2008 United States presidential election in Idaho

none June 2025 September 2023 2008 United States presidential election 2008 United States presidential election in Idaho Idaho presidential no 2004 United States presidential election in Idaho 2004 2012 United States presidential election in Idaho 2012 November 4, 2008 x200px John McCain official portrait 2009 (cropped).jpg John McCain Republican Party (United States) Arizona Sarah Palin 4 403,012 61.21% Obama portrait crop.jpg Barack Obama Democratic Party (United States) Illinois Joe Biden 0 236,440 35.91% 200px County results 200px Congressional district results 200px Precinct results 300px McCain #F2B3BE 40–50% #e27f90 50–60% #cc2f4a 60–70% #d40000 70–80% #aa0000 80–90% #800000 90–100% Obama #b9d7ff 40–50% #86b6f2 50–60% #4389e3 60–70% #1666CB 70–80% #0645B4 80–90% Baldwin #9955FF 60–70% #7A44CC 70–80% President George W. Bush Republican Party (United States) Barack Obama Democratic Party (United States) The 2008 United States presidential election in Idaho took place on November 4, 2008, and was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose four representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. Idaho was won by Republican nominee John McCain by a 25.3% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 17 major news organizations considered this a state McCain would win, or a red state. Polling in the state gave a sizable lead to McCain over Democrat Barack Obama, with most polling predicting a McCain win of at least 30 percentage points. Despite his landslide defeat in the state, Obama over-performed his polls and greatly improved on Kerry's performance four years earlier. Idaho has not gone Democratic for President since Lyndon B. Johnson narrowly won it in 1964. Primaries 2008 Idaho Democratic presidential caucuses 2008 Idaho Republican presidential primary Campaign Predictions There were 16 news organizations who made state-by-state predictions of the election. Here are their last predictions before election day: +SourceRankingD.C. Political Report2009-01-01 D.C.'s Political Report: The complete source for campaign summaries. http://www.dcpoliticalreport.com/Predictions.html 2021-08-23 usurped https://web.archive.org/web/20090101161206/http://www.dcpoliticalreport.com/Predictions.html 2009-01-01Likely RCook Political Report2015-05-05 Presidential http://cookpolitical.com/presidential 2021-08-23 https://web.archive.org/web/20150505003043/http://cookpolitical.com/presidential 2015-05-05Solid RThe Takeaway2009-04-22 Vote 2008 - The Takeaway - Track the Electoral College vote predictions http://vote2008.thetakeaway.org/2008/09/20/track-the-electoral-college-vote-predictions/ 2021-08-23 https://web.archive.org/web/20090422070127/http://vote2008.thetakeaway.org/2008/09/20/track-the-electoral-college-vote-predictions/ 2009-04-22Solid RElectoral-vote.comElectoral-vote.com: President, Senate, House Updated Daily https://electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Pres/Maps/Dec31.html 2021-08-23 electoral-vote.comSolid RWashington PostBased on TakeawaySolid RPoliticoPOLITICO's 2008 Swing State Map - POLITICO.com https://www.politico.com/convention/swingstate.html 2016-09-22 www.politico.comSolid RRealClearPolitics http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/obama_vs_mccain/?map=5 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080605003612/http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/obama_vs_mccain/?map=5 2008-06-05 RealClearPolitics - Electoral MapSolid RFiveThirtyEightSolid RCQ PoliticsCQ Presidential Election Maps, 2008 http://innovation.cq.com/prezMap08/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090614004022/http://innovation.cq.com/prezMap08 June 14, 2009 December 20, 2009 CQ PoliticsSolid RThe New York TimesNagourney Adam Zeleny Jeff Carter Shan 2008-11-04 The Electoral Map: Key States The New York Times