Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Shawarwarin da dan Republican mai ci Peter Fitzgerald da magajinsa na Democrat Carol Moseley Braun suka yanke na rashin shiga zaben ya haifar da bude gasar Democrat da Republican ta farko da ta shafi 'yan takara 15. A zaben farko na watan Maris na shekara ta 2004, Obama ya yi nasara a cikin gagarumar nasara wanda ba zato ba tsammani ya sanya shi tauraruwa mai tasowa a cikin Jam'iyyar Democrat ta kasa, ya fara hasashe game da makomar shugaban kasa, kuma ya haifar da sake buga littafin tarihinsa, "Dreams from My Father". A watan Yulin 2004, Obama ya gabatar da jawabin gabatarwa a taron kasa na Jam'iyyar Democrat na 2004
, wanda mutane miliyan tara suka kalli. An karɓi jawabinsa da kyau kuma ya ɗaukaka matsayinsa a cikin Jam'iyyar Democrat.