| Election Name: | 2008 United States Senate election in Illinois |
| Country: | Illinois |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2002 United States Senate election in Illinois |
| Previous Year: | 2002 |
| Next Election: | 2014 United States Senate election in Illinois |
| Next Year: | 2014 |
| Election Date: | November 4, 2008 |
| Turnout: | 68.42% |
| Image1: | File:Richard Durbin official photo (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Dick Durbin |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 3,615,844 |
| Percentage1: | 67.84% |
| Nominee2: | Steve Sauerberg |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,520,621 |
| Percentage2: | 28.53% |
| Map Size: | 300x300px |
| U.S. Senator | |
| Before Election: | Dick Durbin |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Dick Durbin |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 2008 United States Senate election in Illinois was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin sought a third term in office and faced minimal opposition from Republican Steve Sauerberg. As expected, Durbin overwhelmingly won re-election. On the same night, fellow Democratic Senator Barack Obama was elected President of the United States, defeating Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona.
This is the last senate election in Illinois in which a candidate received above 60% of the vote.
The primaries and general elections coincided with those for other federal elections (United States President and House), as well as those for state offices.
For the primary elections, turnout was 32.37%, with 2,364,409 votes cast.[1] [2] For the general election, turnout was 68.42%, with 5,329,884 votes cast.[1] [2]
| Source | Ranking | As of | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | The Cook Political Report[3] | October 23, 2008 | ||
| align=left | CQ Politics[4] | October 31, 2008 | ||
| align=left | Rothenberg Political Report[5] | November 2, 2008 | ||
| align=left | Real Clear Politics[6] | November 4, 2008 |
Durbin's 3,615,844 votes is the highest vote total in a statewide election in Illinois. No one has broken his record since, however then Vice President Joe Biden received the most votes in the presidential election in Illinois in 2020.Durbin comfortably won re-election with the best margin of his career, winning all but four of the state's 102 counties.