2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri

November 4, 2008 (2008-11-04)
All 9 Missouri seats to the United States House of Representatives
Majority party Minority party   Party Republican Democratic Last election 5 4 Seats won 5 4 Seat change Popular vote 1,313,018 1,413,016 Percentage 46.54% 50.08% Swing 3.49% 2.77%
Congressional District Results Precinct Results Republican   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90%   >90% Democratic   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90%   >90% Tie/No Data

Elections in Missouri
Federal government Presidential elections 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Missouri bellwether Presidential primaries Democratic 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Republican 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 U.S. Senate 1821 1825 1827 1830 1833 1836 1839 1842 1843 sp 1845 1849 1851 1857 1857 sp 1861 1863 1863 sp 1868 1871 sp 1874 1879 1879 sp 1881 1885 1887 1891 1893 1897 1899 1903 1905 1909 1911 1911 1914 1916 1918 sp 1920 1922 1926 1926 sp 1928 1932 1934 1938 1940 1944 1946 1950 1952 1956 1958 1960 sp 1962 1964 1968 1970 1974 1976 1980 1982 1986 1988 1992 1994 1998 2000 2002 sp 2004 2006 2010 2012 2016 2018 2022 2024 2028 U.S. House of Representatives 1820 1822 1824 1826 1828 1831 1832–33 1835 1836 1838 1839 AL sp 1840 1842 1844 1846 AL sp 1848 1850 1852 1854 1856 1858 1860 1st sp 1862 1864 1866 1867 3rd sp 1868 5th sp 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 7th sp 1882 2nd sp 1884 1886 1888 1889 4th sp 1890 14th sp 1892 1894 1896 1897 1st sp 1898 1899 8th sp 1900 1902 12th sp 1904 1906 1908 1910 6th sp 1912 1914 1916 1918 10th sp 1920 1921 4th sp 1922 1924 1926 11th sp 1928 1929 4th sp 1930 1931 7th sp 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1943 6th sp 1944 1946 1948 10th sp 1950 1951 11th sp 1952 1954 1956 1958 1959 4th sp 1960 1962 1964 9th sp 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 6th sp 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 8th sp 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2013 8th sp 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
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St. Louis Mayoral elections 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 Board of Aldermen elections 2023

The 2008 congressional elections in Missouri were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who will represent the state of Missouri in the United States House of Representatives. The primary election for candidates seeking the nomination of the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and the Libertarian Party was held on August 5.

Missouri has nine seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election.

The races not forecasted as safe for the incumbent party were 6 and 9; however, the Republicans held both seats. The state was the only one where the party that won the most seats did not win the most votes in the state in 2008.

Overview

District 1

2008 Missouri's 1st congressional district election

Nominee Lacy Clay Robb E. Cunningham Party Democratic Libertarian Popular vote 242,570 36,700 Percentage 86.9% 13.1%

U.S. Representative before election Lacy Clay Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Lacy Clay Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Lacy Clay Jr. easily dispatched with Libertarian challenger Robb Cunningham in this St. Louis-based liberal district.

District 2

2008 Missouri's 2nd congressional district election

Nominee Todd Akin Bill Haas Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 232,276 132,068 Percentage 62.3% 35.4%

U.S. Representative before election Todd Akin Republican Elected U.S. Representative Todd Akin Republican

Incumbent Republican Congressman Todd Akin easily won re-election to a fifth term over Democratic nominee Bill Haas and Libertarian candidate Thomas Knapp in this conservative district rooted in the northern and western suburbs of St. Louis.

District 3

2008 Missouri's 3rd congressional district election

Nominee Russ Carnahan Chris Sander Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 202,470 92,759 Percentage 66.4% 30.4%

U.S. Representative before election Russ Carnahan Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Russ Carnahan Democratic

In this fairly liberal district based in the southern portion of St. Louis and previously represented by House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, Democratic Congressman Russ Carnahan easily defeated Republican Chris Sander, Libertarian Kevin Babcock, and Constitution Party candidate Cindy Redburn to win a third term.

District 4

2008 Missouri's 4th congressional district election

Nominee Ike Skelton Jeff Parnell Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 200,009 103,446 Percentage 65.9% 34.1%

County results Skelton:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Parnell:      50-60%

U.S. Representative before election Ike Skelton Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Ike Skelton Democratic

Long-serving incumbent Democratic Congressman Ike Skelton, the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, easily defeated Republican nominee Jeff Parnell in this conservative, west-central Missouri district to win a seventeenth term. By contrast, in the simultaneous 2008 presidential election the district gave 61 percent of its vote to Republican nominee John McCain and 38 percent to Democratic nominee Barack Obama, making this the only Missouri district with opposite results in the two elections.

District 5

2008 Missouri's 5th congressional district election

Nominee Emanuel Cleaver Jacob Turk Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 197,249 109,166 Percentage 64.4% 35.6%

U.S. Representative before election Emanuel Cleaver Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver Democratic

Democratic incumbent Congressman Emanuel Cleaver defeated Republican nominee Jacob Turk to win a third term in this fairly liberal district based in Kansas City.

District 6

2008 Missouri's 6th congressional district election

Nominee Sam Graves Kay Barnes Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 196,526 121,894 Percentage 59.4% 36.9%

U.S. Representative before election Sam Graves Republican Elected U.S. Representative Sam Graves Republican

Incumbent Republican Congressman Sam Graves survived a high-profile challenge from Democratic nominee and former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes by a much healthier margin than expected. Barnes' inability to capitalize on the strong Democratic wave sweeping the country ultimately left her defeated in this normally conservative district based in northwest Missouri.

District 7

2008 Missouri's 7th congressional district election

Nominee Roy Blunt Richard Monroe Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 219,016 91,010 Percentage 67.8% 28.2%

U.S. Representative before election Roy Blunt Republican Elected U.S. Representative Roy Blunt Republican

Incumbent Republican Congressman Roy Blunt, a former short-serving House Majority Leader defeated Democrat Richard Monroe, Libertarian Kevin Craig, and Constitution candidate Travis Maddox to easily win another term in office.

District 8

2008 Missouri's 8th congressional district election

Nominee Jo Ann Emerson Joe Allen Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 198,798 72,790 Percentage 71.4% 26.2%

U.S. Representative before election Jo Ann Emerson Republican Elected U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson Republican

In this staunchly conservative district based in southeast Missouri, incumbent Republican Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson had no difficulty in dispatching Democrat Joe Allen, Libertarian Branden McCullough, and Constitution candidate Richard Smith to win another term in office.

District 9

2008 Missouri's 9th congressional district election

Nominee Blaine Luetkemeyer Judy Baker Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 161,031 152,956 Percentage 50.0% 47.5%

County results Luetkemeyer :      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Baker:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. Representative before election Kenny Hulshof Republican Elected U.S. Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer Republican

When Republican Congressman Kenny Hulshof declined to seek another term in favor of running for Governor, an open seat emerged. Former Missouri State Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer, the Republican nominee, defeated Democratic nominee Judy Baker, a member of the Missouri House of Representatives by a thin margin in this normally conservative district based in northeast Missouri, a part of "Little Dixie."

References

External links

• Elections from the Missouri Secretary of State
• U.S. Congress candidates for Missouri at Project Vote Smart
• Campaign contributions for Missouri congressional races from OpenSecrets