2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi

2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi

← 2006 November 4, 2008 (2008-11-04) 2010 →
All 4 Mississippi seats to the United States House of Representatives
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Republican Last election 2 2 Seats before 3 1 Seats won 3 1 Seat change Popular vote 731,805 527,330 Percentage 57.86% 41.69% Swing 14.52% 8.96%
Congressional District Results Precinct results County results Democratic   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   80–90%   >90% Republican   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   >90% Tie/No Data

Elections in Mississippi
Federal government U.S. President 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 Dem 2004 2008 Dem Rep 2012 Dem Rep 2016 Dem Rep 2020 Dem Rep 2024 Dem Rep U.S. Senate 1817 1820 1820 sp 1823 1823 1826 sp 1828 1830 sp 1833 sp 1835 1838 1839 sp 1841 1844 1846 sp 1848 sp 1850 1852 sp 1852 sp 1854 sp 1859 1870 1874 1874 sp 1876 1880 1883 1886 1886 sp 1889 1892 1894 sp 1899 1900 1900 sp 1904 1906 1908 1910 sp 1912 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1934 1936 1940 1941 sp 1942 1946 1947 sp 1948 1952 1954 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2008 sp 2012 2014 2018 2018 sp 2020 2024 2026 U.S. House 1801 1802 (Terr sp) 1806 1817 1819 1820 1822 1824 1826 At-large sp 1828 At-large sp 1830 1832 1835 1837 1839 1841 1843 1845 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1858 5th sp 1859 1865 1868 1869 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1934 1940 1942 1946 1950 1956 1962 1968 3rd sp 1972 1980 1981 4th sp 1982 1984 1986 1988 1989 5th sp 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2004 2006 2008 1st sp 2010 2012 2014 2015 1st sp 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
State government State elections 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2020 2023 Gubernatorial elections 1817 1819 1821 1823 1825 1827 1829 1831 1833 1835 1837 1839 1841 1843 1845 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1869 1873 1877 1881 1885 1889 1895 1899 1903 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1935 1939 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023 2027 State Senate elections 2011 2015 2019 2023 House of Representatives elections 2011 2015 2019 2023 Attorney General elections 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Ballot measures 2001 Flag referendum 2004 Amendment 1 2020 Initiative 65 Measure 3
City of Jackson Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2013 2014 2017 2021 2025
Gulfport Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
Southaven Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
Biloxi Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
Hattiesburg Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
v t e

The 2008 congressional elections in Mississippi were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who will represent the state of Mississippi in the United States House of Representatives. The primary election for candidates seeking the nomination of the Republican Party or the Democratic Party was held on March 11, with a run-off being held for the Republican nomination in the first and third districts, and for the Democratic nomination in the first district.

Mississippi has four seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives were elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 111th Congress from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the United States Senate special election to fill the remainder of Trent Lott's term, the regularly scheduled 2008 United States Senate election, and the 2008 U.S. presidential election.

With the results of the 1st congressional district special election included, the Mississippi congressional delegation comprised three Democrats and one Republican. As of 2022, this is the last time in which Democrats won a majority of congressional districts from Mississippi.

Overview[edit]

2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi
Party		Votes	Percentage	Seats	+/–
	Democratic	731,805	57.86%	3
	Republican	527,330	41.69%	1
	Independents	3,736	0.30%	0
	Green	1,876	0.15%	0
Totals		1,264,747	100.00%	4

District 1[edit]

This district covers the northeastern part of the state, including the cities of Columbus, Grenada, Oxford, Southaven, and Tupelo. Democrat Travis Childers was the Representative to the district, having defeated Republican Greg Davis in an April 22 special election. Childers and Davis faced each other again in November^[1] along with Green Party candidate John Wages, Jr., a college professor and farmer; and independent candidate Wally Pang, a restaurant owner.^[2] CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Leans Democratic', and Childers was re-elected with 54.45% of the vote.

District 2[edit]

This district consists of the Mississippi Delta and most of the capital city of Jackson and is Mississippi's only majority-black district. Democrat Bennie Thompson had been in office since 1993, when he won a special election to replace Mike Espy who had resigned to become Secretary of Agriculture under President Bill Clinton. Thompson was challenged on the Republican side by teacher Richard Cook.^[2] CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat' and Thompson was comfortably re-elected with 69.05% of the vote.

District 3[edit]

Republican Chip Pickering retired from Congress at this election after 12 years of service. The candidates were Republican Gregg Harper, attorney and chairman of the Rankin County Republican Party; Democrat Joel Gill, Pickens town alderman and a cattle broker; and independent candidate Jim Giles, a former systems engineer and white supremacist.^[2] CQ Politics correctly forecast the race as 'Safe Republican', as Harper was elected with 62.54% of the vote

District 4[edit]

Democrat Gene Taylor had represented the district since 1989. He was challenged on the Republican side by Methodist minister and Air National Guard officer John McCay III.CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Safe Democrat' and Taylor was re-elected with nearly 75% of the vote.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Elections Division from the Mississippi Secretary of State
• U.S. Congress candidates for Mississippi at Project Vote Smart
• Campaign contributions for Mississippi congressional races from OpenSecrets