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. [50] The last Democratic senator from Idaho was Frank Church, who was defeated in the Republican landslide of 1980 after serving four terms. simplemaps_election.colors = {'R': '#a45a4f','D':'#415490','T':'#D6D6D6'}; Haley Barbour (R) named Rep. Roger Wicker (R . [131], On November 6, 2008, Jeff Merkley was projected the winner of the contest, with 48.9% to Smith's 45.6%. [66] Republican author and conservative activist Jerome Corsi, known for his public criticism of Kerry, had stated that he would run for the seat in 2008 but later changed his mind. Despite being a first-term senator in a state George W. Bush won twice, Democrat Mark Pryor faced no opposition from Republicans in his re-election bid. He sought to be re-elected in a state that has steadily become more Democratic since 1992. [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. He also disconnected himself from the Bush administration, which became unpopular due to the financial crisis and the ongoing conflict in Iraq. [80] Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, a professor at the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minnesota), joined the race in October 2007. Today the desks are no longer arranged in their original order, but are moved within the Chamber to suit the needs of the Senate. Congress. 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. Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act (11/04/2021 legislative day) House Floor: H.R.3992. ", This page was last edited on 10 February 2023, at 06:45. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign. For more information please visit Two senators from each state are elected to represent their state. senate.gov - Origins wikipedia.org - United States Senate New Hampshire also saw major Democratic gains in the 2006 elections, when Democrats took both of the previously Republican-held House seats, the gubernatorial race with a record vote share of 74%, and majorities in the State House and Senate, giving them concurrent control of both bodies for the first time since 1874. Johanns won, taking 58% of the vote, with Kleeb taking 40%. [44], On September 1, 2007, senator Larry Craig announced his intent to resign from the Senate effective September 30, 2007. Although Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932, former Democratic Congressman and army veteran Jim Slattery was nominated to run against Roberts. [81] Attorney Mike Ciresi, an unsuccessful candidate in the 2000 Democratic U.S. Senate primary, was considered a serious candidate, but withdrew from the race on March 10, 2008, clearing the path for Franken to secure the party's nomination. Sununu's 2002 opponent, former Governor Jeanne Shaheen, decided to run and was generally considered to be a very formidable challenger. [110][111] Furthermore, in the wake of the financial crisis, Carl Peter Klapper entered the race as a write-in candidate.[112]. However, Georgia proceeded to a runoff election where the Republican candidate won by over 10%. 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%. Obama won his party's presidential nomination after defeating Senator Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primaries. There were several unique aspects of the 2008 election. McCain won Nebraska but Obama earned an electoral vote by winning the popular vote in the 2nd Congressional District. In this cycle the DSCC was more successful at fundraising. Thirty-three seats were up for regular elections; the winners were eligible to serve six-year terms from January 3, 2009, to January 3, 2015, as members of Class 2.There were also two special elections, the winners of those seats would finish the terms that ended . Justices Opened Door to Gerrymander Presidential Elections, How Trump Could Win Re-Election By One Electoral Vote, 3 Myths About Abolishing the Electoral College, 5 Reasons to Abolish the Electoral College, Another Look at the 2020 Battleground States, Imagining the 2024 Electoral Map After Redistricting, The Electoral College Penalizes Voters In High Turnout States, The Winner-Take-All Electoral College Isnt In the Constitution. In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 2009; ordered by state. Kerry was challenged by defense attorney Edward O'Reilly for the Democratic nomination, winning 69% of the vote to O'Reilly's 31%. Obama received 365 electoral votes, and McCain 173. simplemaps_election.order = ['T', 'D', 'R']; //which color is shown first on click Usage Policy | USA 2008 Presidential Election Shortcuts F - hold down to quickly fill in districts CTRL - hold down to decrement the color Enable Simulator District Electoral College The Electoral College is the