2008 United States Senate election in Iowa
The 2008 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Tom Harkin sought re-election to a fifth term in office. Unlike Harkin's three previous reelection bids, he was not challenged by a sitting United States Congressman but instead faced small businessman Christopher Reed, who won the Republican primary by just a few hundred votes. Harkin defeated Reed in a landslide, winning 94 of Iowa's 99 counties. As of 2021, this is the most recent election in which a Democrat won a U.S. Senate election in Iowa.


2008 United States Senate election in Kansas
The 2008 United States Senate election in Kansas was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Pat Roberts won re-election to a third term.


2008 United States Senate election in Kansas, Background
The state of Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932. Kansas's other Republican Senator Sam Brownback announced that he is retiring due to "self-imposed term limits," which meant Roberts became the senior senator from Kansas in 2011. It is considered one of the most Republican states in the U.S. The last time its electors went to a Democrat was the Presidential Election of 1964, when Lyndon Johnson carried the state over Barry Goldwater.


2008 United States Senate election in Kansas, Background
Roberts had announced ahead of the 1996 election that "I plan only to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate", but he broke that pledge in this election.


2008 United States Senate election in Kansas, General election, Results
Roberts won by 24 percentage points over Slattery, carrying 102 of the state's 105 counties. Slattery only carried three counties in northeast Kansas: Atchison, Douglas and Wyandotte.


2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky
The 2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky was held on November 4, 2008. Minority Leader and incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell won re-election to a fifth term. Although Barack Obama lost Kentucky by a 16.22% margin to John McCain in the presidential election which occurred simultaneously, McConnell more narrowly kept his seat with a 5.94% margin against businessman Bruce Lunsford. This was a greatly reduced margin from when he won re-election in 2002 with a 29.4% margin.


2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky, Background
In 2007 Kentucky's unpopular Republican Governor, Ernie Fletcher, lost his re-election bid. The Democrats took control of both Houses of Congress in the 2006 mid-term elections and in October Chuck Schumer acknowledged they were aiming for McConnell's seat.


2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky, Background
State auditor Crit Luallen was considered a top contender for the Democratic nomination, but she decided to remain as auditor. Lunsford was asked to run by Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear. Seven candidates competed for the Democratic Primary nomination. The primaries for both parties took place on May 20, 2008 in which Lunsford took more than 50%.


2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky, General election, Campaign
In October Lunsford and McConnell were statistically tied in the polls. Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said "If Lunsford is actually doing this well, its got to be because the public is so upset by the economic meltdown and may be blaming the legislative leaders."


2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky, General election, Campaign
A debate scheduled for October 7 hosted by the League of Women Voters was canceled when incumbent McConnell decided not to participate even though Lunsford announced he wanted to debate.


2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky, General election, Campaign
On November 2, 2008, media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal noted that the website of The New Republic had reported that anti-McConnell flyers questioning the senator's sexuality as well as the reasons for his 1967 military discharge were being distributed in Kentucky.


2008 United States Senate election in Louisiana
The 2008 United States Senate election in Louisiana was held on November 4, 2008. This was the first time since the 1970s that Louisiana used primaries for federal races. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu won reelection to a third term, while her Republican opponent John Kennedy won Louisiana's other Senate seat in 2016. As of 2021, this is the last time the Democrats won a U.S. Senate election in Louisiana. Despite her status as one of the most vulnerable senate Democrats up in 2008, Landrieu eked out a victory, boosted by the national Democratic lean.


2008 United States Senate election in Louisiana
She also received praise and wide publicity for her advocacy after Hurricane Katrina, particularly as it came to hearings concerning the response from FEMA to the disaster. Her opponent had switched parties, becoming a Republican in 2007 just one year before the election, garnering some criticism of being a political opportunist.


2008 United States Senate election in Louisiana, Background
Landrieu's increased vulnerability was supposed to be the result of a significant drop in the state's African-American population after Hurricane Katrina, especially in Landrieu's home city of New Orleans. Louisiana also elected a Republican senator in 2004 and President Bush carried the state twice, in 2004 with 58 percent of the vote. Also, Republican Congressman Bobby Jindal won the 2007 gubernatorial election with 54 percent of the vote. After a continued backslide in support for the Democrats, Landrieu would go on to lose her seat by 12 points in 2014 to Bill Cassidy.


2008 United States Senate election in Louisiana, General election, Results
Though she was considered one of the most vulnerable incumbent senators in 2008, Landrieu won reelection by a margin of 121,121 votes and 6.39%, over-performing Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in the state by more than 12 percentage points.


2008 United States Senate election in Maine
The 2008 United States Senate election in Maine took place on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins won re-election to a third term against Democrat Tom Allen, the U.S. Congressman from the 1st district.


2008 United States Senate election in Maine, General election, Campaign
Allen tried to tie Collins to George W. Bush, but these tactics failed as Collins maintained her image as a  very popular, moderate, independent Republican. She obtained an endorsement from Independent and former Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman.


2008 United States Senate election in Maine, General election, Campaign
When Collins was first elected in 1996 she pledged to serve only two terms (twelve years) in office, which would have been up in 2008. She instead decided to seek a third term, and defeated Allen with over 60% of the vote. She was the only Republican Senate candidate to win in 2008 in a state that was simultaneously won by Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.


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, Democratic primary, 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. On July 25, O'Reilly challenged Kerry to a series of debates, and the two eventually met for one debate in early September. On September 16, Kerry defeated O'Reilly in the Democratic primary.


2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts, General election, 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.


2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts, General election, Campaign
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.


2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts, General election, Campaign
Massachusetts held primary elections on September 16, 2008. Unlike in 2002, when Kerry was reelected against only third-party opposition, the Democratic nominee faced a Republican opponent in 2008. The Republican candidate, businessman 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.


2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts, General election, Campaign
On September 16, 2008, Kerry defeated Edward O'Reilly in the Democratic primary and faced Republican Beatty in the November general election.


2008 United States Senate election in Michigan
The 2008 United States Senate election in Michigan was held on November 4, 2008 Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Carl Levin won reelection to a sixth and final term.


2008 United States Senate election in Michigan, Campaign
Levin's 2002 opponent Andrew Raczkowski considered running again, but military commitments forced him to drop out. State representative Jack Hoogendyk declared his candidacy to challenge Levin.Troy engineer Bart Baron was also running. Baron apparently failed to qualify for the August 5, 2008 party primary ballot in the Michigan Secretary of State's office. So only Hoogendyk was listed on the Republican side in the Michigan primary election. Levin was unopposed on the Democratic side. The filing deadline for candidates to run was May 13.


2008 United States Senate election in Michigan, Campaign
Minor party candidates who ran included Harley Mikkelson of the Green Party, Scotty Boman of the Libertarian Party, Michael Nikitin of the U.S. Taxpayers Party and Doug Dern of the Natural Law Party. Levin, who maintained a huge fundraising advantage over his opponents, easily won re-election.


2008 United States Senate election in Michigan, Debates
On October 19 WGVU Public television hosted a Senatorial debate to which only Democratic Senator Carl Levin and Republican State Representative Jack Hoogendyk were invited. They debated topics such as the economy, immigration, and foreign policy.


2008 United States Senate election in Michigan, Debates
Levin blamed job loss in Michigan on President Bush, while Hoogendyk blamed Levin. Levin supported a Federal bailout of the auto industry, while Hoogendyk opposed the idea.


2008 United States Senate election in Michigan, Debates
The event, which was moderated by WZZM TV 13's News anchor Peter Ross, was met with protest by supporters of excluded candidates. One of the protesters was Libertarian candidate Scotty Boman, who asserted that he met the stations qualifications. WGVU required the candidates to show at least 5% support in a statewide scientific poll, but Boman said no statewide poll had been done that included him. An exclusive WXYZ poll included all of the candidates, but only contacted respondents in the 7th and 9th Congressional district. Boman also claimed that public broadcasters should have invited the other candidates since it is supported with tax dollars.


2008 United States Senate election in Michigan, Debates
Senator Carl Levin and State Representative Jack Hoogendyk met again, the following day (October 20),  for a forum hosted by the Detroit Economic Club.


