Voter turnout for the 2008 election was the highest in at least 40 years. During the 60th Congress (19071909), 10 Republicans sat on the Democratic side, while during the 75th Congress (19371939), 13 Democrats sat on the Republican side. Gordon Smith formally conceded soon afterward. Kerry was challenged by defense attorney Edward O'Reilly for the Democratic nomination, winning 69% of the vote to O'Reilly's 31%. Obama became the nations first African American president with his victory. simplemaps_election.selected.D = ['CA', 'CT', 'CO', 'DC', 'DE', 'FL', 'HI', 'IA', 'IN', 'NY', 'CO', 'IL', 'MA', 'MD', 'ME', 'ME1', 'ME2', 'MI', 'MN', 'NC', 'NE2', 'NJ', 'NM', 'NY', 'NH', 'NV', 'OH', 'OR', 'PA', 'RI', 'VT', 'VA', 'WA', 'WI']; Baucus easily won re-election, taking 73% of the vote, with Kelleher taking 27%. Today the desks are no longer arranged in their original order, but are moved within the Chamber to suit the needs of the Senate. [131], On November 6, 2008, Jeff Merkley was projected the winner of the contest, with 48.9% to Smith's 45.6%. 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. [44], On September 1, 2007, senator Larry Craig announced his intent to resign from the Senate effective September 30, 2007. The split can be edited in this table. The 33 seats in the United States Senate Class 2 were up for election, plus special Senate elections in Mississippi and Wyoming. Two senators from each state are elected to represent their state. Elections were held for 85 legislative chambers, with all states but Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, Alabama, Maryland, and Virginia holding elections in at least one house. Setting the popular vote will also set the color of a state, Clicking on a district will set the popular vote to max, Clicking doesn\'t set state color or open menu, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, F - hold down to quickly fill in districts, D - hold down to fill/disable entire states. But the division has not always been as clearly defined as it is now. Obama won his party's presidential nomination after defeating Senator Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primaries. In addition, this was the largest Democratic Senate gain since 1986, where they also won eight seats. www.senate.gov. Each had voted for the Republican nominee in 2004 and contributed to Obama's sizable Electoral College victory. Haley Barbour (R) named Rep. Roger Wicker (R . ""Should They Dance with the One Who Brung'Em?" The 2008 presidential election was the first since 1952 in which neither an incumbent president nor an incumbent vice president was a candidate. Va. Wash. W.Va. Wis. Wyo. The state traditionally leaned Republican, but John Kerry from neighboring Massachusetts narrowly won the state in the 2004 Presidential election. [158] Former Governor Jim Gilmore, who dropped out of the 2008 presidential election, was the Republican nominee for the seat. All Rights Reserved. Each state (Including the District of Columbia) is allocated a number of electors equal to its number of representatives plus two for each of its senators. The 2008 United States elections were held on November 4. These elections marked the first time since 1964 in which a Democratic presidential candidate who won the White House had a Senate coattail effect. The site was created by Taegan Goddard, who runs a network of political websites including Political Wire, Political Job Hunt and the Political Dictionary. Politics Coronavirus Jan. 6 Riot International Entertainment Business Technology Lifestyle Health [132], In Rhode Island, Democratic senator Jack Reed had an approval rating of 66% in November 2006. [96][97] Wicker beat Musgrove 55% to 45%. For more information please visit. In a state that had been trending to the Democratic party recently, senator Tom Harkin faced the Republican nominee, small business owner Christopher Reed, whom he defeated with 63% of the vote to Reed's 37%. 2008 Election Map: Senate By MATTHEW BLOCH, FARHANA HOSSAIN, CARL HULSE, JOHN MCGRATH AND DEREK WILLIS On Jan. 1, 2008, Gov. Biden was re-elected with 65% of the vote, or 257,484 votes. Nevertheless, Stevens was narrowly ahead in the vote count after election day, with only about two-thirds of all votes counted. The Electoral College is the process in which the United States elects its president. The goal of having two senators per state is to have each state equally represented in the senate. [87] On June 30, 2009, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Al Franken received the most votes, and Norm Coleman conceded defeat after the ruling, allowing Al Franken to be Senator-elect of Minnesota. On May 8, 