2008 United States Senate election in Iowa
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County results Harkin: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Reed: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Iowa |
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The 2008 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Senator
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 2023[update]
, this is the last time that a Democrat has won a U.S. Senate election in Iowa.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- U.S. Senator
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Tom Harkin (incumbent) | 90,785 | 98.83% | |
Democratic | Write-ins | 1,074 | 1.17% | |
Total votes | 91,859 | 100.00% |
Republican primary
Candidates
- George Eichhorn, former Iowa State Representative
- Steve Rathje, construction company executive
- Christopher Reed, small businessman
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Christopher Reed | 24,964 | 35.32% | |
Republican | George Eichhorn | 24,390 | 34.52% | |
Republican | Steve Rathje | 21,062 | 29.80% | |
Republican | Write-ins | 256 | 0.36% | |
Total votes | 70,672 | 100.00% |
General election
Predictions
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report[2]
|
Safe D | October 23, 2008 |
CQ Politics[3] | Safe D | October 31, 2008 |
Rothenberg Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
Real Clear Politics[5]
|
Safe D | November 4, 2008 |
Polling
Poll source | Dates administered | Christopher Reed (R) |
Tom Harkin (D) |
---|---|---|---|
Survey USA | April 21–23, 2008 | 20% | 59% |
Research 2000 | June 10, 2008 | 37% | 53% |
Rasmussen Reports | July 10, 2008 | 37% | 55% |
Rasmussen Reports | August 7, 2008 | 36% | 60% |
Rasmussen Reports | September 17–18, 2008 | 37% | 60% |
Survey USA | October 23, 2008 | 41% | 57% |
Rasmussen Reports | October 29, 2008 | 35% | 61% |
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Tom Harkin (incumbent) | 941,665 | 62.66% | +8.48% | |
Republican | Christopher Reed | 560,006 | 37.26% | -6.52% | |
Write-in | 1,247 | 0.08% | N/A | ||
Majority | 381,659 | 25.39% | +15.00% | ||
Turnout | 1,502,918 | ||||
Democratic hold | Swing |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Butler (Largest city: Parkersburg)
- Crawford (Largest city: Denison)
- Delaware (Largest city: Manchester)
- Van Buren (Largest city: Keosauqua)
- Plymouth (largest city: Le Mars)
- Grundy (largest city: Grundy Center)
- Harrison (largest city: Missouri Valley)
- Cass (largest city: Atlantic)
- Ida (largest city: Ida Grove)
- Fremont (largest city: Sidney)
- Pottawattamie (largest city: Council Bluffs)
- Sac (largest city: Sac City)
- Shelby (largest city: Harlan)
- Marion (largest city: Pella)
- Mills (largest city: Glenwood)
- Montgomery (largest city: Red Oak)
- Mahaska (largest city: Oskaloosa)
See also
References
- ^ a b "Official Results Report 2008 Primary Election" (PDF). Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ^ "2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ Race Ratings Chart: Senate Archived October 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine CQ Politics
- ^ "2008 Senate ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ "2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
- ^ "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 2008" (PDF). Retrieved January 17, 2020.