2008 United States Senate election in Colorado

The 2008 United States Senate election in Colorado was held November 4, 2008. The primary elections were held August 12, 2008.[1] Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Wayne Allard decided to retire instead of seeking a third term. Democratic nominee Mark Udall won the open seat, making this the first time a Democrat won this seat since 1972, and that Democrats held both Senate seats since 1979.

2008 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 2002 November 4, 2008 2014 →
 
Nominee Mark Udall Bob Schaffer
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,231,049 990,784
Percentage 52.80% 42.49%

Udall:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Schaffer:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Tie:      40–50%      No votes

U.S. senator before election

Wayne Allard
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Mark Udall
Democratic

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mark Udall 194,227 100.00%
Total votes 194,227 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bob Schaffer 239,212 100.00%
Total votes 239,212 100.00%

General election

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Campaign

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The election featured an open contest because incumbent U.S. Senator Wayne Allard declined to seek re-election. He honored his 1996 pledge to serve no more than two terms in the U.S. Senate and announced that he would retire from his service to the US Senate and not seek a 3rd term, leaving Colorado's Class II Senate seat open. Both parties believed this senate contest would be one of the most competitive senate races during the 2008 election.[3]

Predictions

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Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[4] Lean D (flip) October 23, 2008
CQ Politics[5] Likely D (flip) October 31, 2008
Rothenberg Political Report[6] Likely D (flip) November 2, 2008
Real Clear Politics[7] Likely D (flip) October 28, 2008

Polling

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Poll source Dates administered Mark
Udall (D)
Bob
Schaffer (R)
Hill Research Consultants[8] August 26–28, 2007 45% 40%
Ciruli Associates[9] September 12–15, 2007 36% 35%
SurveyUSA[10] October 27–30, 2007 48% 41%
Rasmussen Reports[11] November 28, 2007 41% 42%
Research for Change[12] December 3–5, 2007 39% 37%
Rasmussen Reports[13] February 11, 2008 43% 44%
McLaughlin & Associates/
Coalition for a Democratic Workplace
[14]
March 6–9, 2008 44% 32%
Rasmussen Reports[13] March 17, 2008 46% 43%
New Leadership USA/TargetPoint[15] March 31 – April 7, 2008 45% 45%
Rasmussen Reports[16] April 16, 2008 45% 42%
Rasmussen Reports[16] May 19, 2008 47% 41%
Rasmussen Reports[17] June 17, 2008 49% 40%
Garin-Hart-Yang/DSCC[18] June 15–17, 2008 46% 37%
Quinnipiac[19] June 26, 2008 48% 38%
Public Policy Polling (PPP)[20] July 10, 2008 47% 38%
Keith Frederick[21] July 22, 2008 48% 39%
Rasmussen Reports[16] July 22, 2008 49% 46%
Quinnipiac[22] July 24, 2008 44% 44%
Rasmussen Reports[16] August 13, 2008 50% 42%
Hill Research Consultants[23] August 24, 2008 41% 38%
Tarrance Group[24] September 3, 2008 41% 40%
Public Policy Polling[25] September 21, 2008 48% 40%
Quinnipiac[26] September 14–21, 2008 48% 40%
Rasmussen Reports[16] September 23, 2008 46% 44%
Denver Post[27] September 29 – October 1, 2008 43% 38%
Ciruli Associates[28] October 1, 2008 45% 38%
Rasmussen Reports[16] October 16, 2008 51% 44%

Results

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2008 United States Senate election in Colorado[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Mark Udall 1,231,049 52.80% +7.03%
Republican Bob Schaffer 990,784 42.49% −8.20%
Constitution Douglas Campbell 59,736 2.56% +1.04%
Green Bob Kinsey 50,008 2.14% N/A
Write-in 135 0.01% N/A
Total votes 2,331,712 100.00% N/A
Democratic gain from Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Candidate List for the August 12, 2008 Primary Election" (PDF). Colorado State Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2008 Primary, 2008 General" (PDF). State of Colorado.
  3. ^ Phillips, Kate (June 13, 2008). "G.O.P. Leader Maps Senate Elections". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  5. ^ Race Ratings Chart: Senate Archived October 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine CQ Politics
  6. ^ "2008 Senate ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  7. ^ "2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  8. ^ Hill Research Consultants Archived November 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Ciruli Associates
  10. ^ SurveyUSA
  11. ^ Rasmussen Reports
  12. ^ Research for Change
  13. ^ a b Rasmussen Reports
  14. ^ McLaughlin & Associates/
    Coalition for a Democratic Workplace
  15. ^ New Leadership USA/TargetPoint
  16. ^ a b c d e f Rasmussen Reports
  17. ^ Rasmussen Reports
  18. ^ Garin-Hart-Yang/DSCC
  19. ^ Quinnipiac
  20. ^ Public Policy Polling(PPP)
  21. ^ Keith Frederick
  22. ^ Quinnipiac
  23. ^ Hill Research Consultants
  24. ^ Tarrance Group
  25. ^ Public Policy Polling
  26. ^ Quinnipiac
  27. ^ Denver Post
  28. ^ Ciruli Associates
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