2008 United States gubernatorial elections
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13 governorships 11 states; 2 territories | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Map of the results Democratic gain Democratic hold Republican hold New Progressive gain Nonpartisan politician No election |
United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 4, 2008, in 11 states and two territories. Prior to the election, eight of the total seats were held by
These elections coincided with the
Election predictions
State | Incumbent | Last race |
Rothenberg November 2, 2008[3] |
RCP November 4, 2008[4] |
Result | ||
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Delaware | Ruth Ann Minner(term-limited) | 50.9% D | Safe D | Safe D | Safe D | Safe D | Markell (67.5%) |
Indiana | Mitch Daniels |
53.2% R | Lean R | Lean R | Likely R | Lean R | Daniels (57.8%) |
Missouri | Matt Blunt (retired) | 50.8% R | Lean D (flip) | Lean D (flip) | Likely D (flip) | Likely D (flip) | Nixon (58.4%) |
Montana | Brian Schweitzer |
50.4% D | Safe D | Safe D | Safe D | Safe D | Schweitzer (65.5%) |
New Hampshire | John Lynch |
74.0% D | Safe D | Safe D | Safe D | Safe D | Lynch (70.1%) |
North Carolina | Mike Easley |
55.6% D | Tossup | Lean D | Tossup | Tossup | Perdue (50.3%) |
North Dakota | John Hoeven | 71.3% R | Safe R | Safe R | Safe R | Safe R | Hoeven (74.4%) |
Utah | Jon Huntsman Jr. | 57.7% R | Safe R | Safe R | Safe R | Safe R | Huntsman Jr. (77.6%) |
Vermont | Jim Douglas | 56.3% R | Likely R | Likely R | Safe R | Safe R | Douglas (53.4%) |
Washington | Christine Gregoire |
48.9% D | Tossup | Lean D | Tossup | Tossup | Gregoire (53.0%) |
West Virginia | Joe Manchin | 63.5% D | Safe D | Safe D | Safe D | Safe D | Manchin (69.8%) |
Race Summary
States
State | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
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Delaware | Ruth Ann Minner | Democratic | 2000 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Democratic hold. |
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Indiana | Mitch Daniels | Republican | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Missouri | Matt Blunt | Republican | 2004 | Incumbent retired. New governor elected. Democratic gain. |
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Montana | Brian Schweitzer | Democratic | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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New Hampshire | John Lynch | Democratic | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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North Carolina | Mike Easley | Democratic | 2000 | Incumbent term-limited. New governor elected. Democratic hold. |
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North Dakota | John Hoeven | Republican | 2000 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Utah | Jon Huntsman Jr. | Republican | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Vermont | Jim Douglas | Republican | 2002 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Washington | Christine Gregoire | Democratic | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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West Virginia | Joe Manchin | Democratic | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Territories
Territory | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
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American Samoa | Togiola Tulafono | Democratic | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected .
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Puerto Rico | Aníbal Acevedo Vilá | Popular Democratic | 2004 | Incumbent lost re-election. New governor elected .New Progressive gain. |
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Closest races
States where the margin of victory was under 5%:
- North Carolina, 3.39%
States where the margin of victory was under 10%:
- Washington, 6.45%
Blue denotes states won by Democrats.
Delaware
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County results | |||||||||||||||||
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The race got more attention due to the vice presidential candidacy of
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Democratic | Jack Markell | 266,861 | 67.52 | |
Republican | William Swain Lee | 126,662 | 32.05 | |
Blue Enigma | Jeffrey Brown | 1,681 | 0.43 | |
Total votes | 395,204 | 100.00 | ||
Democratic hold |
Indiana
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County results | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Mitch Daniels[6] faced Democratic nominee former Congresswoman and Undersecretary of Agriculture Jill Long Thompson,[7] and Libertarian nominee engineer Andy Horning,[8] who also ran for governor in 2000.
Some pundits thought Mitch Daniels was vulnerable in 2008, but polling taken by SurveyUSA on October 21 and 22, 2008 showed him with a significant 54–35 lead. He won re-election easily, confirming these predictions.
While Indiana had not voted Democratic for president since 1964, Daniels was the first Republican elected governor in 16 years there. Daniels was also endorsed by the state's largest newspapers, the
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | Mitch Daniels (incumbent) | 1,563,885 | 57.84 | |
Democratic | Jill Long Thompson | 1,082,463 | 40.04 | |
Libertarian | Andy Horning | 57,376 | 2.12 | |
Write-in | 27 | 0.00 | ||
Total votes | 2,703,751 | 100.00 | ||
Republican hold |
Missouri
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County results | |||||||||||||||||
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Matt Blunt was considered to be the most vulnerable incumbent in the 2008 election cycle, but decided on January 22, 2008, not to seek re-election.[10] Blunt's approval rating was the nation's second-lowest after Governor Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky for much of 2007, though his approval rating improved and approached 50% in a May poll conducted by SurveyUSA.
