Who was the incumbent U.S. Senator from Illinois seeking re-election in 2008?

The incumbent U.S. Senator from Illinois in 2008 was Dick Durbin, a member of the Democratic Party.

Who was the Republican challenger to Dick Durbin in the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

The Republican challenger to Dick Durbin in the 2008 Illinois Senate election was Steve Sauerberg.

What was the outcome of the 2008 United States Senate election in Illinois?

Incumbent Democratic Senator Dick Durbin overwhelmingly won re-election, securing a third term in office.

What was the voter turnout for the general election in the 2008 Illinois Senate race?

The voter turnout for the general election was 68.42%.

How many votes did Dick Durbin receive in the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

Dick Durbin received 3,615,844 votes in the general election.

What percentage of the vote did Dick Durbin win in the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

Dick Durbin won 67.84% of the vote in the general election.

What was the total number of votes cast in the 2008 Illinois Senate general election?

A total of 5,329,884 votes were cast in the general election.

What was the significance of Dick Durbin's vote total in the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

Dick Durbin's vote total of 3,615,844 was the highest ever recorded in a statewide election in Illinois at that time, a record that was later surpassed by Joe Biden in 2020.

How many counties did Dick Durbin win in the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

Dick Durbin won all but four of Illinois's 102 counties in the 2008 general election.

What was the voter turnout for the primary elections in Illinois in 2008?

The voter turnout for the primary elections was 32.37%.

How many votes were cast in the primary elections for the 2008 Illinois Senate race?

A total of 2,364,409 votes were cast in the primary elections.

Who were the candidates in the Democratic primary for the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

Dick Durbin was the sole candidate in the Democratic primary for the 2008 Illinois Senate election.

What was the result of the Democratic primary for the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

Dick Durbin won the Democratic primary with 100% of the vote, receiving 1,653,833 votes.

Who were the candidates in the Republican primary for the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

The candidates in the Republican primary were Steve Sauerberg, Andy Martin, and Mike Psak.

Who won the Republican primary for the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

Steve Sauerberg won the Republican primary.

What percentage of the vote did Steve Sauerberg receive in the Republican primary?

Steve Sauerberg received 55.62% of the vote in the Republican primary.

How many votes did Steve Sauerberg receive in the Republican primary?

Steve Sauerberg received 395,199 votes in the Republican primary.

What percentage of the vote did Andy Martin receive in the Republican primary?

Andy Martin received 33.85% of the vote in the Republican primary.

What percentage of the vote did Mike Psak receive in the Republican primary?

Mike Psak received 10.53% of the vote in the Republican primary.

Which political forecasting groups rated the 2008 Illinois Senate election as 'Safe D'?

The Cook Political Report, CQ Politics, Rothenberg Political Report, and Real Clear Politics all rated the 2008 Illinois Senate election as 'Safe D'.

What percentage of the vote did the Green Party candidate Kathy Cummings receive in the general election?

Kathy Cummings, the Green Party candidate, received 2.24% of the vote in the general election.

What percentage of the vote did the Libertarian Party candidate Larry A. Stafford receive in the general election?

Larry A. Stafford, the Libertarian Party candidate, received 0.94% of the vote in the general election.

What percentage of the vote did the Constitution Party candidate Chad N. Koppie receive in the general election?

Chad N. Koppie, the Constitution Party candidate, received 0.45% of the vote in the general election.

What was the percentage change in Dick Durbin's vote compared to the previous election?

Dick Durbin's vote percentage showed a +7.51% change compared to the previous election.

What was the percentage change in Steve Sauerberg's vote compared to the previous election?

Steve Sauerberg's vote percentage showed a -9.49% change compared to the previous election.

Which counties flipped from Republican to Democratic in the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic in the 2008 Illinois Senate election included Ogle, Jo Daviess, Carroll, Stephenson, Boone, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, McHenry, Putnam, Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, Washington, Monroe, Effingham, Wabash, Richland, Lawrence, Crawford, and Clark.

In which presidential election year did Barack Obama win the presidency while also being a Senator from Illinois?

Barack Obama was elected President of the United States in 2008, the same year he was a Senator from Illinois.

What was the margin of victory for Dick Durbin in the 2008 Illinois Senate election?

Dick Durbin won re-election with the best margin of his career in 2008, indicating a significant victory over his opponent.

What is the last time a candidate received over 60% of the vote in an Illinois Senate election, as of 2025?

As of 2025, the 2008 Illinois Senate election was the last time a candidate received above 60% of the vote.

2008 United States Senate Election In Illinois Wiki: Illinois Senate Showdown: The 2008 Electoral Contest

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Election Background

Context

The 2008 United States Senate election in Illinois was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin sought a third term. He faced Republican challenger Steve Sauerberg. The election coincided with other significant federal and state elections, including the presidential election where fellow Illinoisan Barack Obama was elected President.

Turnout

The primary elections saw a turnout of 32.37%, with 2,364,409 votes cast. For the general election, voter turnout was considerably higher at 68.42%, with a total of 5,329,884 votes cast across all candidates.