2007, Rep. Tom Allen (ME-1) announced his candidacy on his website. During the presidential election campaign, the major-party candidates ran on a platform of change and reform in Washington. Governor Bill Halter would challenge Pryor in the primary, but Halter declined to file as a candidate. Incumbent Republican Mike Enzi was considered likely to be re-elected without significant opposition for a third term in strongly Republican Wyoming. It only became clear Begich had prevailed when early votes, absentee ballots, and questioned ballots were counted. Democrat. Kennedy took 20.47%. Which States Split Their Electoral Votes? Tom Udall, the popular Representative from New Mexico's 3rd District, was the Democratic nominee. [151] Texas House of Representatives member and Afghanistan War veteran Rick Noriega secured his place as Cornyn's Democratic challenger in the March 4 primary, beating out opponents Gene Kelly, Ray McMurrey, and Rhett Smith. PDF Help | This marked the first time that Nebraska has split its electoral vote since it moved away from the winner-take-all method in 1992. Toss Up. USA 2008 Presidential Election Shortcuts F - hold down to quickly fill in districts CTRL - hold down to decrement the color Enable Simulator District Electoral College The Electoral College is the process in which the United States elects its president. [27] Rebekah Kennedy of the Green Party was Pryor's only opposition. Content Responsibility | simplemaps_election.selected.R = ['AK', 'AL', 'AR', 'AZ', 'GA', 'ID', 'KS', 'KY', 'LA', 'MO', 'MS', 'MT', 'ND', 'NE', 'NE1', 'NE3', 'OK', 'TN', 'TX', 'UT', 'SC', 'SD', 'WY', 'WV']; Franken announced his candidacy on February 14, 2007, more than 20 months before the election. Since 2003 (108th Congress, 1st Session), the Senate has provided interactive seating plans to identify where each of the 100 members sit in the Chamber and which historic desk they use. Congress. Craig found almost no support among Republicans in his home state or Washington. A Rasmussen poll released May 11, 2008, showed Hagan leading Dole by a statistically insignificant margin, 48% - 47%,[122] suggesting a competitive race. 2008 Actual Election Results 2008 Election Facts McCain won Nebraska but Obama earned an electoral vote by winning the popular vote in the 2nd Congressional District. iOS and Web Dev UCSB CS c/o 2024 Project List. The first month of the Republican primaries was competitive with Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee securing a victory in the Iowa caucus and McCain winning New Hampshire. The last time a Cherokee Strip existed in the Senate Chamber was during the 76th Congress (19391941). However, in the weeks leading up to the 2008 general election, polls showed the race tightening, reflecting a general nationwide trend. The Electoral College is the process in which the United States elects its president. Former Governor and U.S. Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander was elected in 2002 to succeed retiring senator Fred Thompson. [120] The Democratic nominee was state senator Kay Hagan,[121] who defeated Jim Neal and Dustin Lassiter in the Democratic primary. The assignment of these desks is governed by a series of Senate resolutions. Obama received more votes than any candidate in history. Barrasso won on Election Day, taking 73% of the vote and winning every county in the state. Domenici's role in the developing scandal had reduced the probability he would have been re-elected, and a SurveyUSA poll showed his approval ratings at 41%, with 54% disapproving. ", Jacobson, Gary C. "The 2008 Presidential and Congressional Elections: AntiBush Referendum and Prospects for the Democratic Majority. 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. Sen. Trent Lott's surprise resignation has opened up the other Mississippi Senate seat in 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain. Robert Luis Santos, of Texas, to be Director of the Census for a term expiring December 31, 2026. Projected Senate: Dem 58 GOP 42 : Main page: Previous report: Next report: Senate polls Web.csv . Lautenberg won re-election, winning 56%-42%. 