In the end, Landrieu was re-elected with 52% of the vote, Kennedy having 46%. The 2008 election was the first in 56 years in which neither an incumbent president nor a vice president ran Bush was constitutionally limited from seeking a third term by the Twenty-second Amendment; Vice President Dick Cheney chose not to seek the presidency. The prior record, about 62 million, was set in 2004 by George W. Bush. Nine states changed allegiance from the 2004 election. Incumbent Republican John E. Sununu represented the swing state of New Hampshire. Eight incumbent state governors were running for re-election, while the retirements of Ruth Ann Minner of Delaware, Matt Blunt of Missouri, and Mike Easley of North Carolina left those gubernatorial positions open. In November 2006, the senator had the lowest approval rating of any Democrat running for re-election in 2008 (with 39% approving and 45% disapproving),[108] with his approval standing only at 42% as of September 2007 with voters saying he does not deserve re-election 46%-36%. There are 33 seats up for reelection in 2012, but only seven are . Roberts was re-elected with 60% to Slattery's 36%. [79] The seat was heavily targeted by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee because of Minnesota's Democratic leanings and recent Democratic gains in national and statewide elections. On August 27, 2007, state Treasurer John Neely Kennedy announced he was switching parties from Democrat to Republican. The 2008 U.S. Senate election in Minnesota featured first-term Republican incumbent senator Norm Coleman, Democrat Al Franken, a comedian and radio personality, and former U.S. senator Dean Barkley, a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota. Popular vote totals generally gathered from state Certificates of Ascertainment and/or results posted directly by individual states. Winner. Oct. 05: Senate Races. Image Reproduction Requests. The goal of having two senators per state is to have each state equally represented in the senate. During the 60th Congress (19071909), 10 Republicans sat on the Democratic side, while during the 75th Congress (19371939), 13 Democrats sat on the Republican side. Democratic Senator Barack Obama of Illinois won the presidential election, by defeating his challenger, Senator John McCain, and the Democrats bolstered their majority in both Houses of Congress. A September 2007 poll put Inhofe's approval rating at 47%, with 41% disapproving of his performance. USA - 2024 Electoral College Projection Map - YAPms [93] However, Barbour filed an appeal to the Mississippi Supreme Court, which overturned the earlier ruling and set the special election for November 4, 2008.[94][95]. On November 4, 2008, Coleman received 1,211,590 votes to Franken's 1,211,375 votes, a margin of 215 votes, far less than 0.1%, thereby triggering an automatic recount. Obama also offered the chance for voters to elect the nations first African American president and a relatively young president at 47 years old. Barkley received 437,404 votes, about 15% of total votes cast.[84]. Note: The % column reflects the change in total number of votes won by each party from the previous election. The resignation of Mississippi Senator Trent Lott, and the death of Wyoming Senator Craig L. Thomas, both Class 1 senators, meant that both of those states' senate seats were up for election. Summary of the November 4, 2008, United States Senate election results. Former Governor and U.S. Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander was elected in 2002 to succeed retiring senator Fred Thompson. Johnny Swanson announced his candidacy in March 2006 for the Democratic nomination.[6]. [115] The potential scandal may have also contributed to his decision to leave the Senate. The same Rasmussen poll showed Cornyn leading Noriega by a narrow four percentage points - 47% to 43%. [92] Initially, a Mississippi Circuit Court judge sided with Hood, ruling that the election take place on or before March 19, 2008. States in the Senate. [32], Other candidates included Bob Kinsey of Denver as the Green Party nominee,[33] Douglas "Dayhorse" Campbell as the American Constitution Party's nominee,[34] and Independent candidate Buddy Moore, unaffiliated any party.[35]. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (D) won the presidency by defeating Arizona Sen. John McCain (R) on November 4, 2008. USA - Senate Election Map - YAPms [51], Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin remained favored in Illinois. McCain still won the white vote, though Obamas share of the vote was large enough to win in some Republican areas. Obama received more votes than any candidate in history. Democratic candidates defeated Republican incumbents in Alaska; New Hampshire; North Carolina; Oregon; and, after a lengthy recount process, Minnesota. However, in the weeks leading up to the 2008 general election, polls showed the race tightening, reflecting a general nationwide trend. Privacy Policy | On October 19, 2007, Johnson formally announced that he was seeking re-election. Graham easily won re-election with 58% of the vote to Conley's 42%. Kerry won with 66% of the vote to Beatty's 31%. Obama won the Electoral College after receiving 365 votes to 173 votes for McCain. Biden's