This election marked a significant victory for Senator Durbin, securing his largest margin of victory to date. It also occurred during a period of heightened political activity in Illinois, with Barack Obama's presidential victory drawing national attention to the state's electoral performance.

Primary Elections

Incumbent Senator Dick Durbin faced no significant opposition in the Democratic primary. He secured 100% of the vote, demonstrating strong party backing.

Democratic Primary Results
	Democratic	Dick Durbin (incumbent)	1,653,833	100.00%
Total Votes			1,653,833	100.00%

The Republican primary featured three candidates, with physician Steve Sauerberg emerging as the nominee. He secured over 55% of the vote.

Republican Primary Results
	Republican	Steve Sauerberg	395,199	55.62%
	Republican	Andy Martin	240,548	33.85%
	Republican	Mike Psak	74,829	10.53%
Total Votes			710,576	100.00%

Election Predictions

Leading political analysis organizations consistently rated the Illinois Senate race as "Safe Democratic" well before Election Day. This indicated a strong expectation of an incumbent victory, reflecting Durbin's established position and the state's political leanings.

Race Rating Predictions
Source	Rating	As of
The Cook Political Report	Safe D	October 23, 2008
CQ Politics	Safe D	October 31, 2008
Rothenberg Political Report	Safe D	November 2, 2008
Real Clear Politics	Safe D	November 4, 2008

General Election Results

Dick Durbin secured a decisive victory, winning re-election with 67.84% of the vote. His vote total of 3,615,844 set a record for a statewide election in Illinois at the time. Steve Sauerberg received 28.53% of the vote, while third-party candidates garnered the remaining percentage.

2008 United States Senate Election in Illinois
	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Democratic	Dick Durbin (incumbent)	3,615,844	67.84%	+7.51%
Republican	Steve Sauerberg	1,520,621	28.53%	−9.49%
Green	Kathy Cummings	119,135	2.24%	0.00%
Libertarian	Larry A. Stafford	50,224	0.94%	−0.70%
Constitution	Chad N. Koppie	24,059	0.45%	0.00%
Democratic hold

County-Level Analysis

Senator Durbin's victory was comprehensive, winning all but four of Illinois's 102 counties. This widespread support indicates a strong mandate across the state. Several counties that previously voted Republican shifted to support the Democratic candidate in this election.

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic:

Ogle County (largest city: Rochelle)
Jo Daviess County (Largest city: Galena)
Carroll County (largest city: Savanna)
Stephenson County (largest city: Freeport)
Boone County (largest city: Belvidere)
DuPage County (largest city: Aurora)
Kane County (largest city: Aurora)
Kendall County (largest village: Oswego)
McHenry County (largest city: Crystal Lake)
Putnam County (largest city: Hennepin)
Ford County (largest city: Paxton)
Iroquois County (largest city: Watseka)
Livingston County (largest city: Pontiac)
Washington County (largest city: Nashville)
Monroe County (largest city: Waterloo)
Effingham County (largest city: Effingham)
Wabash County (largest city: Mount Carmel)
Richland County (largest city: Olney)
Lawrence County (Largest city: Lawrenceville)
Crawford County (largest city: Robinson)
Clark County (largest city: Marshall)

Related Information

The 2008 election cycle in Illinois was highly significant, particularly with Barack Obama's presidential victory. Understanding related electoral contests provides broader context for the state's political landscape.

2008 United States Senate elections
2008 Illinois elections

External Resources

Accessing primary sources and election data archives provides further depth and verification for the information presented.

Illinois State Board of Elections (Archived)
U.S. Congress candidates for Illinois (Project Vote Smart)
Illinois U.S. Senate race (CQ Politics - Archived)
Illinois U.S. Senate race (OurCampaigns.com)
Illinois U.S. Senate race (2008 Race Tracker - Archived)
Campaign contributions for Illinois congressional races (OpenSecrets)
Dick Durbin campaign website (Archived)
Steve Sauerberg campaign website (Archived)

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References

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Disclaimer

This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.

This is not professional political or electoral advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional analysis or consultation. Always refer to official election results and consult with qualified experts for specific insights.

The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.

Illinois Senate Showdown: The 2008 Electoral Contest

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Election Background ℹ️

🏛️ Context

🗳️ Turnout

⭐ Significance

Primary Elections ⚔️

🔵 Democratic Primary

🔴 Republican Primary

Election Predictions 🔮

📊 Analysis

General Election Results 🏆

📈 Final Tally

County-Level Analysis 🗺️

🔄 Geographic Shift

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic:

Related Information 🔗

➡️ Related Elections

External Resources 🌐

🔗 Official & Data Sources

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Election Background

Context

Turnout

Primary Elections

Election Predictions

General Election Results

County-Level Analysis

Related Information

External Resources

Teacher's Corner

True or False?

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Gamer's Corner

Discover other topics to study!

References

Feedback & Support

Disclaimer