51 of 100 Seats Needed for Majority Current Senate: 53 ( D ); 45 ( R ); 2 ( I ) Blue Democratic Win Red Republican Win Yellow Other Party Win Light Teal Partial Results Dark Gray No Results Light. [119] There was early speculation that North Carolina Governor Mike Easley might be pressured into running against her but this did not come to pass. In the early years of the Senate an equal number of desks were placed on each side of the room, separated by a central passageway, without regard to party size. [109] The Republican nominee was former Congressman and 1996 senatorial candidate Dick Zimmer. Haley Barbour (R) named Rep. Roger Wicker (R . simplemaps_election.votes_by_state = {"AL":9,"AK":3,"AZ":10,"AR":6,"CA":55,"CO":9,"CT":7,"DE":3,"FL":27,"GA":15,"HI":4,"ID":4,"IL":21,"IN":11,"IA":7,"KS":6,"KY":8,"LA":9,"ME":2,"ME1":1,"ME2":1,"MD":10,"MA":12,"MI":17,"MN":9,"MS":6,"MO":11,"MT":3,"NE":2,"NE1":1,"NE2":1,"NE3":1,"NV":5,"NH":4,"NJ":15,"NM":5,"NY":31,"NC":15,"ND":3,"OH":20,"OK":7,"OR":7,"PA":21,"RI":4,"SC":8,"SD":3,"TN":11,"TX":34,"UT":5,"VT":3,"VA":13,"WA":11,"WV":5,"WI":10,"WY":3,"DC":3}; Electoral Vote Map is an interactive map to help you follow the 2024 presidential election. South Carolina's election law allows for electoral fusion. Congress. There were several unique aspects of the 2008 election. Democrats picked up net gains of eight Senate seats and 21 seats in the House of Representatives on the back of Obama's coattail effect. [8][9] Perry was endorsed by Alabama Statesmen,[10] Boston Tea Party,[11] and Christians for Life and Liberty. The presence of a serious third party candidate further complicated matters. [18], An ex-oil company executive, Bill Allen, paid for part of the renovation costs on Stevens's personal residence. Physician Steve Sauerberg of La Grange won the February 5 Republican primary. Summary of the November 4, 2008, United States Senate election results. Texas has not elected a Democrat in a statewide election since 1994, but according to pre-election Rasmussen polling, senator John Cornyn had an approval rating of 50%. McCain still won the white vote, though Obamas share of the vote was large enough to win in some Republican areas. On October 19, 2007, Johnson formally announced that he was seeking re-election. [110][111] Furthermore, in the wake of the financial crisis, Carl Peter Klapper entered the race as a write-in candidate.[112]. judge cancels special election to replace Lott", "Barbour's Attorney Appeals Special-Elex Ruling", "Mississippi Supreme Court sets election for November", "Former Rep. Shows running for Lott's seat", "Shows drops out of race to replace Lott", "US Senate Special Election Official Certification", "16th time a charm for veteran candidate", "Green Party's Larrick to enter Senate race", "Official Results of Nebraska Primary Election, May 13, 2008", "Anthony B. Fisher for U.S. Senate in 2008 official website", "Politics1 - Online Guide to New Jersey Politics", "Write In Carl Peter Klapper for United States Senator", "Republican Senator From New Mexico Is Said to Be Retiring", "SurveyUSA Approval Ratings for New Mexico Senators", "Sen. Ensign Says GOP Majority Would Be 'Fairly Miraculous', "Mary Easley has active public life, but she's no Hillary Clinton", Beating a Popular Incumbent | SKDKnickerbocker, "Oklahoma State Election Board - Primary Election 2008", "Oregon Senate: Merkley tops Smith for first time 43% to 41%", "Merkley ready for Senate race victory lap", "Oregon Secretary of State: Official Results May 2008 Primary Election", "Graham beats GOP challenger in SC Senate primary", "US Senate primary recount: Conley to face Graham", "South Carolina Working Families Party Nominates - Ballot Access News", "The Associated Press: Johnson to Run for Senate After Illness", "South Dakota Secretary of State, Shantel Krebs", "Alexander Running Again, Sets Fundraiser". Democratic Senator Barack Obama of Illinois won the presidential election, by defeating his challenger, Senator John McCain, and the Democrats bolstered their majority in both Houses of Congress. [169] In the primary on August 19, Goodenough was defeated by a political newcomer, Gillette defense attorney Nick Carter, who became Barrasso's opponent in the general election.[170]. New Hampshire also saw major Democratic gains in the 2006 elections, when Democrats took both of the previously Republican-held House seats, the gubernatorial race with a record vote share of 74%, and majorities in the State House and Senate, giving them concurrent control of both bodies for the first time since 1874. As of 2023, this is the latest round in which a newly-elected U.S. The major theme during the campaign was the American public's general desire of change and reform from both Washington and the policies of President Bush. The South Carolina Working Families Party had also nominated Michael Cone. 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 6040 (providing the Democrats, including the two Independent senators who caucus with them, a supermajority and thus able to hypothetically over-ride any filibusters). Republican. senate.gov - Origins On August 27, 2007, state Treasurer John Neely Kennedy announced he was switching parties from Democrat to Republican. Projected Senate: Dem 59 GOP 41 : Main page: Previous report: Next report: Senate polls Web.csv . Reed's opponent was Robert Tingle, a pit manager at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, whom Reed defeated in his re-election campaign in 2002.