George W. Bush - Election

During Bush’s first term as governor of Texas, many saw his potential to be a future president of the United States, and during his second term, speculation increased. In June 1990, Bush announced that he was to be a candidate for Presidency for the Republican Party. He ran with other candidates like John McCain, Alan Keyes, Steve Forbes, Gary Bauer, Orrin Hatch, Elizabeth Dole, Dan Quayle, Pat Buchanan, Lamar Alexander, John Kasich, and Robert C. Smith. Eventually, the contest narrowed down to John McCain and George W. Bush. Bush expressed that he was a conservative who was compassionate, promoting the increase of the size of the US Armed Forces, the improvement of education, the support of minorities and the cutting of taxes. Although he was primarily losing to McCain, his campaign soon gained momentum and overcame McCain. However, he wasn’t winning yet, he had yet to defeat Democrat Vice President Al Gore. Bush continued campaigning, criticizing the Democrat over gun control and taxes.

On November 7, 2000, Bush won popularity in 29 states, one of which was Florida. The count of votes in Florida were so close that they recounted it, and the results stayed in courts for about a month before it was finally raised to the Supreme Court. It turned out that Bush had won the vote in Florida by about 537 votes out of 6 million. Bush won the election wining 271 electoral votes, while Al Gore won 266.

On January 20, 2001, George Walker Bush was sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States.

Bush's ran for re-election in 2004, confident with broad support from the Republican Party and the fact that there were no major threats to him. Kenneth Mehlman was his campaign manager, using the political strategy conjured by Karl Rove. In his re-election, Bush portrayed more interest and commitment to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He and the Republican party also supported a shift in policy concerning the ban of abortion and same-sex marriage called the USA Patriot Act, as well as a reform in Social Security, and plan to fight against Global Warming. The Bush campaign fought against the Democrats, especially Senator of Massachusetts, John Kerry, who emerged as Bush's main opponent. The Democrats harshly criticized Bush on issues regarding the war in Iraq, lack of increase in employment, and the downfall of the economy. In return, Bush's campaign attacked Kerry on the issue regarding the war in Iraq as well. They portrayed him as indecisive due to contradictory statements, lacking vision that would lead to success, and a liberal who would raise taxes and increase the size of the federal government.

The effects of this clash resulted in the narrowest victory ever for Presidential campaign, beating Woodrow Wilson's margin of 3.1% against Charles Even Hughes in 1916. Bush won 31 out of 50 states with 286 electoral votes, a margin of 2.5% of victory. Thus, Bush served for another term as the President of the United States.