2004 United States Senate election in Florida
election
The 2004 United States Senate election in Florida took place on November 2, 2004, alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. Democratic incumbent Bob Graham ran unsuccessfully for president of the United States instead of seeking a fourth term. Mel Martínez won the open race to succeed Graham over Betty Castor.
Primary elections were held on August 31, 2004. Castor defeated U.S. representative Peter Deutsch to win the Democratic nomination, while Martínez won the Republican nomination over 2000 nominee Bill McCollum and businessman Doug Gallagher with the support of President George W. Bush.
In the general election, Martínez won the open seat with 49.4 percent of the vote to 48.3 percent for Castor. This was the first open election for this seat since 1974 and the closest race of the 2004 United States Senate elections. As of 2026, this is the last election in which an incumbent senator opted not to run for re-election in Florida.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Betty Castor, former president of the University of South Florida, former education commissioner of Florida, and former state senator
Peter Deutsch, U.S. representative from Broward County
Bernard Klein, businessman
Alex Penelas, mayor of Miami-Dade County
Declined
Bob Graham, incumbent U.S. senator since 1987 and former governor
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Johnnie Byrd, state representative from Plant City and speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
Doug Gallagher, businessman
Larry Klayman, attorney
William Kogut
Sonya March
Mel Martínez, former U.S. secretary of Housing and Urban Development and candidate for lieutenant governor in 1994
Bill McCollum, former U.S. representative from Longwood and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2000
Karen Saull
Withdrew
Mark Foley, U.S. representative from Jupiter (withdrew September 6, 2003)
Daniel Webster, state senator from Clermont
Dave Weldon, U.S. representative from Indialantic
Campaign
An early contender for the Republican nomination was U.S. Representative Mark Foley, who raised $3 million for his Senate campaign and was seen as marginally more moderate than his opponents. However, longstanding rumors regarding Foley's sexuality came under scrutiny in the alternative press.
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