2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi
November 4, 2008
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Cochran: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Fleming: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Mississippi |
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The 2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi was held on November 4, 2008. The seat was regularly scheduled for election, unlike the special election taking place on the same day. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Thad Cochran won re-election to a sixth term.
Campaign
Candidates
Democratic
- Erik R. Fleming, State Representative and nominee in 2006
- Shawn O'Hara
Republican
- Thad Cochran, incumbent U.S. Senator
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[1] | Safe R | October 23, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[2] | Safe R | October 31, 2008 |
| Rothenberg Political Report[3] | Safe R | November 2, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[4] | Safe R | November 4, 2008 |
Polling
| Poll Source | Dates administered | Thad Cochran (R) |
Erik Fleming (D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasmussen Reports[5] | June 26, 2008 | 59% | 32% |
| Rasmussen Reports[6] | May 27, 2008 | 58% | 35% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Thad Cochran (incumbent) | 766,111 | 61.44% | ||
| Democratic | Erik Fleming | 480,915 | 38.56% | ||
| Total votes | 1,247,026 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
By county
| County[7] | Thad Cochran Republican |
Erik Fleming Democratic |
Margin | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 6,967 | 46.69% | 7,954 | 53.31% | -987 | -6.61% | 14,921 |
| Alcorn | 10,275 | 70.44% | 4,311 | 29.56% | 5,964 | 40.89% | 14,586 |
| Amite | 4,269 | 58.06% | 3,084 | 41.94% | 1,185 | 16.12% | 7,353 |
| Attala | 5,466 | 61.26% | 3,457 | 38.74% | 2,009 | 22.51% | 8,923 |
| Benton | 2,408 | 55.59% | 1,924 | 44.41% | 484 | 11.17% | 4,332 |
| Bolivar | 5,756 | 40.30% | 8,527 | 59.70% | -2,771 | -19.40% | 14,283 |
| Calhoun | 4,555 | 66.53% | 2,292 | 33.47% | 2,263 | 33.05% | 6,847 |
| Carroll | 3,991 | 68.80% | 1,810 | 31.20% | 2,181 | 37.60% | 5,801 |
| Chickasaw | 4,512 | 52.13% | 4,143 | 47.87% | 369 | 4.26% | 8,655 |
| Choctaw | 2,715 | 68.58% | 1,244 | 31.42% | 1,471 | 37.16% | 3,959 |
| Claiborne | 964 | 18.24% | 4,320 | 81.76% | -3,356 | -63.51% | 5,284 |
| Clarke | 5,242 | 64.02% | 2,946 | 35.98% | 2,296 | 28.04% | 8,188 |
| Clay | 4,772 | 44.63% | 5,921 | 55.37% | -1,149 | -10.75% | 10,693 |
| Coahoma | 3,559 | 36.35% | 6,233 | 63.65% | -2,674 | -27.31% | 9,792 |
| Copiah | 7,063 | 50.39% | 6,953 | 49.61% | 110 | 0.78% | 14,016 |
| Covington | 5,758 | 62.42% | 3,467 | 37.58% | 2,291 | 24.83% | 9,225 |
| DeSoto | 44,834 | 71.58% | 17,798 | 28.42% | 27,036 | 43.17% | 62,632 |
| Forrest | 16,926 | 64.45% | 9,335 | 35.55% | 7,591 | 28.91% | 26,261 |
| Franklin | 2,940 | 64.39% | 1,626 | 35.61% | 1,314 | 28.78% | 4,566 |
| George | 7,731 | 84.86% | 1,379 | 15.14% | 6,352 | 69.73% | 9,110 |
| Greene | 4,291 | 75.48% | 1,394 | 24.52% | 2,897 | 50.96% | 5,685 |
| Grenada | 6,431 | 59.08% | 4,454 | 40.92% | 1,977 | 18.16% | 10,885 |
| Hancock | 13,262 | 80.60% | 3,193 | 19.40% | 10,069 | 61.19% | 16,455 |
| Harrison | 43,275 | 71.06% | 17,625 | 28.94% | 25,650 | 42.12% | 60,900 |
| Hinds | 39,431 | 37.70% | 65,157 | 62.30% | -25,726 | -24.60% | 104,588 |
