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 County results Collins: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Maine |
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The 2008 United States Senate election in Maine took place on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins won re-election to a third term against Democrat Tom Allen, the U.S. Congressman from the 1st district.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Allen | 69,932 | 85.6% | |
| Democratic | Tom Ledue | 11,795 | 14.4% | |
| Total votes | 81,727 | 100.0% | ||
Allen tried to tie Collins to George W. Bush, but these tactics failed as Collins maintained her image as a very popular, moderate, independent Republican. She obtained an endorsement from Independent and former Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman. [1]
When Collins was first elected in 1996 she pledged to serve only two terms (twelve years) in office, which would have been up in 2008. She instead decided to seek a third term, and defeated Allen with over 60% of the vote. She was the only Republican Senate candidate to win in 2008 in a state that was simultaneously won by Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report [2] | Likely R | October 23, 2008 |
| CQ Politics [3] | Lean R | October 31, 2008 |
| Rothenberg Political Report [4] | Likely R | November 2, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics [5] | Likely R | November 1, 2008 |
| Poll source | Dates administered | Tom Allen (D) | Susan Collins (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasmussen Reports | November 1, 2008 | 41% | 57% |
| Survey USA | October 20, 2008 | 43% | 54% |
| Rasmussen Reports | October 2, 2008 | 43% | 53% |
| Survey USA | September 22–23, 2008 | 39% | 55% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 17, 2008 | 42% | 55% |
| Rasmussen Reports | August 12, 2008 | 40% | 55% |
| Rasmussen Reports | July 17, 2008 | 42% | 49% |
| Pan Atlantic SMS Group | June 18, 2008 | 31% | 56% |
| Rasmussen Reports | June 16, 2008 | 42% | 49% |
| Rasmussen Reports | May 14, 2008 | 42% | 52% |
| Rasmussen Reports | April 1, 2008 | 38% | 54% |
| McLaughlin & Associates/ Coalition for a Democratic Workforce | March 6–9, 2008 | 31% | 54% |
| Critical Insights | October 12–30, 2007 | 34% | 54% |
| Survey USA | October 26–29, 2007 | 38% | 55% |
| Research 2000/Daily Kos | October 15–17, 2007 | 33% | 56% |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Susan Collins (incumbent) | 444,300 | 61.33% | +2.9% | |
| Democratic | Tom Allen | 279,510 | 38.58% | -3.0% | |
| Write-in | 620 | 0.09% | n/a | ||
| Total votes | 724,430 | 100.00% | n/a | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
The 2008 United States Senate elections were held on November 4, 2008, with 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested. Thirty-three seats were up for regular elections; the winners were eligible to serve six-year terms from January 3, 2009, to January 3, 2015, as members of Class 2. There were also two special elections, the winners of those seats would finish the terms that ended on January 3, 2013. The presidential election, which was won by Democrat Barack Obama, elections for all House of Representatives seats; elections for several gubernatorial elections; and many state and local elections occurred on the same date.
The United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John E. Sununu ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in a rematch of the 2002 election. Shaheen's win marked the first time since 1972 that Democrats won this seat, and made her the first Democratic Senator elected from New Hampshire since John A. Durkin's victory in 1975.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts took place on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John Kerry, who remained in the Senate after losing the presidency to incumbent President George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election, won re-election to a fifth term in office. Four years into his term, Kerry resigned upon becoming United States Secretary of State in the Barack Obama administration.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Colorado was held November 4, 2008. The primary elections were held August 12, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Wayne Allard decided to retire instead of seeking a third term. Democratic nominee Mark Udall won the open seat, making this the first time a Democrat won this seat since 1972, and that Democrats held both Senate seats since 1979.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Arkansas was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Pryor ran for a second term. No Republican filed to challenge him, and his only opponent was Green Party candidate Rebekah Kennedy. Pryor won re-election with almost 80% of the vote, despite Republican John McCain winning the state by nearly 20 points in the concurrent presidential election.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Rhode Island took place on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jack Reed won re-election to a third term.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Montana was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic Senator Max Baucus won re-election to a sixth term in a landslide, winning more than 70% of the vote and carrying every county in the state, despite Republican John McCain's narrow victory in the state in the concurrent presidential election. Baucus was later appointed as the United States Ambassador to China on February 6, 2014, having already announced his intention to retire at the end of term on April 23, 2013.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican John Cornyn defeated Democratic nominee Rick Noriega, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, to win re-election to a second term in office.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Georgia took place on November 4, 2008. The run off election took place on December 2, 2008. Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss, first elected in 2002, sought re-election to his position as a United States Senator from Georgia. He was challenged by Democratic nominee Jim Martin and Libertarian nominee Allen Buckley. After a runoff election on December 2, Chambliss was elected.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Alabama was held on November 4, 2008, to elect one of Alabama's members to the United States Senate. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions won re-election to a third term.
The 2008 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska was held on November 4, 2008, to determine who will represent the state of Alaska in the United States House of Representatives. Alaska has one seat in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; whoever was elected would serve in the 111th Congress from January 4, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the nationwide presidential election. The primary election was held August 26, 2008.
The 2008 congressional elections in Colorado were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who will represent the state of Colorado in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential and senatorial elections. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi was held on November 4, 2008. The seat was regularly scheduled for election, unlike the special election taking place on the same day. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Thad Cochran won re-election to a sixth term.
The 2008 congressional elections in Maine were held on November 4, 2008 to determine representation for the state of Maine in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential and senatorial elections. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011.
The 2008 United States presidential election in Maine took place on November 4, 2008, and was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Maine is one of two states in the U.S. that instead of all of the state's four electors of the Electoral College to vote based upon the statewide results of the voters, two of the individual electors vote based on their congressional district because Maine has two congressional districts. The other two electors vote based upon the statewide results. See below in the section of Electors for more information.
The 2010 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 2, 2010, alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections in Iowa. The party primary elections were held on June 8, 2010. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley won reelection to a sixth term.
The 2012 United States Senate election in Connecticut was held on November 6, 2012, in conjunction with the 2012 U.S. presidential election, other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. Primaries to elect Senate candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties were held on Tuesday, August 14, 2012.
The 2014 United States Senate election in Maine took place on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, who has served in the position since 1997, won reelection to a fourth term in office with 68% of the vote. The primary elections were held on June 10, 2014. As of 2023, this was the last time the Republican candidate won the counties of Cumberland and Knox.
The 2020 United States Senate election in Maine was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Maine, 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. This was Maine's first election for its Class 2 seat to use its ranked choice voting system. Because the first round of the general election saw a majority (51%), the instant runoff tabulation of more than 800,000 ballots was not carried out.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine were held on November 3, 2020, to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of Maine, one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The election was conducted with ranked choice voting, as per the result of a referendum passed in 2016.
 Elections and referendums in Maine | |||||
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| Senate elections |
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| Gubernatorial elections |
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| Legislative elections |
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