[135]. Incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg sought re-election in 2008, though he was 84. Nebraska state Green Party Co-Chairman Steve Larrick was also a candidate,[101] as was Kelly Rosberg of the Nebraska Party. [24], On October 19, 2007, the AP reported that despite the allegations and FBI probe, several veteran GOP Senatorsincluding 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.[25]. Republicans gained a seat in a January 2010 special election in Massachusetts, thereby making the balance 5941 before the start of the next election cycle. [51], Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin remained favored in Illinois. 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. President Bush won Montana by more than 20 points in both 2000 and 2004, but Montana also had a popular Democratic governor, Brian Schweitzer, and a newly elected Democratic junior senator, Jon Tester. [53] Kathy Cummings, a retired special education teacher was nominated via convention by the Green Party. The 2008 electoral map is above. [104] Prior to Shaheen's entry, Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand,[105] Katrina Swett, wife of former Democratic congressman Richard Swett,[106] and former astronaut Jay Buckey[107] had announced that they were running for the Democratic nomination. For the Georgia senate race, votes from the runoff election are counted. This is the first time this has occurred in any chamber of any state legislature in United States history. Incumbent John Kerry sought another Senate term in Massachusetts. to easily win re-election. Republicans were unsuccessful in persuading Governor Mike Rounds and former Lieutenant Governor Steve Kirby to run. . In Maine, Susan Collins sought a third term in the Senate. 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. 2023 Electoral Ventures LLC. Democratic former Governor Ronnie Musgrove challenged Wicker. Incumbent Republican John E. Sununu represented the swing state of New Hampshire. When a seat became open, the first senator to speak for it won the right to it. On November 29, after being personally recruited by Vitter and former Bush administration official Karl Rove, Kennedy announced plans to challenge Landrieu in 2008.[63][64]. The state has become more Republican over the past 12 years. ", This page was last edited on 10 February 2023, at 06:45. Select a state to learn about its history in the United States Senate Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon ran for a third term. In Oklahoma, senator Jim Inhofe announced that he would seek a third full term. During the 89th Congress (19651967), four senators were placed in an unusual fifth row behind the Democratic senators. Historically, the Senate Chamber desks were assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. To win the presidency, a candidate must win a majority of all electors. Image Reproduction Requests. [5] 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.[5]. By the 1930s, it had become the practice for senior senators to take front-row, center-aisle seats; junior majority party members who filled the Cherokee Strip were assigned either rear-row or end seats on the minority party side. He also secured wins in Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, and New Mexico, which were not reliable parts of the Democratic coalition to that point. He was expected[by whom?] These voting patterns translated into an Obama victory with inroads into the South and West. Stevens was the most senior U.S. When one party elected more than half the senators, some majority party members had to find space on the minority party side of the aisle. Latinos and the 2008 Presidential Election. Elections to state legislatures were held on November 4, 2008, alongside other elections, in which Democrats scored significant gains in a blue wave election. [66] Republican author and conservative activist Jerome Corsi, known for his public criticism of Kerry, had stated that he would run for the seat in 2008 but later changed his mind. 2008 United States House of Representatives elections, 2008 United States gubernatorial elections, 2008 United States state legislative elections, "Democrats Poised For Landslide Wins In House", "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 2008", https://ballotpedia.org/State_legislative_elections,_2008, "New York - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times", "Tennessee