2008 United States Senate election in Michigan, Results
Levin was declared the winner right when the polls closed in Michigan. Levin won all but six of Michigan's 83 counties. Levin unsurprisingly won major metropolitan areas, such as Wayne County home of Detroit or Ingham County home of Lansing. He also became the first Senator since Donald Riegle in 1982 to carry Kent County home of Grand Rapids. When combining the suburban and rural counties, it was too much for Hoogendyk to overcome.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota
The 2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 4, 2008. After a legal battle lasting over eight months, the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) candidate, Al Franken, defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in one of the closest elections in the history of the Senate, with Coleman's Senate predecessor Dean Barkley taking third place. Franken took his oath of office on July 7, 2009, more than half a year after the end of Coleman's term on January 3, 2009.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota
When the initial count was completed on November 18, Franken was trailing Coleman by 215 votes. The close margin triggered a mandatory recount. After reviewing ballots that had been challenged during the recount and counting 953 wrongly rejected absentee ballots, the State Canvassing Board officially certified the recount results with Franken holding a 225-vote lead.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota
On January 6, 2009, Coleman's campaign filed an election contest and on April 13, a three-judge panel dismissed Coleman's Notice of Contest and ruled that Franken had won the election by 312 votes. Coleman's appeal of the panel's decision to the Minnesota Supreme Court was unanimously rejected on June 30, and he subsequently conceded the election. Franken was sworn in as the junior senator from Minnesota on July 7. With a margin of just 0.01%, this election was the closest race of the 2008 Senate election cycle.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Candidates
The general election was among candidates nominated by three major parties, the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), the Republican Party of Minnesota (R), and the Independence Party of Minnesota, as well as two other parties, the Libertarian Party (L) and the Constitution Party (C). The Green Party failed to nominate a candidate.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Primaries
In Minnesota candidates are generally endorsed by their political parties before the party primaries. The Republican Party endorsed Norm Coleman, the DFL Party Al Franken, and the Independence Party Stephen Williams. In total 18 candidates had filed to run in the statewide primaries, including seven for the DFL Party, two for the Republican Party, seven for the Independence Party, one for the Libertarian Party, and one for the Constitution Party.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Primaries
Notable challengers included former Ventura administration official Jack Uldrich and former Senator Dean Barkley for the IP nomination; lawyer and vocal Franken critic Priscilla Lord Faris for the DFL nomination; and dentist and fugitive Jack Shepard for the Republican nomination. Minneapolis attorney Mike Ciresi also campaigned for the DFL endorsement, but dropped out on March 10. Each party's respective primary was held on September 9, resulting in Barkley, Franken and Coleman on the general election ballot.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Primaries, DFL
The following candidates sought an endorsement at the party's convention, but dropped out after Franken was endorsed: Mike Ciresi, Jim Cohen and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Primaries, Independence
Though Stephen Williams was endorsed by the Independence Party, he lost to former Senator Dean Barkley by over 51 points and was third place in the primary behind Jack Uldrich.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Fundraising
2007 year-end reports filed with the Federal Election Commission showed that Franken had raised $7.04 million through December 31, 2007, while Coleman had raised $6.24 million. Year-end cash on hand was $6.04 million for Coleman and $3.10 million for Franken.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Fundraising
Pre -primary reports filed with the FEC on August 20 showed Coleman having raised $16.76 million (with $5.61 million on hand), Franken $13.09 million (with $2.37 million on hand), and Barkley $14,374 (with $5,071 on hand).


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Fundraising
A late October Star Tribune report showed Barkley having raised $56,763.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Polling
Early polling showed Coleman with a large lead over his prospective Democratic opponents. But the race narrowed considerably, becoming one of the most hotly contested elections in the nation in 2008. A January 29, 2008 poll from Minnesota Public Radio showed the first lead for Franken. Barkley consistently polled in the 15–20% range and was unable to break past 20%.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Results
After all the votes were tallied, Coleman led Franken by 215 votes—well under the 0.5% margin that triggers a mandatory recount according to state law.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Results
Early on November 5, news organizations including the Associated Press, Minnesota Public Radio, and Fox News called the election for Coleman. NPR and the AP uncalled the race mere hours later. Coleman declared himself the victor, and suggested that Franken waive his right to a recount. Franken was unwilling to do so.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Results
Since the unofficial results were first posted on the Minnesota Secretary of State's website, Coleman's lead had narrowed from 726 votes on November 5 to the official pre-recount tally of 215 votes on November 18. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie called these changes "well within the normal range in the days immediately following an election, when county officials double check and verify election night tabulations reported to the secretary of state's office", while Coleman's campaign decried the "improbable shifts that are overwhelmingly accruing to the benefit of Al Franken."


