2008 United States Senate election in Delaware

2008 United States Senate election in Delaware
November 4, 2008
 
Nominee Joe Biden Christine O'Donnell
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 257,539 140,595
Percentage 64.69% 35.31%
Biden:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
O'Donnell:      50–60%
U.S. senator before election

Joe Biden
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Joe Biden
Democratic

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 Republican challenger 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.

The election was O'Donnell's second run for the Senate after a failed write-in campaign in 2006. Biden primarily focused on his vice presidential run, which O'Donnell criticized him for; he heavily outspent her in Delaware and she ended her campaign in debt. During the 2010 cycle, it was discovered O'Donnell broke campaign finance regulation by spending donations on personal expenses.

Shortly after being sworn in, Biden resigned from the Senate to assume the vice presidency, and long-time Biden advisor Ted Kaufman was appointed to fill the vacancy. A special election was held in 2010, where O'Donnell again ran unsuccessfully.

Background

Further information: List of United States senators from Delaware and US Senate career of Joe Biden

Biden had first been elected to the Senate in 1972.[1] He won his sixth term in 2002, defeating Republican candidate Raymond Clatworthy.[2] Delaware is considered a "blue state", having last voted for a Republican presidential candidate in 1988.[3] By 2008, there were only two Republicans who held statewide office.[4]

Candidates and primaries

In January 2008, following a poor performance in the Iowa Caucus, Biden ended his 2008 presidential bid to instead focus on running for a seventh term in the United States Senate. He was unopposed within his party.[6] On August 23, the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, announced that he had selected Biden to serve as his running mate in the presidential election.[7] Under Delaware law, Biden could run simultaneously for both his Senate seat and the vice presidency, which he decided to do.[8]

O'Donnell had previously run in for Delaware's Class One Senate seat in 2006. After losing the Republican primary to Jan C. Ting, she ran in the general election as a write-in candidate. She lost, having received less than five percent of the vote.[9] The primary election was held on September 9, 2008. Both candidates ran unopposed.[5][6]

Predictions

Pundits believed Biden would easily win re-election, with all major polls placing him over 30 points ahead of O'Donnell. The first poll, conducted in mid-September by Fairleigh Dickinson University, gave Biden the best projection with a +43 margin; his weakest projection came from SurveyUSA, with a +32 margin. The final poll of the election was conducted in late October by SurveyUSA, projecting Biden to win by 34 percent.[10]

Predictions
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]

General election

Biden largely ignored the election in favor of Obama's presidential run.[8] O'Donnell tried to make an issue of the dual campaigns, claiming that doing so was evidence that serving his constituents was not important to him, as well as criticizing his unwillingness to participate in debates and candidate forums. Politico's Daniel Libit, writing about O'Donnell, said, "nowhere else in America is a challenger wanting her incumbent opponent to campaign harder against her." O'Donnell received the endorsements of astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, and activist David Horowitz.[14]

Biden put up very few campaign advertisements;[14] nevertheless, he heavily outspent O'Donnell and her campaign failed to gain traction. She ended her campaign with thousands of dollars in debt.[15][16] Kristin Murray briefly served as the campaign manager for O'Donnell, later saying she left the campaign willingly because of O'Donnell's financial situation; O'Donnell said she was fired.[15] During O'Donnell's 2010 campaign for the seat, Murray said that O'Donnell was misusing her campaign donations and using the money to pay her rent and other "personal expenses".[17]

Results

The election was held on November 4, 2008. Only minutes after the polls closed, the race was called for Biden.[18] He was re-elected in a landslide victory against O'Donnell,[19][20] securing his largest margin of victory and improving on his 2002 performance by around 6.5%.[21] He received around two thousand more votes than Obama did in the presidential election.[20] Biden's victory was a part of a national "blue wave" in the 2008 election cycle.[22]

2008 United States Senate election in Delaware[20][21]
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% 6.47%
Total votes 398,134 100% —
Democratic hold

Biden won all three counties including Kent County, which he lost in 2002.[23][21] 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 successful presidential run in 2020, Sussex County voted for the Republican candidates.[24][25][26]

Biden's best performance was in New Castle County, where he won around 72 percent of the vote to O'Donnell's 28 percent. O'Donnell's best performance was in Sussex County, where she received 49.84% of the vote to Biden's 50.16%, his weakest performance. New Castle County had the highest number of votes cast with 246 thousand, followed by Sussex County with 86 thousand.[23]

