2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi

For the other Senate election in Mississippi held in parallel, see 2008 United States Senate special election in Mississippi.

The 2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi was held on November 4, 2008. The seat was regularly scheduled for election, unlike the special election taking place on the same day. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Thad Cochran won re-election to a sixth term.

2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi

← 2002 November 4, 2008 2014 →

Nominee Thad Cochran Erik Fleming Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 766,111 480,915 Percentage 61.44% 38.56%

County results Congressional district results Precinct results Cochran:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Fleming:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

U.S. senator before election Thad Cochran Republican Elected U.S. Senator Thad Cochran Republican

Campaign

Candidates

Democratic

• Erik R. Fleming, State Representative and nominee in 2006
• Shawn O'Hara

Republican

• Thad Cochran, incumbent U.S. Senator

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[1]	Safe R	October 23, 2008
CQ Politics[2]	Safe R	October 31, 2008
Rothenberg Political Report[3]	Safe R	November 2, 2008
Real Clear Politics[4]	Safe R	November 4, 2008

Polling

Poll Source	Dates administered	Erik Fleming (D)	Thad Cochran (R)
Rasmussen Reports[5]	June 26, 2008	32%	59%
Rasmussen Reports[6]	May 27, 2008	35%	58%

Results

General election results^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Thad Cochran (incumbent)	766,111	61.44%	−23.2
	Democratic	Erik Fleming	480,915	38.56%	+38.6
Majority			285,196	22.88%
Turnout			1,247,026
	Republican hold		Swing

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Tunica (Largest city: Tunica)
• Coahoma (Largest city: Clarksdale)
• Tallahatchie (Largest city: Charleston)
• Quitman (Largest city: Lambert)
• Sharkey (Largest city: Rolling Fork)
• Issaquena (Largest city: Mayersville)
• Clay (Largest city: West Point)
• Marshall (Largest city: Holly Springs)
• Noxubee (Largest city: Macon)
• Kemper (Largest city: De Kalb)
• Jasper (Largest city: Bay Springs)
• Jefferson Davis (Largest city: Prentiss)
• Adams (Largest city: Natchez)
• Wilkinson (Largest city: Centreville)
• Hinds (largest municipality: Jackson)
• Jefferson (largest municipality: Fayette)
• Claiborne (largest municipality: Port Gibson)
• Washington (Largest city: Greenville)
• Humphreys (Largest city: Belzoni)
• Holmes (Largest city: Durant)
• Bolivar (Largest city: Cleveland)
• Sunflower (Largest city: Indianola)
• LeFlore (Largest city: Greenwood)

By congressional district

Cochran won three of four congressional districts, including two that elected Democrats.^[8]

District	Cochran	Fleming	Representative
1st	64%	36%	Travis Childers
2nd	40%	60%	Bennie Thompson
3rd	66%	34%	Chip Pickering (110th Congress)
			Gregg Harper (111th Congress)
4th	73%	27%	Gene Taylor

See also

• 2008 United States Senate elections