2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho

none February 2026 September 2023 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho Idaho legislative no 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho 2006 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho 2010 All 2 Idaho seats to the United States House of Representatives November 4, 2008 Republican Party (United States) 2 1 1 377,464 59.23% 3.51% Democratic Party (United States) 0 1 1 259,776 40.77% 0.94% 180px District results 180px County results Republican #e27f90 50–60% #cc2f4a 60–70% #D40000 70–80% #aa0000 80–90% #800000 >90% Democratic #86b6f2 50–60% #4389E3 60–70% The 2008 congressional elections in Idaho were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who would represent the state of Idaho in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential and senatorial elections. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected were to serve in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. Idaho has two seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms. Its 2007–09 congressional delegation consisted of two Republicans. In the 2008 elections, District 1 was won by Democrat Walt Minnick, so Idaho's delegation to the 111th Congress consisted of one Republican and one Democrat. CQ Politics had forecasted District 1 to be at some risk for the incumbent party. 2024, this was the only time since 1992 that a Democrat was elected to congress from Idaho. Primary elections were held May 27, 2008.http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2008/Primary/tot_stwd.htm May 27, 2008 Primary Election Results 7 March 2009 Idaho Secretary of State dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090416030919/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2008/Primary/tot_stwd.htm April 16, 2009 Overview United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho, 2008PartyVotesPercentageSeats beforeSeats after+/– Republican 377,464 59.23% 2 1 -1 Democratic 259,776 40.77% 0 1 +1 Valid votes - -% Invalid or blank votes - -% Totals 637,240 100.00% 2 2 — Voter turnout -% Match-up summary District Incumbent 2008 status Democratic Republican Other party 1Bill Sali Lost Re-electionWalt Minnick Bill Sali 2Mike Simpson Re-election Debbie HolmesMike Simpson District 1 thumb Idaho's 1st congressional district 2008 Idaho's 1st congressional district election Idaho presidential no 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 1 2006 November 4, 2008 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 1 2010 Idaho's 1st congressional district x150px Walt Minnick official photo (cropped).jpg Walt Minnick Democratic Party (United States) 175,898 50.6% Bill Sali, official photo portrait.jpg Bill Sali Republican Party (United States) 171,687 49.4% x230px County results x230px Precinct results Minnick: #7996E2 50–60% #6674DE 60–70% #584CDE 70–80% #3933E5 80–90%Sali: #E27F7F 50–60% #D75D5D 60–70% #D72F30 70–80% #C21B18 80–90% Tie: #AE8BB1 50% U.S. Representative Bill Sali Republican Party (United States) Walt Minnick Democratic Party (United States) This district includes most of the Boise metropolitan area and northern Idaho, including all of the Idaho Panhandle. Major cities in the district include Nampa, Meridian, Coeur d'Alene, and Lewiston as well as precincts in western Boise. Usually a Republican stronghold, in 2006 Bill Sali (campaign website) won an open seat race with only 50 percent of the vote over Larry Grant's 45 percent. In 2008 Sali faced Walt Minnick (campaign website), a businessman and former White House staffer who had been the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1996. Grant announced his intention to run for the seat again, but withdrew from the race before the primary and endorsed Minnick instead. Sali defeated Iraq war veteran Matt Salisbury with 60 percent of the vote in the May 27 Republican primary. Minnick won the Democratic nomination unopposed. Initially, Sali was considered safe due to the district's heavily Republican nature (CPVI R+19), and the race was initially rated 'Safe Republican' by the non-partisan Cook Political Report. However, it soon became increasingly competitive. According to The Wall Street Journal, a combination of poor fund raising (Sali trailed Minnick by nearly $200,000 according to reports in May) and Sali's combative reputation gave Minnick a chance to upset Sali despite the district's conservative majority. Many moderates who would have normally leaned Republican were reportedly concerned by Sali's far-right social views in a state where conservative voters have historically cared more about small government issues than social issues.Justin Scheck Idaho Is No Longer a Lock for Republicans The Wall Street Journal 15 July 2008 A.3 As a result, the Cook Political Report adjusted its rating for the race throughout the campaign, moving it to 'Likely Republican' on July 3, 'Leans Republican' on September 18, and 'Republican Toss Up' on October 23.http://www.cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2008-07-03_12-08-32.php 2008 Competitive Race Chart - July 3, 2008 7 March 2009 Cook Political Report 3 July 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20090220072249/http://cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2008-07-03_12-08-32.php 20 February 2009 dead http://www.cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2008-09-18_10-55-16.php 2008 Competitive Race Chart - September 18, 2008 7 March 2009 Cook Political Report 18 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20081127120413/http://www.cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2008-09-18_10-55-16.php 27 November 2008 dead http://www.cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2008-10-23_11-33-46.php 2008 Competitive Race Chart - October 23, 2008 7 March 2009 Cook Political Report 23 October 