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![]() County results McConnell: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Lunsford: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Kentucky |
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The 2008 United States Senate election in Kentucky was held on November 4, 2008. Minority Leader and incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell won re-election to a fifth term. Although Barack Obama lost Kentucky by a 16.22% margin to John McCain in the concurrent presidential election, McConnell more narrowly kept his seat with a 5.94% margin against businessman Bruce Lunsford. This was a greatly reduced margin from when he won re-election in 2002 with a 29.4% margin.
In 2007 Kentucky's unpopular Republican Governor, Ernie Fletcher, lost his re-election bid. The Democrats took control of both Houses of Congress in the 2006 mid-term elections and in October Chuck Schumer acknowledged they were aiming for McConnell's seat. [1]
State auditor Crit Luallen was considered a top contender for the Democratic nomination, but she decided to remain as auditor. [2] Lunsford was asked to run by Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear. [3] Seven candidates competed for the Democratic Primary nomination. The primaries for both parties took place on May 20, 2008, in which Lunsford took more than 50%.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mitch McConnell (incumbent) | 168,127 | 86.09% | |
Republican | Daniel Essek | 27,170 | 13.91% | |
Total votes | 195,297 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Bruce Lunsford | 316,992 | 51.15% | |
Democratic | Greg Fischer | 209,827 | 33.85% | |
Democratic | David L. Williams | 34,363 | 5.54% | |
Democratic | Michael Cassaro | 17,340 | 2.80% | |
Democratic | Kenneth Stepp | 13,451 | 2.17% | |
Democratic | David Wylie | 7,528 | 1.21% | |
Democratic | James E. Rice | 2,365 | 3.28% | |
Total votes | 619,904 | 100.00% |
In October Lunsford and McConnell were statistically tied in the polls. Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said "If Lunsford is actually doing this well, its got to be because the public is so upset by the economic meltdown and may be blaming the legislative leaders." [6]
A debate scheduled for October 7 hosted by the League of Women Voters was canceled when incumbent McConnell decided not to participate even though Lunsford announced he wanted to debate. [7]
On November 2, 2008, media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal noted that the website of The New Republic had reported that anti-McConnell flyers questioning the senator's sexuality as well as the reasons for his 1967 military discharge were being distributed in Kentucky. [8] [9]
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report [10] | Lean R | October 23, 2008 |
CQ Politics [11] | Lean R | October 31, 2008 |
Rothenberg Political Report [12] | Lean R | November 2, 2008 |
Real Clear Politics [13] | Tossup | November 1, 2008 |
Poll Source | Dates administered | Lunsford | McConnell |
---|---|---|---|
Voter/Consumer Research | January 6–8, 2008 | 37% | 52% |
Research 2000/ Lexington Herald-Leader/ WKYT-TV Archived July 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine | May 7–9, 2008 | 36% | 48% |
