2008 United States Senate election in Iowa
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The 2008 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Senator Tom Harkin sought re-election to a fifth and final term in office. Unlike Harkin's three previous reelection bids, he was not challenged by a sitting United States Congressman but instead faced small businessman Christopher Reed, who won the Republican primary by just a few hundred votes. Harkin defeated Reed in a landslide, winning 94 of Iowa's 99 counties. As of 2024[update], this is the last time that a Democrat has won a U.S. Senate election in Iowa.
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November 4, 2008
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   Harkin: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Reed: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Tie: 50% No Data | |||||||||||||||||
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Democratic primary
Candidates
- Tom Harkin, incumbent U.S. Senator
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Harkin (incumbent) | 90,785 | 98.83% | |
| Democratic | Write-ins | 1,074 | 1.17% | |
| Total votes | 91,859 | 100.00% | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- George Eichhorn, former Iowa State Representative
- Steve Rathje, construction company executive
- Christopher Reed, small businessman
Results
Reed
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
Eichhorn
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 70–80%
Rathje
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Christopher Reed | 24,964 | 35.32% | |
| Republican | George Eichhorn | 24,390 | 34.52% | |
| Republican | Steve Rathje | 21,062 | 29.80% | |
| Republican | Write-ins | 256 | 0.36% | |
| Total votes | 70,672 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[2] | Safe D | October 23, 2008 |
| CQ Politics[3] | Safe D | October 31, 2008 |
| Rothenberg Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 2, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics[5] | Safe D | November 4, 2008 |
Polling
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| Poll source | Dates administered | Christopher Reed (R) |
Tom Harkin (D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey USA[6] | April 21–23, 2008 | 20% | 59% |
| Research 2000[7] | June 10, 2008 | 37% | 53% |
| Rasmussen Reports[8] | July 10, 2008 | 37% | 55% |
| Rasmussen Reports[9] | August 7, 2008 | 36% | 60% |
| Rasmussen Reports[10] | September 17–18, 2008 | 37% | 60% |
| Survey USA[11] | October 23, 2008 | 41% | 57% |
| Rasmussen Reports[12] | October 29, 2008 | 35% | 61% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom Harkin (incumbent) | 941,665 | 62.66% | +8.48% | |
| Republican | Christopher Reed | 560,006 | 37.26% | −6.52% | |
| Write-in | 1,247 | 0.08% | N/A | ||
| Majority | 381,659 | 25.39% | +15.00% | ||
| Turnout | 1,502,918 | ||||
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Butler (Largest city: Parkersburg)
- Crawford (Largest city: Denison)
- Delaware (Largest city: Manchester)
- Van Buren (Largest city: Keosauqua)
- Plymouth (largest city: Le Mars)
- Grundy (largest city: Grundy Center)
- Harrison (largest city: Missouri Valley)
- Cass (largest city: Atlantic)
- Ida (largest city: Ida Grove)
- Fremont (largest city: Sidney)
- Pottawattamie (largest city: Council Bluffs)
- Sac (largest city: Sac City)
- Shelby (largest city: Harlan)
- Marion (largest city: Pella)
- Mills (largest city: Glenwood)
- Montgomery (largest city: Red Oak)
- Mahaska (largest city: Oskaloosa)
By congressional district
Harkin won all five congressional districts, including two that elected Republicans.[14]
| District | Harkin | Reed | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 67% | 33% | Bruce Braley |
| 2nd | 68% | 32% | Dave Loebsack |
| 3rd | 60% | 40% | Leonard Boswell |
| 4th | 62% | 38% | Tom Latham |
| 5th | 55% | 45% | Steve King |