2008 United States Senate elections

Financing

Results of the Senate election by county

Each major party has Hill committees that work to support its candidates for the House and Senate, chiefly by providing funds. On the Senate side, the committees are the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). In this cycle, the DSCC was more successful at fundraising. 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.[9] 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.[9]

Gains and losses

Alabama

Alabama election

Nominee Jeff Sessions Vivian Davis Figures Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,305,383 752,391 Percentage 63.36% 36.52%

County Results

U.S. senator before election Jeff Sessions Republican Elected U.S. senator Jeff Sessions Republican

Alabama senator Jeff Sessions sought re-election to a third term. Johnny Swanson announced his candidacy in March 2006 for the Democratic nomination.[10]

Despite voting heavily for Bush in 2004, Alabama still had a strong Democratic presence; Democrats controlled majorities of both chambers in the state legislature. Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Ron Sparks appeared to be preparing for a run, but on June 12, 2007, Sparks announced that he would not seek the Senate seat, in order to avoid a primary battle with state senator Vivian Davis Figures.[11] Figures has won elections in the Republican-leaning Mobile area. In the Democratic primary, Figures won the nomination and face Sessions in November.

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.[12][13] Perry was endorsed by Alabama Statesmen,[14] Boston Tea Party,[15] and Christians for Life and Liberty.[16]

Sessions defeated Figures, taking 63% of the vote to Figures's 37%

Alaska

Alaska election

Nominee Mark Begich Ted Stevens Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 151,767 147,814 Percentage 47.8% 46.5%

Borough and census area results

U.S. senator before election Ted Stevens Republican Elected U.S. senator Mark Begich Democratic

Dispelling rumors that he would retire due to advanced age (he was 84 years old on election day) and ongoing federal investigations into his conduct, senator Ted Stevens filed papers for re-election for an eighth term.[22]

An ex-oil company executive, Bill Allen, paid for part of the renovation costs on Stevens's personal residence. 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.[23] Two former Veco executives have plead guilty to paying the younger Stevens $242,000 in bribes.[24] On July 30, 2007, the IRS and FBI raided Stevens's home in Alaska. 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.[25]

On July 29, 2008, a federal grand jury indicted Stevens on seven felony counts for making false statements,[26] and on October 26, a jury found Stevens guilty on all charges.[27]

The Democratic candidate was Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, the son of popular former Democratic Representative Nick Begich. Begich announced his candidacy for the Senate seat on April 22, 2008.[28]

On October 19, 2007, the AP reported that despite the allegations and FBI probe, several veteran GOP Senators—including 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.[29]

Stevens's conviction on seven felony counts of corruption damaged his re-election bid, coming just over a week before the election, though Stevens appealed the conviction. Nevertheless, Stevens was narrowly ahead in the vote count after election day, with only about two-thirds of all votes counted. It only became clear Begich had prevailed when early votes, absentee ballots, and questioned ballots were counted.

On November 18, the race was called for Begich, who won with 47.8% to Stevens's 46.5%. Stevens was the most senior U.S. Senator to ever lose re-election, defeating Warren Magnuson's 1980 record. As of 2023, Stevens still holds this record.

On April 1, 2009, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, citing serious prosecutorial misconduct during the trial, decided to drop all charges against Stevens—an action that vacated his conviction.

Arkansas

Arkansas election

Nominee Mark Pryor Rebekah Kennedy Party Democratic Green Popular vote 804,678 207,076 Percentage 79.5% 20.5%

County results

U.S. senator before election Mark Pryor Democratic Elected U.S. senator Mark Pryor Democratic

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. Although Bush carried the state twice, Arkansas Democrats swept the seven state races held in the 2006 general election. Pryor is the son of longtime U.S. senator and former Arkansas Governor David Pryor. It was rumored that Lt. Governor Bill Halter would challenge Pryor in the primary, but Halter declined to file as a candidate.[31] Rebekah Kennedy of the Green Party was Pryor's only opposition. Pryor won on election day, with 79.53% of the vote. Kennedy took 20.47%.

Colorado

Colorado election

Nominee Mark Udall Bob Schaffer Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,230,994 990,755 Percentage 52.8% 42.5%

County results

U.S. senator before election Wayne Allard Republican Elected U.S. senator Mark Udall Democratic

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.[34]

Former Representative Bob Schaffer of Fort Collins was the Republican nominee. Former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway was rumored to be considering a run, but declined to do so.[35] Other possible Republican candidates included former Congressman Scott McInnis and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers.

