Inspired by the
2004 and
2012 threads created by nclib, I've decided to create this thread comparing the presidential and senatorial results from 2008. Here is the comparison map:
Red = Obama outperformed Democratic Senate candidate
Blue = Democratic Senate candidate outperformed Obama
Green = Both (or neither) major-party candidates outperformed Obama and McCain
Gray = No Senate election
2008 was a banner year for Democrats, and was one of the last election cycles in which they performed well downballot in the Senate, with significant split-ticket voting (with 2012 being the other). Several formidable incumbents won their final terms this year. In Montana, Baucus was reelected 73-27%, while Obama lost the state to McCain 49-47%. Johnson was reelected in South Dakota 62-38%, while Obama lost to McCain 53-45%. Iowa reelected Harkin 63-37%, while Obama won the state 54-44% against McCain. Illinois reelected Durbin (still in the Senate) 68-29% while Obama won 62-37%. Levin won his final term in Michigan 63-34% while Obama carried the state 57-41%.
Obama lost West Virginia 56-42%, but Rockefeller won his final term by a landslide margin, 64-36%. Pryor in Arkansas won 80-20% against a Green candidate, while Obama lost the state 59-39% to McCain. Massachusetts had Kerry win reelection 66-31%, while Obama won 62-36%. Rhode Island reelected Jack Reed 73-26% while Obama won 63-35%. In Delaware, Obama's running mate Biden was simultaneously reelected to the Senate, winning his final term 65-35%, while the Obama-Biden ticket won 62-37% at the presidential level. Obama also ran behind Mary Landrieu in Louisiana, who was reelected 52-46% while Obama lost 59-40%.
Some non-incumbents also outran Obama. Mark Warner won his first term in Virginia by a landslide 65-34% margin over Jim Gilmore, while Obama won 53-46% against McCain. And Tom Udall won his first term against Steve Pearce 61-39% while Obama beat McCain 57-42%. In North Carolina, Kay Hagan won 53-44% while Obama carried the state extremely narrowly, by a 0.32% plurality against McCain. Alaska elected Mark Begich by an extremely narrow 48-47% margin over longtime Senator Ted Stevens, while Obama lost to McCain 59-38%.
Obama also helped to propel, or ran ahead, of some Democratic newcomers. Al Franken won a bitterly contested election in Minnesota, by
312 votes, against Norm Coleman; Obama won 54-44%. Jeff Merkley beat Gordon Smith 49-46% in Oregon, while Obama won 57-40% over McCain. New Hampshire elected Jeanne Shaheen by 52-45% over John Sununu, while Obama won 54-45%.
Obama narrowly outperformed Frank Lautenberg, who won reelection to his final term 56-42%, while Obama won 57-42%. He ran ahead of Democratic nominees Rothfuss in Wyoming (Wyoming was 76-24% Enzi and 65-33% McCain), Kleeb in Montana (58-40% Johanns and 57-42% McCain), Slattery in Kansas (60-36% Roberts and 56-42% McCain), Tuke in Tennessee (65-32% Alexander and 57-42% McCain), Conley in South Carolina (58-42% Graham and 54-45% McCain), Figures in Alabama (63-37% Sessions and 60-39% McCain), and Fleming in Mississippi (61-39% Cochran and 56-43% McCain). And of course, Obama heavily outperformed Tom Allen in Maine. Susan Collins won reelection 61-39% while Obama carried the state 58-40%.
Obama ran behind Democratic losers Lunsford in Kentucky (53-47% McConnell and 57-41% McCain), and Rice in Oklahoma (57-39% Inhofe and 66-34% McCain). In Idaho, Texas, Colorado, and Georgia, both major-party Senatorial nominees obtained lower percentage shares than the presidential candidates.
