Delaware gubernatorial election, 2008
Encyclopedia
The election for Governor of Delaware took place on November 4, 2008, coinciding with the United States presidential election
. Democrat Jack Markell was elected governor, succeeding incumbent Ruth Ann Minner
, also a Democrat, who was prevented from running for a third term.
As of 2008, Democrats had controlled the Delaware governorship for 16 years. In an upset, state Treasurer Jack Markell defeated Lieutenant Governor John Carney by 51 to 49% for the Democratic nomination on September 9. The Republican nominee was former state Superior Court Judge William Swain "Bill" Lee, defeating airline pilot Michael Protrack. Lee was the Republican nominee for Governor in 2004, and lost to Minner by a narrow margin.
The race got more attention due to the Vice Presidential candidacy of U.S. Senator Joe Biden. Since Biden, a senator, was elected to be Vice President, he needed to resign his Senate seat. The new Governor was then called upon to appoint someone to replace Biden in the Senate. Since Lee would naturally have been more inclined to select a Republican, his election could have caused a Republican pickup in the Senate by proxy. However, he was defeated by a wide margin on election day by Markell. Senator Biden resigned his seat in the United States Senate on January 15, 2009, and Governor Minner appointed Ted Kaufman to Biden's seat. Kaufman had previously served as Senator Biden's Chief of Staff during his tenure in the United States Senate.
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. Democrat Jack Markell was elected governor, succeeding incumbent Ruth Ann Minner
Ruth Ann Minner
Ruth Ann Minner is an American politician and businesswoman from Milford, in Kent County, Delaware. She is a member of the Democratic Party who served in the Delaware General Assembly, as the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Delaware and two terms as the first female Governor of Delaware.-Early life...
, also a Democrat, who was prevented from running for a third term.
As of 2008, Democrats had controlled the Delaware governorship for 16 years. In an upset, state Treasurer Jack Markell defeated Lieutenant Governor John Carney by 51 to 49% for the Democratic nomination on September 9. The Republican nominee was former state Superior Court Judge William Swain "Bill" Lee, defeating airline pilot Michael Protrack. Lee was the Republican nominee for Governor in 2004, and lost to Minner by a narrow margin.
The race got more attention due to the Vice Presidential candidacy of U.S. Senator Joe Biden. Since Biden, a senator, was elected to be Vice President, he needed to resign his Senate seat. The new Governor was then called upon to appoint someone to replace Biden in the Senate. Since Lee would naturally have been more inclined to select a Republican, his election could have caused a Republican pickup in the Senate by proxy. However, he was defeated by a wide margin on election day by Markell. Senator Biden resigned his seat in the United States Senate on January 15, 2009, and Governor Minner appointed Ted Kaufman to Biden's seat. Kaufman had previously served as Senator Biden's Chief of Staff during his tenure in the United States Senate.
Candidates
- Jack Markell, Delaware State Treasurer
- John C. Carney, Lieutenant Governor of DelawareLieutenant Governor of DelawareThe Lieutenant Governor of Delaware is the second ranking executive officer of the U.S. state of Delaware. Lieutenant Governors are elected for a term of four years in the same general election as the U.S. President and take office the following January....
Results
Candidates
- William Swain LeeWilliam Swain LeeWilliam Swain Lee is an American lawyer and politician from Georgetown, in Sussex County, Delaware. He is a member of the Republican Party, who served as a judge of the Delaware Superior Court. He was the 2004 and 2008 Republican candidate for Governor of Delaware.-Early life and family:Lee was...
, former Delaware Superior CourtDelaware Superior CourtThe Delaware Superior Court is the state trial court of general jurisdiction in the state of Delaware. It has original jurisdiction over most criminal and civil cases...
justice - Michael Protack, airline pilot
Results
Governor
| Source | Date | Jack Markell (D) | Bill Lee (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey USA | October 28, 2008 | 62% | 27% |
| Rasmussen Reports | October 10, 2008 | 62% | 34% |
| West Chester University/WHYY | October 9, 2008 | 61% | 30% |
| Fairleigh Dickinson | September 23, 2008 | 61% | 27% |
| Survey USA | September 23, 2008 | 64% | 29% |
General election
External links
- Delaware Commissioner of Elections
- Delaware Governor candidates at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- Delaware Governor race from OurCampaigns.com
- Delaware Governor race from 2008 Race Tracker
- Campaign contributions from Follow the Money
- Official campaign websites
- John Carney, Democratic candidate
- Bill Lee, Republican candidate
- Jack Markell, Democratic candidate