The South Carolina Working Families Party had also nominated Michael Cone. [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. Biden vacated his senate seat shortly after the election, allowing for the Governor of Delaware to appoint a successor. 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. It was rumored that Lt. In nine races the margin of victory was under 10%. The goal of having two senators per state is to have each state equally represented in the senate. On September 14, 2007, former Veco CEO Bill Allen testified at the trial of former State House Speaker Pete Kott that Veco paid people working to double the size of Stevens's home. 2012 Election Map: The race for Senate control. The 56th quadrennial United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. He had already expressed interest in running and had been building the apparatus necessary to wage a Senate campaign.[65]. Johnny Swanson announced his candidacy in March 2006 for the Democratic nomination.[6]. 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]. As of 2023, this is the last time Democrats won U.S. Senate seats in Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Dakota. In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 2009; ordered by state. Pat Roberts currently has an approval rating of 56%.[58]. [134] National Journal has declared that "Reed is probably the safest incumbent of the 2008 cycle". Udall won the election with 61% of the vote, with Pearce taking 39%. 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. Merkley beat longtime Democratic activist Steve Novick and three other candidates in a hotly contested primary. He was certified March 3, 2008, by the Tennessee Division of Elections as having achieved ballot access for the November 4, 2008, election as a candidate for United States Senate. Interactive USA election map for past results and future projections. This seat was the tipping point state in the 2008 senate elections. Popular vote totals generally gathered from state Certificates of Ascertainment and/or results posted directly by individual states. The United States Senate is the upper legislature of the bicameral legislative branch. Collins won on election day with 61% of the vote, compared to 39% for Allen. Table of Contents 1 2008 Election Results 2 Primaries 3 Economic Issues 4 National Security 5 Strategy 6 2008 Election Results This marked the first time that Nebraska has split its electoral vote since it moved away from the winner-take-all method in 1992. Note: The % column reflects the change in total number of votes won by each party from the previous election. Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon ran for a third term. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 set off an economic panic that spread globally. 2007 year-end reports filed with the Federal Election Commission showed that Al Franken had raised $7.04 million through December 31, 2007, while Norm Coleman had raised $6.24 million. Independent. The prior record, about 62 million, was set in 2004 by George W. Bush. In the Primary, Lautenberg soundly defeated Representative Rob Andrews (NJ-1) by a margin of 62% to 32%. senate.gov - Origins wikipedia.org - United States Senate Click on the states in the map to toggle them between Democrat, Republican and Tossup. Also reported to be in the race are David "None of the Above" Gatchell a ballot activist & frequent candidate and Emory "Bo" Heyward, a software company employee, conservative activist & 2006 candidate. 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. Johnson underwent surgery in December 2006 for a cerebral arteriovenous malformation and was discharged from the hospital on April 30, 2007. Former Chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party Bob Tuke was the Democratic nominee, defeating Businessman Gary Davis 30% to 23%. Neb. In the 2008 election, first-term incumbent Republican senator Saxby Chambliss was opposed primarily by Democrat Jim Martin, as well as third party candidates, including Libertarian Allen Buckley and Eleanor Garcia of the Socialist Workers Party. 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']; [8][9] Perry was endorsed by Alabama Statesmen,[10] Boston Tea Party,[11] and Christians for Life and Liberty. [27] Rebekah Kennedy of the Green Party was Pryor's only opposition. Dykstra won the Republican primary on June 3. Haley Barbour (R) named Rep. Roger Wicker (R . 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. Inhofe was re-elected, 57% to 39%. The 2008 United States elections were held on November 4. 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. Each major party has Hill committees that work to support its candidates for the House and Senate, chiefly by providing funds. pres, senate, and governor data Let's Talk Elections: 2022 senate projections Political Analysis: 2022 senate projections MIT Election Lab: past pres, senate, house data Dave Leip's Atlas: past presidential results CNN: 2022 . "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. Controls. Palins selection initially bumped McCains popularity, though gaffes on the campaign trail offset this boost. In the Democratic primary, Figures won the nomination and face Sessions in November. The only desks that are not assigned in the traditional manner are the Daniel Webster Desk, which is always occupied by the senior senator from New Hampshire; the Jefferson Davis Desk, which is given to the senior senator from Mississippi; and the Henry Clay Desk, which is given to the senior senator from Kentucky. Email the Senate Curator, curator@sec.senate.gov. Collins. It only became clear Begich had prevailed when early votes, absentee ballots, and questioned ballots were counted. The 2008 presidential election focused on a national economic crisis that evolved throughout the race. 