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.[36]

Other candidates included Bob Kinsey of Denver as the Green Party nominee,[37] Douglas "Dayhorse" Campbell as the American Constitution Party's nominee,[38] and Independent candidate Buddy Moore, unaffiliated any party.[39]

On Election Day, Udall defeated Schaffer 53% to 43%.

Delaware

Delaware election

Nominee Joe Biden Christine O'Donnell Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 257,539 140,595 Percentage 64.7% 35.3%

County results

U.S. senator before election Joe Biden Democratic Elected U.S. senator Joe Biden Democratic

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.[41] Delaware law allowed Biden to run for Vice President and senator at the same time, so he would have kept the Senate seat if the presidential ticket had lost. In 1988 and 2000, the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominees Lloyd Bentsen and Joe Lieberman, ran similarly for their seat in Texas and Connecticut, respectively. On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama won the presidential election, making Biden the next VP. Biden vacated his senate seat shortly after the election, allowing for the Governor of Delaware to appoint a successor. There was speculation as to whether the outgoing Governor, Ruth Ann Minner, or the incoming Governor-elect Jack Markell would make the appointment, and if Biden's son, Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden would receive the appointment. On November 24, 2008, Governor Minner appointed Biden's longtime Chief of Staff Ted Kaufman to fill the seat. Kaufman subsequently announced that he would not seek election to a full term in 2010, effectively making him a caretaker. 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.

Biden was re-elected with 65% of the vote, or 257,484 votes. O'Donnell received 140,584 votes (35% of the vote).

Georgia

2008 United States Senate election in Georgia

November 4, 2008 (first round) December 2, 2008 (runoff)

Nominee Saxby Chambliss Jim Martin Party Republican Democratic First round 1,867,097 49.8% 1,757,393 46.8% Runoff 1,228,033 57.4% 909,923 42.6%

county results

U.S. Senator before election Saxby Chambliss Republican Elected U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss Republican

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.

Martin, current Georgia Commissioner of Human Resources, former member of the Georgia General Assembly, Vietnam War veteran, and 2006 candidate for lieutenant governor, secured the Democratic nomination after defeating DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones by a 59% to 41% margin in the August 5 run-off election.

In December 2007, Chambliss had an approval rating of 53% and a disapproval rating of 34% according to Strategic Vision, a Republican polling firm.[45] For most of the campaign, Chambliss maintained a comfortable lead in most polls. However, in the weeks leading up to the 2008 general election, polls showed the race tightening, reflecting a general nationwide trend.

On November 4, 2008, Chambliss received 49.8% of the vote,[46] with Martin about 3% behind and Buckley receiving 3% of the vote.[47] 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. On December 2, 2008, Chambliss won the run-off with 57% of vote to Martin's 43%.[48]

Idaho

Idaho election

Nominee Jim Risch Larry LaRocco Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 371,744 219,903 Percentage 57.7% 34.1%   Nominee Rex Rammell Party Independent Popular vote 34,510 Percentage 5.4%

County results

U.S. senator before election Larry Craig Republican Elected U.S. senator Jim Risch Republican

On September 1, 2007, senator Larry Craig announced his intent to resign from the Senate effective September 30, 2007.[51] 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. Craig found almost no support among Republicans in his home state or Washington. On October 4, 2007, senator Craig announced he will not seek re-election, but would remain in office until the end of his term.[52]

Lieutenant Governor Jim Risch was the Republican candidate; U.S. Army veteran and former congressman Larry LaRocco was the Democratic candidate.[53] Risch and LaRocco ran against each other in the 2006 Lieutenant Governor race, which Risch won by a wide margin. Libertarian Kent Marmon also ran.[54] The last Democratic senator from Idaho was Frank Church, who was defeated in the Republican landslide of 1980 after serving four terms.

Risch won the election with approximately 58% of the vote.[55]

Illinois

Illinois election

Nominee Dick Durbin Steve Sauerberg Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 3,615,844 1,520,621 Percentage 67.84% 28.53%

County Results

U.S. senator before election Dick Durbin Democratic Elected U.S. senator Dick Durbin Democratic

Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin remained favored in Illinois. He sought to be re-elected in a state that has steadily become more Democratic since 1992. CQpolitics.com rated the contest as "safe Democrat".

Physician Steve Sauerberg of La Grange won the February 5 Republican primary.[57] Kathy Cummings, a retired special education teacher was nominated via convention by the Green Party.[58] Chad Koppie, a retired airline pilot and vice-chairman of the Illinois Center Right Coalition, was the nominee of the Constitution Party.

Durbin won with 68% of the vote. Sauerberg had 29%.

Iowa

Iowa election

Nominee Tom Harkin Christopher Reed Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 941,665 560,006 Percentage 62.66% 37.26%

County results

U.S. senator before election Tom Harkin Democratic Elected U.S. senator Tom Harkin Democratic

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%.

Kansas

Kansas election

Nominee Pat Roberts Jim Slattery Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 712,396 429,691 Percentage 60.1% 36.5%

County results

U.S. senator before election Pat Roberts Republican Elected U.S. senator Pat Roberts Republican

Senator Pat Roberts sought re-election to a third term. 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. Pat Roberts currently has an approval rating of 56%.[62]

Roberts was re-elected with 60% to Slattery's 36%.

Kentucky

Kentucky election

Nominee Mitch McConnell Bruce Lunsford Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 953,816 847,005 Percentage 53.0% 47.0%

County results

U.S. senator before election Mitch McConnell Republican Elected U.S. senator Mitch McConnell Republican

Election results by county. Red indicates McConnell led in a county, while blue indicates that Lunsford received more votes. Counties are shaded to indicate the margin of victory.

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%.[65]

Businessman and U.S. Army veteran Bruce Lunsford, who lost the 2007 Democratic gubernatorial primary to Governor Steve Beshear, was the Democratic nominee.

Once thought to be secure in his re-election, McConnell's lead had shrunk dramatically thanks to the financial crisis and polling showed the race tightening between him and Lunsford.[66] Nevertheless, McConnell was re-elected by a margin of 53% to 47%.

Louisiana

Louisiana election

Nominee Mary Landrieu John Neely Kennedy Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 988,298 867,177 Percentage 52.1% 45.7%

Parish results

U.S. senator before election Mary Landrieu Democratic Elected U.S. senator Mary Landrieu Democratic

Incumbent Mary Landrieu was elected in 1996 following a recount and was narrowly re-elected in 2002 in a runoff election. 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. The state has become more Republican over the past 12 years. Louisiana elected David Vitter in 2004, the state's first Republican senator since Reconstruction, as well as Republican Bobby Jindal as the first Indian-American Governor in the country's history in 2007. Louisiana's electoral votes easily went to George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004.

On August 27, 2007, state Treasurer John Neely Kennedy announced he was switching parties from Democrat to Republican. On November 29, after being personally recruited by Vitter and former Bush administration official Karl Rove, Kennedy announced plans to challenge Landrieu in 2008.[67][68]

In the end, Landrieu was re-elected with 52% of the vote, Kennedy having 46%.

Maine

Maine election

Nominee Susan Collins Tom Allen Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 444,300 279,510 Percentage 61.3% 38.6%

County results

U.S. senator before election Susan Collins Republican Elected U.S. senator Susan Collins Republican

In Maine, Susan Collins sought a third term in the Senate. 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. Collins was re-elected with 58% of the vote in 2002 over State Sen. Chellie Pingree. Fellow senator Joe Lieberman, citing his status as an independent, endorsed Collins in her 2008 re-election bid.

On May 8, 2007, Rep. Tom Allen (ME-1) announced his candidacy on his website Archived May 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. He had already expressed interest in running and had been building the apparatus necessary to wage a Senate campaign.[69]

Collins won on election day with 61% of the vote, compared to 39% for Allen.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts election

Nominee John Kerry Jeff Beatty Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,959,843 922,727 Percentage 65.8% 31.0%

County results

U.S. senator before election John Kerry Democratic Elected U.S. senator John Kerry Democratic

Results by city and town

Incumbent John Kerry sought another Senate term in Massachusetts.[70] 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. 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.[71] but failed to obtain the required candidacy signatures. 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. Kerry was challenged by defense attorney Edward O'Reilly for the Democratic nomination, winning 69% of the vote to O'Reilly's 31%.

Kerry won with 66% of the vote to Beatty's 31%. Libertarian Robert J. Underwood had 3%.

Michigan

Michigan election

Nominee Carl Levin Jack Hoogendyk Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 3,038,386 1,641,070 Percentage 62.7% 33.8%

County results

U.S. senator before election Carl Levin Democratic Elected U.S. senator Carl Levin Democratic

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. He was expected to easily win re-election.

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.[73]

Levin won re-election with 63% of the vote, to Hoogendyk's 34%.

Minnesota

Minnesota election

Nominee Al Franken Norm Coleman Dean Barkley Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Independence Popular vote 1,212,629 1,212,317 437,505 Percentage 41.99% 41.98% 15.15%

County results

U.S. senator before election Norm Coleman Republican Elected U.S. senator Al Franken Democratic (DFL)

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. Year-end cash on hand was $6.04 million for Coleman and $3.10 million for Franken.[75]