Republican opponent in the Senate race, conservative political commentator Christine O'Donnell, tried to make an issue of Biden's dual campaigns, claiming that serving his constituents is not important to him. This election was the second cycle in a row in which no seats switched from Democratic to Republican, and the first since 1990 in which the Democrats retained all their seats. Democratic former Governor Ronnie Musgrove challenged Wicker. Alabama senator Jeff Sessions sought re-election to a third term. Republican John Barrasso was appointed by Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) on June 22, 2007, to fill the senate seat of Republican Craig L. Thomas, who died on June 4. USA - 2022 Senate Election Map - YAPms He also secured wins in Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, and New Mexico, which were not reliable parts of the Democratic coalition to that point. Is It Realistic to Abolish the Electoral College? The 33 seats in the United States Senate Class 2 were up for election, plus special Senate elections in Mississippi and Wyoming. The assignment of these desks is governed by a series of Senate resolutions. He also disconnected himself from the Bush administration, which became unpopular due to the financial crisis and the ongoing conflict in Iraq. At the start of each Congress, the desks are reapportioned between the two aisles of the Chamber based on the number of Democrats and Republicans. 2008 United States Senate elections - Wikipedia The Libertarian Party of Tennessee officially selected Daniel Lewis as their candidate for United States Senate on Saturday March 8, 2008, at their annual convention held in Nashville, Tennessee. The Democrats gained 8 seats, while the Republicans did not gain a seat. In these special elections, the winner was seated during 2008 or before January 3, 2009, sorted by election date, then state, then class. Republicans need a net gain of four seats in November to win control of the Senate. This seating plan is updated at the start of each Congress, and as needed if members change desks or seating locations or if a new senator is sworn in. 2008 Actual Election Results 2008 Election Facts McCain won Nebraska but Obama earned an electoral vote by winning the popular vote in the 2nd Congressional District. These factors, coupled with a national political climate favorable to Democrats, made the Minnesota Senate race one of the most competitive and closely watched of the cycle. Christian activist Larry Kilgore of Mansfield, Texas, was a Republican challenger for the March 2008 primary election, but Cornyn easily won the Republican primary. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was the Democratic nominee, and Senator John McCain of Arizona was the Republican nominee. All Rights Reserved. . Obama won early votes in Iowa, Nevada, and South Carolina, while Clinton secured primary wins in Florida and Michigan. Presidential Election of 2008 - 270toWin Table of Contents 1 2008 Election Results 2 Primaries 3 Economic Issues 4 National Security 5 Strategy 6 2008 Election Results The presence of a serious third party candidate further complicated matters. Projected Senate: Dem 58 GOP 42 : Main page: Previous report: Next report: Senate polls Web.csv . They also won a net gain of one gubernatorial seat. Two senators from each state are elected to represent their state. [87] On June 30, 2009, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Al Franken received the most votes, and Norm Coleman conceded defeat after the ruling, allowing Al Franken to be Senator-elect of Minnesota. USA - 1952 Presidential Election Map - YAPms Special elections during the 110th Congress, Special elections during the next Congress, Official Ballot; General Election; Tuesday, November 4, 2008; Ottawa County, Michigan; Holland Chater Township, Absent Voter Counting Board, Precinct 13B, Official results for 2008 primary elections, New Jersey Division of Elections (, elections for all House of Representatives seats, January 2010 special election in Massachusetts, November 4, 2008, United States Senate election, U.S. Senate Popular Vote and FEC Total Receipts by Party, "The Green Papers 2008 U.S. Senate Popular Vote and FEC Total Receipts by Party", 2010 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts, 2008 United States Senate election in Alabama, List of United States senators from Alabama, 2008 United States Senate election in Alaska, List of United States senators from Alaska, 2008 United States Senate election in Arkansas, List of United States senators from Arkansas, 2008 United States Senate election in Colorado, List of United States senators from Colorado, 2008 United States Senate election in Delaware, List of United States senators from Delaware, 2008 United States Senate election in Georgia, List of United States senators from Georgia, 2008 United States Senate election in Idaho, List of United States senators from Idaho, 2008 United States Senate election in Illinois, List of United States senators from Illinois, 2008 United States Senate election in Iowa, 2008 United States Senate election in Kansas, List of United States senators from Kansas, 2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky, List of United States senators from Kentucky, 