Republicans win slim majority in State House", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2008_United_States_elections&oldid=1138541683, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with dead external links from August 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Barreto, Matt A., et al. The 2008 United States elections were held on November 4. Libertarian Kent Marmon also ran. [88] Cochran, who has not faced serious opposition since he was re-elected in 1984, faced Democratic state Representative Erik R. Fleming, whom he defeated with 61% of the vote. As of 2023, Stevens still holds this record. [citation needed] Franken was sworn in as Minnesota's junior senator on July 7. Barkley, who had briefly been appointed Senator after the death of Paul Wellstone in 2002, ran under the banner of the Independence Party, the largest third party in Minnesota. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. After that, senators have the opportunity to relocate. Share This Map. Once thought to be secure in his re-election, McConnell's lead had shrunk dramatically thanks to the financial crisis and polling showed the race tightening between him and Lunsford. Sara Lobman of the Socialist Workers Party and Independent Anthony Fisher were also declared candidates. Pryor is the son of longtime U.S. senator and former Arkansas Governor David Pryor. When the Senate moved to its current Chamber in 1859, the practice of dividing the desks equally continued for several years even though the new Chamber was large enough to permit a flexible seating arrangement. A December 2007 poll showed Coleman's approval rating among Minnesota voters at 53%. Palins selection initially bumped McCains popularity, though gaffes on the campaign trail offset this boost. Click on the states in the map to toggle them between Democrat, Republican and Tossup. 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. Midterm Election Map 2018: Live Results - ABC News Follow hourly state-by-state senate, governor and house results and see who is in the lead Democrats or Republicans. He ran for the Tennessee House in 2004.[147]. Senator Lindsey Graham, as a popular Republican incumbent in strongly conservative South Carolina, had been considered unlikely to be vulnerable to a Democratic challenge. Localized groups supporting Obama and Biden were able to sign up through the main campaign site, which gathered contact info for mobilization purposes. "Daniel Lewis Is Libertarian Candidate For U.S. Senate", "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives", Noriega avoids runoff in Senate bid; Cornyn wins easily, "Our Campaigns - TX US Senate - D Primary Race - Mar 04, 2008", "Our Campaigns - TX US Senate - R Primary Race - Mar 04, 2008", "Democrat Warner Holds Large Lead Over Davis and Gilmore", "Senate Mourns Death of Wyoming Republican Craig Thomas", "Goodenough announces Senate bid against Barrasso | KULR-8 TELEVISION - Billings, Montana | Wyoming State News", Political newcomer Carter will face Barrasso, Cook Political Report 2008 Senate Race Ratings, Intrade Composite Poll - Supermajority Predictions, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2008_United_States_Senate_elections&oldid=1142360887, November 2008 events in the United States, Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Articles with dead external links from July 2016, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from June 2016, Articles with dead external links from September 2017, Articles with dead external links from July 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2013, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from March 2013, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 00:07. The United States Senate is the upper legislature of the bicameral legislative branch. In 1988 and 2000, the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominees Lloyd Bentsen and Joe Lieberman, ran similarly for their seat in Texas and Connecticut, respectively. Nine states changed allegiance from the 2004 election. The Democrats gained 8 seats, while the Republicans did not gain a seat. The 2008 presidential election focused on a national economic crisis that evolved throughout the race. [163] Democrats Sheirl Fletcher and Billy Hendricks challenged Rockefeller in the primary but were defeated. 