2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana

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2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana
Flag of Indiana.svg
←  2006 November 4, 2008 (2008-11-04) 2010  →
All 9 Indiana seats to the United States House of Representatives
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election54
Seats won54
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Popular vote1,388,9631,240,577
Percentage51.89%46.34%
SwingIncrease2.svg3.15%Decrease2.svg3.56%
Indiana 2008 House Map.svg
2008 IN House.svg

The 2008 congressional elections in Indiana were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who will represent the State of Indiana in the United States House of Representatives. Indiana has nine seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. The elections coincide with the 2008 U.S. presidential election.

Contents

The delegation comprised five Democrats and four Republicans. All 9 incumbents won re-election. As of 2024, this is the last time in which Democrats won both a majority of U.S. House seats and the House popular vote in Indiana.

District makeup

District makeup
District 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
Incumbent Pete Visclosky Joe Donnelly Mark Souder Steve Buyer Dan Burton Mike Pence André Carson Brad Ellsworth Baron Hill
CPVI D+8R+4R+16R+17R+20R+11D+9R+9R+7
CQ Rating [1] Safe DSafe DLeans RSafe RSafe RSafe RSafe DSafe DD Favored

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana, 2008 [2]
PartyVotesPercentageSeats+/–
Democratic 1,388,96351.89%5-
Republican 1,240,57746.34%4-
Libertarian 47,3061.77%0-
Independents4<0.01%0-
Totals2,676,850100.00%9-

District 1

United States House of Representatives, Indiana District 1 map.gif

This district includes a small strip of northwest Indiana and had been represented by Democrat Pete Visclosky since January 1985. The district has been one of the most Democratic in Indiana. John Kerry defeated George W. Bush in this district 55% to 44% in 2004. CQ Politics forecast the race as Safe Democrat.

Results

Indiana's 1st congressional district election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Pete Visclosky (incumbent) 199,954 70.90
Republican Mark Leyva76,64727.18
Libertarian Jeff Duensing5,4211.92
Total votes282,022 100.00
Democratic hold

District 2

Historical boundaries of Indiana's 2nd Congressional District (2003-2013).gif

This district is centered on South Bend, Indiana and the Indiana portion of the Michiana region. It had been represented by Democrat Joe Donnelly since January 2007. CQ Politics forecast the race as Safe Democrat.

Polling

SourceDateJoe
Donnelly (D)		Luke
Puckett (R)
South Bend Tribune/
Research 2000 [ permanent dead link ]		September 29–30, 200853%35%

Results

Indiana's 2nd congressional district election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Joe Donnelly (incumbent) 187,416 67.09
Republican Luke Puckett84,45530.23
Libertarian Mark Vogel7,4752.68
Total votes279,346 100.00
Democratic hold

District 3

IN03 109.gif

This district is located in the northeast corner of Indiana and has a large population center in Fort Wayne. Republican Mark Souder represented the district since January 1995 and was challenged by Mike Montagano in 2008. CQ Politics forecast the race as Leans Republican. George W. Bush defeated John Kerry in this district 68% to 31%.

Polling

SourceDateDemocrat: Mike MontaganoRepublican: Mark Souder
Howey Gauge October 23–24, 200844%41%
Research 2000 October 16–18, 200840%45%
Winston Group October 15–16, 200841%50%
Cooper and Secrest October 6–7, 200839%44%
Cooper and Secrest April 24–27, 200828%55%

Results

Indiana's 3rd congressional district election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Mark Souder (incumbent) 155,693 55.04
Democratic Mike Montagano 112,30939.70
Libertarian William R. Larsen14,8775.26
Total votes282,879 100.00
Republican hold

District 4

United States House of Representatives, Indiana District 4 map.png

This district is located in west-central Indiana. Located within the district is the city of West Lafayette, Lafayette, Bedford, Monticello, Brownsburg, Plainfield, Zionsville, Lebanon, Frankfort, Greenwood and parts of Indianapolis and many smaller suburban towns. It had been represented by Republican Steve Buyer since January 1993. CQ Politics forecast the race as Safe Republican.

Polling

SourceDateDemocrat: Nels AckersonRepublican: Steve Buyer
Journal & Courier September 12–14, 200836%38%

Results

Indiana's 4th congressional district election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Steve Buyer (incumbent) 192,526 59.87
Democratic Nels Ackerson 129,03840.13
Total votes321,564 100.00
Republican hold

District 5

IN-5th.gif

This district located mostly north of Indianapolis is one of the most reliably Republican in America, having voted 71%-28% for George W. Bush in 2004. It was represented by Republican Dan Burton. CQ Politics forecast the race as Safe Republican.

