Former Governor Mike Johanns, who recently resigned as Agriculture Secretary, was the Republican nominee, having defeated opponent Pat Flynn 87-13 in the primary. Louisiana's electoral votes easily went to George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004. Nebraska state Green Party Co-Chairman Steve Larrick was also a candidate,[101] as was Kelly Rosberg of the Nebraska Party. But the division has not always been as clearly defined as it is now. [109] The Republican nominee was former Congressman and 1996 senatorial candidate Dick Zimmer. Alabama senator Jeff Sessions sought re-election to a third term. 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. RCP Senate Map Race Changes; Senate No Toss Ups Race Changes; RCP House Map; 49: Democrats * 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. [158] Former Governor Jim Gilmore, who dropped out of the 2008 presidential election, was the Republican nominee for the seat. Use the interactive map tool to predict the winners of the 2014 senate elections and share with your friends! These elections marked the first time since 1964 in which a Democratic presidential candidate who won the White House had a Senate coattail effect. Elections to state legislatures were held on November 4, 2008, alongside other elections, in which Democrats scored significant gains in a blue wave election. Voter turnout for the 2008 election was the highest in at least 40 years. Winner. 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. The goal of having two senators per state is to have each state equally represented in the senate. As of 2023, Stevens still holds this record. Republicans gained a seat in a January 2010 special election in Massachusetts, thereby making the balance 5941 before the start of the next election cycle. [23], The Democratic candidate was Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, the son of popular former Democratic Representative Nick Begich. 2008 United States elections - Wikipedia Not on the ballot, but running a write-in campaign, was Darryl W. Perry, the 2004 Libertarian Party nominee for Pennsylvania State Treasurer and 2007 candidate for Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama. Select Source. For more information please visit. 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. [19] Two former Veco executives have plead guilty to paying the younger Stevens $242,000 in bribes. There were also two special elections, the winners of those seats would finish the terms that ended January 3, 2013. [24], On October 19, 2007, the AP reported that despite the allegations and FBI probe, several veteran GOP Senatorsincluding Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), and Kit Bond (R-MO)donated enough money to Stevens's re-election campaign to make it one of Stevens's most successful fund raising quarters ever.[25]. All Rights Reserved. President George W. Bush (R) was unable to seek re-election due to term limits, leaving open nominating processes for both major parties. Congress. The 2008 United States Senate elections were held on November 4, 2008, with 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested. Graham easily won re-election with 58% of the vote to Conley's 42%. Other Republicans included Charles Lyonel Gonyo and Sam Kephart. Libertarian Robert J. Underwood had 3%. *Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) caucus with Democrats. As of 2023, this is the last time Democrats won U.S. Senate seats in Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Dakota. Date. McCain still won the white vote, though Obamas share of the vote was large enough to win in some Republican areas. Merkley beat longtime Democratic activist Steve Novick and three other candidates in a hotly contested primary. Each major party has Hill committees that work to support its candidates for the House and Senate, chiefly by providing funds. On December 2, 2008, Chambliss won the run-off with 57% of vote to Martin's 43%. The candidates disagreed on the causes of the financial crisis and tax policy. The 2008 presidential election focused on a national economic crisis that evolved throughout the race. 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. 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. [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. 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. There are 33 seats up for reelection in 2012, but only seven are . Reed won the election, with 73% of the vote. Inhofe was re-elected, 57% to 39%. ", Campbell, James E. "An exceptional election: Performance, values, and crisis in the 2008 presidential election. Incumbent Republican Thad Cochran announced that he would seek re-election for a sixth term. It is not clear whether Barkley detracted more votes from Coleman or Franken. Collins was re-elected with 58% of the vote in 2002 over State Sen. Chellie Pingree. In one of the first senate races called on election day, Warner won, taking 65% of the vote, with Gilmore winning 34%. Biden was re-elected with 65% of the vote, or 257,484 votes. Each had voted for the Republican nominee in 2004 and contributed to Obama's sizable Electoral College victory. Craig found almost no support among Republicans in his home state or Washington. Udall won the election with 61% of the vote, with Pearce taking 39%. [44], On September 1, 2007, senator Larry Craig announced his intent to resign from the Senate effective September 30, 2007. This marked the first time that Nebraska has split its electoral vote since it moved away from the winner-take-all method in 1992. 