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Results
An independent analysis of statewide elections over the previous 10 years showed that the average change in vote totals as reported on election night compared to the certified result was 1,500 votes. The results were certified by each county's canvassing board and then on November 18, 2008, by the Minnesota State Canvassing Board.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Results
Note: The ±% column reflects the change in total number of votes won by each party from the previous election. Additionally, votes cast for Paul Wellstone in the 2002 election are not factored into the DFL's total from that year.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
In accordance with state law, the Minnesota State Canvassing Board ordered a hand recount in the Senate race. Representatives of Coleman and Franken observed the sorting and recounting of the ballots at 120 locations across the state on November 19, and largely finished on December 5. The votes were counted locally, but ballots that were challenged by either campaign were sent to the state capital for consideration by the State Canvassing Board.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
The board was a five-person panel consisting of Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson, Justice G. Barry Anderson, Ramsey County District Court Chief Judge Kathleen Gearin, and Assistant Chief Judge Edward Cleary; they made determinations of voter intent for ballots where either of the campaign's representatives disagreed with the election officials at the county sites. Of the five Canvassing Board members, Ritchie was an elected DFLer, the two justices were appointed by a Republican governor, one judge was appointed by an Independence Party governor, and one was elected in a nonpartisan election.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
Of the 4130 precincts in Minnesota, one had to delay reporting its totals because election officials deduced that 133 ballots, all in a single envelope, had gone missing during the recount process. After days of searching, the State Canvassing Board decided to use that precinct's election day totals, which included the missing 133 votes. The 133 missing ballots contributed a net 46 votes for Franken.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
By the end of the recount, each candidate had gained votes. In total, Coleman had challenged 3,377 ballots and Franken had challenged 3,278. These ballots were set aside until the State Canvassing Board could meet on December 16 to decide the fate of challenged ballots. But Ritchie's office insisted that each campaign voluntarily withdraw some of its challenges, due to the strain a large pile of ballot challenges would place on the State Canvassing Board. On December 3, Franken's campaign withdrew 633 of its challenges and said that it would withdraw more at a later date.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
The next day, Coleman's campaign responded by withdrawing 650 challenges. By the time all the ballots that Franken's campaign challenged were examined, only 420 challenges were left that had not been withdrawn, while Coleman's campaign had roughly 1,000. The Secretary of State's website had noted that none of the withdrawn ballot challenges were reflected in the running tally of the recount.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
By December 19, the State Canvassing Board had largely concluded its review of the campaigns’ ballot challenges. Of the 1,325 ballots that were reviewed, 319 were awarded to Coleman, 758 to Franken, and 248 were labeled "other". According to the AP, MPR, and the Star Tribune, the resolution of these challenges marked the first time Franken took a lead in the recount. On December 30, the board finished reallocating the withdrawn challenges, completing that phase of the recount and leaving Franken with a 49-vote lead.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
One of the last—and largest—sources of uncertainty was the absentee ballots that had been improperly rejected by election officials during the original count. Franken's campaign asked for those ballots to be tallied by each county and counted in the recount results, while Coleman's campaign said the canvassing board did not have the authority to deal with the ballots. On December 8, some counties began sorting rejected absentee ballots to find out how many were incorrectly rejected.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
On December 12, the Board voted unanimously to recommend counties sort through their rejected absentee ballots, setting aside any that were incorrectly rejected, and resubmit their vote totals with the incorrectly rejected ballots included. The Coleman campaign filed suit with the state Supreme Court to temporarily halt such counting until "a standard procedure" could be determined, but the State Supreme Court ruled on December 18 that the improperly rejected absentee ballots be included in the recount. The Court also prescribed that a standard procedure be established by the Secretary of State's office in conjunction with the two campaigns.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
As of December 30, county officials had found about 1,350 wrongly rejected ballots. The Franken campaign agreed to count all of those ballots, while the Coleman campaign agreed to a subset, and also wanted to reconsider more than 700 other absentee ballots. On December 30 and 31, representatives of both campaigns met with officials in each county and sorted through the absentee ballots. After some were rejected by one campaign or the other, 953 ballots were sent to the secretary of state's office.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
The "fifth pile" of wrongly rejected absentee ballots was opened, checked for identifying marks, and counted (where found eligible) on January 3, 2009. Of the 933 ballots found to be eligible, 481 were for Franken; 305 were for Coleman; and 147 were for other candidates or were overvotes or undervotes. The process was broadcast live online.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
The state canvassing board certified the recounted vote totals on January 5 with Franken ahead by 225 votes. Former Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson, a Republican who did not endorse a candidate in the 2008 Senate race, called for Coleman to concede.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount
Note: The ±% column reflects the change in total number of votes won by each party from the previous election. Additionally, votes cast for Paul Wellstone in the 2002 election are not factored into the DFL's total from that year.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election certificate
After the Canvassing Board finished the recount, the next step was for the state to issue an official certificate of election. State law requires a seven-day delay from the Canvassing Board's final report until the certificate can be issued and signed by Ritchie and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. Furthermore, state law states that a certificate cannot be issued if an election contest is pending.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election certificate
On January 12, 2009, Franken sent a letter to Ritchie and Pawlenty requesting an election certificate. Both declined, citing the unresolved election contest by Coleman. Later that day, Franken filed suit in federal court to force the state to issue a certificate, claiming that federal law relating to Senate elections superseded state law. The next day his campaign asked the Minnesota Supreme Court to require Pawlenty and Ritchie to issue the certificate, and the court held a hearing on the suit on February 5.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election certificate
Texas Senator John Cornyn said that GOP senators were prepared to filibuster the seating of the canvassing board's declared winner until a signed election certificate was available, as provided under Minnesota law. On January 21, 2009, the day after the inauguration of President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said that Senate Democrats were "going to try to seat Al Franken" at least provisionally until the challenge was resolved. Reid also said that there was "not a question in anyone's mind...that there's been any fraud or wrongdoing in this election." Senate Republican leaders countered this by insisting that Franken respect Minnesota laws and allow the completion of the legal review.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
Coleman filed a contest of the election results in the Ramsey County District Court on January 6, 2009. In it, he alleged ballot counting irregularities which, if corrected, would result in his winning the election. Among other issues, he alleged that there were double-counted duplicate ballots, 654 valid absentee votes rejected as invalid by county election officials, and problems in dealing with the lost ballots in a Minneapolis precinct.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
Under Minnesota law the chief justice of the state Supreme Court appoints a three-judge panel to hear an election contest. Because Chief Justice Magnuson had served on the state canvassing board, he recused himself, passing the task to Alan Page, the senior justice on the court. Page chose Judge Elizabeth A. Hayden of Stearns County (who was first appointed by DFL governor Rudy Perpich) to preside over the contest. Assistant Chief Judge Kurt J. Marben of Pennington County (appointed by Independence Party governor Jesse Ventura) and Assistant Chief Judge Denise D. Reilly of Hennepin County (appointed by Republican governor Arne Carlson) were also appointed.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
On January 12, Franken filed a motion to dismiss Coleman's contest, claiming it was "an imprecise and scattershot pleading". He argued that even if the contest were to proceed, the three-judge panel should be limited to determining who would be awarded the already certified ballots and to a simple, mathematical recount to ensure the accuracy of the canvassing board's count, with no additional ballots reviewed. On January 22, Franken's attorneys also argued that the case should not go to trial because the U.S. Senate, not the court system, has the power under the United States Constitution to judge the election of its members. Franken's motion to dismiss was denied by the panel on January 23.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
On January 19, Coleman attorney Fritz Knaak requested that the court open and review all rejected absentee ballots—totaling roughly 12,000—because some of them, he contended, were improperly rejected. Coleman's attorneys also proposed a multiple phase trial that would not start until February 2, in which the first phase would focus on rejected absentee ballots. The panel denied these requests on January 23.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
The trial began on January 26. Coleman's legal team ran into trouble on the first day when the judges refused to enter into evidence copies of the envelopes from allegedly wrongly rejected absentee ballots. Coleman's team had made markings on some of their copies of the envelopes, so the panel ruled that Coleman's attorney would need to subpoena the original envelopes from the counties.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
On February 3 the judges agreed to consider 4,797 rejected absentee ballots. This was fewer than the number requested by Coleman but more than Franken requested. These ballots fell into two categories: those where voters appeared to have met all legal requirements, and those where voters ran afoul of the law through no fault of their own.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
On February 13 the court ruled that no evidence had been presented to establish widespread problems with the counting of absentee ballots and that rejected absentee ballots from 12 of 19 disputed categories would not be counted. According to Coleman's attorney, this left approximately 3,500 ballots still open for consideration. The order also specified that parties must demonstrate that disputed ballots were legally cast, not just that they should not have been rejected, making it more difficult to argue in favor of counting remaining absentee ballots.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
On March 2, the Coleman team rested its case after five weeks of testimony. The contest resumed on March 3 with the Franken team presenting its counterarguments. On March 13, the trial portion of the contest concluded with closing argument from both sides. Franken's closing was delivered by attorney Kevin Hamilton and Coleman's by Joseph Friedburg.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
After closing arguments, Franken lead attorney Marc Elias said: "After seven weeks of trial, hundreds of witnesses, and thousands of exhibits, the trial demonstrated what the state canvassing board found to be true after an exhaustive recount: that Al Franken got more votes on Election Day than Norm Coleman. We remain confident that the court will uphold the results of the election and allow Al Franken to begin the work the voters of Minnesota hired him to do."


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
On March 31, the court issued an order to count at most 400 rejected absentee ballots and denied any other relief. On April 7, the court scrutinized those ballots and determined that 351 had been legally cast. Those votes were counted, with 111 going to Coleman, 198 to Franken, and 42 to others, giving Franken a final margin of 312 votes.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
The court dismissed Coleman's suit "with prejudice" in its final ruling on April 13, finding that his claims had no merit and ordering the Coleman camp to pay the legal costs associated with Coleman's failure to disclose information about Pamela Howell, a precinct election judge and witness in the case, which was later determined to amount to $94,783. In the same ruling, the court also rejected Coleman's claim to exclude 132 missing ballots from the recount total and his request to adjust the results based on Coleman's allegations of double-counted ballots.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Election contest
Note: This table combines the certified results of January 5, 2009, listed above with the added absentee ballots from April 7, 2009, 198 for Franken and 111 for Coleman.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Appeal to Minnesota Supreme Court
On April 20, Coleman filed a notice of appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Franken's lawyers requested that the court follow an expedited schedule in hearing the case (with oral arguments scheduled for mid-May) to enable Minnesota to have two seated senators. In his reply, Coleman asked the Court to take its time, which would probably delay its decision until June. On April 24, the Court issued its order for briefs and oral arguments. Oral arguments took place on June 1. After the arguments the Minnesota Supreme Court did not indicate how soon it would render judgment.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Appeal to Minnesota Supreme Court
Some Democrats and political commentators asserted that Coleman no longer had a serious chance of prevailing in the election, and that he continued to file appeals for the sole purpose of delaying the seating of a 60th member of the Democratic caucus in the U.S. Senate (after Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter changed his party affiliation from Republican to Democratic on April 28). (Sixty Senators would bring the Democrats to a level where they would not need any Republican votes to overcome a Republican filibuster in the Senate for the balance of the Senate term). Coleman disputed that allegation. About 60% of Minnesotans (64–28, 59–34, 63–37 in three polls) said they wanted Coleman to withdraw.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Appeal to Minnesota Supreme Court
On June 30, the Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously rejected Coleman's challenge and stated that Franken was entitled to be certified as the winner. Coleman announced he would not appeal the result further, and congratulated Franken by phone, telling him that being senator was "the best job he would ever have." Pawlenty and Ritchie signed the election certificate the same evening.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Further investigations
In July 2010, Minnesota Majority, a conservative watchdog group, conducted a study in which it flagged 2,803 voters in the Senate race for examination, including 1,359 it suspected to be ineligible convicted felons in the largely Democratic Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Subsequent investigations of Minnesota Majority's claims by election officials found that many of its allegations were incorrect.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Further investigations
Some of the cases that were submitted involved mistaking a legal voter for a felon with the same name, others involved felons who had had their voting rights reinstated after serving their sentences, and others were felons who illegally registered to vote but did not vote in 2008 election. Ramsey County officials narrowed their investigation to 180 cases, while Hennepin County examined 216 cases.


