed grumbling against the governor as sour grapes from those within the state legislature and party apparatus that resented Benson's "outsider" image and new approach to governing. They argued that he had not raised taxes and had been fiscally responsible while in office.
In the end, Benson pulled out a strong win in the primary. The Green write-in effort earned 1,420 votes. Interestingly, Lynch, a Democrat, pulled 1,748 votes in the GOP primary. Tarbell garnered just over 20 percent of the vote, but took comfort in winning 43 percent of the vote in Benson's home town of Rye.
| Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|
| Gov. Craig Benson | 49,097 |
| Charles Tarbell | 13,621 |
| John Lynch (D) (write-in) | 1,748 |
| Sen. Dick Green (write-in) | 1,420 |
[edit] The General Election
The general election for governor of New Hampshire was held November 2, 2004. John Lynch defeated Gov. Craig Benson, 51% to 49%. Lynch won in six of the state's ten counties. The state was also won by 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, making New Hampshire a "blue state" for only the third time since 1964. Benson waged a low-key campaign until after the primary. He argued that taxes had been cut and government had been made more efficient in his two-years in office. Lynch focused on scandals and alleged lapses of ethics during Benson's short term. The state employees union endorsed Lynch in the general election, citing tensions between Benson and state employees.
| Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|
| John Lynch (D) | 340,299 |
| Gov. Craig Benson (R) | 325,981 |
