United States Senate election in Texas, 2008

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United States Senate election in Texas, 2008

← 2002 November 4, 2008 2014 →
  160x160px NORIEGA.jpg
Nominee John Cornyn Rick Noriega
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 4,337,469 3,389,365
Percentage 54.8% 42.8%

08TXSenateCounties.PNG
County results

U.S. senator before election

John Cornyn
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

John Cornyn
Republican

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The 2008 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn won re-election to a second term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

2008 US Senate, Democratic Primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Rick Noriega 1,110,579 51.01% +0.00%
Democratic Gene Kelly 584,966 26.87% +0.00%
Democratic Ray McMurrey 269,402 12.37% +0.00%
Democratic Rhett Smith 213,305 9.75% +0.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

2008 US Senate, Republican Primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican John Cornyn 997,216 81.48% +4.17%
Republican Larry Kilgore 226,649 18.52% +0.00%

General election

Candidates

  • John Cornyn (R), incumbent U.S. Senator
  • Rick Noriega (D), State Representative
  • Yvonne Adams Schick (L), real estate entrepreneur[3]

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

CQ Politics rated this race as 'Republican Favored'.[5] The Cook Political Report considered it 'Solid Republican'.[6] The Rothenberg Political Report considered it a 'Safe Republican'.[7]

Polling

Poll Source Dates administered Rick Noriega (D) John Cornyn (R)
Rasmussen Reports October 21, 2008 40% 55%
Rasmussen Reports September 29, 2008 43% 50%
Rasmussen Reports July 30, 2008 39% 50%
Rasmussen Reports June 25, 2008 35% 48%
Rasmussen Reports June 2, 2008 35% 52%
Baselice & Associates May 20–25, 2008 33% 49%
Research 2000/Daily Kos May 5–7, 2008 44% 48%
Rasmussen Reports May 1, 2008 43% 47%
Research 2000 September 24–26, 2007 35% 51%
Rasmussen September 18, 2007 30% 53%

Results

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2008 Texas U.S. Senate general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican John Cornyn 4,337,469 54.82 -0.48
Democratic Rick Noriega 3,389,365 42.83 -0.50
Libertarian Yvonne Adams Schick 185,241 2.34 +1.55
Majority 948,104
Turnout 7,912,075 58.28
Republican hold Swing

References

External links