United States Senate election in Texas, 2008
Encyclopedia
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.
, who was re-elected with 62% of the vote in the 2006 midterm elections. Texas Governor Rick Perry
, also of the GOP, won re-election with 39% of the vote in 2006
, in a five way race.
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.
The Rothenberg Political Report considered it a 'Safe Republican'.
John Cornyn
John Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
won re-election to a second term.
Background
Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994. Texas' senior senator is Republican Kay Bailey HutchisonKay Bailey Hutchison
Kathryn Ann Bailey Hutchison, known as Kay Bailey Hutchison , is the senior United States Senator from Texas.She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S....
, who was re-elected with 62% of the vote in the 2006 midterm elections. Texas Governor Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
, also of the GOP, won re-election with 39% of the vote in 2006
Texas gubernatorial election, 2006
The 2006 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2006 to select the next governor of the state of Texas, who is serving a four year term that began on January 16, 2007. The Republican and Democratic Parties chose their candidates by primaries and convention. Primaries were held on...
, in a five way race.
Candidates
- Gene Kelly, U.S. Air Force veteran and 2000 U.S. Senate nominee
- Ray McMurrey, teacher at Mary Carroll High SchoolMary Carroll High SchoolMary Carroll High School, often referred to as Carroll, is one of five high schools that are part of the Corpus Christi Independent School District-History:...
- Rick NoriegaRick NoriegaRichard Joel "Rick" Noriega was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 145 in eastern Houston, first elected in 1998. He was the Democratic nominee for the Texas United States Senate election, 2008 against the one-term Republican incumbent John Cornyn...
, State Representative - Rhett Smith, U.S. Navy veteran and auditor at the Texas Department of Human Services
Results
Candidates
- John CornynJohn CornynJohn Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
, incumbent U.S. Senator - Larry KilgoreLarry KilgoreLarry Scott Kilgore is a Christian-Conservative activist and former Republican candidate in the Texas gubernatorial election, 2010.Kilgore was born in Amarillo, the seat of Potter County in the Texas Panhandle....
, conservative/SecessionistTexas Secession MovementSince the annexation of Texas by the United States of America, segments of its population have sought independence from the union. While those who have sought to secede from the union have often been a minority of the population, Texan nationalism has been highlighted through history in events such...
activist
Results
Candidates
- John CornynJohn CornynJohn Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
(R), incumbent U.S. Senator - Rick NoriegaRick NoriegaRichard Joel "Rick" Noriega was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 145 in eastern Houston, first elected in 1998. He was the Democratic nominee for the Texas United States Senate election, 2008 against the one-term Republican incumbent John Cornyn...
(D), State Representative - Yvonne Adams Schick (L), real estate entrepreneur
Campaign
Cornyn, a popular incumbent, had a 42% approval rating with a 43% disapproval rating in June 2007. Texas is a very red state, that Republican presidential nominee John McCainJohn McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
won with over 55% of the vote. Cornyn slightly underperformed McCain. However, Noriega underperformed both 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in Texas
United States presidential election in Texas, 2008
The 2008 United States presidential election in Texas took place on November 4, 2008 throughout all 50 states and D.C., which was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose 34 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice...
and Cornyn's 2002 opponent, Ron Kirk
Ron Kirk
Ronald "Ron" Kirk is the 16th United States Trade Representative, serving in the Obama administration. He served as mayor of Dallas, Texas from 1995 to 2002; he also ran for the United States Senate in 2002.-Early life and career:...
, with Noriega receiving just 42.8% of the vote.
Predictions
CQ Politics rated this race as 'Republican Favored'. The Cook Political Report considered it 'Solid Republican'.The Rothenberg Political Report considered it a 'Safe Republican'.
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 - May 25, 2008 | 33% | 49% |
| Research 2000/Daily Kos | May 5 - May 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
External links
- Elections Division from the Texas Secretary of State
- U.S. Congress candidates for Texas 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...
- Texas, U.S. Senate 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...
- Texas U.S. Senate from OurCampaigns.com
- Texas Senate race from 2008 Race Tracker
- 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...
- Cornyn (R-i) vs Noriega (D) graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
- Official campaign websites
- John Cornyn, Republican candidate
- Rick Noriega, Democratic candidate
- Yvonne Schick, Libertarian candidate