2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee
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The 2008 congressional elections in Tennessee was held on November 4, 2008, to elect the 9 U.S. representatives from the state of Tennessee, one from each of the state's nine congressional districts.
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November 4, 2008
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All 9 Tennessee seats to the United States House of Representatives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 66.34%  [1] 16.37 pp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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  Democratic hold Republican hold
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Following the 2008 elections, no seats changed hands, leaving the Tennessee delegation at a 5-4 Democratic majority. As of 2026, this was the last time Democrats won a majority of congressional districts from Tennessee's House delegation, as well as the House popular vote.
Overview
| United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee, 2008[2] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 1,195,542 | 51.94% | 5 | — | |
| Republican | 977,677 | 42.47% | 4 | — | |
| Independents | 128,601 | 5.59% | 0 | — | |
| Write-in | 65 | 0.00% | 0 | — | |
| Totals | 2,301,885 | 100.00% | 9 | — | |
By district
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Results | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee 1 | David Davis | Republican | 2006 | Incumbent lost renomination. New member elected. Republican hold. |
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| Tennessee 2 | Jimmy Duncan | Republican | 1998 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 3 | Zach Wamp | Republican | 1994 | Incumbent re-elected. | |
| Tennessee 4 | Lincoln Davis | Democratic | 2002 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 5 | Jim Cooper | Democratic | 1982 1994 (retired) 2002 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 6 | Bart Gordon | Democratic | 1984 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 7 | Marsha Blackburn | Republican | 2002 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 8 | John Tanner | Democratic | 1988 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 9 | Steve Cohen | Democratic | 2006 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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District 1
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 County results Roe: 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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This district covers northeast Tennessee, including all of Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties and parts of Jefferson County and Sevier County. It had been represented by Republican David Davis since 2007. Johnson City mayor Roe narrowly defeated Davis in the Republican primary by a margin of 50% to 49% (only 500 votes).[3] Davis was elected in 2006, succeeding retiring congressman Bill Jenkins, winning the Republican nomination over a crowded field which included Roe. Roe, a retired OB/GYN, was endorsed by several local newspapers, refused PAC and special interest money, and promised not to serve any more than ten years in Congress. He was a shoo-in for election in a district that has only elected Republicans since 1880.
Democratic primary
- Michael Donihe
- Rob Russell
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Michael Donihe | 1,968 | 32.3 | |
| Democratic | Rob Russell | 4,123 | 67.7 | |
| Total votes | 6,091 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Johnson City Mayor Phil Roe challenged incumbent David Davis. During the campaign, Roe attacked Davis as an ineffective politician who had sold out to special interests and accepted contributions from oil companies during a summer of record gasoline prices.[4]
Roe defeated incumbent congressman David Davis in the primary election by 482 votes.[5]
It was the first time since 1966 that an incumbent Tennessee congressman had lost a primary. It was also the first time since 1950 that an incumbent congressman lost a primary in the 1st District. Davis claimed Democratic voters, knowing they had no realistic chance of defeating him in November, contributed to his primary loss by crossing over to vote for Roe in the Republican primary. He believed he was the winner among voters who identify as Republicans.[6]
Candidates
- David Davis, incumbent
- Phil Roe, mayor of Johnson City
- Mahmood "Michael" Sabri
Results
- 50–60%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Phil Roe | 25,993 | 50.15% | |
| Republican | David Davis (incumbent) | 25,511 | 49.22% | |
| Republican | Mahmood "Michael" Sabri | 329 | 0.63% | |
| Total votes | 51,833 | 100.00% | ||
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[7] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe R | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[10] | Safe R | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[11] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Phil Roe | 168,343 | 71.82 | |
| Democratic | Rob Russell | 57,525 | 24.54 | |
| Independent | Joel Goodman | 3,988 | 1.70 | |
| Independent | James W. Reeves | 2,544 | 1.09 | |
| Independent | T. K. Owens | 1,981 | 0.85 | |
| Total votes | 234,381 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 2
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 County results Duncan: 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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This district lies in the east-central part of the state, based in Knoxville, and is largely coextensive with that city's metropolitan area. It has been represented by Republican Jimmy Duncan since November 1988. He ran against Democrat Bob Scott. No Democrat has held this seat since 1855.
Democratic primary
- David Ryan Hancock
- Bob Scott
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | David Ryan Hancock | 6,765 | 40.3 | |
| Democratic | Bob Scott | 10,006 | 59.7 | |
| Total votes | 16,771 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John J. Duncan Jr. | 50,722 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 50,722 | 100.0 | ||
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[7] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe R | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[10] | Safe R | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[11] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jimmy Duncan (inc.) | 227,120 | 78.11 | |
| Democratic | Bob Scott | 63,639 | 21.89 | |
| Total votes | 290,759 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 3
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 County results Wamp: 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Tennessee’s 3rd congressional district, which stretches from the Chattanooga metropolitan area in southern Tennessee to Claiborne County in northern Tennessee, is strongly conservative and has been represented by Republican Congressman Zach Wamp since his initial 1994 election.
