| Election Name: | 2008 Delaware House of Representatives election |
| Country: | Delaware |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 Delaware House of Representatives election |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 Delaware House of Representatives election |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Seats For Election: | All 41 seats in the Delaware House of Representatives |
| Majority Seats: | 21 |
| Leader1: | Robert Gilligan |
| Party1: | Democratic |
| Colour1: | 3333ff |
| Leaders Seat1: | 19th - Wilmington |
| Last Election1: | 18 |
| Seats Before1: | 19 |
| Seats1: | 25 |
| Seat Change1: | 6 |
| Popular Vote1: | 208,990 |
| Percentage1: | 56.87% |
| Leader2: | Terry Spence (lost re-election) |
| Party2: | Republican |
| Colour2: | ff3333 |
| Leaders Seat2: | 18th- New Castle |
| Last Election2: | 23 |
| Seats Before2: | 22 |
| Seats2: | 16 |
| Seat Change2: | 6 |
| Popular Vote2: | 156,832 |
| Percentage2: | 42.68% |
| Map Size: | 130px |
| Speaker | |
| Before Election: | Terry Spence |
| Before Party: | Republican |
| After Election: | Robert Gilligan |
| After Party: | Democratic |
An election was held on November 4, 2008 to elect all 41 members to Delaware's House of Representatives. The election coincided with elections for other offices, including for U.S. President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and state senate. The primary election was held on September 9, 2008.[1] Democrats regained control of the House after 24 years after gaining seven seats, winning 25 seats compared to 16 seats for the Republicans.Representative Dianna Williams (D - District 6) announced immediately after the election that she would be resigning. A special election was held on December 20, 2008 to fill the seat at which Tom Kovach gained the seat for the Republicans.
| District | Incumbent | Party | Elected Representative | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Dennis Williams | Dem | Dennis Williams | Dem | ||
| 2nd | Hazel Plant | Dem | Hazel Plant | Dem | ||
| 3rd | Helene Keeley | Dem | Helene Keeley | Dem | ||
| 4th | Gerald Brady | Dem | Gerald Brady | Dem | ||
| 5th | Melanie George Marshall | Dem | Melanie George Marshall | Dem | ||
| 6th | Diana McWilliams | Dem | Diana McWilliams | Dem | ||
| 7th | Bryon Short | Dem | Bryon Short | Dem | ||
| 8th | Bethany Hall-Long | Dem | Quinn Johnson | Dem | ||
| 9th | Richard Cathcart | Rep | Richard Cathcart | Rep | ||
| 10th | Robert Valihura | Rep | Dennis Williams | Dem | ||
| 11th | Gregory Lavelle | Rep | Gregory Lavelle | Rep | ||
| 12th | Deborah Hudson | Rep | Deborah Hudson | Rep | ||
| 13th | Larry Mitchell | Dem | Larry Mitchell | Dem | ||
| 14th | Peter Schwartzkopf | Dem | Peter Schwartzkopf | Dem | ||
| 15th | Valerie Longhurst | Dem | Valerie Longhurst | Dem | ||
| 16th | J.J. Johnson | Dem | J.J. Johnson | Dem | ||
| 17th | Michael Mulrooney | Dem | Michael Mulrooney | Dem | ||
| 18th | Terry Spence | Rep | Michael Barbieri | Dem | ||
| 19th | Robert Gilligan | Dem | Robert Gilligan | Dem | ||
| 20th | Nick Manolakos | Rep | Nick Manolakos | Rep | ||
| 21st | Pamela Maier | Rep | Michael Ramone | Rep | ||
| 22nd | Joseph Miró | Rep | Joseph Miró | Rep | ||
| 23rd | Teresa Schooley | Dem | Teresa Schooley | Dem | ||
| 24th | William Orbele Jr. | Rep | William Orbele Jr. | Rep | ||
| 25th | John Kowalko Jr. | Dem | John Kowalko Jr. | Dem | ||
| 26th | John Viola | Dem | John Viola | Dem | ||
| 27th | Vincet Lofink | Rep | Earl Jaques Jr. | Dem | ||
| 28th | William Carson Jr. | Dem | William Carson Jr. | Dem | ||
| 29th | Pamela Thornburg | Rep | Pamela Thornburg | Rep | ||
| 30th | William Outten | Rep | William Outten | Rep | ||
| 31st | Nancy Wagner | Rep | Darryl Scott | Dem | ||
| 32nd | Donna Stone | Rep | Brad Bennett | Dem | ||
| 33rd | Robert Walls | Dem | Robert Walls | Dem | ||
| 34th | Donald Blakey | Rep | Donald Blakey | Rep | ||
| 35th | J. Benjamin Ewing | Rep | David Wilson | Rep | ||
| 36th | V. George Carey | Rep | V. George Carey | Rep | ||
| 37th | Joseph Booth | Rep | Joseph Booth | Rep | ||
| 38th | Gerald Hocker | Rep | Gerald Hocker | Rep | ||
| 39th | Daniel Short | Rep | Daniel Short | Rep | ||
| 40th | Clifford Lee | Rep | Clifford Lee | Rep | ||
| 41st | Gregory Hastings | Rep | John Atkins | Dem | ||
| Party | Candi- dates | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 208,990 | 56.87% | 25 | 7 | |||
| 32 | 156,832 | 42.68% | 16 | 7 | |||
| 2 | 642 | 0.17% | 0 | ||||
| 5 | 431 | 0.12% | 0 | ||||
| Blue Enigma | 3 | 346 | 0.09% | 0 | |||
| 2 | 243 | 0.07% | 0 | ||||
| Total | 81 | 367,484 | 100% | 41 | |||
| align=center | District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40 • District 41 |
Incumbent Democrat Dennis Williams has represented the 1st district since 1994.
