Sarudzo dzomutungamiri weRepublican Peter Fitzgerald nomutungamiri weDemocratic Carol Moseley Braun dzokusaita musarudzo dzakaguma nemakwikwi makuru eDemocratic neRepublican anosanganisira vakwikwidzi gumi nevashanu. Mukusarudzwa kwokutanga kwaMarch 2004, Obama akakunda mukukunda kwakanga kusingatarisirwi - uko usiku humwe chete kwakamuita nyeredzi iri kusimuka mukati meDemocratic Party yenyika, kwakatanga fungidziro pamusoro penguva yemberi yemutungamiri wenyika, uye kwakatungamirira kukubudiswazve kwemabhuku ake okuyeuka, "Dreams from My Father". Muna July 2004, Obama akapa hurukuro inokosha paDemocratic National Convention ya2004
, rakaonekwa nevanhu mamiriyoni mapfumbamwe. Kutaura kwake kwakagamuchirwa zvakanaka uye kwakasimudza nzvimbo yake mukati meDemocratic Party.