Voter/Consumer Research | May 21–22, 2008 | 39% | 50% |
Rasmussen Reports | May 22, 2008 | 49% | 44% |
Survey USA | June 13–16, 2008 | 46% | 50% |
Voter/Consumer Research | June 15–17, 2008 | 39% | 50% |
Rasmussen Reports | June 25, 2008 | 41% | 48% |
Rasmussen Reports | July 29, 2008 | 42% | 52% |
Survey USA | August 11, 2008 | 40% | 52% |
Voter/Consumer Research | September 7–9, 2008 | 35% | 52% |
Research 2000 for Daily Kos | September 15–17, 2008 | 37% | 50% |
SurveyUSA | September 21–22, 2008 | 46% | 49% |
Rasmussen Reports | September 30, 2008 | 42% | 51% |
SurveyUSA | October 20, 2008 | 48% | 48% |
Rasmussen Reports | October 21, 2008 | 43% | 50% |
Research 2000/ Lexington Herald-Leader/ WKYT-TV Archived January 20, 2016, at the Wayback Machine | October 22, 2008 | 43% | 47% |
Rasmussen Reports | October 29, 2008 | 44% | 51% |
Survey USA | November 1, 2008 | 45% | 53% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mitch McConnell (incumbent) | 953,816 | 52.97% | −11.7% | |
Democratic | Bruce Lunsford | 847,005 | 47.03% | +11.7% | |
Total votes | 1,800,821 | 100.0% | |||
Republican hold |
County [15] | Precincts | Reporting | Lunsford | % Lunsford | McConnell | % McConnell | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adair | 16 | 16 | 2,198 | 30.88% | 4,920 | 69.12% | 7,118 (R) |
Allen | 13 | 13 | 2,331 | 31.85% | 4,987 | 68.15% | 7,318 (R) |
Anderson | 14 | 14 | 4,787 | 46.27% | 5,558 | 53.73% | 10,345 (R) |
Ballard | 13 | 13 | 1,893 | 46.68% | 2,162 | 53.32% | 4,055 (R) |
Barren | 24 | 24 | 6,735 | 41.15% | 9,630 | 58.85% | 16,365 (R) |
Bath | 12 | 12 | 2,747 | 61.36% | 1,730 | 38.64% | 4,477 (D) |
Bell | 33 | 33 | 3,494 | 38.83% | 5,505 | 61.17% | 8,999 (R) |
Boone | 60 | 60 | 15,224 | 30.75% | 34,285 | 69.25% | 49,509 (R) |
Bourbon | 18 | 18 | 4,325 | 52.26% | 3,951 | 47.74% | 8,276 (D) |
Boyd | 47 | 47 | 11,174 | 54.23% | 9,430 | 45.77% | 20,604 (D) |
Boyle | 25 | 25 | 5,854 | 46.90% | 6,627 | 53.10% | 12,481 (R) |
Bracken | 8 | 8 | 1,382 | 41.17% | 1,975 | 58.83% | 3,357 (R) |
Breathitt | 21 | 21 | 3,111 | 61.41% | 1,955 | 38.59% | 5,066 (D) |
Breckinridge | 15 | 15 | 3,736 | 44.02% | 4,752 | 55.98% | 8,488 (R) |
Bullitt | 44 | 44 | 12,501 | 41.85% | 17,368 | 58.15% | 29,869 (R) |
Butler | 12 | 12 | 1,771 | 33.59% | 3,501 | 66.41% | 5,272 (R) |
Caldwell | 13 | 13 | 2,821 | 46.30% | 3,272 | 53.70% | 6,093 (R) |
Calloway | 30 | 30 | 6,870 | 45.39% | 8,266 | 54.61% | 15,136 (R) |
Campbell | 66 | 66 | 14,789 | 37.55% | 24,591 | 62.45% | 39,380 (R) |
Carlisle | 6 | 6 | 1,220 | 46.51% | 1,403 | 53.49% | 2,623 (R) |
Carroll | 11 | 11 | 2,157 | 57.23% | 1,612 | 42.77% | 3,769 (D) |
Carter | 23 | 23 | 5,220 | 53.74% | 4,494 | 46.26% | 9,714 (D) |
Casey | 15 | 15 | 1,783 | 30.55% | 4,053 | 69.45% | 5,836 (R) |
Christian | 44 | 44 | 9,030 | 40.79% | 13,109 | 59.21% | 22,139 (R) |
Clark | 26 | 26 | 7,436 | 48.49% | 7,898 | 51.51% | 15,334 (R) |
Clay | 20 | 20 | 2,458 | 33.85% | 4,804 | 66.15% | 7,262 (R) |
Clinton | 13 | 13 | 1,029 | 25.42% | 3,019 | 74.58% | 4,048 (R) |
Crittenden | 12 | 12 | 1,615 | 41.59% | 2,268 | 58.41% | 3,883 (R) |
Cumberland | 9 | 9 | 763 | 28.62% | 1,903 | 71.38% | 2,666 (R) |
