| Election Name: | 2008 District of Columbia Democratic presidential primary |
| Country: | District of Columbia |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2004 District of Columbia Democratic presidential primary and caucuses |
| Previous Year: | 2004 |
| Next Election: | 2012 United States presidential election in the District of Columbia#Democratic primary |
| Next Year: | 2012 |
| Image1: | Barack Obama Senate portrait crop.jpg |
| Candidate1: | Barack Obama |
| Colour1: | 800080 |
| Home State1: | Illinois |
| Popular Vote1: | 93,386 |
| Percentage1: | 75.31% |
| Delegate Count1: | 12 |
| Candidate2: | Hillary Clinton |
| Colour2: | D4AA00 |
| Home State2: | New York |
| Popular Vote2: | 29,470 |
| Percentage2: | 23.77% |
| Delegate Count2: | 3 |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Outgoing Members: | DA |
| Elected Members: | MD |
The 2008 District of Columbia Democratic presidential primary took place on February 12, 2008, nicknamed the "Potomac Primary" because Maryland and Virginia, which border the Potomac River, also held Democratic primaries that day.[1] Fifteen delegates were up for grabs in the District of Columbia Democratic Primary, including 10 delegates from the District of Columbia's municipal subdivisions (five delegates for Wards 1-4, and five delegates for Wards 5-8). An additional five delegates were awarded to the at-large winner, Barack Obama. These 15 delegates represented the District of Columbia at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. A total of 24 unpledged delegates, known as superdelegates, also attended the convention and cast their votes as well.
Barack Obama received the endorsements of Mayor Adrian Fenty and former Mayor Marion Barry (both African Americans), while he and Hillary Clinton were both endorsed by various members on the District of Columbia City Council.[2] Barack Obama won the District of Columbia, as he did the other Potomac contests that day. He earned 12 pledged delegates to Clinton's 3.[3] [4]
See also: Results of the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries.
| 2008 District of Columbia Democratic Presidential Primary Results | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Delegates | ||
| Democratic | Barack Obama | 93,386 | 75.31% | 12 | ||
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton | 29,470 | 23.77% | 3 | ||
| Democratic | John Edwards | 347 | 0.28% | 0 | ||
| Democratic | Uncommitted | 339 | 0.27% | 0 | ||
| Democratic | 193 | 0.16% | 0 | |||
| Democratic | Bill Richardson | 145 | 0.12% | 0 | ||
| Democratic | Write-ins | 114 | 0.09% | 0 | ||
| Totals | 123,994 | 100.00% | 15 | |||
| Voter turnout | % | — | ||||
The District of Columbia is a city with a strong population of African Americans, a voting bloc that consistently backed Barack Obama nationwide. The District also includes highly educated upper-middle class professionals who tend to be relatively progressive, another segment of the population that often backed Obama.