| Election Name: | 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Seats For Election: | All 9 Missouri seats to the United States House of Representatives |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Last Election1: | 5 |
| Seats1: | 5 |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,313,018 |
| Percentage1: | 46.54% |
| Swing1: | 3.49% |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Last Election2: | 4 |
| Seats2: | 4 |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,413,016 |
| Percentage2: | 50.08% |
| Swing2: | 2.77% |
| Map Size: | 275px |
The 2008 congressional elections in Missouri were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who will represent the state of Missouri in the United States House of Representatives. The primary election for candidates seeking the nomination of the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and the Libertarian Party was held on August 5.
Missouri has nine seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election. The races not forecasted as safe for the incumbent party were 6 and 9; however, the Republicans held both seats.
Missouri was the only state in which the party that won the state's popular vote did not win a majority of seats in 2008. It was also the last time the Democrats won the House popular vote in Missouri.
| United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri, 2008[1] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 1,413,016 | 50.08% | 4 | — | |
| Republican | 1,313,018 | 46.54% | 5 | — | |
| Libertarian | 82,647 | 2.93% | 0 | - | |
| Constitution | 12,747 | 0.45% | 0 | - | |
| Independents | 56 | <0.01% | 0 | — | |
| Totals | 2,821,484 | 100.00% | 9 | — | |
| Election Name: | 2008 Missouri's 1st congressional district election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 1 |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 1 |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Image1: | Wm. Lacy Clay Official Photo 2009.JPG |
| Nominee1: | Lacy Clay |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 242,570 |
| Percentage1: | 86.9% |
| Nominee2: | Robb E. Cunningham |
| Party2: | Libertarian Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 36,700 |
| Percentage2: | 13.1% |
| U.S. Representative | |
| Before Election: | Lacy Clay |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Election: | Lacy Clay |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
See also: Missouri's 1st congressional district.
Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Lacy Clay Jr. easily dispatched with Libertarian challenger Robb Cunningham in this St. Louis-based liberal district.
| Election Name: | 2008 Missouri's 2nd congressional district election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 2 |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 2 |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Image1: | Todd Akin.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Todd Akin |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 232,276 |
| Percentage1: | 62.3% |
| Nominee2: | Bill Haas |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 132,068 |
| Percentage2: | 35.4% |
| U.S. Representative | |
| Before Election: | Todd Akin |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (US) |
| After Election: | Todd Akin |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
See also: Missouri's 2nd congressional district.
Incumbent Republican Congressman Todd Akin easily won re-election to a fifth term over Democratic nominee Bill Haas and Libertarian candidate Thomas Knapp in this conservative district rooted in the northern and western suburbs of St. Louis.
| Election Name: | 2008 Missouri's 3rd congressional district election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 3 |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 3 |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Image1: | Russ Carnahan, official 109th Congress photo.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Russ Carnahan |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 202,470 |
| Percentage1: | 66.4% |
| Nominee2: | Chris Sander |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 92,759 |
| Percentage2: | 30.4% |
| U.S. Representative | |
| Before Election: | Russ Carnahan |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Election: | Russ Carnahan |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
See also: Missouri's 3rd congressional district.
In this fairly liberal district based in the southern portion of St. Louis and previously represented by House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, Democratic Congressman Russ Carnahan easily defeated Republican Chris Sander, Libertarian Kevin Babcock, and Constitution Party candidate Cindy Redburn to win a third term.
| Election Name: | 2008 Missouri's 4th congressional district election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 4 |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 4 |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Image1: | Ike Skelton, official 109th Congress photo.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Ike Skelton |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 200,009 |
| Percentage1: | 65.9% |
| Nominee2: | Jeff Parnell |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 103,446 |
| Percentage2: | 34.1% |
| Map Size: | 225px |
| U.S. Representative | |
| Before Election: | Ike Skelton |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Election: | Ike Skelton |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
See also: Missouri's 4th congressional district.
