2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Connecticut

The 2008 congressional elections in Connecticut were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who will represent the state of Connecticut in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential election. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011.

2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Connecticut
November 4, 2008 (2008-11-04)
All 5 Connecticut seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 4 1
Seats won 5 0
Seat change Increase1 Decrease1
Popular vote 1,006,915 (fusion ticket with Working Families) 504,785
Percentage 65.29% 32.73%
Swing Increase 4.94% Decrease 6.34%
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Connecticut has five seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Its 2007-2008 congressional delegation consisted of four Democrats and one Republican. In the 2008 elections, District 4 changed from Republican to Democratic, so Connecticut's congressional delegation to the 111th Congress consists of five Democrats, giving Connecticut an all democratic congressional delegation for the 1st time since 1967. Christopher Shays, the Republican incumbent in District 4, had been the last remaining Republican representative in New England. Prior to the election, CQ Politics forecasted districts 2, 4 and 5 to be at some risk for the incumbent party.

The Primary election was held August 12.[1]

Overview
United States House of Representatives elections in Connecticut, 2008[2][3]
Party Votes Percentage Seats +/–
Democratic 924,061 59.92% 5 +1
Working Families[A] 82,854 5.37%
Republican 504,785 32.73% 0 –1
Green 25,376 1.65% 0 0
Independent 3,082 0.20% 0 0
Libertarian 2,049 0.13% 0 0
Write-in candidates 42 0.00% 0 0
Valid votes 1,542,249 93.76% — —
Invalid or blank votes 102,596 6.24% — —
Totals 1,644,845 100.00% 5 —
Voter turnout 78.14%
A The Working Families Party endorsed all the Democratic candidates on a fusion ticket. In the previous election it only endorsed one Democratic candidate.[4]

Match-up summary
District Incumbent 2008 Status Democratic Republican Green Libertarian Other Party
1 John B. Larson Re-election John B. Larson Joe Visconti Stephen E. D. Fournier
2 Joe Courtney Re-election Joe Courtney Sean Sullivan G. Scott Deshefy Daniel J. Reale Todd Vachon
3 Rosa DeLauro Re-election Rosa DeLauro Bo Itshaky Ralph Ferrucci
4 Christopher Shays Re-election Jim Himes Christopher Shays Richard Duffee Chris Angle
5 Chris Murphy Re-election Chris Murphy David Cappiello Harold Burbank Tom Winn

District 1
See also: Connecticut's 1st congressional district

This district covers much of central Connecticut and includes municipalities within Hartford, Litchfield, and Middlesex counties. Five-term incumbent John B. Larson faced Republican Joe Visconti and Green Party candidate Stephen E. D. Fournier. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.

Results

Incumbent John B. Larson retained his seat with over 71 percent of the vote.

Connecticut's 1st congressional district election, 2008[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John B. Larson (incumbent)[A] 211,493 71.6
Republican Joe Visconti 76,860 26.0
Green Stephen E. D. Fournier 7,201 2.4
Write-In Matthew Coleman 3 0.0
Total votes 295,557 100.0
Democratic hold
A Includes 17,000 votes from the Working Families Party line, which endorsed Larson on a fusion ticket.[4]

District 2
See also: Connecticut's 2nd congressional district

This district covers eastern Connecticut, including New London and Norwich. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Democrat Favored'.

In the closest U.S. House race of 2006, Democrat Joe Courtney unseated three-term incumbent Republican Rob Simmons by only 82 votes. Courtney's chance at reelection increased when Simmons decided against a rematch. Former Naval Submarine Base New London base commander Sean Sullivan was the Republican candidate.[5] Third-party challengers included former State Department Of Environmental Protection scientist G. Scott Deshefy for the Green Party[6][7] and Todd Vachon for the Socialist Party, running as a write-in candidate.[8]

Results

Joe Courtney was reelected with a substantially larger margin than in 2006, winning nearly 66 percent of the vote.

Connecticut's 2nd congressional district election, 2008[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Courtney (incumbent)[A] 212,148 65.7
Republican Sean Sullivan 104,574 32.4
Green G. Scott Deshefy 6,300 2.0
Write-In Todd Vachon 19 0.0
Total votes 323,041 100.00
Democratic hold
A Includes 13,164 votes from the Working Families Party line, which endorsed Courtney on a fusion ticket.[4]

District 3
See also: Connecticut's 3rd congressional district

This district is centered on the city of New Haven and its immediate suburbs. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.

The district has been represented by Democrat Rosa DeLauro since 1991. Her challengers in this election included Republican Bo Itshaky and Green Ralph Ferrucci.

Results

Rosa DeLauro was easily reelected to a tenth term, receiving over 77 percent of the vote.