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. Obama became the nations first African American president with his victory. senate.gov - Origins wikipedia.org - United States Senate On August 27, 2007, state Treasurer John Neely Kennedy announced he was switching parties from Democrat to Republican. There were several unique aspects of the 2008 election. [53] Kathy Cummings, a retired special education teacher was nominated via convention by the Green Party. Pryor won on election day, with 79.53% of the vote. 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 . His Democratic opponent was Chris Rothfuss, a professor at the University of Wyoming and a chemical engineer, nanotechnologist, and diplomat. Map of the 2008 Senate races using the latest state polls. [92] Initially, a Mississippi Circuit Court judge sided with Hood, ruling that the election take place on or before March 19, 2008. Voter turnout for the 2008 election was the highest in at least 40 years. ""Should They Dance with the One Who Brung'Em?" 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. Polls over the course of the campaign indicated that the race was very competitive, with many polls showing Franken and Coleman virtually tied or within the margin of error, as well as several polls showing each candidate with a significant lead at one point or another. Projects. Tex. The assignment of these desks is governed by a series of Senate resolutions. Libertarian Robert J. Underwood had 3%. The same Rasmussen poll showed Cornyn leading Noriega by a narrow four percentage points - 47% to 43%. Click on the states in the map to toggle them between Democrat, Republican and Tossup. 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. On Jan. 1, 2008, Gov. Democrat Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain. The FBI investigated the remodeling of Stevens home by Veco Corp., which is part of a broader corruption investigation involving Stevens's son, former State Senate President Ben Stevens. [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]. [119] There was early speculation that North Carolina Governor Mike Easley might be pressured into running against her but this did not come to pass. Oct. 05: Senate Races. 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. [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. Graham easily won re-election with 58% of the vote to Conley's 42%. Obama received more votes than any candidate in history. POJA Act of 2021 (11/04/2021 legislative day) Senate Floor: PN367. 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 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. 2006 Green Party Senate nominee Chris Lugo originally announced as a Democrat but dropped out of the Democratic race before the filing deadline. Nine states changed allegiance from the 2004 election. What Is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact? Current Senate: 47* Democrats | 53 Republicans. Va. Wash. W.Va. Wis. Wyo. He defeated ophthalmologist Gordon Leitch[129] in the May 20 Republican primary. Stevens was the most senior U.S. Each had voted for the Republican nominee in 2004 and contributed to Obama's sizable Electoral College victory. However, in the weeks leading up to the 2008 general election, polls showed the race tightening, reflecting a general nationwide trend. She has maintained a high approval rating, and also in her favor is the landslide re-election of Maine's senior Senator, Olympia Snowe, who had the largest margin of victory of any GOP Senate candidate - besides the largely unopposed Richard Lugar (R-IN) - in the 2006 election cycle. In 1877 the practice began of moving desks back and forth across the center aisle to permit all majority party members to sit together on the appropriate side, except in a few cases where an unusually large majority existed. Senator, Kay Hagan, has since died. 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. Baucus easily won re-election, taking 73% of the vote, with Kelleher taking 27%. Each state (Including the District of Columbia) is allocated a number of electors equal to its number of representatives plus two for each of its senators. President George W. Bush (R) was unable to seek re-election due to term limits, leaving open nominating processes for both major parties. 2008 Presidential Election 2008 interactive map << 2004 2012 >> The 56th quadrennial United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. Is It Realistic to Abolish the Electoral College? 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. All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats. For more information please visit [85] During the recount process, Minnesota was represented by only one senator, Amy Klobuchar. 