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Further investigations
Pawlenty said, "They [Minnesota Majority] seem to have found credible evidence that many felons who are not supposed to be voting actually voted in the Franken-Coleman election. I suspect they favored Al Franken. I don't know that, but if that turned out to be true, they may have flipped the election." Columnist Nick Coleman of the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune called the idea that illegal voting by felons made a difference in the race "unbelievable" and the Minnesota Majority report "good fodder for a right-wing scare campaign."


2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota, Recount, Further investigations
As of July 2010, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office had brought charges against 28 people. In August 2010, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office received for investigation 110 alleged cases of voter fraud during the 2008 election. In October 2010, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office concluded that there was enough evidence to charge six people for voter fraud. "Three of the suspects face two felony charges. Three other suspects each face one felony charge." In October 2010, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced that charges would be brought against 43 felons for illegally voting in 2008.


2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi
The 2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi was held on November 4, 2008. The seat was regularly scheduled for election, unlike the special election taking place on the same day. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Thad Cochran won re-election to a sixth term.


2008 United States Senate election in Montana
The 2008 United States Senate election in Montana was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic Senator Max Baucus won re-election to a sixth term in a landslide, winning more than 70% of the vote and carrying every county in the state, despite Republican John McCain's narrow victory in the state in the concurrent presidential election. As of 2021, this is the last time a Democrat was elected to the Class 2 Senate seat in Montana.


2008 United States Senate election in Montana, Background
Montana generally gives its presidential electors to Republican candidates, but historically has elected several prominent Democrats to the United States Senate, including Thomas Walsh, Burton K. Wheeler, Mike Mansfield, and Lee Metcalf. Between 1913 and 2015, only two Republicans served as U.S. Senator from Montana, Zales Ecton and Conrad Burns. In 2004, the state elected Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer, reversing a 16-year trend of electing Republicans to the Governorship. In the 2006 elections, the Republican Party took over the state House of Representatives in Montana, the only pick-up of a state legislature for the Republicans.


2008 United States Senate election in Montana, Republican primary, Campaign
All Republican candidates trailed Baucus badly in polls. It was revealed that Garnett Shay had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, preventing him from running an effective campaign.


2008 United States Senate election in Montana, General election, Campaign
Senator Baucus defeated Kelleher as a Democratic incumbent running in a year that was very successful for his party in general. The Montana Senate race was somewhat unusual, in that it was perhaps the only race that year in which the Republican candidate was more liberal than the Democratic one. Kelleher, a perennial candidate and eccentric figure in Montana politics, took many positions that were highly unorthodox by GOP standards, such as favoring more liberal drug control policies, supporting universal healthcare and affirmative action, and favoring fair trade restrictions.


2008 United States Senate election in Montana, General election, Campaign
He was, at the time, an 85-year-old attorney and perennial candidate who has run for office on several different party tickets. Kelleher was pro-life, advocated a Parliamentary system of government for the United States, and supported nationalization of the American oil and gas industry and a single-payer health care system. He received no support from the Montana Republican Party.


2008 United States Senate election in Nebraska
The 2008 United States Senate election in Nebraska was held on November 4, 2008. The primary elections was held on May 13. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel decided to retire instead of seeking a third term. Republican Mike Johanns won the open seat.


2008 United States Senate election in New Hampshire
The United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John E. Sununu ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in a rematch of the 2002 election. Shaheen's win ended 30 years of Republican control of this Senate seat, and made her the first Democratic Senator from New Hampshire since John A. Durkin left office in 1980.


2008 United States Senate election in New Hampshire, Background
For a considerable amount of time, New Hampshire had always been considered an island of conservatism in the Northeast. Following the 2006 election, however, many offices were taken over by Democrats: Representatives Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes,  Governor John Lynch, the majority of the New Hampshire Executive Council, and the majority of both legislative chambers (which had not occurred since 1911). The popularity of Governor Lynch was considered an impediment to Sununu's re-election. Though the state voted for then-Gov. George W. Bush in 2000, Sen. John Kerry narrowly won the state over Bush in 2004.


2008 United States Senate election in New Hampshire, Democratic primary, Campaign
Astronaut Jay Buckey MD, Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand, and Katrina Swett, (wife of former Congressman Richard Swett), had announced their candidacies but withdrew in favor of former governor Jeanne Shaheen upon her entrance into the race.


2008 United States Senate election in New Hampshire, Democratic primary, Campaign
Shaheen had been the Democratic nominee for the race in 2002. Since 2005, Shaheen had served as director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government before leaving on September 14, 2007. She had been aggressively courted to run by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) on behalf of Senate Democrats, and by a "Draft Shaheen" campaign led by former New Hampshire Democratic Chairman Kathy Sullivan.


2008 United States Senate election in New Hampshire, Democratic primary, Campaign
The filing deadline for the Democratic and Republican Parties was June 13, 2008. Shaheen filed, as did Raymond Stebbins.


2008 United States Senate election in New Hampshire, General election, Campaign
A November 2006 SurveyUSA poll of New Hampshire voters found Sununu had a 47% approval rating. A February 1, 2007 poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire found that only 45% of New Hampshire voters held a favorable opinion of Sununu. In June 2007, a poll by 7NEWS and Suffolk University of likely voters reported that only 31 percent in the poll said Sununu deserved re-election, with 47 percent saying that someone else should get his seat.


2008 United States Senate election in New Hampshire, General election, Campaign
A July 2008 Granite State Poll had Sununu's favorability rating at 52%, his unfavorability rating at 33%, and neutral or undecided by 16%. Shaheen is viewed favorable by 53%, unfavorable by 31% and neutral or undecided by 15%.


2008 United States Senate election in New Hampshire, General election, Campaign
Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee for president, had mentioned Sununu as a possible running mate for the 2008 presidential election, as well as Lindsey Graham, Bob Riley, Steve Forbes and John Thune. Sununu had said he would remain neutral in the New Hampshire primary. However, McCain selected Alaska governor Sarah Palin instead.


2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey
The 2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg won re-election to a fifth, non-consecutive term, defeating former Republican congressman Dick Zimmer. Zimmer had also been the nominee for this seat in 1996.


2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey, Background
In November 2006, Senator Lautenberg had the lowest approval rating of any Democrat running for re-election in 2008 (with 39% approving and 45% disapproving), with his approval improving only slightly to 42% as of September 2007. In the same September 2007 poll conducted by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, voters surveyed decided that Lautenberg does not deserve re-election (46% to 36%) and that he is too old to effectively serve another six years in the Senate (54% to 40%).


2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey, Background
Poll results suggested that given the right formula, this could have been a surprise upset race in November 2008. "The poll shows that Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who many voters say is too old to run for another term, would be vulnerable to a strong Republican candidate next year," according to Quinnipiac pollster Clay Richards.


2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey, Background
The first poll conducted after the primaries (Rasmussen Reports, June 4, 2008) showed a tighter than expected race between Lautenberg and Zimmer, with the two candidates in a virtual tie.


2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey, Background
However, the prevailing political climate at the time of the election was also a major factor. Voter anger was targeted against the GOP, and many Democrats once considered vulnerable managed to hold on.


2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey, Republican primary, Results
Official results, New Jersey Division of Elections (, July 11, 2008)


2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey, General election, Debates
On October 29, 2008, a debate between Lautenberg and Zimmer was held on the radio station NJ 101.5.


2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey, General election, Debates
On November 1, 2008, the two candidates debated for the second time on New Jersey Network, in the only televised debate agreed to by the Lautenberg campaign.


2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico
The 2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico was held on November 4, 2008 coinciding with the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Pete Domenici decided to retire instead of seeking a seventh term. All three of New Mexico's U.S. Representatives (Tom Udall, Steve Pearce, and Heather Wilson) retired from the House to run in this election, which was the first open Senate seat in the state since 1972. Pearce narrowly defeated Wilson in the Republican primary, but Udall won the general election after an uncontested Democratic primary. Democrats won this seat for the first time since 1973, the NM-01 House seat for the first time ever, and the NM-02 seat for the first time since 1981, giving New Mexico an all-Democratic Congressional delegation for the first time since 1969.


