2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

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2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
Flag of Massachusetts.svg
  2002 November 4, 2008 2013 (special)  
  John Kerry official Secretary of State portrait (cropped).jpg Jeffbeatty (1).jpg
Nominee John Kerry Jeff Beatty
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote1,971,974926,044
Percentage65.86%30.93%

2008 United States Senate election in Massachusetts results map by county.svg
2008 United States Senate Election in Massachusetts by Municipality.svg
MA Senate 2008.svg
Kerry:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Beatty:     40–50%     50–60%
     No votes

U.S. senator before election

John Kerry
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

John Kerry
Democratic

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. Kerry carried every county, congressional district, and municipality in the state, with the exception of Boxford. Kerry was sworn in for what would be his last term in the senate serving from January 3, 2009, to February 1, 2013, when he assumed the office of United States Secretary of State in the Obama administration.

Contents

Democratic primary

Candidates

Campaign

At the state convention on June 7, 2008, Edward O'Reilly received 22.5% of the vote, thereby granting him a spot on the September primary ballot. Kerry, received the vast majority of votes, however, granting him the convention's endorsement. [1] On July 25, O'Reilly challenged Kerry to a series of debates, [2] and the two eventually met for one debate in early September. On September 16, Kerry defeated O'Reilly in the Democratic primary. [3]

Results

Primary results by municipality Massachusetts United States Senate Democratic primary results by municipality, 2008.svg
Primary results by municipality
2008 United States Senate Democratic primary in Massachusetts
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic John Kerry (incumbent) 335,923 68.92%
Democratic Edward O'Reilly151,47331.08%
Turnout 487,396

General election

A volunteer outside the Massachusetts State House holding a sing supporting both Kerry's Senate campaign and Obama's presidential campaign, 29 October 2008 Volunteer holds sign outside Massachusetts State House for Obama Biden days before 2008 Election (53829283439).jpg
A volunteer outside the Massachusetts State House holding a sing supporting both Kerry's Senate campaign and Obama's presidential campaign, 29 October 2008

Candidates

Campaign

Democrat John F. Kerry, the incumbent since 1985, was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for President of the United States in the 2004 election. He had historically attracted strong Republican challengers, including two former Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman, Ray Shamie in 1984, Jim Rappaport in 1990, and former state Governor William Weld in 1996.

Kerry had explored the possibility of seeking the Democratic nomination for president once again in 2008, a circumstance which prompted many of Massachusetts's all-Democratic House delegation, including Marty Meehan, Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch, to declare that they would run in the Democratic primary for Senate should Kerry not seek re-election. [5] However, on January 24, 2007, Kerry announced that he would run for re-election to the United States Senate and not for the Presidency. A December 23, 2007, poll indicated his approval rating at 52%, with 43% disapproving. [6]

Massachusetts held primary elections on September 16, 2008. [7] Unlike in 2002, when Kerry was re-elected against only third-party opposition, the Democratic nominee faced a Republican opponent in 2008. The Republican candidate, former U.S. Army Delta Force officer and FBI special agent Jeff Beatty who had lost a congressional race two years earlier, was not considered a serious contender in this overwhelmingly Democratic state. Massachusetts had not elected a Republican Senator since Edward Brooke in 1972, although Republican Scott Brown would go on to win a special Senate election in 2010.

On September 16, 2008, Kerry defeated Edward O'Reilly in the Democratic primary and faced Republican Beatty in the November general election. [8]

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [9] Safe DOctober 23, 2008
CQ Politics [10] Safe DOctober 31, 2008
Rothenberg Political Report [11] Safe DNovember 2, 2008
Real Clear Politics [12] Safe DNovember 4, 2008

Polling

SourceDateJeff
Beatty (R)
John
Kerry (D)
Rasmussen Reports [13] April 25, 200830%55%
June 1, 200825%63%
August 5, 200832%59%
September 23, 200830%65%

Results

General election results
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic John Kerry (incumbent) 1,971,974 65.86% −14.2%
Republican Jeff Beatty926,04430.93%+30.93%
Libertarian Robert J. Underwood93,7133.13%−15.1%
Majority1,037,116
Turnout 2,994,247
Democratic hold Swing

See also

References

General

  1. Viser, Matt (June 8, 2008). "Gloucester lawyer to challenge Kerry". The Boston Globe.
  2. Kerry's primary challenger proposes debates, Associated Press
  3. "cbsnews.com". CBS News .[ dead link ]
  4. "CQPolitics Rates Safe Democratic Senate Races in '08". New York Times.
  5. Blake, Aaron (January 25, 2007). "In '08, Kerry to run for Senate not White House". The Hill . Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  6. "Survey USA".
  7. "Candidates guide from Secretary of the Commonwealth Elections Division" (PDF).
  8. "John Kerry bests 1st primary opponent in 24 years". ap.google.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008.
  9. "2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  10. Race Ratings Chart: Senate Archived October 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine CQ Politics
  11. "2008 Senate ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  12. "2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  13. Rasmussen Reports

Specific

Democrats

Republicans