Democratic primary
- Doug Vandagriff
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Doug Vandagriff | 13,122 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 13,122 | 100.00% | ||
Republican primary
- Teresa Sheppard
- Zach Wamp
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Teresa Sheppard | 3,125 | 8.95% | |
| Republican | Zach Wamp | 31,782 | 91.05% | |
| Total votes | 34,907 | 100.00% | ||
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[7] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe R | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[10] | Safe R | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[11] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Zach Wamp (inc.) | 184,964 | 69.37 | |
| Democratic | Doug Vandagriff | 73,059 | 27.40 | |
| Independent | Jean Howard-Hill | 4,848 | 1.82 | |
| Independent | Ed Choate | 3,750 | 1.41 | |
| Write-ins | 7 | 0.00 | ||
| Total votes | 266,628 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 4
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 County results Davis: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Lankford: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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This district lies in Middle and East Tennessee and includes all of Bledsoe, Campbell, Coffee, Cumberland, Fentress, Franklin, Giles, Grundy, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Maury, Moore, Morgan, Pickett, Scott, Sequatchie, Van Buren, Warren, and White Counties, as well as portions of Hickman, Roane, and Williamson counties. It has been represented by Democrat Lincoln Davis since 2003. He ran against Republican Monty Lankford. Although the 4th is one of the few districts in the nation that is not considered safe for either party, its size and the fact it includes five television markets make it fairly easy for incumbents to tenure themselves in.
Democratic primary
- Lincoln Davis
- Bert Mason
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lincoln Davis | 30,487 | 90.4 | |
| Democratic | Bert Mason | 3,233 | 9.6 | |
| Total votes | 33,720 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
- Kent Greenough
- Monty J. Lankford
- Don Strong
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kent Greenough | 3,749 | 17.6 | |
| Republican | Monty J. Lankford | 13,363 | 62.7 | |
| Republican | Don Strong | 4,199 | 19.7 | |
| Total votes | 21,311 | 100.0 | ||
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[7] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[10] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[11] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lincoln Davis (inc.) | 146,776 | 58.76 | |
| Republican | Monty J. Lankford | 94,447 | 37.81 | |
| Independent | James Anthony Gray | 4,869 | 1.95 | |
| Independent | Kevin Ragsdale | 3,713 | 1.49 | |
| Total votes | 249,805 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 5
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 County results Cooper: 50–60% 60–70% Donovan: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Tennessee’s 5th congressional district was centered on Nashville and included portions of the surrounding area. The district was anchored by the majority of Nashville–Davidson County, making Nashville its largest city and primary population center. In addition to Nashville, the district extended into parts of Cheatham County and Wilson County. This included communities such as Ashland City, Pleasant View, and Pegram in Cheatham County, as well as most of Lebanon, as well as Mount Juliet, and Green Hill in Wilson County.[12] It had been represented by Democrat Jim Cooper since 2003. He ran against Republican Gerard Donovan.
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jim Cooper | 17,985 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 17,985 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
- Gerard Donovan
- Vijay A. Kumar
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Gerard Donovan | 5,482 | 71.1 | |
| Republican | Vijay A. Kumar | 2,225 | 28.9 | |
| Total votes | 7,707 | 100.0 | ||
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[7] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[10] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[11] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jim Cooper (inc.) | 181,467 | 65.84 | |
| Republican | Gerard Donovan | 85,471 | 31.01 | |
| Independent | Jon Jackson | 5,464 | 1.98 | |
| Independent | John P. Miglietta | 3,196 | 1.16 | |
| Write-ins | 4 | 0.00 | ||
| Total votes | 275,602 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 6
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 County results Gordon: 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% | |||||||||||||||||
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This district lies in Middle Tennessee, including all of Bedford, Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Jackson, Macon, Marshall, Overton, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, and Trousdale Counties, as well as a portion of Wilson County. It has been represented by Democrat Bart Gordon since 1985. He ran against independent candidate Chris Baker.
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bart Gordon | 21,752 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 21,752 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Steven L. Edmondson appeared as a write-in candidate in the 2008 Republican primary but did not receive any votes in the general election.
- Steven L. Edmondson (write-in)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Steven L. Edmondson (write-in) | 723 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 723 | 100.0 | ||
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[7] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[10] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[11] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bart Gordon (inc.) | 194,264 | 74.42 | |
| Independent | Chris Baker | 66,764 | 25.58 | |
| Total votes | 261,028 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 7
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 County results Blackburn: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Morris: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Tennessee’s 7th congressional district stretched from portions of Shelby County in West Tennessee through parts of Middle Tennessee which included the majority of Williamson County and a part of southern suburban Nashville and northward to include Clarksville in Montgomery County, resulting in an unusually long and narrow configuration that combined distant suburban and rural areas into a single congressional district.[13] The district had been represented by Republican Marsha Blackburn since 2003. She ran against Democrat Randy G. Morris.
