2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada
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The 2008 congressional elections in Nevada were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who would represent the state of Nevada in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential election. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected would serve in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011.
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November 4, 2008
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All 3 Nevada seats to the United States House of Representatives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nevada had three seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Its 2007–2008 congressional delegation consisted of two Republicans and one Democrat. After the election, it consisted of one Republican and two Democrats, with District 3 changing from Republican to Democratic. CQ Politics had forecasted districts 2 and 3 to be at some risk for the incumbent party.
Overview
Statewide
| Party | Candidates | Votes[1] | Seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | +/– | % | |||
| Democratic | 3 | 457,320 | 50.35 | 2 |  |
66.67 | |
| Republican | 3 | 383,548 | 42.23 | 1 | |
33.33 | |
| Independent American | 3 | 22,813 | 2.51 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Libertarian | 3 | 20,432 | 2.25 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Independent | 1 | 14,922 | 1.64 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Green | 2 | 9,219 | 1.02 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Total | 15 | 908,254 | 100.0 | 3 | |
100.0 | |
By district
Results of the 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada by district:
| District | Democratic | Republican | Others | Total | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| District 1 | 154,860 | 67.65% | 64,837 | 28.32% | 9,225 | 4.03% | 228,922 | 100.0% | Democratic Hold |
| District 2 | 136,548 | 41.44% | 170,771 | 51.82% | 22,201 | 6.74% | 329,520 | 100.0% | Republican Hold |
| District 3 | 165,912 | 47.43% | 147,940 | 42.29% | 35,960 | 10.28% | 349,812 | 100.0% | Democratic Gain |
| Total | 457,320 | 50.35% | 383,548 | 42.23% | 67,386 | 7.42% | 908,254 | 100.0% | |
District 1
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This district covered most of the City of Las Vegas, as well as parts of North Las Vegas and parts of unincorporated Clark County. Incumbent Democrat Shelley Berkley, who had represented the district since 1999, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 51.2% of the vote in 2006 and the district had a PVI of D+9.[2]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Shelley Berkley, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Shelley Berkley (incumbent) | 19,444 | 89.7 | |
| Democratic | Mark Budetich Jr | 2,222 | 10.3 | |
| Total votes | 21,666 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Kenneth Wegner, Gulf War veteran, part-time bail enforcement agent, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004 and nominee for this seat in 2006
Eliminated in primary
- Chris Dyer, veteran and restaurateur
- Eve Ellingwood, former judge
- Ed Hamilton, former Chrysler executive and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006[3]
- Ray Kornfield, casino worker
- Russ Mickelson, former Air Force pilot, retired Defense Department employee, for this seat in candidate in 2006 and nominee in 2004
- Mike Powers, candidate for Mayor of Honolulu
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kenneth Wegner | 4,359 | 34.7 | |
| Republican | Russ Mickelson | 2,490 | 19.8 | |
| Republican | Chris Dyer | 1,847 | 14.7 | |
| Republican | Eve Ellingwood | 1,137 | 9.0 | |
| Republican | Ray Kornfield | 1,090 | 8.7 | |
| Republican | Mike Powers | 896 | 7.1 | |
| Republican | Ed Hamilton | 761 | 6.0 | |
| Total votes | 12,580 | 100.0 | ||
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jim Duensing, radio talk show host, nominee for this seat in 2004 and 2006
Independent American primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Caren Alexander
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Shelley Berkley (incumbent) | 154,860 | 67.6 | |
| Republican | Kenneth Wegner | 64,837 | 28.3 | |
| Independent American | Caren Alexander | 4,697 | 2.1 | |
| Libertarian | Jim Duensing | 4,528 | 2.0 | |
| Majority | 90,023 | 39.3 | ||
| Total votes | 228,922 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelley Berkley (D) | $2,164,787 | $1,985,063 | $853,233 | |
| Kenneth Wegner (R) | $15,747 | $15,794 | $0 | |
| Jim Duensing (L) | Unreported | |||
| Darnell Roberts (IN) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Shelley Berkley (D) | $19,108 | $0 |
| Kenneth Wegner (R) | $1 | $0 |
| Jim Duensing (L) | $0 | $0 |
| Darnell Roberts (IN) | $0 | $0 |
District 2
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 County results Heller: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Derby: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||
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This district covered all of Nevada except for parts of Clark County. Reno, along with surrounding Washoe County, casts about 70% of the district's vote. The 2nd District had been represented by Republicans continuously since its creation. Incumbent Republican Dean Heller, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was elected with 50.3% of the vote in 2006 and the district had a PVI of R+8.[2]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Dean Heller (Carson City), incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
- James Smack, pawn shop manager
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dean Heller (incumbent) | 43,112 | 86.0 | |
| Republican | James Smack | 7,009 | 14.0 | |
| Total votes | 50,121 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jill Derby (Gardnerville), chair of the Nevada Democratic Party, former Regent for the University and Community College System of Nevada and nominee for this seat in 2006[9]