Daviess | 84 | 84 | 20,779 | 47.94% | 22,563 | 52.06% | 43,342 (R) |
Edmonson | 10 | 10 | 1,996 | 38.06% | 3,249 | 61.94% | 5,245 (R) |
Elliott | 7 | 7 | 1,830 | 71.99% | 712 | 28.01% | 2,542 (R) |
Estill | 15 | 15 | 2,162 | 41.36% | 3,065 | 58.64% | 5,227 (R) |
Fayette | 274 | 274 | 68,029 | 54.15% | 57,605 | 45.85% | 125,634 (R) |
Fleming | 18 | 18 | 2,845 | 50.04% | 2,841 | 49.96% | 5,686 (D) |
Floyd | 42 | 42 | 10,105 | 64.35% | 5,598 | 35.65% | 15,703 (D) |
Franklin | 44 | 44 | 13,888 | 59.00% | 9,651 | 41.00% | 23,539 (R) |
Fulton | 13 | 13 | 1,456 | 53.49% | 1,266 | 46.51% | 2,722 (D) |
Gallatin | 8 | 8 | 1,435 | 45.66% | 1,708 | 54.34% | 3,143 (R) |
Garrard | 13 | 13 | 2,858 | 40.11% | 4,268 | 59.89% | 7,126 (R) |
Grant | 23 | 23 | 3,408 | 39.33% | 5,257 | 60.67% | 8,665 (R) |
Graves | 30 | 30 | 7,839 | 48.76% | 8,239 | 51.24% | 16,078 (R) |
Grayson | 23 | 23 | 3,863 | 39.23% | 5,983 | 60.77% | 9,846 (R) |
Green | 10 | 10 | 1,777 | 35.73% | 3,197 | 64.27% | 4,974 (R) |
Greenup | 32 | 32 | 8,258 | 52.83% | 7,374 | 47.17% | 15,632 (D) |
Hancock | 10 | 10 | 2,298 | 56.09% | 1,799 | 43.91% | 4,097 (D) |
Hardin | 55 | 55 | 17,318 | 43.68% | 22,326 | 56.32% | 39,644 (R) |
Harlan | 35 | 35 | 4,440 | 45.92% | 5,229 | 54.08% | 9,669 (R) |
Harrison | 17 | 17 | 3,814 | 50.47% | 3,743 | 49.53% | 7,557 (D) |
Hart | 19 | 19 | 2,962 | 44.60% | 3,680 | 55.40% | 6,642 (R) |
Henderson | 42 | 42 | 11,048 | 56.06% | 8,659 | 43.94% | 19,707 (D) |
Henry | 20 | 20 | 3,194 | 46.52% | 3,672 | 53.48% | 6,866 (R) |
Hickman | 6 | 6 | 1,049 | 47.49% | 1,160 | 52.51% | 2,209 (R) |
Hopkins | 40 | 40 | 8,481 | 44.87% | 10,419 | 55.13% | 18,900 (R) |
Jackson | 14 | 14 | 1,245 | 24.71% | 3,794 | 75.29% | 5,039 (R) |
Jefferson | 515 | 515 | 195,401 | 55.73% | 155,241 | 44.27% | 350,642 (D) |
Jessamine | 37 | 37 | 7,847 | 39.60% | 11,969 | 60.40% | 19,816 (R) |
Johnson | 31 | 31 | 3,252 | 38.81% | 5,128 | 61.19% | 8,380 (R) |
Kenton | 108 | 108 | 19,217 | 36.26% | 33,787 | 63.74% | 53,004 (R) |
Knott | 30 | 30 | 3,477 | 62.14% | 2,118 | 37.86% | 5,595 (D) |
Knox | 30 | 30 | 4,329 | 39.01% | 6,767 | 60.99% | 11,096 (R) |
LaRue | 12 | 12 | 2,523 | 41.97% | 3,489 | 58.03% | 6,012 (R) |
Laurel | 45 | 45 | 6,850 | 31.15% | 15,138 | 68.85% | 21,988 (R) |
Lawrence | 18 | 18 | 2,641 | 47.47% | 2,923 | 52.53% | 5,564 (R) |
Lee | 10 | 10 | 1,073 | 39.77% | 1,625 | 60.23% | 2,698 (R) |
Leslie | 17 | 17 | 1,083 | 25.15% | 3,224 | 74.85% | 4,307 (R) |
Letcher | 32 | 32 | 4,198 | 51.82% | 3,903 | 48.18% | 8,101 (D) |
Lewis | 14 | 14 | 1,787 | 38.26% | 2,884 | 61.74% | 4,671 (R) |
Lincoln | 17 | 17 | 4,119 | 45.47% | 4,939 | 54.53% | 9,058 (R) |
Livingston | 10 | 10 | 2,142 | 47.35% | 2,382 | 52.65% | 4,524 (R) |
Logan | 20 | 20 | 4,379 | 40.70% | 6,379 | 59.30% | 10,758 (R) |
Lyon | 6 | 6 | 1,821 | 47.80% | 1,989 | 52.20% | 3,810 (R) |
McCracken | 54 | 54 | 13,006 | 42.91% | 17,303 | 57.09% | 30,309 (D) |
McCreary | 18 | 18 | 1,576 | 30.41% | 3,606 | 69.59% | 5,182 (R) |
McLean | 8 | 8 | 2,225 | 50.55% | 2,177 | 49.45% | 4,402 (D) |
Madison | 56 | 56 | 14,657 | 45.96% | 17,237 | 54.04% | 31,894 (R) |
Magoffin | 14 | 14 | 2,719 | 58.81% | 1,904 | 41.19% | 4,623 (D) |
Marion | 17 | 17 | 4,304 | 57.68% | 3,158 | 42.32% | 7,462 (D) |