Long-serving incumbent Democratic Congressman Ike Skelton, the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, easily defeated Republican nominee Jeff Parnell in this conservative, west-central Missouri district to win a seventeenth term. By contrast, in the simultaneous 2008 presidential election the district gave 61 percent of its vote to Republican nominee John McCain and 38 percent to Democratic nominee Barack Obama, making this the only Missouri district with opposite results in the two elections.
| Election Name: | 2008 Missouri's 5th congressional district election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 5 |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 5 |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Image1: | Emanuel Cleaver, official 109th Congress photo.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Emanuel Cleaver |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 197,249 |
| Percentage1: | 64.4% |
| Nominee2: | Jacob Turk |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 109,166 |
| Percentage2: | 35.6% |
| U.S. Representative | |
| Before Election: | Emanuel Cleaver |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Election: | Emanuel Cleaver |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
See also: Missouri's 5th congressional district.
Democratic incumbent Congressman Emanuel Cleaver defeated Republican nominee Jacob Turk to win a third term in this fairly liberal district based in Kansas City.
| Election Name: | 2008 Missouri's 6th congressional district election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 6 |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 6 |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Image1: | Sam Graves, official 109th Congress photo.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Sam Graves |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 196,526 |
| Percentage1: | 59.4% |
| Nominee2: | Kay Barnes |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 121,894 |
| Percentage2: | 36.9% |
| U.S. Representative | |
| Before Election: | Sam Graves |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (US) |
| After Election: | Sam Graves |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
See also: Missouri's 6th congressional district.
Incumbent Republican Congressman Sam Graves survived a high-profile challenge from Democratic nominee and former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes by a much healthier margin than expected. Barnes' inability to capitalize on the strong Democratic wave sweeping the country ultimately left her defeated in this normally conservative district based in northwest Missouri.
| Election Name: | 2008 Missouri's 7th congressional district election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 7 |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 7 |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Image1: | Roy Blunt.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Roy Blunt |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 219,016 |
| Percentage1: | 67.8% |
| Nominee2: | Richard Monroe |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 91,010 |
| Percentage2: | 28.2% |
| U.S. Representative | |
| Before Election: | Roy Blunt |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (US) |
| After Election: | Roy Blunt |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
See also: Missouri's 7th congressional district.
Incumbent Republican Congressman Roy Blunt, a former short-serving House Majority Leader defeated Democrat Richard Monroe, Libertarian Kevin Craig, and Constitution candidate Travis Maddox to easily win another term in office.
| Election Name: | 2008 Missouri's 8th congressional district election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 8 |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 8 |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Image1: | Jo Ann Emerson, official 109th Congress photo.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Jo Ann Emerson |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 198,798 |
| Percentage1: | 71.4% |
| Nominee2: | Joe Allen |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 72,790 |
| Percentage2: | 26.2% |
| U.S. Representative | |
| Before Election: | Jo Ann Emerson |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (US) |
| After Election: | Jo Ann Emerson |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
See also: Missouri's 8th congressional district.
In this staunchly conservative district based in southeast Missouri, incumbent Republican Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson had no difficulty in dispatching Democrat Joe Allen, Libertarian Branden McCullough, and Constitution candidate Richard Smith to win another term in office.
| Election Name: | 2008 Missouri's 9th congressional district election |
| Country: | Missouri |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 9 |
| Previous Year: | 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 9 |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Image1: | Blaine Luetkemeyer (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Blaine Luetkemeyer |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 161,031 |
| Percentage1: | 50.0% |
| Nominee2: | Judy Baker |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 152,956 |
| Percentage2: | 47.5% |
| Map Size: | 225 |
| U.S. Representative | |
| Before Election: | Kenny Hulshof |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (US) |
| After Election: | Blaine Luetkemeyer |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
See also: Missouri's 9th congressional district.
When Republican Congressman Kenny Hulshof declined to seek another term in favor of running for Governor, an open seat emerged. Former Missouri State Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer, the Republican nominee, defeated Democratic nominee Judy Baker, a member of the Missouri House of Representatives by a thin margin in this normally conservative district based in northeast Missouri, a part of "Little Dixie."