The 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in California were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who would represent California various congressional districts in the United States House of Representatives. In the 111th Congress, California has 53 seats in the House, apportioned accordingly after the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected to two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009, to January 3, 2011. The election coincides with the United States presidential election as well as other elections in California.
According to CQ Politics, the districts considered the most competitive were the 4th and 11th, with the 3rd, 8th, 26th, 46th and 50th as less than safe as well.[1] However, the partisan balance of the state's congressional delegation did not change, despite the strong Democratic dominance during the broader elections.
Overview
United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2008[2]
On December 2, 2008, Republican Tom McClintock declared victory over Democrat Charlie Brown in the race in the 4th congressional district. Brown conceded his defeat the next day. The race had been so close that it took four weeks of counting all mailed and provisional ballots before McClintock could be assured of victory.
Pollster
Dates
Respondents
McClintock
Brown
Other
Undecided
Val Smith (R-McClintock)
10/21-22/08
400 likely voters
49%
40%
-
-
Val Smith (R-McClintock)
9/22-24/08
400 likely voters
47%
39%
-
-
Benenson Strategy (D-Brown)
8/21-24/08
500 likely voters
41%
43%
-
15%
Benenson Strategy (D-Brown)
5/14-15/08
400 likely voters
40%
42%
-
18%
Charlie Brown is a retired Air Force officer who first ran for this seat in 2006, losing to incumbent John Doolittle by three percent of the vote. Brown announced in February 2007 that he would run again in 2008. Doolittle's prospects for reelection suffered because of a federal investigation into his alleged ties to Jack Abramoff. In April 2007, the FBI raided Doolittle's Virginia home. Doolittle denies all wrongdoing, and has not been charged with any crime. On January 10, 2008, Doolittle announced that he would finish his term but not run for re-election.[9]
On March 4, 2008, State Senator Tom McClintock of Thousand Oaks officially launched his campaign for this district at the Placer County Courthouse in Auburn. McClintock received immediate endorsements from local and state Republicans, including State Senator Sam Aanasted, State Assemblyman Ted Gaines, State Assemblyman Rick Keene, Auburn City Councilman Kevin Hanley, Yuba County Supervisor Dan Logue, and Nevada County Supervisor Sue Horne. [10]
In the primary election on June 3, 2008, Tom McClintock won the Republican primary with 54% of the vote ahead of Doug Ose, Suzanne Jones, and Theodore Terbolizard, in that order.[12] Other Republican candidates had withdrawn from the race and thus did not appear on the ballot, including Rico Oller, Eric Egland, and Auburn City Councilman Mike Holmes.[13] Charlie Brown won the Democratic primary with 88% of the vote, ahead of John "Wolf" Wolfgram,[12] who had little financial support.[14]
The eighth congressional district has been represented by Democrat Nancy Pelosi since 1993, when the area was redistricted from the 5th congressional district. Pelosi, who is Speaker of the House, is considered safe for re-election, but Iraq War activist Cindy Sheehan announced that she would consider running against Pelosi if Pelosi did not put in an article of impeachment against PresidentGeorge W. Bush and Vice PresidentDick Cheney.[15] She qualified for the ballot as an independent candidate and was endorsed by the Peace and Freedom Party.[16]
California's 12th congressional district is represented by Democrat Jackie Speier. She won a special election months before the general election to replace Tom Lantos, who represented the district from 1981 until his death due to esophageal cancer at the age of 80 in 2008. Lantos had announced that he would not seek re-election due to his declining health. This overwhelmingly Democratic district comprises mainly northern San Mateo County and the Sunset area of San Francisco.
California's 13th congressional district has been represented by Democrat Pete Stark since 1973. Often regarded as the most liberal member of Congress (and its only atheist), Stark ran for re-election and was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.[17] His overwhelmingly Democratic district is centered in the East Bay and includes Hayward.
California's 24th congressional district has been represented by Republican Elton Gallegly since 1987. Although he had claimed that his 2006 campaign would be his last, Gallegly has announced that he intends to seek another term in 2008. Republican State Senator Tom McClintock, who has name statewide recognition from his several statewide campaigns, would have considered the likely frontrunner were there an open seat but moved to an open seat in Northern California's 4th District in 2008. McClintock had been an intra-party rival to Gallegly, who had hoped to have a political ally nominated to succeed him. Bush won 55% here in 2004.
California's 38th congressional district has been represented by Democrat Grace Napolitano since 1999. Napolitano's heavily Democratic east Los Angeles-based district is a largely Hispanic one that includes Montebello, Pico Rivera, La Puente, and part of Norwalk.
California's 41st congressional district has been represented by Republican Jerry Lewis since 1979. Lewis served as the chair of the House Appropriations Committee when Republicans controlled the House. Lewis, who will be 74 in 2008, has come under investigation for connections to the Copeland Lowery lobbying firm. In spite of speculation that he would retire, Lewis announced he would seek reelection on August 31.[18] Bush won 62% here in 2004.
California's 42nd congressional district is one of the most conservative districts in the state, and has been represented by Republican Gary Miller since 1999. Before the election, Miller suffered bad press, with four ex-aides accusing him of conflict-of-interest and using his position to profit from the sale of personal land holdings.[19]
California's 47th congressional district was represented by Democrat Loretta Sanchez since 1997. Sanchez won 62% of the vote in a district that barely went to George W. Bush with around 50% to 49% in 2004, which could have resulted in an opening for Republicans, who had not recruited a strong candidate in years. This year, Republican Rosie Avila hoped to oust Sanchez. However, Sanchez's district is located in one of the more Democratic areas of Orange County, including Anaheim and Santa Ana, and Al Gore won this district in 2000 by a comfortable margin.
California's 50th congressional district has been represented by Republican Brian Bilbray since 2006. Bilbray won 53% of the vote in a Republican-leaning district north of San Diego that was previously represented by the scandal-plagued Duke Cunningham (R). George W. Bush won 54% here in 2004. Nick Leibham won against Cheryl Ede in the Democratic primary. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