2008 United States Senate election in Louisiana, List of United States senators from Louisiana, 2008 United States Senate election in Maine, List of United States senators from Maine, 2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts, List of United States senators from Massachusetts, 2008 United States Senate election in Michigan, List of United States senators from Michigan, 2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, List of United States senators from Minnesota, List of United States senators from Mississippi, 2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi, 2008 United States Senate special election in Mississippi, 2008 United States Senate election in Montana, List of United States senators from Montana, 2008 United States Senate election in Nebraska, List of United States senators from Nebraska, 2008 United States Senate election in New Hampshire, List of United States senators from New Hampshire, 2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey, List of United States senators from New Jersey, 2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico, List of United States senators from New Mexico, 2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, List of United States senators from North Carolina, 2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma, List of United States senators from Oklahoma, 2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, List of United States senators from Oregon, 2008 United States Senate election in Rhode Island, List of United States senators from Rhode Island, 2008 United States Senate election in South Carolina, List of United States senators from South Carolina, 2008 United States Senate election in South Dakota, List of United States senators from South Dakota, 2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee, List of United States senators from Tennessee, 2008 United States Senate election in Texas, List of United States senators from Texas, 2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, List of United States senators from Virginia, 2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia, List of United States senators from West Virginia, List of United States senators from Wyoming, 2008 United States Senate election in Wyoming, 2008 United States Senate special election in Wyoming, 2008 United States gubernatorial elections, 2008 United States House of Representatives elections, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 2008", "Ensign Fumes Over Failed GOP Fundraising Effort", "Sparks says he won't seek U.S. Senate seat", "Certified Primary Election Results: Republican Party", "Certified Primary Election Results: Democratic Party", "Certified General Election Results without write-in appendix", "STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 4, 2008", "Feds eye Stevens's home remodeling project", "Oil exec: Workers remodeled Stevens home", "Jury finds Stevens guilty on corruption charges", "Begich to officially enter race vs. Stevens", "Senators back Stevens despite FBI probe", "Arkansas Sen. Pryor Now Safe, as GOP Fails to Field Challenger", http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/ElectionArchives/2008/2008_Abstract.pdf, "Shift puts key state issues in question", "American Constitution Party Colorado Candidates", "Georgia Election Results: United States Senator", "Local and National Election Results - Election Center 2008 - Elections & Politics from CNN.com", "As Craig's Problems Continue, Focus Turns to Possible 2008 Idaho Senate Race Without Him", "Illinois Green Party chooses retired teacher as senate candidate", "Sen. McConnell In A Tough Race In Kentucky", "Treasurer bolts to GOP - Breaking News Updates New Orleans", "Ogonowski set to battle Kerry for Senate seat", "Canvassing Report of Votes Cast at the State General Election, November 4, 2008", "Canvassing Board MeetingNov. Historically, the Senate Chamber desks were assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. 2020 Election Maps - Create Your Own Senate Map - RealClearPolitics [85] During the recount process, Minnesota was represented by only one senator, Amy Klobuchar. Senate Map - Election 2012 - NYTimes.com - New York Times [54] Chad Koppie, a retired airline pilot and vice-chairman of the Illinois Center Right Coalition, was the nominee of the Constitution Party. Senator Pat Roberts sought re-election to a third term. Today the desks are no longer arranged in their original order, but are moved within the Chamber to suit the needs of the Senate. Elections were held for 85 legislative chambers, with all states but Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, Alabama, Maryland, and Virginia holding elections in at least one house. [138] However, because he lost the Democratic primary, Cone was not listed on the ballot under the state's sore loser law.[139]. For more information please visit Senator Max Baucus was a popular Democrat in Montana, representing a state that has long been fairly Republican but also receptive to Democrats in state and local elections. As a result, Mississippi's Attorney General Jim Hood challenged Barbour in court, claiming that the special election needed to be held within 100 days of Lott's resignation, as per state law. Ten were elected on November 4, 2008. O'Donnell received 140,584 votes (35% of the vote). Fellow senator Joe Lieberman, citing his status as an independent, endorsed Collins in her 2008 re-election bid. There were several unique aspects of the 2008 election. