2008 United States Senate election in Texas

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2008 United States Senate election in Texas
Flag of Texas.svg
  2002 November 4, 2008 2014  
  John Cornyn official portrait, 2009 (cropped).jpg NORIEGA (cropped).jpg
Nominee John Cornyn Rick Noriega
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote4,337,4693,389,365
Percentage54.82%42.84%

2008 United States Senate election in Texas results map by county.svg
County results
Cornyn:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Noriega:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

U.S. senator before election

John Cornyn
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

John Cornyn
Republican

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.

Contents

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Rick Noriega 1,110,579 51.01%
Democratic Gene Kelly584,96626.87%
Democratic Ray McMurrey269,40212.37%
Democratic Rhett Smith213,3059.75%
Total votes2,178,252 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican Primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John Cornyn (incumbent) 997,216 81.48% +4.17%
Republican Larry Kilgore 226,64918.52%+0.00%

General election

Candidates

Campaign

Cornyn, running as an incumbent, had a 42% approval rating with a 43% disapproval rating in June 2007. [4] Texas is a red state, that Republican presidential nominee John McCain won with over 55% of the vote. Cornyn slightly underperformed McCain. However, Noriega underperformed both 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in Texas and Cornyn's 2002 opponent, Ron Kirk, with Noriega receiving just 42.8% of the vote.

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [5] Safe ROctober 23, 2008
CQ Politics [6] Likely ROctober 31, 2008
Rothenberg Political Report [7] Safe RNovember 2, 2008
Real Clear Politics [8] Safe RNovember 4, 2008

Polling

Poll sourceDates administeredRick Noriega (D)John Cornyn (R)
Rasmussen September 18, 200730%53%
Research 2000 September 24–26, 200735%51%
Rasmussen ReportsMay 1, 200843%47%
Research 2000/Daily Kos May 5–7, 200844%48%
Baselice & Associates May 20–25, 200833%49%
Rasmussen ReportsJune 2, 200835%52%
Rasmussen ReportsJune 25, 200835%48%
Rasmussen ReportsJuly 30, 200839%50%
Rasmussen ReportsSeptember 29, 200843%50%
Rasmussen ReportsOctober 21, 200840%55%

Results

2008 Texas U.S. Senate general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John Cornyn (incumbent) 4,337,469 54.82% −0.48%
Democratic Rick Noriega3,389,36542.84%−0.50%
Libertarian Yvonne Adams Schick185,2412.34%+1.55%
Majority948,10411.98%
Turnout 7,912,07558.28%
Republican hold Swing

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

See also

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References

  1. "Our Campaigns - TX US Senate - D Primary Race - Mar 04, 2008". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  2. "Our Campaigns - TX US Senate - R Primary Race - Mar 04, 2008". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  3. "NewsBank". Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  4. "SurveyUSA News Poll #12245". www.surveyusa.com. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  5. "2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  6. Race Ratings Chart: Senate Archived October 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine CQ Politics
  7. "2008 Senate ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  8. "2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved August 31, 2021.