The 2004 presidential campaign of David Cobb, a Texas attorney, was Cobb's second overall election campaign, having run for State Attorney General in 2002. Prior to seeking the presidential nomination of the Green Party of the United States, he was involved with Ralph Nader's campaign in 2000 and was an activist for the Green Party. Background Texas attorney David Cobb first sought office as a Green Party candidate in 2002, running for Attorney General of Texas. He received just over 41,000 votes, 0.92 percent of all ballots cast, leaving him in fourth place and losing to Republican candidate Greg Abbott. Cobb had also worked on Green candidate Ralph Nader's 2000 presidential campaign, and served as the national party's general counsel. In July 2003, NBC News reported that Cobb was regarded as a possible candidate for the next year's presidential nomination. Nomination On June 26, 2004, during the Green Party's national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 769 delegates from 47 states voted on the party's presidential nominee. On the first ballot, Cobb came in first with 308 delegates; however, he was 77 short of the 385 delegates required for nomination; Cobb's nearest competitor, Nader, received 117.5 votes. Prior to the second round, four first-round candidates — including Nader and Camejo — were eliminated, as they had failed to "indicate, in writing, that they would accept the nomination as the Green Party candidate for President." In the second-round vote, Cobb received 408 votes, 100 more than his nearest competitor — "No nominee" — and thereby secured the party's presidential nomination. Following his nomination, Cobb expressed gratitude to Nader, stating "Ralph, if you are watching, thank you for what you have done, and thank you for what you will continue to do." Cobb selected as his running-mate activist and 2002 gubernatorial candidate Pat LaMarche of Maine. This marked the first time that the Green presidential ticket included two candidates who were registered Greens, unlike in 2000. Campaign Strategy debate An issue of contention within the party was whether the campaign should concentrate its efforts in "safe states" — those that were likely to vote for the Democratic or Republican candidate by a large enough margin that voting Green would not change the winner — or whether they should seek votes everywhere. Cobb stated his intention to run a campaign focused on building the Green Party and pursuing a "strategic states" or "smart states" strategy