2008 United States Senate election in Delaware
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Personal U.S. Senator from Delaware 47th Vice President of the United States Vice presidential campaigns 46th President of the United States Tenure   |
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The 2008 United States Senate election in Delaware was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Senator Joe Biden, who was also the Democratic nominee for vice president in the concurrent presidential election, faced Christine O'Donnell in the general election. Biden won re-election to a seventh term with 64.69% of the vote, his best-performing result in his senatorial career, while also being elected vice president.
Biden took his oath of office in the Senate chamber with the rest of his colleagues on January 3, 2009, but resigned his seat on January 15, 2009, and assumed the vice presidency five days later. Long time Biden advisor Ted Kaufman was appointed to fill the vacant seat. A special election was held in 2010 where O'Donnell once again ran unsuccessfully.
This marked the last time Biden won all three counties in a general election, as in his vice presidential and presidential runs, Sussex County would vote for the Republican ticket.
Candidates
[edit]Democratic
[edit]Republican
[edit]- Christine O'Donnell, media consultant, political analyst and write-in candidate in 2006.[1]
- Tim Smith, businessman.[1]
Background
[edit]After ending his 2008 presidential bid in January 2008, Biden focused instead on running for a seventh Senate term. He was unopposed within his party.[2] On August 23, 2008, Democratic Party presidential nominee Barack Obama announced that he had selected Biden to serve as his vice presidential running mate.[3] Under Delaware law, Biden could run simultaneously for both his Senate seat and for vice president, which he decided to do.[4]
O'Donnell had previously run in for Delaware's Class One senate seat in 2006 as a write-in candidate. She lost with less than five percent of the vote.[5]
The statewide party primary elections were held September 9, 2008.[6] O'Donnell faced businessman Tim Smith won with more than 60 percent of the delegate vote.[1]
General election
[edit]Campaign
[edit]Biden largely ignored election in favor of Obama's presidential run.[4] O'Donnell tried to make an issue of the dual campaigns, claiming that serving his constituents was not important to him, and criticized his unwillingness to participate in debates and candidate forums.[7]
Nevertheless, she was heavily outspent by Biden and her campaign failed to gain traction. Her campaign ended with thousands in debt.[8][9]
Kristin Murray briefly served as the campaign manager O'Donnell. Murray claimed she left the campaign because of O'Donnell financial situation, though O'Donnell claims she was fired.[8] During O'Donnell's 2010 campaign, Murray claimed that O'Donnell was misusing her campaign donations.[10]
Predictions
[edit]| Source | Ranking | Date of Prediction | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report | Safe D | October 23, 2008 | [11] |
| Congressional Quarterly | Safe D | October 31, 2008 | [12] |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Safe D | November 2, 2008 | [13] |
| Real Clear Politics | Safe D | November 4, 2008 | [14] |
Results
[edit]Minutes after the polls closed the race was called for Biden.[15] He was re-elected in a landslide victory against O'Donnell.[16][17] Biden secured his largest margin of victory, improving on his 2002 margin of victory by around 6.5%.[18]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joe Biden (incumbent) | 257,539 | 64.69% | +6.47% | |
| Republican | Christine O'Donnell | 140,595 | 35.31% | −5.49% | |
| Majority | 116,944 | 29.38% | |||
| Total votes | 398,134 | ||||
| Democratic hold | |||||
Biden won all three counties, flipping Kent County from Republican to Democrat.[19][18] This marked the last time he won all three counties in a general election. In his vice presidential runs in 2008 and 2012, and in his presidential run in 2020, Sussex County would vote for the Republican candidates.[20][21][22]
| County | Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. Democratic | Christine Therese O'Donnell Republican | Total votes cast | Ref(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | |||
| Kent | 37,074 | 56.99% | 27,981 | 43.01% | 65,055 | [19][23] |
| New Castle | 177,070 | 71.82% | 69,491 | 28.18% | 246,561 | |
| Sussex | 43,395 | 50.16% | 43,123 | 49.84% | 86,790 | |
| Total | 257,539 | 64.69% | 140,595 | 35.31% | 398,406 | |
Aftermath
[edit]Biden took the oath of office in the Senate chamber with his fellow senator-elects on January 3, 2009,[24] but resigned his seat on January 15, 2009, and assumed the vice presidency five days later.[25] Outgoing Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner appointed Ted Kaufman, a Democrat and longtime Biden advisor, to fill the vacant seat pending a 2010 special election. Kaufman stated he had no plans to run in 2010.[26] O'Donnell once again ran unsuccessfully for the seat, losing to Democrat Chris Coons.[27]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Joseph Biden (D) is seeking a seventh term". NPR. September 18, 2008. Archived from the original on August 7, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2010 – via PBS.
- ^ Giroux, Greg (September 10, 2008). "Franken Primary Win One of Many Key Results From Tuesday's Primaries". Congressional Quarterly. Archived from the original on September 12, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2008.
- ^ Silverstein, Stuart; Neuman, Johanna (August 23, 2008). "Biden's the pick, sources confirm". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 23, 2008.
- ^ a b Libit, Daniel (October 4, 2008). "Joe Biden's other female foe". Politico. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ Leip, David. "2006 Senatorial General Election Results - Delaware". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Archived from the original on April 16, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
- ^ "Calendar of Election Events". Delaware Commissioner of Elections. Archived from the original on August 6, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2008.
- ^ Libit, Daniel (October 4, 2008). "Joe Biden's other female foe". Politico. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
- ^ a b Catanese, David (September 14, 2010). "Ex-aide: O'Donnell a 'complete fraud'". Politico. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ Gibson, Ginger (March 20, 2010). "Delaware politics: O'Donnell faces campaign debt, back-tax issues". The News Journal. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Checkered Financial Past Dogs Tea Party's Christine O'Donnell in Senate Bid". ABC News. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ "2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ "Race Ratings Chart: Senate". Congressional Quarterly. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ Gonzales, Nathan L. (November 2, 2008). "2008 Senate ratings". Inside Elections. Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ "2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
- ^ Burkeman, Oliver (November 4, 2008). "Liveblogging the 2008 US presidential election, part one". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ Catanese, David (September 17, 2010). "Ex-aides unload on O'Donnell". Politico. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ a b Miller, Lorraine C. (July 10, 2009). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Elections of November 4, 2008". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.
- ^ a b c Leip, David. "2002 Senatorial General Election Results - Delaware". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ a b Election Results (Map). The New York Times. December 9, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ "President Map - Election Results 2008" (Map). The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ "President - Live Election Results". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ "Delaware 2020 presidential election results". CNN. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ "2008 General Election". Delaware Department of Election. December 15, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Levi, Michelle (January 6, 2009). "Biden Sworn In (As a Senator)". CBS News. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Rudin, Ken (January 12, 2009). "Why Is VP-Elect Joe Biden Still A Senator?". NPR. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ Mahtesian, Charles (January 25, 2010). "Beau Biden declines Senate bid". Politico. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ James, Frank (November 2, 2010). "Chris Coons Defeats Christine O'Donnell In Delaware: CNN, AP". NPR. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
