The 2008 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican John Cornyn defeated Democratic nominee Rick Noriega, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, to win election to a second term. Cornyn increased his margin from 2002 in 2008 by 0.01%, a minuscule shift right.
Republican primary
Candidates John Cornyn, incumbent U.S. senator Larry Kilgore, conservative/Secessionist activist
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates Gene Kelly, U.S. Air Force veteran and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2000 Ray McMurrey, teacher at Mary Carroll High School Rick Noriega, state representative Rhett Smith, U.S. Navy veteran and auditor at the Texas Department of Human Services
Results
General election
Candidates John Cornyn (R), incumbent U.S. senator Rick Noriega (D), state representative Yvonne Adams Schick (L), real estate entrepreneur
Campaign Cornyn, running as an incumbent, had a 42% approval rating with a 43% disapproval rating in June 2007. Texas is a red state that Republican presidential nominee John McCain won with over 55% of the vote. Cornyn slightly underperformed McCain. However, Noriega underperformed both 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in Texas and Cornyn's 2002 opponent, Ron Kirk, with Noriega receiving just 42.8% of the vote.
Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report October 23, 2008 CQ PoliticsRace Ratings Chart: Senate CQ Politics October 31, 2008 Rothenberg Political Report November 2, 2008 Real Clear Politics November 4, 2008
Polling Poll source Dates administered Rick Noriega (D) John Cornyn (R)RasmussenRasmussen September 18, 2007 30% 53%Research 2000Research 2000 September 24–26, 2007 35% 51% Rasmussen Reports May 1, 2008 43% 47%Research 2000/Daily KosResearch 2000/Daily Kos May 5–7, 2008 44% 48%Baselice & AssociatesBaselice & Associates May 20–25, 2008 33% 49% Rasmussen Reports June 2, 2008 35% 52% Rasmussen Reports June 25, 2008 35% 48% Rasmussen Reports July 30, 2008 39% 50% Rasmussen Reports September 29, 2008 43% 50% Rasmussen Reports October 21, 2008 40% 55%
Results
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Bexar (largest municipality: San Antonio) Harris (largest municipality: Houston) Brewster (largest city: Alpine) Uvalde (largest city: Uvalde)
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Bee (largest city: Beeville) Caldwell (largest city: Lockhart) Fisher (largest city: Rotan) Foard (largest city: Crowell) Haskell (largest city: Haskell) Marion (largest city: Jefferson) Pecos (largest city: Fort Stockton) Refugio (largest city: Refugio) San Augustine (largest city: San Augustine) San Patricio (largest city: Portland) Terrell (largest city: Sanderson) Morris (largest city: Daingerfield) Newton (largest city: Newton) Calhoun (largest city: Port Lavaca) Robertson (largest city: Hearne)
See also 2008 United States Senate elections
References
External links Elections Division from the Texas Secretary of State U.S. Congress candidates for Texas at Project Vote Smart Texas, U.S. Senate from CQ Politics Texas U.S. Senate from OurCampaigns.com Texas Senate race from 2008 Race Tracker Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Cornyn (R-i) vs Noriega (D) graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com Official campaign websites (archived) John Cornyn, Republican candidate Rick Noriega, Democratic candidate Yvonne Schick, Libertarian candidate