United States Senate election in Texas, 2008
United States Senate election in Texas, 2008
|
2002 ←
|
November 4, 2008
|
→ 2014
|
|
|
|
|
| County results |
|
The 2008 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn won re-election to a second term.
Background
Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994. Texas' senior senator is Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison, who was re-elected with 62% of the vote in the 2006 midterm elections. Texas Governor Rick Perry, also of the GOP, won re-election with 39% of the vote in 2006, in a five way race.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Results
General election
Candidates
- John Cornyn (R), incumbent U.S. Senator
- Rick Noriega (D), State Representative
- Yvonne Adams Schick (L), real estate entrepreneur[3]
Campaign
Cornyn, a popular incumbent, had a 42% approval rating with a 43% disapproval rating in June 2007.[4] Texas is a very 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.
Predictions
CQ Politics rated this race as 'Republican Favored'.[5] The Cook Political Report considered it 'Solid Republican'.[6] The Rothenberg Political Report considered it a 'Safe Republican'.[7]
Polling
| Poll Source |
Dates administered |
Rick Noriega (D) |
John Cornyn (R) |
| Rasmussen Reports |
October 21, 2008 |
40% |
55% |
| Rasmussen Reports |
September 29, 2008 |
43% |
50% |
| Rasmussen Reports |
July 30, 2008 |
39% |
50% |
| Rasmussen Reports |
June 25, 2008 |
35% |
48% |
| Rasmussen Reports |
June 2, 2008 |
35% |
52% |
| Baselice & Associates |
May 20–25, 2008 |
33% |
49% |
| Research 2000/Daily Kos |
May 5–7, 2008 |
44% |
48% |
| Rasmussen Reports |
May 1, 2008 |
43% |
47% |
| Research 2000 |
September 24–26, 2007 |
35% |
51% |
| Rasmussen |
September 18, 2007 |
30% |
53% |
Results
| 2008 Texas U.S. Senate general election |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Republican |
John Cornyn |
4,337,469 |
54.82 |
-0.48 |
|
Democratic |
Rick Noriega |
3,389,365 |
42.83 |
-0.50 |
|
Libertarian |
Yvonne Adams Schick |
185,241 |
2.34 |
+1.55 |
| Majority |
948,104 |
|
|
| Turnout |
7,912,075 |
58.28 |
|
|
Republican hold |
Swing |
|
|
References
External links