Lewis was elected First Vice President of the Republic of Panama for the period 2004-2009 by popular vote on May 2, 2004. He took oath on September 1 together with President Martín Torrijos and Second Vice President Rubén Arosemena. On the same day, Lewis also became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was elected to the first Vice Presidency of the Republic on the ballot propositions of "Patria Nueva", a political program endorsed by the Revolutionary Democratic Party and the Popular Party, advocating more employment, more production and zero corruption.