process in which the United States elects its president. The same Rasmussen poll showed Cornyn leading Noriega by a narrow four percentage points - 47% to 43%. Projected Senate: Dem 58 GOP 42 : Main page: Previous report: Next report: Senate polls Web.csv . Sections Sections Top Stories Video Live U.S. USA - 2008 House Election Map Clear Map Share Map Style Misc Login Privacy Sidebar Tossup 435 Republican 0 Democrat 0 + 0 0 0 0 435 0 0 0 0 YAPms 2 Beta - Discord USA 2018 House Map Shortcuts F - hold down to quickly fill in districts CTRL - hold down to decrement the color Enable Simulator District House Floor: H.R.1917 Congress Republican. The candidates disagreed on the causes of the financial crisis and tax policy. [161], When asked whether the Republicans were abandoning their hopes of holding onto Warner's seat, senator John Ensign, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, responded that "You dont waste money on races that dont need it or you cant win."[116]. On October 19, 2007, Johnson formally announced that he was seeking re-election. The New Hampshire Senate saw the election of the first-ever female majority. The first month of the Republican primaries was competitive with Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee securing a victory in the Iowa caucus and McCain winning New Hampshire. [19] Two former Veco executives have plead guilty to paying the younger Stevens $242,000 in bribes. 2008 Election Map: Senate By MATTHEW BLOCH, FARHANA HOSSAIN, CARL HULSE, JOHN MCGRATH AND DEREK WILLIS Two more freshmen were appointed to the Senate as a consequence of the appointment of Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of State and Ken Salazar to be Secretary of the Interior. Roberts was re-elected with 60% to Slattery's 36%. Obama opposed the Iraq invasion and argued for a 16-month timetable for removing troops and reinforcing troops in Afghanistan. The only governorship that changed party hands was in Missouri: Democrat Jay Nixon was elected to replace Blunt, who chose to retire instead of seeking a second term. Privacy Policy | In one of the first senate races called on election day, Warner won, taking 65% of the vote, with Gilmore winning 34%. Obama selected Delaware Senator Joe Biden to offset concerns about Obamas experience with foreign policy. Baucus was not expected to face a significant challenge from the 85-year-old Republican nominee, Bob Kelleher, who surprised observers by winning the June 3 Republican primary despite supporting a number of positions that put him to the political left of Baucus, such as nationalization of the American oil and gas industry.[99]. House forecast in real-time. On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama won the presidential election, making Biden the next VP. Even though West Virginia is a historically Democratic state, in which the party had a 50-32% edge in party affiliation over the Republicans in the 2004 elections, the state party is more conservative than the national party, giving its votes to President George W. Bush in that election and in 2000. 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. Elections to state legislatures were held on November 4, 2008, alongside other elections, in which Democrats scored significant gains in a blue wave election. [5] The NRSC chair, senator John Ensign, took the unusual step of chastising the Republican Senators who, like him, were not facing re-election, and who he thought should have done more to help raise money for their colleagues.[5]. The 2008 United States elections were held on November 4. The 2008 presidential election focused on a national economic crisis that evolved throughout the race. [92] Initially, a Mississippi Circuit Court judge sided with Hood, ruling that the election take place on or before March 19, 2008. O'Donnell received 140,584 votes (35% of the vote). Such seating became known as the Cherokee Strip, a reference to the region in Oklahoma with land that at the time belonged neither to the Indian Territory nor the United States. McCain, who supported the initial Iraq invasion, opposed establishing a removal date for all troops. [151] Texas House of Representatives member and Afghanistan War veteran Rick Noriega secured his place as Cornyn's Democratic challenger in the March 4 primary, beating out opponents Gene Kelly, Ray McMurrey, and Rhett Smith. [130], In a July 16, 2008, poll, Merkley overtook Smith for the first time 43% to 41%. On November 18, the race was called for Begich, who won with 47.8% to Stevens's 46.5%. Source: Election results from National Election Pool/Edison Research (Nov. 3, 2020: U.S. Senate) and The Associated Press (Jan. 5, 2021: U.S. Senate) Race calls from The . It was also the first