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. In the end, Landrieu was re-elected with 52% of the vote, Kennedy having 46%. "The enduring allure of charisma: How Barack Obama won the historic 2008 presidential election. Risch won the election with approximately 58% of the vote. A December 2007 poll showed Coleman's approval rating among Minnesota voters at 53%. In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 2009; ordered by state. When asked whether the Republicans were abandoning their hopes of holding onto Domenici'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]. South Dakota was the tipping point state, decided by a margin of 25.0%. Barkley received 437,404 votes, about 15% of total votes cast.[84]. 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. Click on the states in the map to toggle them between Democrat, Republican and Tossup. Incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg sought re-election in 2008, though he was 84. 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. [88] Cochran, who has not faced serious opposition since he was re-elected in 1984, faced Democratic state Representative Erik R. Fleming, whom he defeated with 61% of the vote. However, Georgia proceeded to a runoff election where the Republican candidate won by over 10%. In this cycle the DSCC was more successful at fundraising. ", Bligh, Michelle C., and Jeffrey C. Kohles. RealClearPolitics - 2012 Election Maps - Battle for the Senate Email the Senate Curator, curator@sec.senate.gov. For more information please visit Dykstra won the Republican primary on June 3. 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 Pryor is the son of longtime U.S. senator and former Arkansas Governor David Pryor. Domenici's role in the developing scandal had reduced the probability he would have been re-elected, and a SurveyUSA poll showed his approval ratings at 41%, with 54% disapproving. Midterm Election Map 2018: Live Results - ABC News Follow hourly state-by-state senate, governor and house results and see who is in the lead Democrats or Republicans. Senate Catalogue of Graphic Art State Representative Joel Dykstra announced his candidacy on July 5, 2007. On Election Day, Udall defeated Schaffer 53% to 43%. [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]. He was expected[by whom?] [51], Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin remained favored in Illinois. George LeMieux was appointed to replace Mel Martinez upon his resignation. The site also features a series of explainers about how presidents are actually elected in the United States. Senator Obama won the number of electors necessary to be elected president and was inaugurated on January 20, 2009.[3]. McCain, who supported the initial Iraq invasion, opposed establishing a removal date for all troops. 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 . 98%. As of June 30, 2008, data from the Federal Election Commission showed the NRSC with $24.6 million on hand, as compared with the DSCC's $43 million. 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]. USA - 2022 Senate Election Map - YAPms During the 89th Congress (19651967), four senators were placed in an unusual fifth row behind the Democratic senators. Projected Senate: Dem 59 GOP 41 : Main page: Previous report: Next report: Senate polls Web.csv . However, New Hampshire had not elected a Democratic United States senator since 1975. O'Donnell received 140,584 votes (35% of the vote). Content Responsibility | States shown here did not allocate all their available electoral votes to one candidate. . 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. [131], On November 6, 2008, Jeff Merkley was projected the winner of the contest, with 48.9% to Smith's 45.6%. 2008 Election Map: Senate By MATTHEW BLOCH, FARHANA HOSSAIN, CARL HULSE, JOHN MCGRATH AND DEREK WILLIS ", This page was last edited on 10 February 2023, at 06:45. Collins. Fellow senator Joe Lieberman, citing his status as an independent, endorsed Collins in her 2008 re-election bid. Controls. This was the first presidential election year since 1964 when the Democratic Party won the White House and had coattails in the Senate and House of Representatives. [110][111] Furthermore, in the wake of the financial crisis, Carl Peter Klapper entered the race as a write-in candidate.[112]. Franken announced his candidacy on February 14, 2007, more than 20 months before the election. 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. [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. A temporary interim senator, Paul G. Kirk, was appointed to the seat of Edward M. Kennedy upon his death. What Is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact? Today the desks are no longer arranged in their original order, but are moved within the Chamber to suit the needs of the Senate. Obama received 365 electoral votes, and McCain 173. Democrats made Senate Minority Leader, four-term senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky a target due to his leadership of Senate Republicans and his ties to President Bush, as well as his mediocre approval rating in the state, which was below 50%.