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. Table of Contents 1 2008 Election Results 2 Primaries 3 Economic Issues 4 National Security 5 Strategy 6 2008 Election Results The only governorship that changed party hands was in Missouri: Democrat Jay Nixon was elected to replace Blunt, who chose to retire instead of seeking a second term. Two senators from each state are elected to represent their state. . Pryor won on election day, with 79.53% of the vote. On November 24, 2008, Governor Minner appointed Biden's longtime Chief of Staff Ted Kaufman to fill the seat. The goal of having two senators per state is to have each state equally represented in the senate. In nine races the margin of victory was under 10%. Additionally, they won Republican-held open seats in Colorado, New Mexico, and Virginia. This seat was the tipping point state in the 2008 senate elections. 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. Privacy Policy | Independent. In December 2007, Chambliss had an approval rating of 53% and a disapproval rating of 34% according to Strategic Vision, a Republican polling firm. The prior record, about 62 million, was set in 2004 by George W. Bush. On November 18, the race was called for Begich, who won with 47.8% to Stevens's 46.5%. The United States Senate is the upper legislature of the bicameral legislative branch. Obama and U.S. Senator Pat Roberts sought re-election to a third term. Map of the 2008 Senate races using the latest state polls. [81] Attorney Mike Ciresi, an unsuccessful candidate in the 2000 Democratic U.S. Senate primary, was considered a serious candidate, but withdrew from the race on March 10, 2008, clearing the path for Franken to secure the party's nomination. McCain suggested that government-aided bodies like the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) failed to offset these risks. The United States Senate is the upper legislature of the bicameral legislative branch. RCP Senate Map Race Changes; Senate No Toss Ups Race Changes; RCP House Map; 49: Democrats * Senator to ever lose re-election, defeating Warren Magnuson's 1980 record. Senator, Kay Hagan, has since died. Sections Sections Top Stories Video Live U.S. They increased their total number of seats to 257, the largest number of seats held by either party in the House since Democrats lost control of Congress in the 1994 elections. Republicans need a net gain of four seats in November to win control of the Senate. In this cycle the DSCC was more successful at fundraising. On November 4, 2008, Coleman received 1,211,590 votes to Franken's 1,211,375 votes, a margin of 215 votes, far less than 0.1%, thereby triggering an automatic recount. The 2008 United States Senate elections were held on November 4, 2008, with 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested. On January 15, 2007, incumbent senator Wayne Allard (R) announced he would not seek re-election, honoring his pledge to serve no more than two terms.[30]. The Senate seat in Connecticut is counted as a . Build your own road to 270 starting with a map of reliably red and blue states, as well as the battlegrounds CNN is tracking . Merkley beat longtime Democratic activist Steve Novick and three other candidates in a hotly contested primary. He also disconnected himself from the Bush administration, which became unpopular due to the financial crisis and the ongoing conflict in Iraq. McCain and Obama both voted for a 2008 Senate bill to authorize the Treasury Department to purchase up to $700 billion in securities to prevent additional bankruptcies. [31] Other possible Republican candidates included former Congressman Scott McInnis and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers. "The enduring allure of charisma: How Barack Obama won the historic 2008 presidential election. Johnny Swanson announced his candidacy in March 2006 for the Democratic nomination.[6]. [19] Two former Veco executives have plead guilty to paying the younger Stevens $242,000 in bribes. Oct. 14: Senate Races. Wolfe had 36%. A Brief History of Electoral College Reform Efforts, The New Electoral Map After the 2020 Census, How the 2020 Election Could End In an Electoral Tie, The Electoral College Is Not About The Little Guy, Faithless Electors are a Ticking Time Bomb Waiting to Explode. He was certified March 3, 2008, by the Tennessee Division of Elections as having achieved ballot access for the November 4, 2008, election as a candidate for United States Senate. 98%. When asked whether the Republicans were abandoning their hopes of holding onto Domenici's seat, senator John Ensign, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, responded that "You dont waste money on races that dont need it or you cant win."[116]. Roger Wicker, formerly the representative of Mississippi's 1st congressional district, was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour on December 31, 2007, to fill the vacancy caused by the December 18 resignation of Trent Lott.