2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma

The 2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma was held on November 4, 2008. The statewide primary election was held July 29, with the run-off on August 26. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe won re-election to a third term over Democrat Andrew Rice.

2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma

← 2002 November 4, 2008 2014 →

Nominee Jim Inhofe Andrew Rice Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 763,375 527,736 Percentage 56.68% 39.18%

County results Inhofe:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Rice:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Jim Inhofe Republican Elected U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe Republican

This was the last time a Democrat carried any counties in an Oklahoma U.S. Senate election until 2022 and the last time any Democrat did so in a regular Senate election.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Jim Inhofe, incumbent U.S. Senator
• Dennis Lopez
• Evelyn Rogers
• Ted Ryals

Results

Republican primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Inhofe (Incumbent)	116,371	84.18%
	Republican	Evelyn Rogers	10,770	7.79%
	Republican	Ted Ryals	7,306	5.28%
	Republican	Dennis Lopez	3,800	2.75%
Total votes			138,247	100.00%

Democratic primary

Background

Rice officially filed as a candidate for the United States Senate from Oklahoma on Monday, June 2, 2008.^[2][3] He won the Democratic primary against Jim Rogers, a retired schoolteacher who stressed campaign finance reform. As in earlier campaigns, Rogers refused to accept money to avoid any question of his allegiances. State Senator Kenneth Corn had earlier expressed interest in the race.

Candidates

• Andrew Rice, State Senator
• Jim Rogers

Results

Primary results by county:

  Rice—50–60%

  Rice—60–70%

  Rice—70–80%

  Rogers—50–60%

  Rogers—70-80%

Democratic primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Andrew Rice	113,795	59.65%
	Democratic	Jim Rogers	76,981	40.35%
Total votes			190,776	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Jim Inhofe (R), incumbent U.S. Senator
• Andrew Rice (D), State Senator
• Stephen Wallace (I), businessman^[4]

Campaign

Inhofe, who in August 2008 had a 61% approval rating,^[5] emphasized his conservative record and tried to label Rice as a "committed liberal." In the debates, Rice tried to connect Inhofe to George W. Bush saying "An era allowed this to happen. George Bush came into office eight years ago with a Republican majority and ... an agenda of radical deregulation."^[6] Rice also believed in global warming, something Inhofe is famous for denying.^[7] In the election, Inhofe had over $5 million in the bank. Rice had $3.8 million.^[8]

Endorsements

Andrew Rice (D)

Individuals

• Wesley Clark, General, 2004 democratic presidential candidate^[9]

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[10]	Likely R	October 23, 2008
CQ Politics[11]	Likely R	October 31, 2008
Rothenberg Political Report[12]	Safe R	November 2, 2008
Real Clear Politics[13]	Safe R	November 4, 2008

Polling

Poll Source	Dates administered	Rice	Inhofe
Benenson Strategy Group[14]	December 8–12, 2007	35%	49%
Tulsa World/KOTV/SoonerPoll[15]	December 16–19, 2007	19%	60%
Research 2000/Daily Kos[16]	June 9–11, 2008	31%	53%
KSWO[17]	August 12–14, 2008	41%	50%
Survey USA[18]	September 5–7, 2008	34%	56%
Rasmussen Reports[19]	September 11, 2008	39%	55%
Survey USA[20]	September 29, 2008	37%	53%
Survey USA[21]	October 19, 2008	39%	51%
Survey USA[22]	October 29, 2008	36%	56%

Results

United States Senate election in Oklahoma, 2008^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Jim Inhofe (Incumbent)	763,375	56.68%	−0.62%
	Democratic	Andrew Rice	527,736	39.18%	+2.87%
	Independent	Stephen Wallace	55,708	4.14%
Majority			235,639	17.50%	−3.50%
Turnout			1,346,819
	Republican hold		Swing

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Atoka (Largest city: Atoka)
• Coal (Largest city: Coalgate)
• Bryan (Largest city: Durant)
• Johnston (Largest city: Tishomingo)
• Ottawa (Largest city: Miami)
• Harmon (Largest city: Hollis)
• Kiowa (Largest city: Hobart)
• Jefferson (Largest city: Waurika)
• Love (Largest city: Marietta)
• Murray (Largest city: Sulphur)
• Pushmataha (Largest city: Antlers)
• Choctaw (Largest city: Hugo)
• Le Flore (Largest city: Poteau)
• McCurtain (Largest city: Idabel)
• Hughes (Largest city: Holdenville)
• Seminole (Largest city: Seminole)
• Okfuskee (Largest city: Okemah)
• Latimer (Largest city: Wilburton)
• Pittsburg (Largest city: McAlester)
• Sequoyah (Largest city: Sallisaw)
• Haskell (Largest city: Stigler)

See also

• 2008 United States Senate elections