General election
Endorsements
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[10]
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Dean Heller (R) |
Jill Derby (D) |
Others | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[11] | October 28–29, 2008 | 400 (LV) | ±5.0% | 50% | 37% | 4% | 9% |
| Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[12] | October 8–9, 2008 | 221 (LV) | ±4.0% | 51% | 38% | 1% | 10% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Lean R | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Likely R | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Lean R | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe R | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Lean R | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dean Heller (incumbent) | 170,771 | 51.8 | |
| Democratic | Jill Derby | 136,548 | 41.4 | |
| Independent American | John Everhart | 11,179 | 3.4 | |
| Libertarian | Sean Patrick Morse | 5,740 | 1.7 | |
| Green | Craig Bergland | 5,282 | 1.6 | |
| Majority | 34,223 | 10.4 | ||
| Total votes | 329,520 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean Heller (R) | $1,713,939 | $1,605,840 | $133,757 | |
| Jill Derby (D) | $1,109,169 | $1,121,582 | $4,085 | |
| Sean Patrick Morse (L) | Unreported | |||
| James Krochus (IA) | Unreported | |||
| Craig Bergland (G) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Dean Heller (R) | $128,416 | $10,278 |
| Jill Derby (D) | $42,810 | $0 |
| Sean Patrick Morse (L) | $0 | $0 |
| John Everhart (IA) | $0 | $0 |
| Craig Bergland (G) | $0 | $0 |
District 3
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This district covered the suburbs of Las Vegas, including Henderson, parts of North Las Vegas and Summerlin, and much of unincorporated Clark County. Incumbent Republican Jon Porter, who had represented the district since 2003, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 48.5% of the vote in 2006 and the district had a PVI of D+1.[2]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jon Porter (Boulder City), incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
- Carl Bunce
- Jesse Law
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jon Porter (incumbent) | 21,955 | 81.6 | |
| Republican | Jesse Law | 3,030 | 11.3 | |
| Republican | Carl Bunce | 1,911 | 7.1 | |
| Total votes | 26,896 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Leading Democratic candidates included Fraud Examiner Andrew Martin and Clark County prosecutor Robert Daskas, but Daskas dropped out in late April, citing family concerns. After losing their top candidate, the Democratic Party quickly recruited Titus, who had previously declined to run.[13]
Candidates
Nominee
- Dina Titus (Las Vegas), Nevada Senate Minority Leader and nominee for Governor in 2006
Eliminated in primary
Withdrawn
- Robert Daskas, Clark County prosecutor[14]
- Andrew Martin, fraud examiner (running for the state assembly)[15]
Declined
- Maggie Carlton, state senator[16]
- Tessa Hafen, former press secretary for US Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and nominee for this seat in 2006
- Lawrence Lehrner, nephrologist and husband of Shelley Berkley[17]
- Rory Reid, Clark County Commission Chair
- Richard Perkins, Henderson Police Chief and former Speaker of the Nevada Assembly
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dina Titus | 22,232 | 84.7 | |
| Democratic | Barry Michaels | 2,312 | 8.8 | |
| Democratic | Anna Nevenic | 1,114 | 4.2 | |
| Democratic | Carlo "Tex" Poliak | 587 | 2.2 | |
| Total votes | 26,245 | 100.0 | ||
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
Green primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Bob Giaquinta
Independent American primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Floyd Fitzgibbons, insurance agency owner and nominee for State Controller in 2006
Other Candidates
- Jeffrey Reeves (Independent)
General election
Campaign
Porter was considered to be at risk due to the increasingly Democratic electorate in the 3rd District, having won by only 48% to 46% in 2006 against a former aide to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. George W. Bush had barely won this district with 50% to 49% for John Kerry in 2004.[18]
Endorsements
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[10]
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Jon Porter (R) |
Dina Titus (D) |
Others | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal) | October 28–29, 2008 | 400 (LV) | ±5.0% | 44% | 44% | 3% | 9% |
| Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[19] | October 8–9, 2008 | 236 (LV) | ±4.0% | 43% | 40% | 3% | 13% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Tossup | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Tilt D (flip) | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Lean D (flip) | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Tossup | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Tossup | November 6, 2008 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dina Titus | 165,912 | 47.4 | |||
| Republican | Jon Porter (incumbent) | 147,940 | 42.3 | |||
| Independent | Jeffrey Reeves | 14,922 | 4.3 | |||
| Libertarian | Joseph Silvestri | 10,164 | 2.9 | |||
| Independent American | Floyd Fitzgibbons | 6,937 | 2.0 | |||
| Green | Bob Giaquinta | 3,937 | 1.1 | |||
| Majority | 17,972 | 5.1 | ||||
| Total votes | 349,812 | 100.0 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Porter (R) | $2,946,133 | $2,873,337 | $26,133 | |
| Dina Titus (D) | $1,856,736 | $1,777,641 | $79,095 | |
| Joseph Silvestri (L) | Unreported | |||
| Floyd Fitzgibbons (IA) | Unreported | |||
| Bob Giaquinta (G) | Unreported | |||
| Jeffery Reeves (I) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Jon Porter (R) | $295,757 | $472,721 |
| Dina Titus (D) | $549,006 | $596,775 |
| Joseph Silvestri (L) | $0 | $0 |
| JFloyd Fitzgibbons (IA) | $0 | $0 |
| Bob Giaquinta (G) | $0 | $0 |
| Jeffery Reeves (I) | $0 | $0 |
Notes
- Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear