2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

The 2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts took place on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John Kerry, who remained in the Senate after losing the presidency to incumbent President George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election, won re-election to a fifth term in office. Four years into his term, Kerry resigned upon becoming United States Secretary of State in the Barack Obama administration.

2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
November 4, 2008
 
Nominee John Kerry Jeff Beatty
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,971,974 926,044
Percentage 65.9% 30.9%
County results
Kerry:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
U.S. senator before election

John Kerry
Democratic

 Elected U.S. Senator

John Kerry
Democratic

Elections in
Massachusetts
General
Federal government
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State government
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Boston
Mayor
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Mayor
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Mayor
flag Massachusetts portal

Democratic primary

Candidates

Campaign

At the state convention on June 7, 2008, Edward O'Reilly received 22.5% of the vote, thereby granting him a spot on the September primary ballot. Kerry, received the vast majority of votes, however, granting him the convention's endorsement.[1] On July 25, O'Reilly challenged Kerry to a series of debates,[2] and the two eventually met for one debate in early September. On September 16, Kerry defeated O'Reilly in the Democratic primary.[3]

Results
Primary results by municipality
2008 United States Senate Democratic primary in Massachusetts
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John Kerry (incumbent) 335,923 68.92%
Democratic Edward O'Reilly 151,473 31.08%
Turnout 487,396

General election

Candidates
  • Jeff Beatty (R), military officer, businessman and nominee for MA-10 in 2006[4]
  • John Kerry (D), incumbent U.S. Senator
  • Robert Underwood (L)

Campaign

Democrat John F. Kerry, the incumbent since 1985, was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for President of the United States in the 2004 election. He had historically attracted strong Republican challengers, including two former Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman, Ray Shamie in 1984, Jim Rappaport in 1990, and former state Governor William Weld in 1996.

Kerry had explored the possibility of seeking the Democratic nomination for President once again in 2008, a circumstance which prompted many of Massachusetts's all-Democratic House delegation, including Marty Meehan, Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch, to declare that they would run in the Democratic primary for Senate should Kerry not seek reelection. However, on January 24, 2007, Kerry announced that he would run for reelection to the United States Senate and not for the Presidency. A December 23, 2007, poll indicated his approval rating at 52%, with 43% disapproving.[5]

Massachusetts held primary elections on September 16, 2008.[6] Unlike in 2002, when Kerry was reelected against only third-party opposition, the Democratic nominee faced a Republican opponent in 2008. The Republican candidate, former U.S. Army Delta Force officer and FBI special agent Jeff Beatty who had lost a congressional race two years earlier, was not considered a serious contender in this overwhelmingly Democratic state. Massachusetts had not elected a Republican Senator since Edward Brooke in 1972, although Republican Scott Brown would go on to win a special Senate election in 2010.

On September 16, 2008, Kerry defeated Edward O'Reilly in the Democratic primary and faced Republican Beatty in the November general election.[7]

Predictions
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[8] Safe D October 23, 2008
CQ Politics[9] Safe D October 31, 2008
Rothenberg Political Report[10] Safe D November 2, 2008
Real Clear Politics[11] Safe D November 4, 2008

Polling
Source Date Jeff
Beatty (R)		 John
Kerry (D)
Rasmussen Reports April 25, 2008 30% 55%
June 1, 2008 25% 63%
August 5, 2008 32% 59%
September 23, 2008 30% 65%

Results
Results by municipality
General election results
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John Kerry (incumbent) 1,971,974 65.86% -14.2%
Republican Jeff Beatty 926,044 30.93% +30.93%
Libertarian Robert J. Underwood 93,713 3.13% -15.1%
Majority 1,037,116
Turnout 2,994,247
Democratic hold Swing

See also

References
General
  1. Viser, Matt (June 8, 2008). "Gloucester lawyer to challenge Kerry". The Boston Globe.
  2. Kerry's primary challenger proposes debates, Associated Press
  3. "cbsnews.com". CBS News.
  4. "CQPolitics Rates Safe Democratic Senate Races in '08". New York Times.
  5. "Survey USA".
  6. "Candidates guide from Secretary of the Commonwealth Elections Division" (PDF).
  7. "John Kerry bests 1st primary opponent in 24 years". ap.google.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008.
  8. "2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  9. Race Ratings Chart: Senate Archived October 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine CQ Politics
  10. "2008 Senate ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  11. "2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
Specific
Democrats
Republicans
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