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 set off an economic panic that spread globally. Former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway was rumored to be considering a run, but declined to do so. Senator Obama won the number of electors necessary to be elected president and was inaugurated on January 20, 2009.[3]. In South Dakota, senator Tim Johnson's seat was considered a top GOP target in 2008, considering Johnson's narrow 524-vote victory in 2002 over then-Representative and current U.S. senator John Thune, as well as his recent health problems. The site was created by Taegan Goddard, who runs a network of political websites including Political Wire, Political Job Hunt and the Political Dictionary. Johnson underwent surgery in December 2006 for a cerebral arteriovenous malformation and was discharged from the hospital on April 30, 2007. [160] Polling showed him as a strong favorite to win the seat. Kennedy took 20.47%. Since those elections, Democrats have had to endure the loss of some reliable voters because Hurricane Katrina dispersed many African-Americans from New Orleans, although the vast majority still live within Louisiana. Senator Jay Rockefeller, great-grandson of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, sought a fifth term representing West Virginia. State Representative Joel Dykstra announced his candidacy on July 5, 2007. Merkley beat longtime Democratic activist Steve Novick and three other candidates in a hotly contested primary. Jim Ogonowski, a retired Air Force pilot who was closely defeated by now-Representative Niki Tsongas in a 2007 special election, was running against Kerry. He defeated ophthalmologist Gordon Leitch[129] in the May 20 Republican primary. On the Senate side, the committees are the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). This seating plan is updated at the start of each Congress, and as needed if members change desks or seating locations or if a new senator is sworn in. He sought to be re-elected in a state that has steadily become more Democratic since 1992. Going into these elections, the Senate consisted of 49 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and two Independents who caucused with the Democrats, giving the Democratic caucus the slightest 5149 majority. Lieutenant Governor Jim Risch was the Republican candidate; U.S. Army veteran and former congressman Larry LaRocco was the Democratic candidate. 98%. "Daniel Lewis Is Libertarian Candidate For U.S. Senate", "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives", Noriega avoids runoff in Senate bid; Cornyn wins easily, "Our Campaigns - TX US Senate - D Primary Race - Mar 04, 2008", "Our Campaigns - TX US Senate - R Primary Race - Mar 04, 2008", "Democrat Warner Holds Large Lead Over Davis and Gilmore", "Senate Mourns Death of Wyoming Republican Craig Thomas", "Goodenough announces Senate bid against Barrasso | KULR-8 TELEVISION - Billings, Montana | Wyoming State News", Political newcomer Carter will face Barrasso, Cook Political Report 2008 Senate Race Ratings, Intrade Composite Poll - Supermajority Predictions, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2008_United_States_Senate_elections&oldid=1142360887, November 2008 events in the United States, Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Articles with dead external links from July 2016, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from June 2016, Articles with dead external links from September 2017, Articles with dead external links from July 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2013, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from March 2013, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 00:07. [5] Seven territorial chambers in four territories and the District of Columbia were up. senate.gov - Origins wikipedia.org - United States Senate The Senate seat in Connecticut is counted as a . There were also two special elections, the winners of those seats would finish the terms that ended January 3, 2013. On May 8, 2007, Rep. Tom Allen (ME-1) announced his candidacy on his website. He filed as an independent and was subsequently named as the Green Party nominee[146] Edward Buck was also in the race. [134] National Journal has declared that "Reed is probably the safest incumbent of the 2008 cycle". Nevertheless, Stevens was narrowly ahead in the vote count after election day, with only about two-thirds of all votes counted. The state has become more Republican over the past 12 years. Toss Up. [152], There were three Libertarians, including 2006 LP senate nominee Scott Jameson, running for their party's nomination. On January 3, 2009, with the recount apparently completed, Franken had an unofficial lead of 225 votes, but former senator Coleman's attorneys contested the official results in the courts. A Rasmussen poll released May 11, 2008, showed Hagan leading Dole by a statistically insignificant margin, 48% - 47%,[122] suggesting a competitive race. The Electoral College is the process in which the United