2008 United States Senate election in Iowa
← 2002 November 4, 2008 2014 →
 
Nominee Tom Harkin Christopher Reed
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 941,665 560,006
Percentage 62.66% 37.26%
County results
Harkin:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Reed:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
U.S. senator before election

Tom Harkin
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Tom Harkin
Democratic

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The 2008 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Senator Tom Harkin sought re-election to a fifth term in office. Unlike Harkin's three previous reelection bids, he was not challenged by a sitting United States Congressman but instead faced small businessman Christopher Reed, who won the Republican primary by just a few hundred votes. Harkin defeated Reed in a landslide, winning 94 of Iowa's 99 counties. As of 2023, this is the last time that a Democrat has won a U.S. Senate election in Iowa.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Harkin (incumbent) 90,785 98.83%
Democratic Write-ins 1,074 1.17%
Total votes 91,859 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results by county
  Reed
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  Eichhorn
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   70–80%
  Rathje
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
Republican primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Christopher Reed 24,964 35.32%
Republican George Eichhorn 24,390 34.52%
Republican Steve Rathje 21,062 29.80%
Republican Write-ins 256 0.36%
Total votes 70,672 100.00%

General election

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[2] Safe D October 23, 2008
CQ Politics[3] Safe D October 31, 2008
Rothenberg Political Report[4] Safe D November 2, 2008
Real Clear Politics[5] Safe D November 4, 2008

Polling

Governor Chet Culver campaigning for Senator Harkin
Poll source Dates administered Christopher
Reed (R) 		Tom
Harkin (D)
Survey USA April 21–23, 2008 20% 59%
Research 2000 June 10, 2008 37% 53%
Rasmussen Reports July 10, 2008 37% 55%
Rasmussen Reports August 7, 2008 36% 60%
Rasmussen Reports September 17–18, 2008 37% 60%
Survey USA October 23, 2008 41% 57%
Rasmussen Reports October 29, 2008 35% 61%

Results

United States Senate election in Iowa, 2008[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Tom Harkin (incumbent) 941,665 62.66% +8.48%
Republican Christopher Reed 560,006 37.26% -6.52%
Write-in 1,247 0.08% N/A
Majority 381,659 25.39% +15.00%
Turnout 1,502,918
Democratic hold Swing

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Official Results Report 2008 Primary Election" (PDF). Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  2. ^ "2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  3. ^ Race Ratings Chart: Senate Archived October 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine CQ Politics
  4. ^ "2008 Senate ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  5. ^ "2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  6. ^ "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 2008" (PDF). Retrieved January 17, 2020.
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