2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico, Background
In February 2007 Domenici indicated his intention to run for re-election. By October 2007, he changed his mind, stating that because of the progression of a medical condition, he would not seek a seventh term. Domenici also lost his chairmanship after Republicans lost control of the Senate in the 2006 Senate election, which may have inclined him against running. On June 3, 2008 Pearce and Udall won their respective nomination contests.


2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico, Democratic primary, Campaign
After Domenici announced he was not running, Democratic Governor Bill Richardson was considered a leading candidate for the seat, but in October he affirmed his commitment to his presidential nomination campaign.


2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico, Democratic primary, Campaign
In October Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez entered the race for the Democratic nomination. In early November five-term Democratic Rep. Tom Udall entered the race. On December 7 Chavez withdrew from the race, saying "While I deeply appreciate all the support I have received, it has become very clear to me that Democrats should not be divided in the upcoming election."


2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico, General election, Controversy
Domenici and Wilson were both being investigated by the Senate for their roles in the dismissal of prosecutor David Iglesias. This may have affected Wilson's chances in the 2008 election.


2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico, General election, Controversy
In late October Pearce made 130,000 automated phone calls, which led Wilson to "cry foul." At issue was Pearce's use of the phone calls to justify his opposition to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) bill. The Wilson campaign claimed that "Pearce violated House ethics by urging those he called to contact him through his official, non-campaign phone number or check out his official, non-campaign Web site."


2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico, General election, Finances
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) attempted to defend 23 Senate seats up for election in November. Committee chair Senator John Ensign identified the 10 most competitive Republican seats in June 2008. He was asked about the two Republican seats most likely to turn Democratic, Virginia and New Mexico. Ensign did not directly say whether the NRSC was considering walking away to work on other seats that can be won, but he said, "You don’t waste money on races that don’t need it or you can’t win."


2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico, General election, Finances
Udall raised more than $801,000 prior to November 29. Wilson had slightly less, including a November Washington fundraiser with Vice President Dick Cheney that netted $110,000, bringing her total to about $750,000.


2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico, General election, Debates
The candidates agreed to three televised debates: October 15 on KOB-TV, October 18 on KRQE and October 26 on KOAT-TV. The AARP co-sponsored the second debate and the Albuquerque Journal co-sponsored the final debate. They also appeared together on Meet the Press in the fall.


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina
The 2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. The Senate election coincided with the presidential, U.S. House elections, gubernatorial, Council of State, and statewide judicial elections. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated by Democrat Kay Hagan.


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina
The November general election was the first time in North Carolina history, and only the eighth time in U.S. history, that the two major-party candidates for a U.S. Senate seat were both women. In addition, Hagan became the first Democrat to win this seat since it was won by the Republicans in 1972, and the first woman to defeat an incumbent woman in a U.S. Senate election. As of 2021, this is the last time the Democrats won a U.S. Senate election in North Carolina, and also the last time the winner of this seat received a majority of the vote.


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, Democratic primary, Campaign
Hagan, initially an unknown politician, decided to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole.


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, Democratic primary, Campaign
National Democrats attempted to recruit incumbent Governor Mike Easley to make the race. A late October 2007 Rasmussen Report poll showed Easley defeating Dole 50% to 42%. Easley declined to run, as did Congressman Brad Miller, who expressed interest in early 2007. Former Governor Jim Hunt also declined to compete against Dole.


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, Democratic primary, Campaign
Neal earned the endorsement of the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg. He also was endorsed by Blue America PAC, eQualityGiving, the Independent Weekly and YES ! Weekly.


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, General election, Campaign
Dole was initially a heavy favorite for reelection, especially after several potential top-tier challengers such as Congressman Brad Miller, Governor Mike Easley and former Governor Jim Hunt all declined to compete against Dole. Ultimately, Kay Hagan, a state senator from Greensboro, won the Democratic primary election and became Dole's general election opponent. Reports late in the campaign suggested that Dole, once considered a safe bet for reelection, suffered from Barack Obama's decision to aggressively contest North Carolina in the presidential election.


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, General election, Campaign
Hagan was initially given little chance against Dole, but Hagan was helped by independent 527 groups lobbying/advertising against incumbent Dole  The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee expended more money in North Carolina than in any other state during the 2008 election season. However, Dole benefited from more out-of-state funding overall than Hagan. The efforts appeared to be effective, as Hagan began to take the lead in several polls beginning in September.


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, General election, Campaign
In late October, Dole released a controversial television ad attacking Hagan for reportedly taking donations from individuals involved in the Godless Americans PAC, a group which advocates for the rights of people who do not believe in God. The ad also included a female voice saying, "There is no God." The Dole campaign said the ad correctly shows who Hagan will associate with in order to raise campaign funds, and on November 1, Bob Dole also defended it, asserting that "it never questions her faith," and that "the issue is why she was there. There's no question about her faith. I think it's [the ad's] fair game."


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, General election, Campaign
Hagan, who is a member of the Presbyterian Church and a former Sunday school teacher, condemned the ad as "fabricated and pathetic," and, according to Hagan's campaign website, a cease-and-desist letter was "hand-delivered to Dole's Raleigh office, faxed to her Salisbury office and sent to her home at the Watergate in Washington, DC." Hagan also filed a lawsuit in Wake County Superior Court accusing Dole of defamation and libel.


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, General election, Campaign
The ad has met exceptionally strong criticism from the public as well as many local and several national media outlets. CNN's Campbell Brown said about the ad: "[A]mid all the attack ads on the airwaves competing to out-ugly one another, we think we've found a winner." The ad has been described as "ridiculously outrageous," "indecent," a "gross misrepresentation," "worse than dishonest" and "beyond the bounds of acceptable political disagreement," among other harsh criticism. Another ad issued by the Dole campaign in mid-October 2008 was described by The Fayetteville Observer as "[setting] the low mark in negative political campaigning."


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, General election, Campaign
The media reported, that within 48 hours of the first ad Hagan received over 3,600 contributions, including major donors as well as individual support from a range of atheists, agnostics and followers of other religious beliefs who felt they were being attacked by Dole. Following the second ad Hagan's lead doubled according to some polls.


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, General election, Polling
Polls released during the week of October 28, 2008 showed Dole and Hagan within the statistical margin of error (3% apart).


2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina, General election, Analysis
In the 2008 election, Dole lost by a wider-than-expected margin, taking only 44 percent of the vote to Hagan's 53 percent – the widest margin for a Senate race in North Carolina in 30 years, and the largest margin of defeat for an incumbent Senator in the 2008 cycle. It has been speculated that the outcry over the "Godless" ads contributed to Dole's loss. Hagan trounced Dole in the state's five largest counties – Mecklenburg, Wake, Guilford, Forsyth and Durham. Hagan also dominated most of the eastern portion of the state, which had been the backbone of Helms' past Senate victories. While Dole dominated the Charlotte suburbs and most of the heavily Republican Foothills region, it was not enough to save her seat.


2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma
The 2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma was held on November 4, 2008. The statewide primary election was held July 29, with the run-off on August 26. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator James Inhofe won re-election to a third term over Democrat Andrew Rice.


2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma
As of 2021, this is the last time a Democrat carried any counties in an Oklahoma U.S. Senate election.


2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma, Democratic primary, Background
Rice officially filed as a candidate for the United States Senate from Oklahoma on Monday, June 2, 2008. He won the Democratic primary against Jim Rogers, a retired schoolteacher who stressed campaign finance reform. As in earlier campaigns, Rogers refused to accept money to avoid any question of his allegiances. State Senator Kenneth Corn had earlier expressed interest in the race.


2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma, General election, Campaign
Inhofe, who in August 2008 had a 61% approval rating, emphasized his conservative record and tried to label Rice as a  "committed liberal." In the debates, Rice tried to connect Inhofe to George W. Bush saying "An era allowed this to happen. George Bush came into office eight years ago with a Republican majority and … an agenda of radical deregulation." Rice also believed in global warming, something Inhofe is famous for denying. In the election, Inhofe had over $5 million in the bank. Rice had $3.8 million.


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon
The 2008 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Gordon H. Smith sought reelection to a third term. Smith was the only Republican Senator from the West Coast (excluding Alaska) and the only Republican holding statewide office in Oregon. He was opposed by Democrat Jeff Merkley, the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, and David Brownlow of the Constitution Party of Oregon. Merkley won by a narrow margin, with Smith not conceding until two days after the election. Merkley became the first Democrat to win this seat since 1960.


