2008 United States Senate election in Arkansas explained

Election Name:2008 United States Senate election in Arkansas
Country:Arkansas
Flag Year:1924
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2002 United States Senate election in Arkansas
Previous Year:2002
Next Election:2014 United States Senate election in Arkansas
Next Year:2014
Election Date:November 4, 2008
Image1:File:Mark Pryor, head and shoulders photo portrait with flag, 2006.jpg
Nominee1:Mark Pryor
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:804,678
Percentage1:79.53%
Nominee2:Rebekah Kennedy
Party2:Green Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:207,076
Percentage2:20.47%
Map Size:210px
U.S. Senator
Before Election:Mark Pryor
Before Party:Democratic Party (Arkansas)
After Election:Mark Pryor
After Party:Democratic Party (Arkansas)

The 2008 United States Senate election in Arkansas was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Senator Mark Pryor ran for a second term. No Republican filed to challenge him, and his only opponent was Green Party candidate Rebekah Kennedy. Pryor won re-election with almost 80% of the vote.

Kennedy received the highest ever vote share of any Green Party candidate running for U.S. Senate,[1] and the highest for a third party Senate candidate in Arkansas until her record was surpassed by Libertarian candidate Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. in 2020.

, this was the last time Democrats won a US Senate election in Arkansas.

Candidates

Democratic

Green

General election

Campaign

On March 10, the state Republican Party announced it has no plans to field a candidate against Pryor. The only Republican to express interest in the race, health care executive Tom Formicola, decided not to run the weekend before filing began. Formicola lost the GOP primaries for the Senate in 2004 and the United States House of Representatives in 2006. As a result, Pryor was the only Senator in 2008 to face no major-party opposition in a reelection bid.[2]

There had been speculation that former Governor Mike Huckabee would run against Pryor if his presidential bid were unsuccessful, but on March 8, Huckabee said he would not contest the race.[3]

Pryor's sole challenger was Green Party nominee Rebekah Kennedy, who entered the race in April 2007.[4] Kennedy received 206,504 votes (20.54%).[5] This is the highest percentage of the vote for any Green Party candidate running for U.S. Senate ever, and her 206,504 votes is the second most total votes received by a Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate after Medea Susan Benjamin's 326,828 votes in the 2000 California Senate race.[1] Kennedy's campaign, in addition to being record breaking for the Green Party, was also the strongest showing of any independent or third-party candidate running for the U.S. Senate in 2008.

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
align=left The Cook Political Report[6] October 23, 2008
align=left CQ Politics[7] October 31, 2008
align=left Rothenberg Political Report[8] November 2, 2008
align=left Real Clear Politics[9] November 4, 2008

Polling

Pryor was polled at 90% in a poll without a challenger in March.[10]

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A short history of Green Party U.S. Senate races – Green Party Watch. Jan 1, 2021. July 29, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180729050044/http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2008/10/09/a-short-history-of-green-party-us-senate-races/. dead.
  2. Web site: Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock News Article . Todaysthv.com . March 10, 2008 . July 26, 2012.
  3. http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20080308%5cACQRTT200803082111RTTRADERUSEQUITY_0046.htm&&mypage=newsheadlines&title=Huckabee%20Says%20He%20Won't%20Run%20Against%20Pryor Huckabee says he won't run against Pryor
  4. "Kennedy enters race for Pryor's Senate Seat", Daniel Nassaw, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 14, 2007.
  5. Web site: U.S. Senate Statewide Results . . 2009-04-09.
  6. Web site: 2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008 . The Cook Political Report . April 1, 2021.
  7. http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-senate Race Ratings Chart: Senate
  8. Web site: 2008 Senate ratings . Inside Elections . April 1, 2021.
  9. Web site: 2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results . Real Clear Politics . August 31, 2021.
  10. Web site: Arkansas Polls . Electoral-vote.com . July 26, 2012.