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20090416073924/http://www.cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2008-10-23_11-33-46.php 16 April 2009 dead CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Republican Favored', but changed its rating to 'No Clear Favorite' late in the campaign. The Rothenberg Report rated it as 'Lean Republican'.2008 House Ratings Rothenberg Report, September 30, 2008 Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets 2008 Idaho CD-01 graph of collected polls at Pollster.com Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report2008 Competitive House Race Chart http://www.cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2008-11-04_13-32-49.php House: Race Ratings The Cook Political Report 6 November 2006 20 November 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20081106112035/http://www.cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2008-11-04_13-32-49.php 6 November 2008Lean D flip November 6, 2008 Rothenberg2008 House Ratings https://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2008/11/2008-house-ratings.html House Ratings The Rothenberg Political Report 2 November 2006 20 November 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20081106133426/http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2008/11/2008-house-ratings.html 6 November 2008Tilt D flip November 2, 2008 Sabato's Crystal Ball2008 House http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2008/house/ Sabato's Crystal Ball 6 November 2008 20 November 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20081106144620/http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2008/house/ 6 November 2008Lean D flip November 6, 2008 Real Clear PoliticsBattle for the House of Representatives http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/house/battle_for_the_house_of_representatives.html realclearpolitics.com Real Clear Politics 9 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20081217170047/http://www.realclearpolitics.com:80/epolls/2008/house/battle_for_the_house_of_representatives.html 17 December 2008 7 November 2008Tossup November 7, 2008 CQ PoliticsRace Ratings Chart: House http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-house cqpolitics.com Congressional Quarterly Inc 20 November 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20081106054801/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-house 6 November 2008Tossup November 6, 2008 Results Minnick defeated Sali by just 4,211 votes. Minnick was the first Democrat to be elected to Congress from Idaho since Larry LaRocco was defeated for reelection to this seat in 1994; he was only the second Democrat to hold the seat since the 1960s.IDAHO: McCain https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E00E0D8103CF935A35752C1A96E9C8B63 The New York Times 6 November 2008 12 7 March 2009 According to CPVI, as calculated using the 2004 and 2008 presidential election results, Idaho's first district was the third most Republican-leaning district in the country to be represented by a Democrat in the 111th Congress. Idaho's 1st congressional district election, 2008http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2008/general/tot_stwd.htm November 4, 2008 General Election Results 7 March 2009 Idaho Secretary of State Democratic Party (United States) Walt Minnick 175,898 50.6 Republican Party (United States) Bill Sali (incumbent) 171,687 49.4 347,585 100.00 Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) District 2 2008 Idaho's 2nd congressional district election Idaho presidential no 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2 2006 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2 2010 x150px x150px Mike Simpson Republican Party (US) 205,777 71.0% x110px Debbie Holmes Democratic Party (US) 83,878 29.0% U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson Republican Party (US) Mike Simpson Republican Party (US) x230px County results x230px Precinct results 300 Simpson: #E27F7F 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #D72F30 70–80% #C21B18 80–90% #A80000 90–100%Martinez #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Tie:#AE8BB1 50% Idaho's 2nd congressional district This district includes the Eastern Idaho and Magic Valley regions of Idaho, including the cities of Pocatello, Idaho Falls and Twin Falls, as well as parts of Boise on its western edge. The seat was held by Republican Mike Simpson, who was first elected in 1998. Simpson (campaign website) ran for reelection against Democratic nominee Deborah Holmes (campaign website), a first-time candidate for public office. Both Simpson and Holmes decisively won their respective primaries. Although parts of the district had trended Democratic in recent years, including Blaine County, Teton County and the Boise precincts located in the district, a strong Mormon voting bloc kept the district in Republican hands. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Safe Republican'. Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportSafe R November 6, 2008 RothenbergSafe R November 2, 2008 Sabato's Crystal BallSafe R November 6, 2008 Real Clear PoliticsSafe R November 7, 2008 CQ PoliticsSafe R November 6, 2008 Results Mike Simpson easily won reelection over Deborah Holmes, receiving 71 percent of the vote. Idaho's 2nd congressional district election, 2008 Republican Party (United States) Mike Simpson (incumbent) 205,777 71.0 Democratic Party (United States) Deborah Holmes 83,878 29.0 289,655 100.00 Republican Party (United States) References 30em External links Elections, Campaign Disclosure and Lobbyists from the Idaho Secretary of State U.S. Congress candidates for Idaho at Project Vote Smart Idaho U.S. House Races from 2008 Race Tracker Campaign contributions for Idaho congressional races from OpenSecrets 2008 Idaho United States House of Representatives