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon
This was one of the most competitive races during the 2008 United States Senate elections., and the race was the most expensive in Oregon history. As of late October 2008, advertising related to the race exceeded $27 million, outstripping the $15 million spent on a 2007 tobacco tax ballot measure and the $14.7 million spent in the gubernatorial election of 2006.


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, Democratic primary, Campaign
In the Democratic primary, although Democrats held all statewide offices in Oregon, there was no clear Democratic challenger; former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber indicated early on that he was not interested. In January 2007, while the campaign was still in its infancy, Portland lawyer and political activist Steve Novick wrote a lengthy critique of Gordon Smith's record in the Portland Willamette Week. The article outlined a strategy to beat Smith, who Novick argued was actually more vulnerable than appeared. On April 18, 2007, Novick formally announced his candidacy for Senate.


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, Democratic primary, Campaign
By the end of May, both Congressmen Earl Blumenauer and Peter DeFazio had announced they were not interested in entering the race, depleting what was considered by many the "first-tier" list of candidates for the position leaving Democrats searching for more candidates. With no high-profile Democrats in the race, it was believed by that the most likely candidates would come from the state legislature. Since the legislature was still in session at the time it was considered unlikely that any prominent lawmakers would jump into the race until the end of June or later. Of those, Jeff Merkley, then Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives was considered to be the most likely to challenge Smith due to rumors that he had been in talks with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, Democratic primary, Campaign
The rumors that Merkley was being courted by the DSCC were confirmed when it was reported that he had travelled to the East Coast to discuss a possible run at the invitation of Senator Charles Schumer of New York, who as chairman of the DSCC was in charge of recruiting possible challengers to take on Smith. Around the same time, State Senator Alan Bates from Jackson County was reported to be contemplating running for the Democratic nomination. Eventually Bates decided against running and on August 1, 2007 Merkley filed papers, officially entering the race.


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, Democratic primary, Campaign
Merkley and Novick gave back-to-back speeches at the yearly summit of the Democratic Party of Oregon in Sunriver. There Novick threw a political jab, challenging Merkley's statements that he had been an opponent of the war from the start by pointing to his support of a Republican-drafted non-binding resolution in 2003, two days after the invasion began, that praised President Bush for the invasion of Iraq and the efforts of the troops and prayed for their safety. The critique drew noticeably negative reactions from the crowd and Merkley won a straw poll at the summit, 103 to 50 for Novick.


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, Democratic primary, Campaign
Merkley went on to dismiss the criticism, pointing out that Legislative resolutions carry no force of law and are only statements of principle, that a legislator could freely pick and choose which parts of the resolution to support, and that he made clear that "you stand up and clarify what parts you're supporting and what parts you're opposed to and I did that more clearly than any member on the floor of the House."


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, Democratic primary, Campaign
By the end of November 2007, six Democratic candidates had filed papers to run for the seat: Novick, Merkley, real estate agent Candy Neville of Eugene, retired mental health counselor David Loera of Salem, retired construction worker Roger Obrist of Damascus, and perennial candidate Pavel Goberman of Beaverton. Some pointed discussions ensued among the candidates over a debate schedule and formats.


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, Democratic primary, Campaign
On January 22, 2008 four of the Democratic candidates had their first debate in Pendleton, Oregon hosted by the East Oregonian newspaper.


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, Democratic primary, Campaign
Merkley went on to defeat Novick and the four other candidates in the Democratic primary on May 20, 2008.


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, General election, Results, County results
Although Smith carried all but eight of Oregon's 36 counties, one of the counties he lost was Multnomah County, home to Portland. Ultimately, Merkley's 142,000-vote margin in Multnomah, his home county, proved too much for Smith to overcome; it was more than double Merkley's overall margin of 59,100 votes.


2008 United States Senate election in Oregon, General election, Results, County results
Constitution Party candidate David Brownlow was seen by some as a spoiler, as his number of votes was more than the margin between Merkley and Smith. Brownlow drew votes away from opponents of the Iraq War, which Smith supported.


2008 United States Senate election in Rhode Island
The 2008 United States Senate election in Rhode Island took place on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jack Reed won re-election to a third term.


2008 United States Senate election in South Carolina
The 2008 United States Senate election in South Carolina was held on November 4, 2008 to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of South Carolina. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham won election to a second term.


2008 United States Senate election in South Carolina, Democratic primary, Campaign
Conley, a conservative Democrat, supported ending illegal immigration, "protecting American workers," bringing American troops home from the Iraq War, increasing veterans' benefits, reducing American dependence on foreign oil, ending Wall Street bailouts, repealing the Patriot Act, "cutting spending," and "fidelity to the Constitution." He also opposed same-sex marriage.


2008 United States Senate election in South Carolina, Democratic primary, Campaign
Michael Cone, Conley's primary opponent, criticized Conley for being too conservative, that "We've nominated a Republican in a Democratic primary." Conley was a Republican but left the party due to frustration over immigration, trade, and the Iraq War. Some compared him to Republican Congressman Ron Paul, as Conley supported Paul in his presidential campaign.


2008 United States Senate election in South Carolina, Democratic primary, Results
Conley defeated Cone in the primary election on June 16, following a recount, by a margin of 1,058 votes.


2008 United States Senate election in South Carolina, General election, Campaign
Conley, who had switched to the Democratic Party from the Republican Party, was opposed by much of the Democratic establishment because of his controversial positions such as his vocal opposition to immigration reform and same-sex marriage and his support of Ron Paul's presidential bid. A number of prominent Democratic figures in the state, including U.S. Congressman James Clyburn, supported Lindsey Graham over Conley in the general election. Political scientist Bill Moore claimed "The bottom line is, by not paying attention to this race, they ended up embarrassed by what has transpired: a Republican getting the Democratic Party's nomination for U.S. Senate and a Republican who comes across as even more conservative than Lindsey Graham."


2008 United States Senate election in South Carolina, General election, Campaign
Graham had $3.8 million. In fact, he spent more time on the campaign trail for John McCain than he has defending his own seat. Conley only raised $23,628 during the campaign. Conley was so unknown that even Graham admitted "Almost no one knows my opponent. The Democrats really didn't field a — make a serious challenge — in terms of trying to find an opponent for me."


2008 United States Senate election in South Dakota
The 2008 United States Senate election in South Dakota was held on November 4, 2008. Primary elections were held on June 3, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Johnson won re-election to a third term. As of 2021, this election, along with the simultaneous House race, is the last time a Democrat won a statewide election in South Dakota.


2008 United States Senate election in South Dakota, General election, Campaign
Already a well-regarded figure, following health problems, Johnson became more popular. "South Dakota is a very kind state," Steve Jarding, a Harvard political scientist, said. "People were rooting for Tim—Democrats, Republicans, independents—they wanted him to be O.K." He was also seen a pragmatic moderate. He received endorsements from the Republican Mayor of Sioux Falls, Dave Munson, and the NRA. Dykstra argued that Johnson voted 80% of the time with U.S. Senator Barack Obama and 90% with U.S. Senator Harry Reid. In response, Johnson pointed out his votes on the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court justices John Roberts/Samuel Alito, against flag burning, in favor for the Iraq War, Patriot Act, a ban on partial birth abortion, etc.


2008 United States Senate election in South Dakota, General election, Campaign
One of the other reasons why Johnson is popular is earmarks. Recent examples include $248,000 for the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City, $11 million for Ellsworth Air Base, $400,000 for Rosebud Sioux Reservation, and $37 million for Mni Wiconi Rural Water System. Dykstra opposed earmarks, leading U.S. Senator Tom Coburn to campaign with him.


2008 United States Senate election in South Dakota, General election, Campaign
In August, Johnson visited 20 cities across the state. With nine reservations in the state, American Indians account for 10% of electorate. In 2002, Johnson carried 94% of the Oglala Sioux, the state's biggest tribe.


2008 United States Senate election in South Dakota, General election, Results
Johnson easily won re-election to a third term, losing in only four counties. His friend and fellow Democrat, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin easily won re-election to South Dakota's at-large congressional district.


2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee
The 2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee was held on November 4, 2008 to elect a member of the U.S. Senate from the State of Tennessee. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander won reelection to a second term.