Results

Indiana's 5th congressional district election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Dan Burton (incumbent) 234,705 65.55
Democratic Mary Etta Ruley123,35734.45
Total votes358,062 100.00
Republican hold

District 6

IN-6th.gif

This district takes in a large portion of eastern Indiana, including the cities of Muncie, Anderson, and Richmond. It was represented by Republican Mike Pence. CQ Politics forecast the race as Safe Republican.

Results

Indiana's 6th congressional district election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Mike Pence (incumbent) 180,608 63.95
Democratic Barry Welsh94,26533.38
Libertarian George T. Holland7,5392.67
Total votes282,412 100.00
Republican hold

District 7

IN-7th.png

This district is in the heart of Central Indiana and encompasses most of Marion County/Indianapolis. André Carson won the special election to fill this seat and represented Indiana's 7th congressional district since March 13, 2008.

Carson won the primary election with 46%, while Woody Myers received 24%, David Orentlicher received 21%, and Carolene Mays received 8%. [3] Carson and his Republican challenger in the special election, Jon Elrod, were set to face off in the General Election but Elrod dropped out. [4] Gabrielle Campo was selected by a party caucus to face the incumbent, Carson. [5] John Kerry defeated George W. Bush in this district 58% to 41% in 2004. CQ Politics forecast the race as Safe Democratic.

Polling

SourceDateDemocrat: André CarsonRepublican: Gabrielle Campo
Research 2000/WISH-TV October 24–28, 200853%38%
Research 2000/WISH-TV [ permanent dead link ]September 29-October 3, 200851%35%

Results

Indiana's 7th congressional district election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic André Carson (incumbent) 172,650 65.08
Republican Gabrielle Campo92,64534.92
Write-ins40.00
Total votes265,299 100.00
Democratic hold

District 8

Indiana's 8th congressional district.png

This district has been nicknamed the "Bloody Eighth" because of a series of hard-fought tight campaigns and political reversals. [6] It ousted six incumbents from 1966 to 1982. The election in 1984 was so close that it was decided in Congress. In 2000, a New York Times reporter said of the district: "With a populist streak and a conservative bent, this district does not cotton to country-club Republicans or to social-engineering liberals," and also said "More than 95 percent white and about 41 percent rural, the region shares much of the flavor of the Bible Belt." [7] Evansville and Terre Haute are located within its limits and was represented by Democrat Brad Ellsworth. CQ Politics forecast the race as Safe Democratic.

Results

Indiana's 8th congressional district election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Brad Ellsworth (incumbent) 188,693 64.74
Republican Greg Goode 102,76935.26
Total votes291,462 100.00
Democratic hold

District 9

IN-9th.gif

This district is located in southeast Indiana. This swing district has been recently fought out by Democrat Baron Hill and Republican Mike Sodrel. Hill beat Sodrel in 2002, Sodrel beat Hill in 2004, and Hill beat Sodrel in 2006 to become the 9th's representative. Hill spent the most on his campaign of those in Indiana, spending $2.2 million. [8] The largest city located within the district is Bloomington followed by Columbus, New Albany, Jeffersonville, and Clarksville which all have Democratic Mayors or Council Presidents. CQ Politics forecast the race as Democrat Favored.

Polling

SourceDateDemocrat: Baron HillRepublican: Mike Sodrel
Survey USA October 22–23, 200854%39%
Survey USA October 4–5, 200853%38%
Research 2000/WISH-TV [ permanent dead link ]September 29-October 3, 200849%37%
Survey USA September 8–10, 200850%39%
Survey USA [ permanent dead link ]July 28–30, 200849%42%
Survey USA June 16–18, 200851%40%

Results

Indiana's 9th congressional district election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Baron Hill (incumbent) 181,281 57.77
Republican Mike Sodrel 120,52938.41
Libertarian D. Eric Schansberg11,9943.82
Total votes313,804 100.00
Democratic hold

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Balance of Power Scorecard: House". CQ Politics. May 11, 2008. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2008.
  2. ↑ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives". Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  3. ↑ Staff, The Hill (May 7, 2008). "State by State". The Hill .
  4. ↑ "Indystar.com: Elrod drops race against Andre Carson".
  5. ↑ "Indystar.com: GOP selects a newcomer to face Carson".
  6. ↑ "General election".
  7. ↑ Dirk Johnson, "The 2000 Campaign: An Indiana Race; Conservatives Face Off in Quirky Populist District", The New York Times, October 10, 2000
  8. ↑ Groppe, Maureen (December 6, 2008). "Baron Hill's win over Mike Sodrel most expensive". The Indianapolis Star . Retrieved December 13, 2008.[ dead link ]
Preceded by
2006 elections 		United States House elections in Indiana
2008		Succeeded by
2010 elections
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