| Holmes | 2,145 | 23.72% | 6,898 | 76.28% | -4,753 | -52.56% | 9,043 |
| Humphreys | 1,690 | 34.77% | 3,170 | 65.23% | -1,480 | -30.45% | 4,860 |
| Issaquena | 397 | 44.41% | 497 | 55.59% | -100 | -11.19% | 894 |
| Itawamba | 7,602 | 78.40% | 2,095 | 21.60% | 5,507 | 56.79% | 9,697 |
| Jackson | 38,961 | 73.88% | 13,776 | 26.12% | 25,185 | 47.76% | 52,737 |
| Jasper | 4,281 | 47.58% | 4,716 | 52.42% | -435 | -4.83% | 8,997 |
| Jefferson | 753 | 17.35% | 3,588 | 82.65% | -2,835 | -65.31% | 4,341 |
| Jefferson Davis | 3,088 | 43.33% | 4,038 | 56.67% | -950 | -13.33% | 7,126 |
| Jones | 21,049 | 73.40% | 7,628 | 26.60% | 13,421 | 46.80% | 28,677 |
| Kemper | 2,171 | 43.10% | 2,866 | 56.90% | -695 | -13.80% | 5,037 |
| Lafayette | 11,826 | 65.86% | 6,130 | 34.14% | 5,696 | 31.72% | 17,956 |
| Lamar | 19,384 | 82.67% | 4,064 | 17.33% | 15,320 | 65.34% | 23,448 |
| Lauderdale | 20,679 | 64.82% | 11,225 | 35.18% | 9,454 | 29.63% | 31,904 |
| Lawrence | 4,428 | 64.77% | 2,408 | 35.23% | 2,020 | 29.55% | 6,836 |
| Leake | 5,466 | 60.27% | 3,603 | 39.73% | 1,863 | 20.54% | 9,069 |
| Lee | 23,736 | 69.71% | 10,316 | 30.29% | 13,420 | 39.41% | 34,052 |
| Leflore | 4,562 | 36.89% | 7,803 | 63.11% | -3,241 | -26.21% | 12,365 |
| Lincoln | 10,994 | 68.19% | 5,129 | 31.81% | 5,865 | 36.38% | 16,123 |
| Lowndes | 14,966 | 56.89% | 11,340 | 43.11% | 3,626 | 13.78% | 26,306 |
| Madison | 29,402 | 63.78% | 16,698 | 36.22% | 12,704 | 27.56% | 46,100 |
| Marion | 8,640 | 68.01% | 4,064 | 31.99% | 4,576 | 36.02% | 12,704 |
| Marshall | 7,032 | 45.46% | 8,435 | 54.54% | -1,403 | -9.07% | 15,467 |
| Monroe | 10,478 | 61.83% | 6,469 | 38.17% | 4,009 | 23.66% | 16,947 |
| Montgomery | 3,174 | 57.45% | 2,351 | 42.55% | 823 | 14.90% | 5,525 |
| Neshoba | 8,527 | 76.36% | 2,640 | 23.64% | 5,887 | 52.72% | 11,167 |
| Newton | 6,820 | 71.02% | 2,783 | 28.98% | 4,037 | 42.04% | 9,603 |
| Noxubee | 1,683 | 26.98% | 4,554 | 73.02% | -2,871 | -46.03% | 6,237 |
| Oktibbeha | 10,466 | 57.99% | 7,583 | 42.01% | 2,883 | 15.97% | 18,049 |
| Panola | 8,137 | 51.98% | 7,518 | 48.02% | 619 | 3.95% | 15,655 |
| Pearl River | 17,298 | 80.36% | 4,227 | 19.64% | 13,071 | 60.72% | 21,525 |
| Perry | 4,233 | 77.23% | 1,248 | 22.77% | 2,985 | 54.46% | 5,481 |
| Pike | 9,103 | 51.73% | 8,493 | 48.27% | 610 | 3.47% | 17,596 |
| Pontotoc | 9,862 | 78.67% | 2,674 | 21.33% | 7,188 | 57.34% | 12,536 |
| Prentiss | 7,504 | 71.30% | 3,020 | 28.70% | 4,484 | 42.61% | 10,524 |
| Quitman | 1,541 | 39.94% | 2,317 | 60.06% | -776 | -20.11% | 3,858 |
| Rankin | 49,993 | 80.76% | 11,908 | 19.24% | 38,085 | 61.53% | 61,901 |
| Scott | 6,748 | 59.68% | 4,559 | 40.32% | 2,189 | 19.36% | 11,307 |
| Sharkey | 962 | 36.65% | 1,663 | 63.35% | -701 | -26.70% | 2,625 |
| Simpson | 7,915 | 64.91% | 4,279 | 35.09% | 3,636 | 29.82% | 12,194 |
| Smith | 6,369 | 78.30% | 1,765 | 21.70% | 4,604 | 56.60% | 8,134 |
| Stone | 5,390 | 76.99% | 1,611 | 23.01% | 3,779 | 53.98% | 7,001 |
| Sunflower | 3,906 | 36.55% | 6,780 | 63.45% | -2,874 | -26.90% | 10,686 |
| Tallahatchie | 3,092 | 46.87% | 3,505 | 53.13% | -413 | -6.26% | 6,597 |
| Tate | 7,869 | 64.54% | 4,324 | 35.46% | 3,545 | 29.07% | 12,193 |
| Tippah | 6,963 | 73.62% | 2,495 | 26.38% | 4,468 | 47.24% | 9,458 |
| Tishomingo | 6,022 | 74.52% | 2,059 | 25.48% | 3,963 | 49.04% | 8,081 |
| Tunica | 1,225 | 30.97% | 2,731 | 69.03% | -1,506 | -38.07% | 3,956 |
| Union | 9,242 | 77.62% | 2,664 | 22.38% | 6,578 | 55.25% | 11,906 |