time two sitting senators ran against each other. Former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway was rumored to be considering a run, but declined to do so. To win the presidency, a candidate must win a majority of all electors. Former Representative Bob Schaffer of Fort Collins was the Republican nominee. During the 89th Congress (19651967), four senators were placed in an unusual fifth row behind the Democratic senators. Christian activist Larry Kilgore of Mansfield, Texas, was a Republican challenger for the March 2008 primary election, but Cornyn easily won the Republican primary. He had already expressed interest in running and had been building the apparatus necessary to wage a Senate campaign.[65]. Voter turnout for the 2008 election was the highest in at least 40 years. [154], In the end, John Cornyn won re-election, 55%-43%, John Warner announced on August 31, 2007, that he would not seek re-election for another term. Franken announced his candidacy on February 14, 2007, more than 20 months before the election. On November 29, after being personally recruited by Vitter and former Bush administration official Karl Rove, Kennedy announced plans to challenge Landrieu in 2008.[63][64]. Roger Wicker, formerly the representative of Mississippi's 1st congressional district, was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour on December 31, 2007, to fill the vacancy caused by the December 18 resignation of Trent Lott. Date. For more information please visit. He defeated ophthalmologist Gordon Leitch[129] in the May 20 Republican primary. judge cancels special election to replace Lott", "Barbour's Attorney Appeals Special-Elex Ruling", "Mississippi Supreme Court sets election for November", "Former Rep. Shows running for Lott's seat", "Shows drops out of race to replace Lott", "US Senate Special Election Official Certification", "16th time a charm for veteran candidate", "Green Party's Larrick to enter Senate race", "Official Results of Nebraska Primary Election, May 13, 2008", "Anthony B. Fisher for U.S. Senate in 2008 official website", "Politics1 - Online Guide to New Jersey Politics", "Write In Carl Peter Klapper for United States Senator", "Republican Senator From New Mexico Is Said to Be Retiring", "SurveyUSA Approval Ratings for New Mexico Senators", "Sen. Ensign Says GOP Majority Would Be 'Fairly Miraculous', "Mary Easley has active public life, but she's no Hillary Clinton", Beating a Popular Incumbent | SKDKnickerbocker, "Oklahoma State Election Board - Primary Election 2008", "Oregon Senate: Merkley tops Smith for first time 43% to 41%", "Merkley ready for Senate race victory lap", "Oregon Secretary of State: Official Results May 2008 Primary Election", "Graham beats GOP challenger in SC Senate primary", "US Senate primary recount: Conley to face Graham", "South Carolina Working Families Party Nominates - Ballot Access News", "The Associated Press: Johnson to Run for Senate After Illness", "South Dakota Secretary of State, Shantel Krebs", "Alexander Running Again, Sets Fundraiser". With Republican President George W. Bush term-limited, Senator John McCain of Arizona won the Republican nomination in the 2008 Republican primaries. Barkley, who had briefly been appointed Senator after the death of Paul Wellstone in 2002, ran under the banner of the Independence Party, the largest third party in Minnesota. 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. Kerry won with 66% of the vote to Beatty's 31%. [62] Nevertheless, McConnell was re-elected by a margin of 53% to 47%. Nebraska state Green Party Co-Chairman Steve Larrick was also a candidate,[101] as was Kelly Rosberg of the Nebraska Party. The 2008 presidential election focused on a national economic crisis that evolved throughout the race. The Republicans, who openly conceded early on that they wouldn't be able to regain the majority in this election,[3][4] lost eight seats. As of 2023, this is the latest round in which a newly-elected U.S. *Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) caucus with Democrats. Challenging Levin were Republican State Representative Jack Hoogendyk, Green candidate Harley G. Mikkelson, US Taxpayers' candidate Mike Nikitin, Libertarian professor Scotty Boman, and Natural Law's candidate Doug Dern.[69]. Reed won the election, with 73% of the vote. George LeMieux was appointed to replace Mel Martinez upon his resignation. This marked the first time that Nebraska has split its electoral vote since it moved away from the winner-take-all method in 1992. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. On April 13, 2009, a three-judge panel ruled that Al Franken received the most votes in Minnesota's 2008 Senate race and ruled against Coleman's claims on all counts. These elections marked the first time since 1964 in which a Democratic presidential candidate who won the White House had a Senate coattail effect. Additionally, it was the first election in which both major parties nominated candidates who were born outside of the contiguous United States. 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. ", Campbell, James E. "An exceptional election: Performance, values, and crisis in the 2008 presidential election. Green Party Senate Candidate Chris Lugo Urges Inclusion in Debates. President Bush won Montana by more than 20 points in both 2000 and 2004, but Montana also had a popular Democratic governor, Brian Schweitzer, and a newly elected Democratic junior senator, Jon Tester. Haley Barbour (R) named Rep. Roger Wicker (R . [82][83] He was included in most of the debates and ultimately received 15% of the vote in the general election, a strong showing for a third party candidate. All Rights Reserved. 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. 2008 United States House of Representatives elections, 2008 United States gubernatorial elections, 2008 United States state legislative elections, "Democrats Poised For Landslide Wins In House", "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 2008", https://ballotpedia.org/State_legislative_elections,_2008, "New York - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times", "Tennessee Republicans win slim majority in State House", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2008_United_States_elections&oldid=1138541683, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with dead external links from August 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Barreto, Matt A., et al. All seats in the House were up for election, including seats of the 435 voting representatives from the states and the 6 non-voting delegates from the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. There are typically two reasons a senator might want to change desks: to gain a better location within the Chamber, or to occupy a desk previously used by a particular senator. 2008 Presidential Election 2008 interactive map << 2004 2012 >> The 56th quadrennial United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. Select Source. What If All States Split Their Electoral Votes. Sara Lobman of the Socialist Workers Party and Independent Anthony Fisher were also declared candidates. Setting the popular vote will also set the color of a state, Clicking on a district will set the popular vote to max, Clicking doesn\'t set state color or open menu, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, F - hold down to quickly fill in districts, D - hold down to fill/disable entire states. State. www.senate.gov. Live election results and maps for the 2010 midterm elections, including state-by-state and county-by-county maps, and exit polls. 2008 Nomination Battle. [citation needed] Franken was sworn in as Minnesota's junior senator on July 7. McCain and Obama differed on the presence of American troops in Iraq. McCain sought to connect his campaign to the maverick image he received during his unsuccessful 2000 bid. 51 of 100 Seats Needed for Majority Current Senate: 53 ( D ); 45 ( R ); 2 ( I ) Blue Democratic Win Red Republican Win Yellow Other Party Win Light Teal Partial Results Dark Gray No Results Light. Pat Roberts currently has an approval rating of 56%.[58]. Democrats held at least 57 seats as a result of the election. [159] [2] Of the seats up for election in 2008, 23 were held by Republicans and 12 by Democrats. In the end, Landrieu was re-elected with 52% of the vote, Kennedy having 46%. 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. Toss Up. Click on the states in the map to toggle them between Democrat, Republican and Tossup. Va. Wash. W.Va. Wis. Wyo. Senate Catalogue of Fine Art [134] National Journal has declared that "Reed is probably the safest incumbent of the 2008 cycle". It only became clear Begich had prevailed when early votes, absentee ballots, and questioned ballots were counted. simplemaps_election.selected.D = ['CA', 'CT', 'CO', 'DC', 'DE', 'FL', 'HI', 'IA', 'IN', 'NY', 'CO', 'IL', 'MA', 'MD', 'ME', 'ME1', 'ME2', 'MI', 'MN', 'NC', 'NE2', 'NJ', 'NM', 'NY', 'NH', 'NV', 'OH', 'OR', 'PA', 'RI', 'VT', 'VA', 'WA', 'WI']; The Republican nominee was Jay Wolfe of Salem, a former State Senator. Businessman and U.S. Army veteran Bruce Lunsford, who lost the 2007 Democratic gubernatorial primary to Governor Steve Beshear, was the Democratic nominee. Obama won nearly all major demographic groups on his way to victory. Build your own road to 270 starting with a map of reliably red and blue states, as well as the battlegrounds CNN is tracking .