States elects its president. The United States Senate is the upper legislature of the bicameral legislative branch. The 2008 presidential election focused on a national economic crisis that evolved throughout the race. Localized groups supporting Obama and Biden were able to sign up through the main campaign site, which gathered contact info for mobilization purposes. The major theme during the campaign was the American public's general desire of change and reform from both Washington and the policies of President Bush. Explore the current seating plan below, use the dropdown for access to past interactive seating plans, or browse PDFs of seating configurations from before 2003. The 2008 United States Senate elections were held on November 4, 2008, with 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested. simplemaps_election.selected.R = ['AK', 'AL', 'AR', 'AZ', 'GA', 'ID', 'KS', 'KY', 'LA', 'MO', 'MS', 'MT', 'ND', 'NE', 'NE1', 'NE3', 'OK', 'TN', 'TX', 'UT', 'SC', 'SD', 'WY', 'WV']; Once, during the 1950s, when Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon had left the Republican Party but not yet joined the Democratic Party, he placed his chair temporarily in the middle of the center aisle in order to demonstrate his independence. RCP Senate Map Race Changes; Senate No Toss Ups Race Changes; RCP House Map; 49: Democrats * Stevens's conviction on seven felony counts of corruption put his re-election bid in serious jeopardy, coming just over a week before the election, though Stevens appealed the conviction. [141] According to a November 2006 SurveyUSA poll, Johnson had an approval rating of 70%, with just 26% disapproving of his performance,[142] making him an early favorite despite the state's Republican leaning. [104] Prior to Shaheen's entry, Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand,[105] Katrina Swett, wife of former Democratic congressman Richard Swett,[106] and former astronaut Jay Buckey[107] had announced that they were running for the Democratic nomination. The presidential election, which was won by Democrat Barack Obama, elections for all House of Representatives seats; elections for several gubernatorial elections; and many state and local elections occurred on the same date. Durbin won with 68% of the vote. [163] Democrats Sheirl Fletcher and Billy Hendricks challenged Rockefeller in the primary but were defeated. Congressional Democrats made gains in the House and the Senate after winning majorities in both chambers during the 2006 midterm elections. Reed won the election, with 73% of the vote. Sen. Trent Lott's surprise resignation has opened up the other Mississippi Senate seat in 2008. On Jan. 1, 2008, Gov. Kaufman subsequently announced that he would not seek election to a full term in 2010, effectively making him a caretaker. When a seat became open, the first senator to speak for it won the right to it. A map of key Senate races to watch. On Jan. 1, 2008, Gov. Midterm Election Map 2018: Live Results - ABC News In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 2009; ordered by state. Scott Kleeb, 2006 candidate for Nebraska's 3rd congressional district, defeated businessman Tony Raimondo, a former Republican, by a wide margin in the Democratic primary. 2008 Nomination Battle. Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Ron Sparks appeared to be preparing for a run, but on June 12, 2007, Sparks announced that he would not seek the Senate seat, in order to avoid a primary battle with state senator Vivian Davis Figures. Tom Udall, the popular Representative from New Mexico's 3rd District, was the Democratic nominee. Wolfe had 36%. For more information please visit. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Select Source. Six of the 69 Democratic senators sat with the 23 Republican and 4 Independent senators. Senate Election Results 2020 - The New York Times While senator Pete Domenici had declared that he would seek re-election in New Mexico, he changed his mind and announced on October 4, 2007, that he was retiring at the end of his current term due to a degenerative brain disorder. Knox County Clerk Mike Padgett received 20% of the vote. Risch won the election with approximately 58% of the vote. In North Carolina, there had been rumors that senator Elizabeth Dole would retire from the Senate and run for governor, but she said in 2006 that she intended to run for re-election. The 2006 elections and 2008 elections represented the first time since 1936 that Democrats or any party made substantial gains in Congress in two consecutive elections. . [67] but failed to obtain the required candidacy signatures. A Brief History of Electoral College Reform Efforts, The New Electoral Map After the 2020 Census, How the 2020 Election Could End In an Electoral Tie, The Electoral College Is Not About The Little Guy, Faithless Electors are a Ticking Time Bomb Waiting to Explode. Interactive USA election map for past results and future projections. Senator Lindsey Graham, as a popular Republican incumbent in strongly conservative South Carolina, had been considered unlikely to be vulnerable to a Democratic challenge. Sen. Trent Lott's surprise resignation has opened up the other Mississippi Senate seat in 2008. Senate Election Map 2012 - The Washington Post