2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee
He won 65.1% of the vote against Democrat Bob Tuke, who won 32.6%; Alexander also won 28% of the African American vote.


2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee, Democratic primary, Campaign
Mike Padgett finished third after Gary Davis, who did not campaign and used no money. Many were surprised at the results. They claimed that perhaps there was name confusion, with two incumbent congressmen David Davis and Lincoln Davis.


2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee, General election, Candidates, Minor
In Tennessee, a candidate seeking a House or Senate seat at the state or national level must gather 25 signatures from registered voters to be put on the ballot for any elected office. Presidential candidates seeking to represent an officially recognized party must either be named as candidates by the Tennessee Secretary of State or gather 2,500 signatures from registered voters, and an independent candidate for President must gather 275 signatures and put forward a full slate of eleven candidates who have agreed to serve as electors.


2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee, General election, Candidates, Minor
In order to be recognized as a party and have its candidates listed on the ballot under that party's name, a political party must gather signatures equal to or in excess of 2.5% of the total number of votes cast in the last election (about 45,000 signatures based on the election held in 2006). The last third party to be officially recognized was the American Party in 1968; none of its candidates received five percent of the statewide vote in 1970 and it was then subject to desertification as an official party.. Due to these hurdles third party candidates almost always appear on the ballot as independents.


2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee, General election, Campaign
On April 3, 2007, Alexander confirmed that he would seek re-election to the Senate in 2008. Alexander has remained a popular figure in Tennessee since his first term as governor and faced no opposition in the Republican primary Tuke is a former Marine who served in the Vietnam War. Tuke served as Barack Obama's Presidential campaign chair in Tennessee. Tuke declared himself to be a candidate March 3, 2008, and he secured the help of several high profile Democratic campaigners including Joe Trippi. There were many minor candidates in the race. Chris Lugo announced on January 17 that he was seeking the nomination of the Democratic Party as a 'Progressive Democrat.' In March 2008, Lugo announced he was dropping his candidacy for the Democratic nomination, and would run either for the Green Party nomination or as an independent.


2008 United States Senate election in Texas
The 2008 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican John Cornyn won re-election to a second term.


2008 United States Senate election in Texas, General election, Campaign
Cornyn, running as an incumbent, had a 42% approval rating with a 43% disapproval rating in June 2007. Texas is a red state, that Republican presidential nominee John McCain won with over 55% of the vote. Cornyn slightly underperformed McCain. However, Noriega underperformed both 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in Texas and Cornyn's 2002 opponent, Ron Kirk, with Noriega receiving just 42.8% of the vote.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia
The 2008 United States Senate election in Virginia was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John Warner decided to retire instead of seeking a sixth term. Democrat Mark Warner (no relation) won the open seat by more than 31 percentage points. Warner became the first Democrat to win this seat since 1966. This was also the first time since 1964 that the state voted simultaneously for a Democratic presidential candidate and a Democratic Senate candidate, having voted for Barack Obama in the presidential election, albeit by a far lesser margin. This was Virginia's first open-seat election since 1988.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia
Warner's large margin of victory was reflected throughout the state — Gilmore won only six counties and independent cities (Augusta, Colonial Heights, Hanover, Poquoson, Powhatan and Rockingham) and his margin didn't exceed more than 2,000 votes in any of them. As of 2021, this is the last time Amelia County and Bland County voted Democratic.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, Background
John Warner, a former United States Under Secretary of the Navy, had served Virginia in the Senate since 1979, and had been cagey about whether he would be running for re-election. He would have been favored for a sixth term had he decided to run again, even with recent Democratic gains in the state. In early 2007, it was speculated that Warner, who turned 80 in February of that year, would retire. When Warner reported on April 12, 2007 that he had raised only $500 in campaign contributions during the first quarter, speculation increased that he may not seek a sixth term.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, Background
On August 31, 2007, Warner formally announced that he would not be seeking re-election. The race was expected to be competitive, given the Democrats' two successive gubernatorial victories (2001, 2005) and the unseating of Republican senator George Allen by Jim Webb in 2006.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, Background
The Wall Street Journal reported a story of National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman Senator John Ensign outlining the 10 most competitive seats of the 2008 Senate Election. When asked about the two GOP seats likely to switch parties, Virginia and New Mexico, on whether the NRSC is mulling walking away to work on other seats that can be won, Ensign said, "You don't waste money on races that don't need it or you can't win." This suggested that the NRSC may have started cutting money off.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, State conventions, Democratic Party
On September 12, 2007, former Governor Mark Warner (no relation to John Warner) announced his candidacy. Mark Warner had challenged John Warner for his Senate seat in 1996, but was narrowly defeated. Mark Warner later won election in 2001 as Governor of Virginia, and left office with a high level of popularity in 2006. He was confirmed as the party nominee at the state convention on June 10, 2008, as he went unopposed.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, State conventions, Republican Party
On September 16, 2007, Republican Rep. Tom Davis of the 11th District unofficially announced that he would seek election to the seat. The Washington Times reported that John Warner delayed his retirement announcement specifically to help Davis.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, State conventions, Republican Party
On October 1, 2007, the editors of the National Review encouraged Virginia voters to draft General Peter Pace, the retiring Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to run in 2008 for the Senate seat to be vacated by retiring Senator John Warner. The magazine cited Pace's conservative Catholic beliefs in making its suggestion.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, State conventions, Republican Party
On October 13, the Republican Party of Virginia's State Central Committee voted 47-37 to hold a statewide convention rather than a primary. Former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore argued strongly for a convention, claiming it would save the candidates money. It reportedly costs $4 million to compete in a primary, while it costs only $1 million for a convention. Davis argued that a primary would expose the candidates to the kind of environment they would face in November. A primary was thought to favor Davis due to his popularity in voter-rich Northern Virginia. In contrast, a convention was thought to favor Gilmore because most of the delegates would come from the party's activist base, which is tilted heavily to the right. With the decision, Gilmore said he was seriously considering entering the race.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, State conventions, Republican Party
Davis dropped out of the race on October 25, 2007, citing the potential difficulties of defeating Gilmore in the conservative-dominated GOP convention and in taking on Warner, who is very popular in Davis' own Northern Virginia base. Gilmore confirmed his candidacy on November 19, 2007.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, State conventions, Republican Party
On January 7, 2008, Delegate Bob Marshall (R-Prince William County), a sixteen-year state legislator from Northern Virginia known for his social conservative values, announced he would challenge Gilmore for the Republican nomination May 31, 2008. The convention was held on May 31, 2008, where Gilmore won the nomination with 50.3% of the vote, just 66 votes more than Marshall.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, State conventions, Third parties
On March 29, 2008, the Libertarian Party of Virginia state convention nominated Bill Redpath as its Senate candidate. Redpath, who was serving as national party chair at the time, cited the importance of running a Libertarian candidate for federal office this election year, considering the fact that the Independent Greens have been fielding candidates so actively in recent years. Glenda Gail Parker from Alexandria, a retired U.S. Air Force officer, ran again for the Independent Greens as she did in the 2006 Senate election.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, State conventions, Nominated candidates
After the Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian State Conventions, the final nominated candidates for the 2008 Virginia Senate Election were:


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, General election, Campaign
After the conclusions of the state conventions, Democrat Mark Warner had emerged as the front-runner for the Class 2 Senate seat from Virginia. Some early polling showed Mark Warner leading Jim Gilmore by as much as 2-1.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, General election, Campaign
Pundits and analysists believed Virginia to be the single strongest pickup opportunity for the Democrats due to Warner's consistent lead in the polls.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, General election, Campaign
Jim Gilmore responded aggressively, mostly with ads on the Internet; his campaign had very little money. Gilmore attacked Warner for raising taxes during his term as governor, when he had pledged not to do so, flip-flopping among many other topics.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, General election, Campaign
On October 6, 2008, Mark Warner and Jim Gilmore debated various issues, including the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, the Iraq War and Judicial nominees. The Richmond Times Dispatch sponsored the debate held at the Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, Virginia.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, General election, Campaign
Mark Warner argued he'd be part of a radical centrist coalition, no matter who won the Presidency. He claimed the coalition would improve cooperation in the Congress and its subsequent public perception. Warner spoke of alternative energy, and Gilmore argued for offshore drilling. The issue of the 2004 tax increase under then-Governor Mark Warner was raised at the first debate of the campaign between Gilmore and Warner.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, General election, Campaign
The Washington Post reported on July 24, 2008, that Jim Gilmore "submitted false information on two financial disclosure forms that hid his ties to a government contractor embroiled in a legal dispute over allegations that two of its executives had conspired to defraud the federal government." The Gilmore campaign responded by saying, the controversy was due to a "clerical error."


