2008_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Massachusetts
The 2008 congressional elections in Massachusetts were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who will represent the U.S. state of Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; whoever is elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 4, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The election coincides with the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 10 Massachusetts seats in the United States House of Representatives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Massachusetts has ten seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Its 2007-2008 congressional delegation consisted of ten Democrats. This remains unchanged, and CQ Politics had forecasted all districts safe for its Democratic incumbent.
| United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts, 2008[1] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 2,245,778 | 86.21% | 10 | +1.36% | |
| Republican | 318,461 | 12.22% | 0 | +1.90% | |
| Independents | 40,875 | 1.57% | 0 | -3.25% | |
| Totals | 2,605,114 | 100.00% | 10 | — | |
Massachusetts's 1st congressional district covers roughly the northwest half of the state. It has been represented by Democrat John Olver since June, 1991. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Olver (inc.) | 215,696 | 72.85 | |
| Republican | Nathan A. Bech | 80,067 | 27.04 | |
| Write-ins | 336 | 0.11 | ||
| Total votes | 296,099 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district lies in the south-central part of the state. It has been represented by Democrat Richard Neal since 1989. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Richard Neal (inc.) | 234,369 | 98.47 | |
| Write-ins | 3,631 | 1.53 | ||
| Total votes | 238,000 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district lies in the central and southeastern part of the state. It has been represented by Democrat Jim McGovern since 1997. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jim McGovern (inc.) | 227,619 | 98.49 | |
| Write-ins | 3,488 | 1.51 | ||
| Total votes | 231,107 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Massachusetts's 4th congressional district lies in the southern part of the state, including the South Coast region. It has been represented by Democrat Barney Frank since 1981. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Barney Frank (inc.) | 203,032 | 67.95 | |
| Republican | Earl Henry Sholley | 75,571 | 25.29 | |
| Independent | Susan Allen | 19,848 | 6.64 | |
| Write-ins | 337 | 0.11 | ||
| Total votes | 298,788 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Massachusetts's 5th congressional district lies in the north-east part of the state. It has been represented by Democrat Niki Tsongas since October, 2007. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Niki Tsongas (inc.) | 225,947 | 98.71 | |
| Write-ins | 2,960 | 1.29 | ||
| Total votes | 228,907 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Massachusetts's 6th congressional district covers the north-east corner of the state. It has been represented by Democrat John Tierney since 1997. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Tierney (inc.) | 226,216 | 70.40 | |
| Republican | Richard A. Baker | 94,845 | 29.52 | |
| Write-ins | 251 | 0.08 | ||
| Total votes | 321,312 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Massachusetts's 7th congressional district lies in the eastern part of the state, including some Boston suburbs. It has been represented by Democrat Edward J. Markey since 1976. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ed Markey (inc.) | 212,304 | 75.64 | |
| Republican | John Cunningham | 67,978 | 24.22 | |
| Write-ins | 400 | 0.14 | ||
| Total votes | 280,682 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Massachusetts's 8th congressional district lies in the eastern part of the state, including part of Boston and the immediately adjacent cities of Cambridge, Somerville, and Chelsea. It has been represented by Democrat Mike Capuano since 1999. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Capuano (inc.) | 185,530 | 98.55 | |
| Write-ins | 2,722 | 1.45 | ||
| Total votes | 188,252 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Massachusetts's 9th congressional district lies in the eastern part of the state, including part of Boston and some of its southern suburbs. It has been represented by Democrat Stephen Lynch since October 2001. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Stephen Lynch (inc.) | 242,166 | 98.72 | |
| Write-ins | 3,128 | 1.28 | ||
| Total votes | 245,294 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Massachusetts's 10th congressional district covers the south-east part of the state, including parts of the South Shore and all of Cape Cod and The Islands. It has been represented by Democrat Bill Delahunt since 1997. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Delahunt (inc.) | 272,899 | 98.64 | |
| Write-ins | 3,774 | 1.36 | ||
| Total votes | 276,673 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
- "2008 Election Statistics". clerk.house.gov.
- Elections from the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
- U.S. Congress candidates for Massachusetts at Project Vote Smart
- Massachusetts U.S. House Races from 2008 Race Tracker
- Campaign contributions for Massachusetts congressional races from OpenSecrets