Results by county[23]
County Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (D) Christine Therese O'Donnell (R) Total votes cast
% # % #
Kent 37,074 56.99% 27,981 43.01% 65,055
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

Main article: 2010 United States Senate special election in Delaware

A few weeks after the election, The News Journal published an opinion piece by Greg Gober on Delaware's election laws. Gober found the result unfair and undemocratic as Biden's replacement was not voted on. He also criticized Biden himself for his dual campaigns.[27] Biden took the oath of office in the Senate chamber with his fellow senators-elect on January 3, 2009,[28] but resigned his seat on January 15, 2009, and assumed the vice presidency five days later.[29]

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, where Kaufman stated he had no plans to run.[30] O'Donnell once again ran unsuccessfully for the seat, losing to Democrat Chris Coons.[31] In 2015, she was sued by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for misuse of campaign funds and was found guilty a year later.[32][33]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Powel, James. "From County Council to President, a timeline of Joe Biden's career ahead of DNC tribute". USA Today. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  2. ^ Christian, Nichole M.; Cushman Jr, John H.; Day, Sherri; Dillon, Sam; Lewis, Neil A.; Pear, Robert; Pristin, Terry; Shenon, Philip; Steinberg, Jacques; Wayne, Leslie (November 6, 2002). "The 2002 elections: Northeast; Delaware". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  3. ^ Hughes, Isabel (November 14, 2024). "Is Delaware becoming a purple state? Probably not, but Republicans are gaining traction". The News Journal. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  4. ^ Miller, J. L. (January 13, 2008). "Lincoln Day Dinner is all about Rudy". The News Journal. p. B1. Retrieved February 19, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "Christine O'Donnell: Delaware's dark horse". CNN. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  6. ^ a b 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.
  7. ^ Silverstein, Stuart; Neuman, Johanna (August 23, 2008). "Biden's the pick, sources confirm". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 23, 2008.
  8. ^ a b Libit, Daniel (October 4, 2008). "Joe Biden's other female foe". Politico. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "2008 Delaware Senate". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  11. ^ "2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  12. ^ "Race Ratings Chart: Senate". Congressional Quarterly. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  13. ^ Gonzales, Nathan L. (November 2, 2008). "2008 Senate ratings". Inside Elections. Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Libit, Daniel (October 4, 2008). "Joe Biden's other female foe". Politico. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  15. ^ a b Catanese, David (September 14, 2010). "Ex-aide: O'Donnell a 'complete fraud'". Politico. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  16. ^ Gibson, Ginger (March 20, 2010). "Delaware politics: O'Donnell faces campaign debt, back-tax issues". The News Journal. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
  17. ^ "Checkered Financial Past Dogs Tea Party's Christine O'Donnell in Senate Bid". ABC News. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  18. ^ Burkeman, Oliver (November 4, 2008). "Liveblogging the 2008 US presidential election, part one". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  19. ^ Catanese, David (September 17, 2010). "Ex-aides unload on O'Donnell". Politico. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  20. ^ a b c 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.
  21. ^ a b c Leip, David. "2002 Senatorial General Election Results – Delaware". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  22. ^ Schor, Elana; MacAskill, Ewen (November 6, 2008). "Congress: Big Democratic gains put party in firm control after 16 years". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  23. ^ a b c Election Results (Map). The New York Times. December 9, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  24. ^ "President Map – Election Results 2008" (Map). The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  25. ^ "President – Live Election Results". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  26. ^ "Delaware 2020 presidential election results". CNN. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  27. ^ Gober, Greg (November 17, 2008). "O'Donnell got the bad end of our faulty election laws". The News Journal. p. A14. Retrieved February 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ Levi, Michelle (January 6, 2009). "Biden Sworn In (As a Senator)". CBS News. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  29. ^ Rudin, Ken (January 12, 2009). "Why Is VP-Elect Joe Biden Still A Senator?". NPR. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  30. ^ Mahtesian, Charles (January 25, 2010). "Beau Biden declines Senate bid". Politico. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  31. ^ James, Frank (November 2, 2010). "Chris Coons Defeats Christine O'Donnell In Delaware: CNN, AP". NPR. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  32. ^ Chase, Randal (November 20, 2015). "Ex-Senate candidate O'Donnell: FEC lawsuit is a 'witch hunt'". Associated Press. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  33. ^ Masulli Reyes, Jessica; Albright, Matthew (September 22, 2016). "Judge: Christine O'Donnell violated election law". The News Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
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