[61]. The original 48 desks made by Thomas Constantine in 1819 were constructed in such a way as to form three concentric semicircles on the Senate floor. The election was the first in which an African American was elected President. In the early years of the Senate an equal number of desks were placed on each side of the room, separated by a central passageway, without regard to party size. [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. Incumbent President George W. Bush was ineligible for re-election per the 22nd Amendment, which limits a president to two terms, and incumbent Vice President Dick Cheney declined to run for the office. When one party elected more than half the senators, some majority party members had to find space on the minority party side of the aisle. 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. [91] Controversy arose when Barbour called for the special election to be held on the same day as the general election. This seat was the tipping point state in the 2008 senate elections. 2008 United States Senate elections - Wikipedia Contact | Sen. Trent Lott's surprise resignation has opened up the other Mississippi Senate seat in 2008. The campaign engaged targeted groups through networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. 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. Obama won the general election with 52.9 percent of the popular vote and 365 of the 538 electoral votes. When a seat became open, the first senator to speak for it won the right to it. The April 2009 party switch of Pennsylvania senator Arlen Specter from Republican to Democrat and the July 2009 resolution of the Minnesota election in favor of Democrat Al Franken increased the Democratic majority to 6040 (providing the Democrats, including the two Independent senators who caucus with them, a supermajority and thus able to hypothetically over-ride any filibusters). Kerry was challenged by defense attorney Edward O'Reilly for the Democratic nomination, winning 69% of the vote to O'Reilly's 31%. [134] National Journal has declared that "Reed is probably the safest incumbent of the 2008 cycle". His Democratic opponent was Chris Rothfuss, a professor at the University of Wyoming and a chemical engineer, nanotechnologist, and diplomat. [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]. Kennedy took 20.47%. Each desk was custom made for a particular location within the Chamber. 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. Former Representative Bob Schaffer of Fort Collins was the Republican nominee. In 1988 and 2000, the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominees Lloyd Bentsen and Joe Lieberman, ran similarly for their seat in Texas and Connecticut, respectively. McCain and Obama both voted for a 2008 Senate bill to authorize the Treasury Department to purchase up to $700 billion in securities to prevent additional bankruptcies. [43] However, Georgia law stated that if no candidate receives a simple majority of the popular vote, then the election will be decided in a run-off. 2012 vs. 2008, 2012 vs. 2004 Obama Job Approval Right Direction/Wrong Track Latest Election 2012 Polls. 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. It only became clear Begich had prevailed when early votes, absentee ballots, and questioned ballots were counted. Senate Big Board - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times 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 . Two senators from each state are elected to represent their state. [103] Three consecutive monthly Rasmussen Reports poll showed Shaheen defeating Sununu by 49% to 41%. Popular Democratic former Governor Mark Warner (no relation) was the Democratic nominee for the race. 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. McCain also hoped that Palins youth and relatability to conservative women would buoy his campaign. 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. With the Democratic Party takeover of Capitol Hill in the 2006 midterm elections, senator Carl Levin had become one of the most powerful people in Washington as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Obama selected Delaware Senator Joe Biden to offset concerns about Obamas experience with foreign policy. 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. The Electoral College is the process in which the United States elects its president. Additionally, votes cast for Paul Wellstone in the 2002 election are not factored into the DFL's total from that year. Map of the 2008 Senate races using the latest state polls. McCain sought to connect his campaign to the maverick image he received during his unsuccessful 2000 bid. These maps are also available as a timeline for each election from 1972-2020. 18, 2008: Official minutes", "Signing Off On A 225 Vote Franken Lead (webcast of Canvassing Board Meeting)", "Finding of Facts, Conclusion of Law, and Order for Judgment", Jesse the Diva Gives Way To Bravado Lite Barkely, Senate race certification set for Monday with Franken up 225 votes, "Coleman: 'I think the law is on our side', "Senator Thad Cochran Announces Intent To Seek Re-Election", "US Senate Election Official Certification", "Lott Officially Resigns, All Eyes Now on Barbour", "Hood Files Suit to Have Special Election Earlier", "Miss. POJA Act of 2021 (11/04/2021 legislative day) Senate Floor: PN367. Electoral College Interactive Maps: The Road to 270 [50] The last Democratic senator from Idaho was Frank Church, who was defeated in the Republican landslide of 1980 after serving four terms. Democratic candidates defeated Republican incumbents in Alaska; New Hampshire; North Carolina; Oregon; and, after a lengthy recount process, Minnesota. Robert Luis Santos, of Texas, to be Director of the Census for a term expiring December 31, 2026. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was the Democratic nominee, and Senator John McCain of Arizona was the Republican nominee. Texas has not elected a Democrat in a statewide election since 1994, but according to pre-election Rasmussen polling, senator John Cornyn had an approval rating of 50%. Hagan's poll numbers continued to best Dole's, however, and Hagan defeated Dole by a wider than expected[123] margin of 53% to 44%. This map is shaded by how large the popular vote difference was between the two nominees. On August 23, 2008, the Democratic nominee for President, Barack Obama, announced that Biden would be joining him on the ticket as the vice presidential nominee. This is the first time this has occurred in any chamber of any state legislature in United States history. The 33 seats in the United States Senate Class 2 were up for election, plus special Senate elections in Mississippi and Wyoming. The goal of having two senators per state is to have each state equally represented in the senate. Stevens was the most senior U.S. [120] The Democratic nominee was state senator Kay Hagan,[121] who defeated Jim Neal and Dustin Lassiter in the Democratic primary. Democrats picked up net gains of eight Senate seats and 21 seats in the House of Representatives on the back of Obama's coattail effect. On the Senate side, the committees are the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). A September 2007 poll put Inhofe's approval rating at 47%, with 41% disapproving of his performance. Projects. The Republican nominee was Jay Wolfe of Salem, a former State Senator. [18], An ex-oil company executive, Bill Allen, paid for part of the renovation costs on Stevens's personal residence. * Democratic total includes Bernard Sanders, an independent from Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats. 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. "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. Independent. Five Republicans retired rather than seek re-election. On November 18, the race was called for Begich, who won with 47.8% to Stevens's 46.5%. Obama won the Electoral College after receiving 365 votes to 173 votes for McCain. On Jan. 1, 2008, Gov. In addition, two freshmen were appointed to fill vacancies created by Barack Obama's and Joe Biden's resignations to become president and vice president. The economy and other domestic policies were also dominant issues, especially during the last months of the campaign after the onset of the 2008 economic crisis. Businessman and U.S. Army veteran Bruce Lunsford, who lost the 2007 Democratic gubernatorial primary to Governor Steve Beshear, was the Democratic nominee. The Republican challenger turned out to be Jeff Beatty, an ex-Army Delta Force officer who garnered 30% of the vote in a challenge to Democratic Congressman Bill Delahunt in 2006. By the 1930s, it had become the practice for senior senators to take front-row, center-aisle seats; junior majority party members who filled the Cherokee Strip were assigned either rear-row or end seats on the minority party side. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In a state that had been trending to the Democratic party recently, senator Tom Harkin faced the Republican nominee, small business owner Christopher Reed, whom he defeated with 63% of the vote to Reed's 37%. 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. 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. They also won a net gain of one gubernatorial seat. The prior record, about 62 million, was set in 2004 by George W. Bush. Obama campaigned on cutting low-income and middle-income taxes and raising upper-income tax rates, while McCain supported tax cuts at all income levels. Table of Contents 1 2008 Election Results 2 Primaries 3 Economic Issues 4 National Security 5 Strategy 6 2008 Election Results [citation needed] Franken was sworn in as Minnesota's junior senator on July 7. 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. [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. . [80] Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, a professor at the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minnesota), joined the race in October 2007. These voting patterns translated into an Obama victory with inroads into the South and West. By continuing to use the website cookies for non personal advertisements and analytics will still run. This marked the first time that Nebraska has split its electoral vote since it moved away from the winner-take-all method in 1992. Is It Realistic to Abolish the Electoral College? It was also the first time the Republican Party nominated a woman for Vice President (Sarah Palin, then-Governor of Alaska). [47] The announcement followed by just six days the disclosure that he had pleaded guilty on August 1, 2007, to a reduced misdemeanor charge arising out of his arrest on June 11 at the Minneapolis airport for soliciting sex with a man in the restroom.