By continuing to use the website cookies for non personal advertisements and analytics will still run. Ten were elected on November 4, 2008. Alabama senator Jeff Sessions sought re-election to a third term. 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]. [167] Wyoming law requires that the interim senator be affiliated with the same political party as the departed senator. 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. senate.gov - Origins wikipedia.org - United States Senate Incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg sought re-election in 2008, though he was 84. Senator Pat Roberts sought re-election to a third term. The state traditionally leaned Republican, but John Kerry from neighboring Massachusetts narrowly won the state in the 2004 Presidential election. Democrats won the nationwide popular vote for the House of Representatives by 7.2 percentage points,[4] gaining 21 seats. Levin won re-election with 63% of the vote, to Hoogendyk's 34%. [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. Incumbent Republican Thad Cochran announced that he would seek re-election for a sixth term. [96][97] Wicker beat Musgrove 55% to 45%. Former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway was rumored to be considering a run, but declined to do so. Overview and Live Results: Chicago Mayoral Election, Legislative Special Elections, Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin Running for U.S. Senate, Initial 2024 House Ratings from Sabato's Crystal Ball. Which States Split Their Electoral Votes? Obama selected Delaware Senator Joe Biden to offset concerns about Obamas experience with foreign policy. 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 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]. Republican. Popular vote totals generally gathered from state Certificates of Ascertainment and/or results posted directly by individual states. In nine races the margin of victory was under 10%. [51], Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin remained favored in Illinois. The 2008 presidential election focused on a national economic crisis that evolved throughout the race. 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%. Kerry won with 66% of the vote to Beatty's 31%. The 2008 electoral map is above. All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats. The Electoral College is the process in which the United States elects its president. Occasionally one party maintains such an overwhelming majority that it becomes necessary for majority party members to sit on the minority party side in the Senate Chamber. Controls. [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. Is It Realistic to Abolish the Electoral College? With Republican President George W. Bush term-limited, Senator John McCain of Arizona won the Republican nomination in the 2008 Republican primaries. 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. Obama won early votes in Iowa, Nevada, and South Carolina, while Clinton secured primary wins in Florida and Michigan. However, New Hampshire had not elected a Democratic United States senator since 1975. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign. 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". N.M. Governors House Senate Mixx Buzz. 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. 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. [27] Rebekah Kennedy of the Green Party was Pryor's only opposition. [41] For most of the campaign, Chambliss maintained a comfortable lead in most polls. O'Donnell received 140,584 votes (35% of the vote). On election day, Shaheen defeated Sununu, 52% to 45%. Obama won the general election with 52.9 percent of the popular vote and 365 of the 538 electoral votes. Voter turnout for the 2008 election was the highest in at least 40 years. On January 15, 2007, incumbent senator Wayne Allard (R) announced he would not seek re-election, honoring his pledge to serve no more than two terms.[30]. 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. * Democratic total includes Bernard Sanders, an independent from Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats. Graham easily won re-election with 58% of the vote to Conley's 42%. Email the Senate Curator, curator@sec.senate.gov. A map of key Senate races to watch. 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. 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. On Jan. 1, 2008, Gov. There are 33 seats up for reelection in 2012, but only seven are . [130], In a July 16, 2008, poll, Merkley overtook Smith for the first time 43% to 41%. He was expected[by whom?] 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. [158] Former Governor Jim Gilmore, who dropped out of the 2008 presidential election, was the Republican nominee for the seat. Alexander won the election with 65% of the vote. Michigan and Minnesota held elections for their lower, but not upper houses. Palins selection initially bumped McCains popularity, though gaffes on the campaign trail offset this boost. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign. McCain suggested that government-aided bodies like the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) failed to offset these risks. . The site also features a series of explainers about how presidents are actually elected in the United States. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 set off an economic panic that spread globally. [145] He was unopposed in the Republican primary. McCain also hoped that Palins youth and relatability to conservative women would buoy his campaign. Mr. Lewis was serving as the chairman of the Libertarian Party of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County. 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. 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 . 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. [92] Initially, a Mississippi Circuit Court judge sided with Hood, ruling that the election take place on or before March 19, 2008. He filed as an independent and was subsequently named as the Green Party nominee[146] Edward Buck was also in the race. On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama won the presidential election, making Biden the next VP. Libertarian Kent Marmon also ran. 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. 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. For more information please visit [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. It is a way to view the relative competitiveness of each state. 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. Robert Luis Santos, of Texas, to be Director of the Census for a term expiring December 31, 2026. . [103] Three consecutive monthly Rasmussen Reports poll showed Shaheen defeating Sununu by 49% to 41%. The 2008 United States elections were held on November 4. 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%.