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, General election, Campaign
On election night, Warner was declared the winner based on exit polls alone, before the votes were counted.


2008 United States Senate election in Virginia, General election, Fundraising
Money played a large role in the campaign. By July, Mark Warner had raised $9 million, while Jim Gilmore had raised $1.2 million. This does not include money from the DSCC or NRSC.


2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia
The 2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller won re-election to a fifth term. As of 2021, this is the last time a Democrat won West Virginia's Class 2 Senate seat.


2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia, Background
Before the 2000 presidential election, West Virginia had been won by the Democratic nominee every time since 1932 except for the Republican landslides of 1956, 1972, and 1984. In 2000, then Republican Governor George W. Bush of Texas won West Virginia’s five electoral college votes over then Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee by a margin of 52-46. Also in the 2000 election, Republican Shelley Moore Capito, the daughter of Former West Virginia Governor Arch A. Moore, Jr., won a surprise victory over Democrat Jim Humphreys for West Virginia's 2nd Congressional District seat to the United States House of Representatives.


2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia, Background
She is the first Republican in West Virginia to hold a Congressional office for more than one term since her father (1957–1969). Before these two major victories for national and West Virginia Republicans, it was difficult to find a Republican who could mount a formidable campaign against Democrats running for public office in West Virginia.


2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia, Background
President Bush won West Virginia again in the 2004 presidential election over John F. Kerry, the Democratic junior Senator from Massachusetts by a margin of 56-43. Both Representative Alan Mollohan (D-1st District) and Representative Nick Rahall (D-3rd District) had more formidable challenges from Republicans when compared to 2000 and 2002.


2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia, Background
Since 2000, the Republicans have gained seven net seats in both the West Virginia Senate and the West Virginia House of Delegates. However, the Democrats hold 60% of the seats in the Senate and 68% of the seats in the House.


2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia, Background
Along with continued majorities in the legislature, Democrats have also had some other victories. Even though both Bush and Capito won their respective offices in 2000, Senator Byrd sailed to an eighth term with 78% of the vote over Republican David Gallaher. Senator John D. Rockefeller IV easily won a fourth term to the Senate in 2002 by a margin of 63-37 over Republican former state senator Jay Wolfe. In 2000, 2002, and 2004, both Representative Mollohan and Representative Rahall were re-elected by much stronger margins than Capito. In 2004, Republican Monty Warner failed to defeat Democratic West Virginia Secretary of State Joe Manchin for governor.


2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia, Background
After the Republicans failed to win the governor’s race, West Virginia Republican Committee Chairman Kris Warner, the brother of Monty, was put under pressure to resign his post; he did so in May 2005 . Wheeling attorney Rob Capehart took his place. (Dr. Doug McKinney of Bridgeport now holds the post.) Another brother of Monty, Kasey, who was appointed by President Bush in 2001, was removed as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 1, 2005. No explanation has been given for his departure and U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston currently represents the district.


2008 United States Senate election in Wyoming
The 2008 United States Senate election in Wyoming took place on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Mike Enzi won re-election to a third term.


2008 United States Senate elections
The 2008 United States Senate elections were held on November 4, 2008, with 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested. 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 January 3, 2013.


2008 United States Senate elections
The presidential election, which was won by Democrat Barack Obama, elections for all House of Representatives seats; elections for several gubernatorial elections; and many state and local elections occurred on the same date.


2008 United States Senate elections
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 51–49 majority. Of the seats up for election in 2008, 23 were held by Republicans and 12 by Democrats. The Republicans, who openly conceded early on that they wouldn't be able to regain the majority in this election, lost eight seats. Democratic candidates defeated Republican incumbents in Alaska; New Hampshire; North Carolina; Oregon; and, after a lengthy recount process, Minnesota. Additionally, they won Republican-held open seats in Colorado, New Mexico, and Virginia.


2008 United States Senate elections
This election was the second cycle in a row in which no seats switched from Democratic to Republican, and the first since 1990 in which the Democrats retained all their seats. In addition, this was the largest Democratic Senate gain since 1986, where they also won eight seats. These elections marked the first time since 1964 in which a Democratic presidential candidate who won the White House had a Senate coattail effect.


2008 United States Senate elections
Democrats held at least 57 seats as a result of the election. When the new senators were first sworn in, the balance was 58–41 in favor of the Democrats, with the unresolved election in Minnesota causing that seat to remain vacant. The April 2009 party switch of Pennsylvania senator Arlen Specter from Republican to Democrat and the July 2009 resolution of the Minnesota election in favor of Democrat Al Franken increased the Democratic majority to 60–40 (providing the Democrats, including the two Independent senators who caucus with them, a supermajority and thus able to hypothetically over-ride any filibusters). Republicans gained a seat in a January 2010 special election in Massachusetts, thereby making the balance 59–41 before the start of the next election cycle.


2008 United States Senate elections
As of the 2020 elections, this is the last time Democrats won U.S. Senate seats in Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Dakota.


2008 United States Senate elections, Gains and losses
Democrats also picked up three Republican-held open seats: Colorado, New Mexico, and Virginia.


2008 United States Senate elections, Results summary
Summary of the November 4, 2008, United States Senate election results


2008 United States Senate elections, Race summary, Special elections during the 110th Congress
In these special elections, the winner was seated during 2008 or before January 3, 2009, sorted by election date, then state, then class.


2008 United States Senate elections, Race summary, Elections leading to the next Congress
In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 2009; ordered by state.


2008 United States Senate elections, Closest races
In nine races the margin of victory was under 10%. However, Georgia proceeded to a runoff election where the Republican candidate won by over 10%.


2008 United States Senate elections, Freshmen
There were 20 freshman Senators in the 111th United States Congress. Ten were elected on November 4, 2008. 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. 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. George LeMieux was appointed to replace Mel Martinez upon his resignation. A temporary interim senator, Paul G. Kirk, was appointed to the seat of Edward M. Kennedy upon his death. He was replaced by Scott Brown in the 2010 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts.


2008 United States Senate elections, Hill committees' role
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).


2008 United States Senate elections, Hill committees' role
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. 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.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alabama
Alabama senator Jeff Sessions sought re-election to a third term. Johnny Swanson announced his candidacy in March 2006 for the Democratic nomination.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alabama
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. Figures has won elections in the Republican-leaning Mobile area. In the Democratic primary, Figures won the nomination and face Sessions in November.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alabama
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. Perry was endorsed by Alabama Statesmen, Boston Tea Party, and Christians for Life and Liberty.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alabama
Sessions defeated Figures, taking 63% of the vote to Figures's 37%


2008 United States Senate elections, Alaska
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.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alaska
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. Two former Veco executives have plead guilty to paying the younger Stevens $242,000 in bribes. 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.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alaska
On July 29, 2008, a federal grand jury indicted Stevens on seven felony counts for making false statements, and on October 26, a jury found Stevens guilty on all charges.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alaska
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.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alaska
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.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alaska
Stevens's conviction on seven felony counts of corruption put his re-election bid in serious jeopardy, 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.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alaska
On November 18, the race was called for Begich, who won with 47.8% to Stevens's 46.5%.


2008 United States Senate elections, Alaska
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.


2008 United States Senate elections, Arkansas
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. 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%.


2008 United States Senate elections, Colorado
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.


2008 United States Senate elections, Colorado
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. Other possible Republican candidates included former Congressman Scott McInnis and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers.


2008 United States Senate elections, Colorado
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.


2008 United States Senate elections, Colorado
Other candidates included Bob Kinsey of Denver as the Green Party nominee, Douglas "Dayhorse" Campbell as the American Constitution Party's nominee, and Independent candidate Buddy Moore, unaffiliated any party.


2008 United States Senate elections, Delaware
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. 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 2000, the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee Joe Lieberman ran similarly for his seat in Connecticut. On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama won the presidential election, making Biden the next VP.


2008 United States Senate elections, Delaware
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.


2008 United States Senate elections, Delaware
Biden was re-elected with 65% of the vote, or 257,484 votes. O'Donnell received 140,584 votes (35% of the vote).