2008 Wisconsin Senate election explained

Election Name:2008 Wisconsin State Senate election
Country:Wisconsin
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2006 Wisconsin State Senate election
Previous Year:2006
Next Election:2010 Wisconsin Senate election
Next Year:2010
Seats For Election:16 of 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate
Majority Seats:17
Election Date:November 4, 2008
Image1:Russ Decker 2008 CROPPED.jpg
Image1 Size:x150px
Leader1:Russ Decker
Party1:Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Last Election1:
Seats Before1:18
Seats1:8
Seats After1:18
Swing1:3.1
Popular Vote1:666,668
Percentage1:52.74%
Image2 Size:x150px
Leader2:Scott L. Fitzgerald
Party2:Republican Party of Wisconsin
Seats Before2:15
Seats2:8
Seats After2:15
Swing2:3.7
Popular Vote2:575,543
Percentage2:45.53%
President
Before Party:Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Before Election:Fred Risser
After Party:Democratic Party of Wisconsin
After Election:Fred Risser

The 2008 Wisconsin Senate election was held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Sixteen of the 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate were up for election - the even-numbered districts. Prior to the election 17 seats were held by Democrats, 14 were held by Republicans, and 2 seats were vacant.

The primary was held on September 9, 2008, and the filing deadline was July 8, 2008.

Summary

SeatsParty

(majority caucus shading)

Total
DemocraticRepublican
Last election (2006)9817
Total after last election (2006)181533
Total before this election181533
Up for election8816
of which:Incumbent retiring112
Vacated112
Unopposed426
This election8816
Change from last election
Total after this election181533
Change in total

Close races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

Outgoing incumbents

Vacated

Results summary

Dist.IncumbentThis race[2]
MemberPartyFirstelectedStatusCandidatesResults
02Rep.1987
Incumbent Ran
    Incumbent re-elected
    04Dem.2004Incumbent Ran
      Incumbent re-elected
      06Dem.2003 Incumbent Ran
        Incumbent re-elected
        08Rep.1992Incumbent Ran
          Incumbent re-elected
          10Rep.2000Incumbent Ran
            Incumbent re-elected
            12 colspan="4" --Vacant--
              New member elected. Democratic hold
              14Rep.2004Incumbent Ran
                Incumbent re-elected
                16Dem.2004Incumbent Ran
                  Incumbent re-elected
                  18 colspan="4" --Vacant--
                    New member elected. Republican hold
                    20Rep.2004Incumbent Ran
                      Incumbent re-elected
                      22Dem.1996Incumbent Ran
                        • Robert Wirch (Dem.) 66.65%
                        • Benjamin Lee Bakke (Rep.) 33.21%
                        Incumbent re-elected
                        24Dem.2003
                        Incumbent Ran
                          Incumbent re-elected
                          26Dem.1962
                          Incumbent Ran
                            Incumbent re-elected
                            28Rep.1998
                            Incumbent Ran
                              Incumbent re-elected
                              30Dem.2000Incumbent Ran
                                Incumbent re-elected
                                32Rep.2004Incumbent Ran
                                  Incumbent re-elected

                                  Notes

                                  1. News: Richmond . Todd . May 20, 2008 . Rail commissioner named . April 10, 2023 . . 5 . Newspapers.com.
                                  2. Web site: Wisconsin Bluebook 2009/2010 . March 22, 2024 . University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries . 911.

                                  References

                                  1. News: Richmond . Todd . May 20, 2008 . Rail commissioner named . April 10, 2023 . . 5 . Newspapers.com.
                                  2. Web site: Wisconsin Bluebook 2009/2010 . March 22, 2024 . University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries . 911.