Incumbent Democrat Hazel Plant has represented the 2nd district since 2000.
Incumbent Democrat Helene Keeley has represented the 3rd district and its predecessors since 1996.
Incumbent Democrat Gerald Brady has represented the 4th district since 2006.
Incumbent Democrat Melanie George Marshall has represented the 5th district since 2002.
Incumbent Democrat Diana McWilliams has represented the 6th district since 2004.
Incumbent Democrat Bryon Short has represented the 7th district since winning a 2007 special election.
Incumbent Democrat Bethany Hall-Long has represented the 8th district since 2002. Hall-Long retired to run for the state senate and fellow Democrat Quinn Johnson won the open seat.
Incumbent Republican Richard Cathcart has represented the 9th district since 1998.
Incumbent Republican Robert Valihura Jr. has represented the 10th district since 1998. Valihura lost re-election to Democrat Dennis Williams.
Incumbent Republican Gregory Lavelle has represented the 11th district since 2001.
Incumbent Republican Deborah Hudson has represented the 12th district since 1994.
Incumbent Democrat Larry Mitchell has represented the 13th district since 2006.
Incumbent Democratic Majority Leader Peter Schwartzkopf has represented the 14th district since 2002.
Incumbent Democrat Valerie Longhurst has represented the 15th district since 2004.
Incumbent Democrat J.J. Johnson has represented the 16th district since 2004.
Incumbent Democrat Michael Mulrooney has represented the 17th district since 1998.
Incumbent Republican House Speaker Terry Spence has represented the 18th district and its predecessors since 1980. Spence lost re-election to Democrat Michael Barbieri.
Incumbent Democrat House Speaker Robert Gilligan has represented the 19th district since 1972.
Incumbent Republican Nick Manolakos has represented the 20th district since 2006.
Incumbent Republican Pamela Maier has represented the 21st district since 1994. Maier didn't seek re-election and fellow Republican Michael Ramone won the open seat.
Incumbent Republicans Joseph Miró has represented the 22nd district since 1998.
Incumbent Democrat Teresa Schooley has represented the 23rd district since 2004.
Incumbent Republican William Orbele Jr. has represented the 24th district since 1976.
Incumbent Democrat John Kowalko Jr. has represented the 25th district since 2006.
Incumbent Democrat John Viola has represented the 26th district since 1998.
Incumbent Republican Vincet Lofink has represented the 27th district since 1990. Lofink lost re-election to Democrat Earl Jaques Jr..
Incumbent Democrat Bruce Ennis has represented the 28th district since 1982. Ennis retired to run for the state senate and fellow Democrat William Carson Jr. won the open seat.
Incumbent Republican Pamela Thornburg has represented the 29th district since 2000.
Incumbent Republican William Outten has represented the 30th district since 2004.
Incumbent Republican Nancy Wagner has represented the 31st district since 1992. Wagner lost re-election to Democrat Darryl Scott.
Incumbent Republican Donna Stone has represented the 32nd district since 1994. Stone lost re-election to Democrat Brad Bennett.
Incumbent Democrat Robert Walls has represented the 33rd district since 2006.
Incumbent Republican Donald Blakey has represented the 34th district since 2006.
Incumbent Republican J. Benjamin Ewing has represented the 35th district since 1986. Ewing didn't seek re-election and fellow Republican David Wilson won the open seat.
Incumbent Republican V. George Carey has represented the 36th district since 1984.
Incumbent Republican Joseph Booth has represented the th district since 2002.
Incumbent Republican Gerald Hocker has represented the 38th district since 2002.
Incumbent Republican Daniel Short has represented the 39th district since 2006.
Incumbent Republican Clifford Lee has represented the 40th district since 1990.
Incumbent Republican Gregory Hastings has represented the 41st district since winning a special election in May 2007. Hastings lost re-election to his predecessor, John Atkins, now a member of the Democratic Party.