| Walthall | 4,348 | 58.07% | 3,140 | 41.93% | 1,208 | 16.13% | 7,488 |
| Warren | 12,183 | 57.68% | 8,939 | 42.32% | 3,244 | 15.36% | 21,122 |
| Washington | 7,187 | 38.55% | 11,457 | 61.45% | -4,270 | -22.90% | 18,644 |
| Wayne | 6,215 | 63.95% | 3,504 | 36.05% | 2,711 | 27.89% | 9,719 |
| Webster | 4,139 | 77.89% | 1,175 | 22.11% | 2,964 | 55.78% | 5,314 |
| Wilkinson | 1,735 | 36.34% | 3,039 | 63.66% | -1,304 | -27.31% | 4,774 |
| Winston | 5,740 | 57.60% | 4,225 | 42.40% | 1,515 | 15.20% | 9,965 |
| Yalobusha | 3,870 | 58.25% | 2,774 | 41.75% | 1,096 | 16.50% | 6,644 |
| Yazoo | 5,527 | 50.54% | 5,408 | 49.46% | 119 | 1.09% | 10,935 |
| Totals | 766,111 | 61.44% | 480,915 | 38.56% | 285,196 | 22.87% | 1,247,026 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Tunica (Largest city: Tunica)
- Coahoma (Largest city: Clarksdale)
- Tallahatchie (Largest city: Charleston)
- Quitman (Largest city: Lambert)
- Sharkey (Largest city: Rolling Fork)
- Issaquena (Largest city: Mayersville)
- Clay (Largest city: West Point)
- Marshall (Largest city: Holly Springs)
- Noxubee (Largest city: Macon)
- Kemper (Largest city: De Kalb)
- Jasper (Largest city: Bay Springs)
- Jefferson Davis (Largest city: Prentiss)
- Adams (Largest city: Natchez)
- Wilkinson (Largest city: Centreville)
- Hinds (largest municipality: Jackson)
- Jefferson (largest municipality: Fayette)
- Claiborne (largest municipality: Port Gibson)
- Washington (Largest city: Greenville)
- Humphreys (Largest city: Belzoni)
- Holmes (Largest city: Durant)
- Bolivar (Largest city: Cleveland)
- Sunflower (Largest city: Indianola)
- LeFlore (Largest city: Greenwood)
By congressional district
Cochran won three of four congressional districts, including two that elected Democrats.[8]
| District | Cochran | Fleming | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 64% | 36% | Travis Childers |
| 2nd | 40% | 60% | Bennie Thompson |
| 3rd | 66% | 34% | Chip Pickering (110th Congress) |
| Gregg Harper (111th Congress) | |||
| 4th | 73% | 27% | Gene Taylor |
See also
References
- ^ "2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ Race Ratings Chart: Senate Archived October 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine CQ Politics
- ^ "2008 Senate ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ "2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
- ^ Rasmussen Reports
- ^ Rasmussen Reports
- ^ a b Hosemann, Delbert (December 3, 2008). "US Senate Regular" (PDF). Secretary of State of Mississippi. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ "Mississippi: 2008 Election".
External links
- Elections Division from the Mississippi Secretary of State
- U.S. Congress candidates for Mississippi at Project Vote Smart
- Mississippi, U.S. Senate from CQ Politics
- Mississippi U.S. Senate from OurCampaigns.com
- Mississippi U.S. Senate race from 2008 Race Tracker
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
- Cochran (R-i) vs Fleming (D) graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
- Wicker (R-i) vs Musgrove (D) graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
- Official campaign websites (Archived)
- Thad Cochran, Republican
- Erik Fleming, Democratic
- Ronnie Musgrove, Democratic
- Roger Wicker, Republican
- The Real Roger Wicker site critical of Wicker by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
- Musgrove Facts site critical of Musgrove by the National Republican Senatorial Committee