The Republican nominee was Congressman Kenny Hulshof. The Democratic nominee was four-term Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 1998. Nixon defeated Hulshof comfortably, despite the fact that Missouri ultimately voted for John McCain, a Republican, for president. Missouri was the only state not to re-elect the incumbent party for governor in 2008.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Democratic | Jay Nixon | 1,680,611 | 58.40 | |
Republican | Kenny Hulshof | 1,136,364 | 39.49 | |
Libertarian | Andrew Finkenstadt | 31,850 | 1.11 | |
Constitution | Gregory Thompson | 28,941 | 1.01 | |
Write-in | 12 | 0.00 | ||
Total votes | 2,877,778 | 100.00 | ||
Democratic gain from Republican |
Montana
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County results | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Democrat Brian Schweitzer of Montana (running with Lt. Governor John Bohlinger) was heavily favored to win re-election as he had better funding and high approval ratings as current Governor. The Republican nominee was State Senator Roy Brown (running with Steve Daines), and the Libertarian nominee was Stan Jones (running with Michael Baker).[11] Schweitzer won some press coverage with his well-received speech to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.[12] He was criticized, however, for a speech in July in which he jested that he helped defeat U.S. Senator Conrad Burns in 2006 by tampering with the vote totals,[13] which he insisted was purely a joke. Schweitzer won re-election by a comfortable margin despite the criticism.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Democratic | Brian Schweitzer (incumbent) | 318,670 | 65.47 | |
Republican | Roy Brown | 158,268 | 32.52 | |
Libertarian | Stan Jones | 9,796 | 2.01 | |
Total votes | 486,734 | 100.00 | ||
Democratic hold |
New Hampshire
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County results | |||||||||||||||||
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In
NOTE: New Hampshire's gubernatorial elections are held every in alternate (even-numbered) years, instead of every fourth year.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Democratic | John Lynch (incumbent) | 479,042 | 70.15 | |
Republican | Joseph Kenney | 188,555 | 27.61 | |
Libertarian | Susan Newell | 14,987 | 2.19 | |
Write-in | 326 | 0.05 | ||
Total votes | 682,910 | 100.00 | ||
Democratic hold |
North Carolina
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County results | |||||||||||||||||
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Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Democratic | Bev Perdue | 2,146,189 | 50.27 | |
Republican | Pat McCrory | 2,001,168 | 46.88 | |
Libertarian | Michael Munger | 121,584 | 2.85 | |
Total votes | 4,268,941 | 100.00 | ||
Democratic hold |
North Dakota
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County results | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Republican John Hoeven announced he would seek re-election for a third term in 2008.[18] He won re-election with 74% of the vote. Soundly defeating the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, State Senator Tim Mathern,[19] (24%) and independent candidate DuWayne Hendrickson (2%).
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | John Hoeven (incumbent) | 235,009 | 74.44 | |
Democratic–NPL | Tim Mathern | 74,279 | 23.53 | |
Independent
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DuWayne Hendrickson | 6,404 | 2.03 | |
Total votes | 315,692 | 100.00 | ||
Republican hold |
Utah
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County results | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | Jon Huntsman Jr. (incumbent) | 735,049 | 77.63 | |
Democratic | Bob Springmeyer | 186,503 | 19.72 | |
Libertarian | Dell Schanze | 24,820 | 2.62 | |
Write-in | 153 | 0.02 | ||
Total votes | 945,525 | 100.00 | ||
Republican hold |
Vermont
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County results | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Three-term incumbent
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Republican | Jim Douglas (incumbent) | 170,492 | 53.43 | |
Independent
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Anthony Pollina | 69,791 | 21.87 | |
Democratic | Gaye Symington | 69,534 | 21.79 | |
Independent
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Tony O'Connor | 3,106 | 0.97 | |
Independent
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Sam Young | 2,490 | 0.78 | |
Liberty Union
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Peter Diamondstone | 1,710 | 0.54 | |
Independent
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Cris Ericson | 1,704 | 0.53 | |
Write-in | 258 | 0.08 | ||
Total votes | 319,085 | 100.00 | ||
Republican hold |
Washington
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County results | |||||||||||||||||
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Democrat
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Democratic | Christine Gregoire (incumbent) | 1,598,738 | 53.00 | |
Republican | Dino Rossi | 1,404,124 | 46.55 | |
Write-in | 13,502 | 0.45 | ||
Total votes | 3,016,364 | 100.00 | ||
Democratic hold |
West Virginia
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County results | |||||||||||||||||
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Democrat Joe Manchin ran for re-election in West Virginia and was heavily favored according to pre-election polls. On November 4, he faced former State Senator Russ Weeks, a Republican, and Mountain Party candidate Jesse Johnson, who ran in 2004.[31] Butch Paugh of the Constitution Party also attempted a run but failed to qualify for the ballot.[32] Manchin won re-election by a landslide.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Democratic | Joe Manchin (incumbent) | 492,697 | 69.81 | |
Republican | Russ Weeks | 181,612 | 25.73 | |
Mountain | Jesse Johnson
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31,486 | 4.46 | |
Total votes | 705,795 | 100.00 | ||
Democratic hold |
Territories
American Samoa
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Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Nonpartisan
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Togiola Tulafono (incumbent) | 6,590 | 56.45 | |
Nonpartisan
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Utu Abe Malae | 5,084 | 43.55 | |
Total votes | 11,674 | 100.00 | ||
Democratic hold |
Puerto Rico
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Municipality results | |||||||||||||||||
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Aníbal Acevedo Vilá of Puerto Rico ran for a second term in 2008. In 2004, Acevedo narrowly beat former Governor and Senator Pedro Rosselló, also a Democrat, by a mere 3,566 votes.
