As Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry campaigned through several American states in August 2004, a notable number of registered Republicans appeared at his rallies, citing frustration with President George W. Bush over the economy and the conduct of the Iraq war.
In Nevada, a self-identified Republican told Kerry directly that she was working to help elect him, criticizing the Bush administration for divisiveness and secrecy. In Colorado, a truck-driving couple drove roughly 150 kilometers to see Kerry arrive by train, saying they were open to switching their support.
Military veterans, a demographic that traditionally leans Republican, were prominent among Kerry's crossover backers. One Missouri veteran, formerly a Republican, said Bush had misplaced priorities by focusing on Iraq rather than Al-Qaeda. In Wisconsin, a self-described third-generation Republican who had voted for a Bush in three previous elections introduced Kerry onstage, saying he could no longer back the current administration.
Kerry downplayed partisan labels throughout the tour, calling himself a fiscal conservative and urging crowds to ignore attack rhetoric. Bush, meanwhile, had secured his own cross-party backing, with Democratic Georgia Senator Zell Miller, a sharp critic of his own party, invited to address the Republican national convention in New York.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in August 2004, in its own words.