http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/president/whos-ahead/key-states/map.html?scp=1&sq=electoral%20college%20map&st=cse May 26, 2010Solid RCNN2008-10-31 October – 2008 – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs CNN http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/ May 26, 2010 2010-06-19 https://web.archive.org/web/20100619013250/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/ deadSafe RNPRSolid RMSNBCSolid RFox NewsApril 27, 2010 Winning The Electoral College Fox News http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/winning-the-electoral-college/Likely RAssociated Pressroadto270 http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/campaign_plus/roadto270/ 2016-09-22 hosted.ap.org December 8, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20081208002123/http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/campaign_plus/roadto270/ deadLikely RRasmussen ReportsElection 2008: Electoral College Update - Rasmussen Reports http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/election_2008_electoral_college_update 2016-09-22 www.rasmussenreports.comSafe R Polling Statewide opinion polling for the 2008 United States presidential election#Idaho Statewide opinion polling for the 2008 United States presidential election: Idaho McCain won every pre-election poll with a double-digit margin and with at least 52 percent of the vote. The final three poll average gave the Republican 66 percent to Obama's 29 percent.Election 2008 Polls – Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections Fundraising Obama raised $874,523. McCain raised $441,338.http://www.fec.gov/DisclosureSearch/MapAppState.do?stateName=ID&cand_id=P00000001 Presidential Campaign Finance 2009-08-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20090324090225/http://www.fec.gov/DisclosureSearch/MapAppState.do?stateName=ID&cand_id=P00000001 2009-03-24 dead Advertising and visits Obama spent $268. McCain spent $434.http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/map/ad.spending/ CNN Map: Campaign Ad Spending – Election Center 2008 from CNN.com 2010-05-26 Neither campaign visited the state.http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/map/candidate.visits/ CNN Map: Campaign Candidate Visits – Election Center 2008 from CNN.com 2010-05-26 Analysis With a substantial Mormon population, Idaho is one of the most reliably GOP bastions in the country. Although Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate since Michael Dukakis in 1988 to eclipse 35 percent of the vote in solidly red state Idaho,1988 Presidential General Election Results – Idaho the state was still won handily by John McCain by a margin of approximately 25.34 percent. McCain carried 41 of the state's 44 counties, with Obama winning Blaine County, home to Sun Valley and several other prime ski resorts; Latah County, home to the college town of Moscow, and Teton County, a highly affluent suburb of Teton County, Wyoming, and the last until Joe Biden won it in 2020 United States presidential election in Idaho. Obama was the first Democrat to carry Teton County since Harry S. Truman in 1948.The Political Graveyard; Teton County, Idahohttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-idaho.html Idaho Election Results The New York Times 3 November 2020 He also narrowed the Republican margins of victory in Ada County, and in the state capital and city of Boise to single digits. McCain's victory in Idaho, however, was less than that of George W. Bush who carried the state with 68.38 percent of the vote in 2004, a 12.78-point swing to the Democrats in Idaho. With 61.21 percent of the popular vote, Idaho proved to be McCain's fourth strongest state in 2008 election after Oklahoma, Wyoming and Utah.https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/stats.php?year=2008&f=0&off=0&elect=0 2008 Presidential Election Statistics Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections 2018-03-05 Obama became the first Democrat to win the White House without carrying Nez Perce County since Grover Cleveland in 1892. During the same election, Republicans held onto the open U.S. Senate seat vacated by Republican Larry Craig who reluctantly retired after it was revealed that he had solicited a man for sex in the men's restroom at an airport in Minneapolis. Then-Lieutenant Governor Jim Risch, a Republican, was elected with 57.65% of the vote over Democrat Larry LaRocco who received 34.11%. A pro-life independent candidate received 5.35 point while Libertarian Kent Marmon received 1.54% and Rex Rammell, a far right-wing candidate who also ran as an independent, received 1.34%. At the state level, Republicans expanded their supermajority status in the Idaho state legislature as they picked up one seat in the Idaho House of Representatives. Results 2008 United States presidential election in Idahohttp://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2008&fips=16&f=0&off=0&elect=0 Atlas of U.S. Presidential Election Results 2008 – Idaho 2013-01-12PartyCandidateRunning mateVotesPercentageElectoral votes Republican John McCain Sarah Palin 403,012 61.21% 4 Democratic Barack Obama Joe Biden 236,440 35.91% 0 Independent Ralph Nader Matt Gonzalez 7,175 1.09% 0 Constitution Chuck Baldwin Darrell Castle 4,747 0.72% 0 Libertarian Bob Barr Wayne Allyn Root 3,658 0.56% 0 American Independent (Write-in) Alan Keyes (Write-in) Brian Rohrbough 40"None" None of these designated write-in candidate votes were separated by county. 0.01% 0 Green (Write-in) Cynthia McKinney (Write-in) Rosa Clemente 39"None" 0.01% 0 Socialist (Write-in) Brian Moore (Write-in) Stewart Alexander 3"None" 0.00% 0 Write-ins 8 0.00% 0 Totals 658,454 100.00% 4 Voter turnout (Voting age population) 60.1% By county CountyJohn McCainRepublicanBarack ObamaDemocraticRalph NaderOur Campaigns; ID US President Race, November 04, 2008IndependentCharles BaldwinConstitutionBob BarrLibertarianMarginTotal # % # % # % # % # % # %Ada 93,328 51.63% 82,236 45.49% 1,978 1.09% 777 0.43% 1,083 0.60% 11,092 6.14% 180,760Adams 1,517 65.39% 728 31.38% 36 1.55% 20 0.86% 19 0.82% 789 34.01% 2,320Bannock 19,356 54.62% 14,792 41.74% 485 1.37% 257 0.73% 215 0.61% 4,564 12.88% 35,437Bear Lake 2,377 80.77% 502 17.06% 26 0.88% 27 0.92% 11 0.37% 1,875 63.71% 2,943Benewah 2,646 63.54% 1,407 33.79% 48 1.15% 38 0.91% 25 0.60% 1,239 29.75% 4,164Bingham 12,230 71.29% 4,424 25.79% 207 1.21% 203 1.18% 91 0.53% 7,806 45.50% 17,156Blaine 3,439 32.53% 6,947 65.71% 106 1.00% 16 0.15% 63 0.60% -3,508 -33.18%10,573Boise 2,433 64.48% 1,240 32.87% 48 1.27% 25 0.66% 27 0.72% 1,193 31.61% 3,773Bonner 11,145 57.01% 7,840 40.10% 259 1.32% 195 1.00% 108 0.55% 3,305 16.91% 19,550Bonneville 29,334 70.34% 11,417 27.38% 334 0.80% 362 0.87% 256 0.61% 17,917 42.96% 41,703Boundary 3,078 65.02% 1,484 31.35% 67 1.42% 77 1.63% 27 0.57% 1,594 33.67% 4,734Butte 1,056 75.11% 318 22.62% 18 1.28% 7 0.50% 7 0.50% 738 52.49% 1,406Camas 422 68.28% 187 30.26% 5 0.81% 1 0.16% 3 0.49% 235 38.02% 618Canyon 42,752 66.07% 20,147 31.14% 639 0.99% 387 0.60% 321 0.50% 22,605 34.93% 64,706Caribou 2,656 80.44% 553 16.75% 56 1.70% 23 0.70% 14 0.42% 2,103 63.69% 3,302Cassia 6,309 79.93% 1,332 16.88% 86 1.09% 72 0.91% 43 0.54% 4,977 63.05% 7,893Clark 305 81.33% 64 17.07% 2 0.53% 3 0.80% 1 0.27% 241 64.26% 375Clearwater 2,569 65.77% 1,211 31.00% 60 1.54% 35 0.90% 31 0.79% 1,358 34.77% 3,906Custer 1,694 71.99% 611 25.97% 18 0.76% 17 0.72% 12 0.51% 1,083 46.02% 2,353Elmore 5,665 66.76% 2,591 30.53% 110 1.30% 37 0.44% 33 0.39% 3,074 36.23% 8,486Franklin 4,246 83.68% 600 11.82% 48 0.95% 142 2.80% 37 0.73% 3,646 71.86% 5,074Fremont 4,700 79.92% 1,065 18.11% 46 0.78% 44 0.75% 25 0.43% 3,635 61.81% 5,881Gem 5,585 70.27% 2,166 27.25% 112 1.41% 52 0.65% 32 0.40% 3,419 43.02% 7,948Gooding 3,765 69.84% 1,489 27.62% 75 1.39% 35 0.65% 27 0.50% 2,276 42.22% 5,391Idaho 5,895 71.79% 2,017 24.56% 