Republican at-large
The Puerto Rican Independence Party's candidate was Edwin Irizarry Mora, while a fourth candidate, Rogelio Figueroa (Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party), ran on an environmentalist platform.
Acevedo was defeated by Fortuño on election day. The federal indictment against Acevedo for alleged corruption schemes when he was in Congress, and generally low approval, may have been a drag on his candidacy and chances of winning re-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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New Progressive | Luis Fortuño | 1,025,965 | 52.77 | |
Popular Democratic | Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (incumbent) | 801,071 | 41.29 | |
Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico | Rogelio Figueroa | 53,693 | 2.76 | |
Independence | Edwin Irizarry Mora | 39,590 | 2.04 | |
Write-in | 13,215 | 0.64 | ||
Total votes | 1,933,534 | 100.00 | ||
New Progressive gain from Popular Democratic |
Overall results
At the
See also
References
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- ^ "THE LAST LAST WORD The Crystal Ball's Final Projections for the 2008 Election". Sabato's Crystal Ball. 3 November 2008. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
- ^ "2008 Gubernatorial Ratings". Gubernatorial Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
- ^ "2008 Governor races". RealClearPolitics. November 4, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
- ^ "Indiana General Election November 4, 2008, Statewide". Indiana Secretary of State. 2008-11-04. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
- ^ Mitch Daniels campaign website
- ^ Jill Long Thompson campaign website
- ^ "campaign website Andy Horning". Archived from the original on 2008-10-29. Retrieved 2008-04-26.
- ^ "Indiana General Election November 4, 2008, Statewide". Indiana Secretary of State. 2008-11-04. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
- ^ "Missourians for Matt Blunt". Missourians for Matt Blunt. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Sen. Roy Brown to seek Republican nomination for governorPosted on Oct. 30". missoulian.com. Associated Press. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Schweitzer Speech Energizes the Convention". blogs.forbes.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "Schweitzer catches heat over July speech".
- ^ "2008 Statewide General Canvass - November 4th, 2008" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ "Kenney for Governor". www.kenney08.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "Summary Governor". Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
- ^ "Clarity Elections". Archived from the original on 2010-03-25. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
- ^ "Hoeven for Governor". hoevengovernor.com. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Welcome to nginx!". www.mathern.org. Archived from the original on 29 October 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "ND Secretary of State Election Management System - Statewide Election Results". Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
- ^ "A daunting task: Springmeyer to challenge popular Gov. Huntsman". sltrib.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 11, 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2008.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Gunzburger, Ron. "Politics1 - Online Guide to Vermont Politics". www.politics1.com. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Christine Gregoire campaign website". Archived from the original on 2009-09-30. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
- ^ Dino Rossi campaign website
- ^ Garber, Andrew (October 23, 2007). "Rossi due to make rematch official". The Seattle Times.
- ^ "SurveyUSA Election Poll #13982". www.surveyusa.com. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Rasmussen Reports: The most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a presidential election". www.rasmussenreports.com. Archived from the original on 5 April 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "2008 Gubernatorial General Election Results". US Election Atlas. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "November 4, 2008 General Election – State Executive". Washington Office of the Secretary of State. 2008-11-12. Archived from the original on 2010-11-15. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
- ^ Gunzburger, Ron. "Politics1 - Online Guide to West Virginia Elections, Candidates & Politics". www.politics1.com. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Constitution Party West Virginia Petition - Ballot Access News". www.ballot-access.org. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-04. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "CSC graduate wins runoff election in American Samoa". Southwest Nebraska News. 2004-11-24. Archived from the original on 2008-12-08. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
- ^ "Togiola, Ipulasi Announce Re-election Bid". Pacific Magazine. 2008-05-11. Archived from the original on 2008-10-12. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
- ^ Sagapolutele, Fili (2008-10-31). "17,000 Registered Voters Ready For The Polls In American Samoa". Pacific Magazine. Retrieved 2008-11-02.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "UNOFFICIAL RESULTS GENERAL ELECTION 2008: GOVERNOR & LT. GOVERNOR NOVEMBER 4, 2008". American Samoa Government Election Office. Archived from the original on 26 November 2008. Retrieved 3 December 2008.