United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 2008
Encyclopedia
The 2008 congressional elections in New York were held on November 4, 2008 to determine represention in the state
of New York
in the United States House of Representatives
. New York has 29 seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress
from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election
.
The races not forecasted as safe for the incumbent party were districts 13, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26 and 29.
Delegation
Republican incumbent Vito Fossella
announced his retirement on May 20, 2008, leaving this an open seat. Democratic City Councilman Michael McMahon
, endorsed by the Staten Island Democratic Party won the primary against Steve Harrison, who lost to Fossella in 2006. Republican Robert Straniere defeated Dr. Jamshad Wyne in the parimary. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Democrat Favored'.
Democratic incumbent John Hall was challenged by Republican Kieran Lalor
. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Democrat Favored'.
Democratic incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand
was challenged by Republican Sandy Treadwell. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic'.
Democratic incumbent Michael R. McNulty
retired, leaving this an open seat. Former State Representative Paul Tonko
won the five-way Democratic primary, defeating Tracey Brooks and Phil Steck, and two others. Tonko then handily defeated Republican nominee Jim Buhrmaster, who faced a primary challenge from Ron Paul
supporter Steven Vasquez.
Republican incumbent John McHugh
ran for re-election against Democrat Mike Oot. CQ Politics forecasted the race as "Safe Republican."
Democratic incumbent Michael Arcuri was challenged by Republican businessman Richard Hanna. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Democrat Favored'.
Republican incumbent James T. Walsh
retired, leaving this an open seat. Democrat Dan Maffei
ran against Republican Dale Sweetland
who won in a crowded primary race, and frequent candidate Howie Hawkins
using the "Green
Populist" label. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic'.
Republican incumbent Thomas M. Reynolds
retired, leaving this an open seat. In an upset victory, Amherst environmental lawyer Alice Kryzan won the Democratic primary against Iraq War veteran Jonathan Powers and maverick millionaire Jack Davis. The Republican nominee was businessman Christopher Lee. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Republican'.
easily defeated Independence Party
candidate Dan Humiston. The Republicans did not put forth a candidate, instead cross-endorsing Humiston.
Republican incumbent Randy Kuhl, Jr.
was again challenged by Democrat Eric Massa
. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Republican'. The Cook Political Report ranked it 'Republican Toss Up' The Rothenberg Political Reports rated it as 'Toss-Up/Tilt Democratic'.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. New York has 29 seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress
111th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...
from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election
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...
.
The races not forecasted as safe for the incumbent party were districts 13, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26 and 29.
DelegationUnited States Congressional Delegations from New YorkThese are tables of congressional delegations from New York to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.Over the years, New York has demographically changed so that it is hard to consider each district to be a continuation of the same numbered district before...
Composition
| 2008 pre-election | Seats |
|
| Democratic-Held | 23 | |
| Republican-Held | 6 | |
| 2008 post-election | Seats |
|
| Democratic-Held | 26 | |
| Republican-Held | 3 | |
District 13
Republican incumbent Vito Fossella
Vito Fossella
Vito John Fossella, Jr. is a U.S. Republican politician from the state of New York who formerly represented the state's 13th Congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for six terms, from 1997 to 2009 serving as the lone Republican from New York City. Fossella, a Staten Island...
announced his retirement on May 20, 2008, leaving this an open seat. Democratic City Councilman Michael McMahon
Michael McMahon
Michael E. "Mike" McMahon is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was previously a member of the New York City Council....
, endorsed by the Staten Island Democratic Party won the primary against Steve Harrison, who lost to Fossella in 2006. Republican Robert Straniere defeated Dr. Jamshad Wyne in the parimary. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Democrat Favored'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 19
Democratic incumbent John Hall was challenged by Republican Kieran Lalor
Kieran Lalor
Kieran Michael Lalor is an American politician, entrepreneur and author who founded Iraq Vets for Congress . He works in the defense industry, and is a former social studies teacher, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.Lalor was the Republican candidate in New York's 19th congressional...
. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Democrat Favored'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 20
Democratic incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party...
was challenged by Republican Sandy Treadwell. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 21
Democratic incumbent Michael R. McNulty
Michael R. McNulty
Michael Robert "Mike" McNulty is a politician from the U.S. state of New York. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1989 to 2009, initially representing New York's 23rd congressional district and then, after redistricting, New York's 21st congressional district...
retired, leaving this an open seat. Former State Representative Paul Tonko
Paul Tonko
Paul David Tonko is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in the heart of the Capital District...
won the five-way Democratic primary, defeating Tracey Brooks and Phil Steck, and two others. Tonko then handily defeated Republican nominee Jim Buhrmaster, who faced a primary challenge from Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
supporter Steven Vasquez.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 23
Republican incumbent John McHugh
John M. McHugh
John Michael McHugh is the 21st United States Secretary of the Army and a former Republican politician from the state of New York, formerly representing the state's 23rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.On June 2, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated him to...
ran for re-election against Democrat Mike Oot. CQ Politics forecasted the race as "Safe Republican."
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 24
Democratic incumbent Michael Arcuri was challenged by Republican businessman Richard Hanna. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Democrat Favored'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 25
Republican incumbent James T. Walsh
James T. Walsh
James Thomas "Jim" Walsh is an American Republican politician from Syracuse, New York. In 2009, he retired after representing a portion of Central New York, that is now known as the state's 25th Congressional District, in the United States House of Representatives for twenty years.-Early...
retired, leaving this an open seat. Democrat Dan Maffei
Dan Maffei
Daniel Benjamin "Dan" Maffei is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011, and currently a senior adviser at law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. He is seeking the Democratic nomination to run for his old seat in 2012.-Early life, education and career:Maffei was born in...
ran against Republican Dale Sweetland
Dale Sweetland
Dale A. Sweetland is a Republican politician from Fabius, New York. In 2008, Sweetland ran for the seat of retiring Republican Congressman James T...
who won in a crowded primary race, and frequent candidate Howie Hawkins
Howie Hawkins
Howie Hawkins is an American politician and activist with the Green Party of the United States and Socialist Party USA. He co-founded the anti-nuclear Clamshell Alliance in 1976 and the Green Party in the United States in 1984. He was New York's Green Party candidate for the U.S. Senate in the...
using the "Green
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
Populist" label. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 26
Republican incumbent Thomas M. Reynolds
Thomas M. Reynolds
Thomas M. Reynolds , commonly known as Tom Reynolds, is a politician from the U.S. state of New York, formerly representing the state's 26th Congressional district in the United States House of Representatives...
retired, leaving this an open seat. In an upset victory, Amherst environmental lawyer Alice Kryzan won the Democratic primary against Iraq War veteran Jonathan Powers and maverick millionaire Jack Davis. The Republican nominee was businessman Christopher Lee. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Republican'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
District 27
Democrat Brian HigginsBrian Higgins
Brian Higgins is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the southern two-thirds of Buffalo proper, most of that city's eastern and southern suburbs, and all of Chautauqua County.-Early life, education and career:A native of...
easily defeated Independence Party
Independence Party of New York
The Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994...
candidate Dan Humiston. The Republicans did not put forth a candidate, instead cross-endorsing Humiston.
District 28
Democrat Louise Slaughter easily defeated her Republican opponent, David Crimmen, who raised very little money and was primarily token opposition.District 29
Republican incumbent Randy Kuhl, Jr.
Randy Kuhl
John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. is an American Republican politician, and former member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. He represented New York's 29th congressional district for two terms before being defeated for reelection by Eric Massa on November 4, 2008 by margin of...
was again challenged by Democrat Eric Massa
Eric Massa
-March to the Primaries:Freshman incumbent Randy Kuhl had been elected to Congress with slightly over 50% of the popular vote in a three way race in 2004. In early 2005, former U.S. Naval officer Eric J.J. Massa, a long-time friend of 2004 presidential candidate General Wesley Clark filed to run...
. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Republican'. The Cook Political Report ranked it 'Republican Toss Up' The Rothenberg Political Reports rated it as 'Toss-Up/Tilt Democratic'.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
External links
- Campaign contributions for New York congressional races from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- New York U.S. House of Representatives race from 2008 Race Tracker