Connecticut's 3rd congressional district election, 2008[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rosa DeLauro (incumbent)[A] 230,172 77.5
Republican Bo Itshaky 58,583 19.7
Green Ralph Ferrucci 8,163 2.7
Total votes 296,918 100.00
Democratic hold
A Includes 25,411 votes from the Working Families Party line, which endorsed DeLauro on a fusion ticket.[4]

District 4
See also: Connecticut's 4th congressional district

This district includes portions of Fairfield and New Haven counties in southwestern Connecticut. Democratic nominee Jim Himes, a former Goldman Sachs executive, won against Republican incumbent Chris Shays and third-party candidates Richard Duffee, who withdrew from the 2006 race, and Michael Anthony Carrano.[9] CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'No Clear Favorite'.

Shays won 51% of the vote in 2006 and 52% in 2004 in a district that went to John Kerry with 53% in 2004 (CPVI=D+5). In September, 2007, Shays indicated that if he was not given the top Republican seat on the Governmental Oversight Committee, he would retire. The only Republican House member in New England, he was expected to be a top target of Democrats.

Democrat Himes announced his candidacy in April 2007. 2006 U.S. Senate candidate Ned Lamont was considered a potential candidate, although he lost in this district to incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman, whom Shays had endorsed. Other possible Democratic candidates included state Senators Bob Duff and Andrew MacDonald. Former professional hockey player Mike Richter, once considered a possible candidate, announced that he was not interested in running in 2008. It was thought Lowell P. Weicker Jr. might try to reclaim his old seat.

Results

Jim Himes defeated incumbent Christopher Shays, receiving slightly more than 51 percent of the vote. With Himes' victory, the Democrats now control all five of Connecticut's House seats, as well as all other House seats in New England.

Connecticut's 4th congressional district election, 2008[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Himes[A] 158,475 51.3
Republican Chris Shays (incumbent) 146,854 47.6
Libertarian Michael Anthony Carrano 2,049 0.7
Green Richard Duffee 1,388 0.4
Write-In Eugene Flanagan 10 0.0
Total votes 308,776 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican
A Includes 9,130 votes from the Working Families Party line, which endorsed Himes on a fusion ticket.[4]

District 5
See also: Connecticut's 5th congressional district

This district includes all of Northwestern Connecticut, and runs from Meriden and New Britain in Central Connecticut, to Waterbury, the Litchfield Hills, and the Farmington River Valley. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic'.

Freshman Democrat Chris Murphy unseated 24-year incumbent Nancy Johnson with 56% of the vote in 2006. Nonetheless, the district is arguably Connecticut's most conservative (CPVI=D+4), and some considered Murphy vulnerable. State Senator David Cappiello was the Republican candidate.[10] Tony Nania also considered a run, but withdrew from consideration for the Republican nomination in May.[11] GOP state chairman Chris Healy dismissed claims that Murphy's large campaign warchest of $420,000 in the first quarter of 2007 may scare off potential challengers, as Cappiello filed as a candidate in April 2007.[12]

National Republicans ran radio ads in the summer of 2007 claiming Murphy has adopted special interest fundraising politics he had claimed to oppose. In addition, Cappiello accused Murphy of missing important votes.[13]

Third-party candidates included Canton attorney Harold Burbank for the Green Party and Watertown resident Tom Winn, running as an independent candidate.[14][15]

Results

Chris Murphy retained his seat, receiving just under 60 percent of the vote.

Connecticut's 5th congressional district election, 2008[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chris Murphy (incumbent)[A] 179,327 59.9
Republican David Cappiello 117,914 39.4
Independent Thomas L. Winn 3,082 1.0
Green Harold H. Burbank II 2,324 0.8
Write-In Walter Gengarelly 10 0.0
Total votes 299,575 100.00
Democratic hold
A Includes 18,149 votes from the Working Families Party line, which endorsed Murphy on a fusion ticket.[4]

References
  1. November 4, 2008 State Election Calendar Archived September 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Connecticut Secretary of State
  2. "11/04/2008 General Election results for Representative in Congress" (PDF). State of Connecticut Secretary of the State. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  3. "Election Day Registration, Turnout and Absentee Ballot Statistics" (PDF). Secretary of the State of Connecticut. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2009. Retrieved October 7, 2009.
  4. "2008 WFP Endorsement List". Connecticut Working Families Party. Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  5. "About Sean Sullivan". Sean Sullivan for Congress 2008. Archived from the original on January 10, 2009. Retrieved January 25, 2009.
  6. "gp.org". Archived from the original on August 6, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
  7. "newmenu.org". Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
  8. "Vachon for Congress" (accessed 10 February 2008).
  9. "Republic Not Empire". richardduffee.blogspot.com.
  10. newsday.com
  11. Nania Withdraws Archived 2008-08-07 at the Wayback Machine, The Everyday Republican, May 8, 2008
  12. "courant.com".
  13. "Campaign". The Hill.
  14. "newmenu.org". Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
  15. afterdowningstreet.org
Preceded by
2006 elections		 United States House elections in Connecticut
2008		 Succeeded by
2010 elections
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