The United States Presidential election of 2004 was contested on November 2, 2004. Incumbent President Dan Quayle of Indiana, a Democrat, defeated Socialist nominee Governor Howard Dean of Vermont to earn a second term. With a healthy economy and public support for American participation in German-led military campaigns overseas still strong, Quayle was easily reelected despite polling late in October showing Dean with a lead. The Quayle-Whitman ticket earned the highest raw votal total in the popular vote in U.S. electoral history.