Democratic primary
- Randy G. Morris
- James Tomasik
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Randy G. Morris | 12,003 | 77.2 | |
| Democratic | James Tomasik | 3,535 | 22.8 | |
| Total votes | 15,538 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Tom Leatherwood ran for the 7th Congressional District against sitting Republican Congressman Marsha Blackburn.[14] The race became heated when Leatherwood sent a letter to supporters accusing Blackburn of illegally using campaign money and, "talking the talk" but not "walking the walk."[15]
A Collierville, TN resident then made a FEC complaint against Leatherwood. The complaint alleged that, "Leatherwood’s advertisements didn’t have him approving the message in his own voice, didn’t disclose who paid for his yard signs, and didn’t show his campaign’s website as an expense on his campaign disclosure reports."[16]
Blackburn won the primary with 62% of the vote.
Candidates
- Marsha Blackburn, Incumbent
- Tom Leatherwood, Shelby County Register of Deeds and former state senator
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Marsha Blackburn (incumbent) | 30,997 | 62.0% | |
| Republican | Tom Leatherwood | 19,025 | 38.0% | |
| Total votes | 50,022 | 100.0% | ||
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[7] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe R | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[10] | Safe R | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[11] | Safe R | November 6, 2008 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Marsha Blackburn (inc.) | 217,332 | 68.58 | |
| Democratic | Randy G. Morris | 99,549 | 31.42 | |
| Total votes | 316,881 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 8
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 County results Tanner: >90% | |||||||||||||||||
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This district covers roughly the northwestern part of the state. It has been represented by Democrat John Tanner since 1989. He ran unopposed and encountered opposition from only a few write-in votes.
Democratic primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Tanner | 24,844 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 24,844 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
James Hart appeared as a write-in candidate in the 2008 Republican primary but did not receive any votes in the general election.
James L. Hart, who had previously attempted to run in 2006 and ran in 2004, attempted to run again. Republican state leadership successfully petitioned to have him removed from the ballot on the grounds that he was not a bona fide member of the party. Hart's attorney when he first challenged to remain on the ballot in 2006 was Richard Barrett, the Mississippi white nationalist leader.[17][18] Heart ended up having a write-In campaign where he only received 4 votes.
- James Hart (write-in), a white supremacist, segregationist activist in Buchanan, Tennessee[19][20][21]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James Hart (write-in) | 23 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 23 | 100.0 | ||
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[7] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[10] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[11] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John S. Tanner (inc.) | 180,465 | 99.97 | |
| Write-ins | 54 | 0.03 | ||
| Total votes | 180,519 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 9
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 County results Cohen: 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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This district lies in southwestern Tennessee, located entirely within Shelby County and including most of the city of Memphis. It had been represented by Democrat Steve Cohen since 2007, who ran against independent candidates Jake Ford, Dewey Clark, and Taylor Shelby Wright. Cohen defeated attorney Nikki Tinker by a 79% to 19% margin in the Democratic primary.
Democratic primary
Cohen, who is the only white congressman representing a majority black district, defeated Tinker, who is black, by a much narrower margin in 2006. There was much controversy over accusations made by the Tinker campaign that Cohen was involved with the Ku Klux Klan, and circulation of anti-Semitic propaganda against Cohen, who is Jewish.[22] No Republican filed in this overwhelmingly Democratic district, although Cohen's primary victory assured him of a second term in any case.
Candidates
- Steve Cohen
- James Gregory
- Isaac Richmond
- Nikki Tinker
- Joe Towns Jr.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Steve Cohen (incumbent) | 50,306 | 79.36% | |
| Democratic | Nikki Tinker | 11,817 | 18.64% | |
| Democratic | Joe Towns Jr. | 914 | 1.44% | |
| Democratic | James Gregory | 180 | 0.28% | |
| Democratic | Isaac Richmond | 172 | 0.27% | |
| Total votes | 63,389 | 100.00% | ||
Republican primary
No candidate ran for the Republican nomination.
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[7] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Rothenberg[8] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[9] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[10] | Safe D | November 7, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[11] | Safe D | November 6, 2008 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Steve Cohen (inc.) | 198,798 | 87.85 | |
| Independent | Jake Ford | 11,003 | 4.86 | |
| Independent | Dewey Clark | 10,047 | 4.44 | |
| Independent | Taylor Shelby Wright | 6,434 | 2.84 | |
| Total votes | 226,282 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||