2008 United States Senate election in Maine

The 2008 United States Senate election in Maine took place on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins won re-election to a third term against Democrat Tom Allen, the U.S. Congressman from the 1st district.

2008 United States Senate election in Maine
November 4, 2008
 
Nominee Susan Collins Tom Allen
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 444,300 279,510
Percentage 61.3% 38.6%
County results
Collins:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
U.S. senator before election

Susan Collins
Republican

 Elected U.S. Senator

Susan Collins
Republican

Elections in Maine

Democratic primary

Candidates
  • Tom Allen, U.S. Representative
  • Thomas Ledue, educator

Results
Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Allen 69,932 85.6%
Democratic Tom Ledue 11,795 14.4%
Total votes 81,727 100.0%

Campaign

Allen tried to tie Collins to George W. Bush, but these tactics failed as Collins maintained her image as a very popular, moderate, independent Republican. She obtained an endorsement from Independent and former Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman.[1]

When Collins was first elected in 1996 she pledged to serve only two terms (twelve years) in office, which would have been up in 2008. She instead decided to seek a third term, and defeated Allen with over 60% of the vote. She was the only Republican Senate candidate to win in 2008 in a state that was simultaneously won by Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

Predictions

CQ Politics rated this race as 'Leans Republican'.[2] The Cook Political Report considered it 'Lean Republican'.[3] The Rothenberg Political Report considered it a 'Clear Advantage for Incumbent Party'.[4] UpFront Politics listed the race as 'Leans Republican'. Swing State Project listed the race as "Likely Republican." The Hotline's Senate Rankings showed the Maine Senate race fall from 7th- to 11th-most competitive senate race in the country.

Polling
Poll source Dates administered Tom
Allen (D)		 Susan
Collins (R)
Rasmussen Reports November 1, 2008 41% 57%
Survey USA October 20, 2008 43% 54%
Rasmussen Reports October 2, 2008 43% 53%
Survey USA September 22–23, 2008 39% 55%
Rasmussen Reports September 17, 2008 42% 55%
Rasmussen Reports August 12, 2008 40% 55%
Rasmussen Reports July 17, 2008 42% 49%
Pan Atlantic SMS Group June 18, 2008 31% 56%
Rasmussen Reports June 16, 2008 42% 49%
Rasmussen Reports May 14, 2008 42% 52%
Rasmussen Reports April 1, 2008 38% 54%
McLaughlin & Associates/
Coalition for a Democratic Workforce		 March 6–9, 2008 31% 54%
Critical Insights October 12–30, 2007 34% 54%
Survey USA October 26–29, 2007 38% 55%
Research 2000/Daily Kos October 15–17, 2007 33% 56%

Results
General election results
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Susan Collins (incumbent) 444,300 61.33% +2.9%
Democratic Tom Allen 279,510 38.58% -3.0%
Write-in 620 0.09% n/a
Total votes 724,430 100.00% n/a
Republican hold
gollark: I would be willing to take that chance for unreasonably large amounts of money.
gollark: There are a bunch of annoying questions which I could resolve much more easily with information from future versions of me, except I *also* probably need access to the counterfactuals somehow.
gollark: Oh, I assumed you were analogizing the random future things to a giftcard, but great?
gollark: You have a good point, giftcard bad.
gollark: If it can conveniently be brought back and doesn't rely on difficult future infrastructure, I suppose.

References
  1. Lieberman Backs Susan Collins, Gives $5K To Her Re-election Campaign - CBS News
  2. Race Ratings Chart: Senate Archived October 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine CQ Politics
  3. 2008 Senate Race Ratings Archived November 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine The Cook Political Report, October 8, 2008
  4. 2008 Senate Ratings The Rothenberg Political Report, September 29, 2008
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