Delaware gubernatorial election, 2008

Delaware gubernatorial election, 2008
Delaware
November 4, 2008
 
Nominee Jack Markell William Swain Lee
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 266,861 126,662
Percentage 67.52% 32.05%

County Results
Governor before election

Ruth Ann Minner
Democratic

 Elected Governor

Jack Markell
Democratic

The election for Governor of Delaware took place on November 4, 2008, coinciding with the United States presidential election. Democrat Jack Markell was elected governor, succeeding incumbent Ruth Ann Minner, also a Democrat, who was prevented from running for a third term.

As of 2008, Democrats had controlled the Delaware governorship for 16 years. In an upset, state Treasurer Jack Markell defeated Lieutenant Governor John Carney by 51 to 49% for the Democratic nomination on September 9. The Republican nominee was former state Superior Court Judge William Swain "Bill" Lee, defeating airline pilot Michael Protrack. Lee was the Republican nominee for Governor in 2004, and lost to Minner by a narrow margin.

The race received more attention with the potential elevation of U.S. Senator Joe Biden as Barack Obama's choice as his Vice President of the United States. Election of a Republican governor would assist the party by proxy gaining an additional seat in the US Senate but Lee was defeated by a wide margin by Markell. Senator Biden resigned his seat in the United States Senate on January 15, 2009, and Ted Kaufman was appointed by Governor Minner to the vacant seat. Kaufman had previously served as Senator Biden's Chief of Staff during his tenure in the United States Senate.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack Markell 37,849 51%
Democratic John Carney 36,112 49%
Total votes 73,961 100%

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William Swain Lee 20,826 72%
Republican Michael Protack 8,146 28%
Total votes 28,972 100%

Blue Enigma Party

Polling

Governor

Source Date Jack Markell (D) Bill Lee (R)
Survey USA October 28, 2008 62% 27%
Rasmussen Reports October 10, 2008 62% 34%
West Chester University/WHYY October 9, 2008 61% 30%
Fairleigh Dickinson September 23, 2008 61% 27%
Survey USA September 23, 2008 64% 29%

General election

Delaware gubernatorial election, 2008[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Jack Markell 266,861 67.52% +16.65%
Republican William Swain Lee 126,662 32.05% -13.74%
Blue Enigma Jeffrey Brown 1,681 0.43%
Majority 140,199 35.48% +30.40%
Total votes 395,204 100.00
Democratic hold Swing

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect08/elect08_primary_election/html/election.shtml
  2. ↑ http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect08/elect08_primary_election/html/election.shtml
  3. ↑ http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect08/elect08_general_election/html/elect08_gen_office.shtml

External links


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