Marshall | 25 | 25 | 7,463 | 48.94% | 7,785 | 51.06% | 15,248 (R) |
Martin | 14 | 14 | 1,203 | 33.19% | 2,422 | 66.81% | 3,625 (R) |
Mason | 20 | 20 | 3,095 | 44.58% | 3,847 | 55.42% | 6,942 (R) |
Meade | 18 | 18 | 5,149 | 46.58% | 5,905 | 53.42% | 11,054 (R) |
Menifee | 6 | 6 | 1,520 | 61.51% | 951 | 38.49% | 2,471 (D) |
Mercer | 17 | 17 | 4,338 | 44.17% | 5,484 | 55.83% | 9,822 (R) |
Metcalfe | 12 | 12 | 1,766 | 44.03% | 2,245 | 55.97% | 4,011 (R) |
Monroe | 12 | 12 | 1,237 | 27.16% | 3,318 | 72.84% | 4,555 (R) |
Montgomery | 18 | 18 | 5,526 | 54.25% | 4,660 | 45.75% | 10,186 (D) |
Morgan | 12 | 12 | 2,475 | 57.03% | 1,865 | 42.97% | 4,340 (D) |
Muhlenberg | 26 | 26 | 7,436 | 57.90% | 5,406 | 42.10% | 12,842 (R) |
Nelson | 26 | 26 | 8,823 | 49.60% | 8,965 | 50.40% | 17,788 (R) |
Nicholas | 5 | 5 | 1,737 | 59.47% | 1,184 | 40.53% | 2,921 (D) |
Ohio | 25 | 25 | 4,664 | 47.08% | 5,242 | 52.92% | 9,906 (R) |
Oldham | 34 | 34 | 10,204 | 35.25% | 18,744 | 64.75% | 28,948 (R) |
Owen | 13 | 13 | 2,019 | 42.93% | 2,684 | 57.07% | 4,703 (R) |
Owsley | 8 | 8 | 559 | 34.46% | 1,063 | 65.54% | 1,622 (R) |
Pendleton | 12 | 12 | 2,155 | 37.97% | 3,520 | 62.03% | 5,675 (R) |
Perry | 37 | 37 | 5,026 | 49.10% | 5,211 | 50.90% | 10,237 (R) |
Pike | 57 | 57 | 12,912 | 57.16% | 9,679 | 42.84% | 22,591 (D) |
Powell | 11 | 11 | 2,863 | 57.91% | 2,081 | 42.09% | 4,944 (D) |
Pulaski | 57 | 57 | 8,108 | 32.20% | 17,072 | 67.80% | 25,180 (R) |
Robertson | 5 | 5 | 498 | 49.21% | 514 | 50.79% | 1,012 (R) |
Rockcastle | 14 | 14 | 1,837 | 30.55% | 4,177 | 69.45% | 6,014 (R) |
Rowan | 18 | 18 | 4,710 | 58.71% | 3,312 | 41.29% | 8,022 (D) |
Russell | 16 | 16 | 2,450 | 33.67% | 4,827 | 66.33% | 7,277 (R) |
Scott | 35 | 35 | 9,238 | 47.36% | 10,267 | 52.64% | 19,505 (R) |
Shelby | 33 | 33 | 7,546 | 41.15% | 10,790 | 58.85% | 18,336 (R) |
Simpson | 13 | 13 | 3,118 | 44.29% | 3,922 | 55.71% | 7,040 (R) |
Spencer | 11 | 11 | 3,159 | 39.64% | 4,811 | 60.36% | 7,970 (R) |
Taylor | 20 | 20 | 4,163 | 38.52% | 6,644 | 61.48% | 10,807 (R) |
Todd | 13 | 13 | 1,772 | 36.89% | 3,032 | 63.11% | 4,804 (R) |
Trigg | 14 | 14 | 2,637 | 40.76% | 3,833 | 59.24% | 6,470 (R) |
Trimble | 12 | 12 | 1,927 | 50.87% | 1,861 | 49.13% | 3,788 (D) |
Union | 16 | 16 | 3,335 | 55.46% | 2,678 | 44.54% | 6,013 (D) |
Warren | 63 | 63 | 19,162 | 43.84% | 24,547 | 56.16% | 43,709 (R) |
Washington | 14 | 14 | 2,316 | 45.04% | 2,826 | 54.96% | 5,142 (R) |
Wayne | 19 | 19 | 3,045 | 43.30% | 3,987 | 56.70% | 7,032 (R) |
Webster | 14 | 14 | 3,000 | 54.39% | 2,516 | 45.61% | 5,516 (D) |
Whitley | 36 | 36 | 4,849 | 36.37% | 8,484 | 63.63% | 13,333 (R) |
Wolfe | 8 | 8 | 1,886 | 62.74% | 1,120 | 37.26% | 3,006 (D) |
Woodford | 16 | 16 | 5,903 | 48.65% | 6,231 | 51.35% | 12,134 (R) |
Addison Mitchell McConnell III is an American politician and retired attorney who has been serving as senate minority leader since 2021 and the senior United States senator from Kentucky since 1985, the longest serving senator in his state's history. He previously served as minority leader from 2007 to 2015, majority leader from 2015 to 2021 and was majority whip from 2003 to 2007. McConnell has been the leader of the Senate Republican Conference since 2007, making him the longest serving Senate party leader in U.S. history.