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. Roberts was re-elected with 60% to Slattery's 36%. [49] Risch and LaRocco ran against each other in the 2006 Lieutenant Governor race, which Risch won by a wide margin. Senate Catalogue of Fine Art McCain, who supported the initial Iraq invasion, opposed establishing a removal date for all troops. The Democratic nominee was 2nd district Congressman Mark Udall of Boulder who announced on January 15, 2007, that he would seek the seat and did not draw significant primary opposition. 2023 Electoral Ventures LLC. Ten were elected on November 4, 2008. The 2008 electoral map is above. The candidates disagreed on the causes of the financial crisis and tax policy. Reed's opponent was Robert Tingle, a pit manager at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, whom Reed defeated in his re-election campaign in 2002.[135]. Senator to ever lose re-election, defeating Warren Magnuson's 1980 record. 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. N.M. Governors House Senate Mixx Buzz. [2] Of the seats up for election in 2008, 23 were held by Republicans and 12 by Democrats. 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. Senator Obama won the number of electors necessary to be elected president and was inaugurated on January 20, 2009.[3]. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign. The United States Senate is the upper legislature of the bicameral legislative branch. [130], In a July 16, 2008, poll, Merkley overtook Smith for the first time 43% to 41%. [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. Since 2003 (108th Congress, 1st Session), the Senate has provided interactive seating plans to identify where each of the 100 members sit in the Chamber and which historic desk they use. Incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg sought re-election in 2008, though he was 84. . [31] Other possible Republican candidates included former Congressman Scott McInnis and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers. The states are not interactive on the map unless the split is . Obama won Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia, with Florida and North Carolina representing early evening signs of Democratic success. The 2008 United States Senate elections were held on November 4, 2008, with 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested. [7] Figures has won elections in the Republican-leaning Mobile area. National security and foreign policy issues took a back seat to the economy due to an unraveling financial crisis. [145] He was unopposed in the Republican primary. A Rasmussen poll released May 11, 2008, showed Hagan leading Dole by a statistically insignificant margin, 48% - 47%,[122] suggesting a competitive race. In 1988 and 2000, the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominees Lloyd Bentsen and Joe Lieberman, ran similarly for their seat in Texas and Connecticut, respectively. The site also features a series of explainers about how presidents are actually elected in the United States. Nebraska state Green Party Co-Chairman Steve Larrick was also a candidate,[101] as was Kelly Rosberg of the Nebraska Party. [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. The Electoral College is the process in which the United States elects its president. [20] On July 30, 2007, the IRS and FBI raided Stevens's home in Alaska. Elections to state legislatures were held on November 4, 2008, alongside other elections, in which Democrats scored significant gains in a blue wave election. 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. Two senators from each state are elected to represent their state. South Dakota was the tipping point state, decided by a margin of 25.0%. Senators independent of either party have traditionally chosen for themselves which side of the aisle to sit on. Collins was re-elected with 58% of the vote in 2002 over State Sen. Chellie Pingree. Obama won 52.9% of the popular vote, while McCain gathered 45.7% of the popular vote. Begich announced his candidacy for the Senate seat on April 22, 2008. [86] Coleman appealed this decision. 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. Obama won early votes in Iowa, Nevada, and South Carolina, while Clinton secured primary wins in Florida and Michigan. The site was created by Taegan Goddard, who runs a network of political websites including Political Wire, Political Job Hunt and the Political Dictionary. [103] Three consecutive monthly Rasmussen Reports poll showed Shaheen defeating Sununu by 49% to 41%. During the presidential election campaign, the major-party candidates ran on a platform of change and reform in Washington. wikipedia.org - United States Senate. Gordon Smith formally conceded soon afterward. Senator Hillary Clinton were the leading candidates for the Democratic nomination. * Democratic total includes Bernard Sanders, an independent from Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats. The United States Senate is the upper legislature of the bicameral legislative branch. 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. [160] Polling showed him as a strong favorite to win the seat. 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. McCain still won the white vote, though Obamas share of the vote was large enough to win in some Republican areas. [50] The last Democratic senator from Idaho was Frank Church, who was defeated in the Republican landslide of 1980 after serving four terms.