77 0.94% 167 2.03% 54 0.66% 3,878 47.23% 8,212Jefferson 8,540 81.79% 1,641 15.72% 72 0.69% 138 1.32% 50 0.48% 6,899 66.07% 10,441Jerome 4,897 71.52% 1,794 26.20% 74 1.08% 36 0.53% 46 0.67% 3,103 45.32% 6,847Kootenai 38,387 61.38% 22,120 35.37% 592 0.95% 565 0.90% 268 0.43% 16,267 26.01% 62,535Latah 7,988 44.59% 9,195 51.32% 199 1.11% 204 1.14% 128 0.71% -1,207 -6.73%17,916Lemhi 2,938 71.57% 1,061 25.85% 29 0.71% 45 1.10% 32 0.78% 1,877 45.72% 4,105Lewis 1,275 70.68% 479 26.55% 20 1.11% 23 1.27% 7 0.39% 796 44.13% 1,804Lincoln 1,232 65.88% 545 29.14% 77 4.12% 10 0.53% 6 0.32% 687 36.74% 1,870Madison 11,131 85.24% 1,627 12.46% 81 0.62% 149 1.14% 69 0.53% 9,504 72.78% 13,058Minidoka 5,087 73.83% 1,630 23.66% 79 1.15% 52 0.75% 42 0.61% 3,457 50.17% 6,890Nez Perce 10,357 58.11% 7,123 39.97% 189 1.06% 82 0.46% 72 0.40% 3,234 18.14% 17,823Oneida 1,724 79.74% 381 17.62% 11 0.51% 27 1.25% 19 0.88% 1,343 62.12% 2,162Owyhee 3,024 74.52% 944 23.26% 37 0.91% 29 0.71% 24 0.59% 2,080 51.26% 4,058Payette 5,988 68.88% 2,415 27.78% 105 1.21% 66 0.76% 39 0.45% 3,573 41.10% 8,693Power 1,754 61.72% 1,027 36.14% 28 0.99% 13 0.46% 20 0.70% 727 25.58% 2,842Shoshone 2,953 52.11% 2,521 44.49% 111 1.96% 42 0.74% 39 0.69% 432 7.62% 5,667Teton 2,263 48.57% 2,302 49.41% 61 1.31% 13 0.28% 19 0.41% -39 -0.84%4,659Twin Falls 19,032 66.52% 8,621 30.13% 358 1.25% 181 0.63% 152 0.53% 10,411 36.39% 28,613Valley 2,772 52.33% 2,405 45.40% 65 1.23% 21 0.40% 33 0.62% 367 6.93% 5,297Washington 3,168 70.31% 1,241 27.54% 41 0.91% 28 0.62% 28 0.62% 1,927 42.77% 4,506Totals403,01261.21%236,44035.91%7,1751.09%4,7470.72%3,6580.56%166,57225.30%658,454 right 180px Swing by county Legend #00a1c8 Democratic — +>15% #00bdec Democratic — +12.5-15% #09ceff Democratic — +10-12.5% #4bdbff Democratic — +7.5-10% #77e3ff Democratic — +5-7.5% #aaeeff Democratic — +2.5-5% #d5f6ff Democratic — +0-2.5% 180px Trend by county Legend #09ceff Democratic — +10-12.5% #aaeeff Democratic — +2.5-5% #d5f6ff Democratic — +0-2.5% #ffd5d5 Republican — +0-2.5% #ffaaaa Republican — +2.5-5% #ff8080 Republican — +5-7.5% #ff5555 Republican — +7.5-10% #ff2a2a Republican — +10-12.5% 180px County flips Legend Democratic #92c5de Hold #0671b0 Flip Republican #f48882 Hold Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Latah (largest city: Moscow) Teton (largest city: Victor) By congressional district John McCain solidly swept both Idaho's congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat. District McCain Obama RepresentativeIdaho 1 1st61.82%35.88%Bill Sali (110th Congress)Walt Minnick (111th Congress)Idaho 2 2nd 61.19% 36.34%Mike Simpson Electors List of 2008 United States presidential electors Technically the voters of Idaho cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Idaho is allocated four electors because it has two congressional districts and two senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of four electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and their running mate. Whoever wins a plurality of votes in the state is awarded all four electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them.http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_ec.htm Electoral College 2008-11-01 California Secretary of State dead https://web.archive.org/web/20081030041546/http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_ec.htm October 30, 2008 An elector who votes for someone other than their candidate is known as a faithless elector. The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 15, 2008, to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols. The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All four were pledged to John McCain and Sarah Palin:U. S. Electoral College 2008 Election – Certificates Darlene Bramon Ben Doty John Erickson Melinda Smyser See also United States presidential elections in Idaho Presidency of Barack Obama Notes References Idaho Category:2008 Idaho elections 2008