Anne Meagher Northup is an American Republican politician and educator from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. From 1997 to 2007, she represented the Louisville-centered 3rd congressional district of Kentucky in the United States House of Representatives, where she served on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. She lost reelection to Democrat John Yarmuth in the 2006 election. She then ran for Governor of Kentucky, losing by 15 points to embattled governor Ernie Fletcher in the Republican primary election for the 2007 Kentucky gubernatorial election. Prior to her election to the United States House of Representatives, Northup had served in the Kentucky House of Representatives. Northup ran again for her old congressional seat in the 2008 election, losing again to Yarmuth.
The 1998 United States Senate elections were held on November 3, 1998, with the 34 seats of Class 3 contested in regular elections. This was seen as an even contest between the Republican Party and Democratic Party. While the Democrats had to defend more seats up for election, Republican attacks on the morality of President Bill Clinton failed to connect with voters and anticipated Republican gains did not materialize. The Republicans picked open seats up in Ohio and Kentucky and narrowly defeated Democratic incumbent Carol Moseley Braun, but these were cancelled out by the Democrats' gain of an open seat in Indiana and defeats of Republican Senators Al D'Amato and Lauch Faircloth. The balance of the Senate remained unchanged at 55–45 in favor of the Republicans.
Walter Darlington "Dee" Huddleston was an American commercial broadcaster and politician from Kentucky. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a member of the United States Senate from 1973 to 1985. He was defeated for re-election in 1984 by Mitch McConnell by 5,269 votes. Huddleston had a career in commercial broadcasting prior to entering politics in 1964.
William Bruce Lunsford is an American attorney, businessman, and politician from Kentucky. He has served various roles in the Kentucky Democratic Party, including party treasurer, Deputy Development Secretary, and Head of Commerce. Lunsford was the Democratic nominee for Kentucky's United States Senate seat in 2008, unsuccessfully challenging incumbent Mitch McConnell.
Eugenia Crittenden "Crit" Luallen is an American politician who served as the 56th lieutenant governor of Kentucky from November 13, 2014, to December 8, 2015. Luallen previously served as Kentucky State Auditor.
The 2008 congressional elections in Kentucky were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who would represent the state of Kentucky in the United States House of Representatives. Kentucky has six seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected were to serve in the 111th Congress from January 4, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The election coincides with the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
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The 2008 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 4, 2008, and was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose eight representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
The 1984 United States Senate election in Kentucky was held on November 5, 1984. Incumbent Democratic Senator Walter Dee Huddleston lost re-election to a third term to Mitch McConnell by less than 0.5%. This is the last time a Senator from Kentucky lost re-election.
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The 2015 Kentucky gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 2015. Incumbent Democratic Governor Steve Beshear was ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits. Primary elections were held on May 19, 2015.
The 2016 United States Senate election in Kentucky was held November 8, 2016 to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Kentucky, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primaries were held May 17.
The 2020 United States Senate election in Kentucky was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the Commonwealth of Kentucky, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who had been Senate Majority Leader since 2015 and senator from Kentucky since 1985, won reelection to a seventh term in office. He faced off against former U.S. Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath and Libertarian Brad Barron.
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The 2022 United States Senate election in Kentucky was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent Kentucky. Incumbent Republican Rand Paul won re-election to a third term, defeating Democratic nominee Charles Booker with 61.8% of the vote.
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