2008 United States Senate election in Michigan

The 2008 United States Senate election in Michigan was held on November 4, 2008[1] Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Carl Levin won reelection to a sixth and final term.

2008 United States Senate election in Michigan
November 4, 2008
 
Nominee Carl Levin Jack Hoogendyk
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 3,038,386 1,641,070
Percentage 62.7% 33.8%
County Results

Levin:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Hoogendyk:      40–50%      50–60%
U.S. senator before election

Carl Levin
Democratic

 Elected U.S. Senator

Carl Levin
Democratic

Elections in Michigan

Candidates

Democratic

Republican

Libertarian

Green
  • Harley Mikkelson

U.S. Taxpayers
  • Michael Nikitin

Natural Law
  • Doug Dern

Campaign

Levin's 2002 opponent Andrew Raczkowski considered running again, but military commitments forced him to drop out. State representative Jack Hoogendyk declared his candidacy to challenge Levin.[2] Troy engineer Bart Baron was also running.[3] Baron apparently failed to qualify for the August 5, 2008 party primary ballot in the Michigan Secretary of State's office. So only Hoogendyk was listed on the Republican side in the Michigan primary election.[4] Levin was unopposed on the Democratic side. The filing deadline for candidates to run was May 13.[5]

Minor party candidates who ran included Harley Mikkelson of the Green Party, Scotty Boman of the Libertarian Party,[6] Michael Nikitin of the U.S. Taxpayers Party[7] and Doug Dern of the Natural Law Party. Levin, who maintained a huge fundraising advantage over his opponents,[8] easily won re-election.

Polling
Poll Source Dates administered Carl
Levin (D)		 Jack
Hoogendyk (R)
Rasmussen Reports October 8, 2008 61% 36%
Public Policy Polling September 29 – October 1, 2008 50% 32%
Strategic Vision September 22–24, 2008 57% 29%
Detroit News September 14–17, 2008 56% 28%
Rasmussen Reports September 18, 2008 57% 38%
Strategic Vision September 5–7, 2008 58% 28%
Public Policy Polling September 6–7, 2008 51% 36%
EPIC-MRA/Detroit News August 18–21, 2008 59% 27%
Public Policy Polling(PPP) July 23–27, 2008 54% 35%
Rasmussen Reports July 10, 2008 59% 36%
Public Policy Polling June 21–22, 2008 54% 32%
Rasmussen Reports June 11, 2008 55% 35%
Rasmussen Reports May 7, 2008 54% 37%

Debates

On November 19 WGVU Public television hosted a Senatorial debate to which only Democratic Senator Carl Levin and Republican State Representative Jack Hoogendyk were invited.[9] They debated topics such as the economy, immigration,[10] and foreign policy.[11] [12]

Levin blamed job loss in Michigan on President Bush, while Hoogendyk blamed Levin.[12] Levin supported a Federal bailout of the auto industry, while Hoogendyk opposed the idea.[9]

The event, which was moderated by WZZM TV 13's News anchor Peter Ross, was met with protest by supporters of excluded candidates.[10][13] One of the protesters was Libertarian candidate Scotty Boman, who asserted that he met the stations qualifications. WGVU required the candidates to show at least 5% support in a statewide scientific poll, but Boman said no statewide poll had been done that included him.[13][14] An exclusive WXYZ poll included all of the candidates, but only contacted respondents in the 7th and 9th Congressional district.[15] Boman also claimed that public broadcasters should have invited the other candidates since it is supported with tax dollars.[13]

Senator Carl Levin and State Representative Jack Hoogendyk met again, the following day (October 20), for a forum hosted by the Detroit Economic Club.[10]

Results

Levin was declared the winner right when the polls closed in Michigan. Levin won all but six of Michigan's 83 counties. Levin unsurprisingly won major metropolitan areas, such as Wayne County home of Detroit or Ingham County home of Lansing. When combining the suburban and rural counties, it was too much for Hoogendyk to overcome.

General election results[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Carl Levin (incumbent) 3,038,386 62.7% +2.1%
Republican Jack Hoogendyk 1,641,070 33.8% -4.1%
Libertarian Scotty Boman 76,347 1.6% n/a
Green Harley Mikkelson 43,440 0.9% +0.1%
U.S. Taxpayers Michael Nikitin 30,827 0.6% n/a
Natural Law Doug Dern 18,550 0.4% +0.1%
Majority 1,397,316
Turnout 4,848,620
Democratic hold Swing
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References
  1. Terri Lynn Land, Secretary of State."2008 Official Michigan General Candidate Listing". Michigan.gov (website).
  2. "Detnews.com". Detroit News. February 15, 2008.
  3. "Levin raises $840,000 for re-election campaign". Michigan Elections News. Associated Press. January 29, 2008.
  4. Terri Lynn Land, Secretary of State."2008 Official Michigan Primary Candidate Listing". Michigan.gov (website).
  5. Terri Lynn Land, Secretary of State."August 5, 2008 Primary and November 4, 2008 General Election: Important Dates and Filing Deadlines". Michigan.gov (website).
  6. Cassidy, Austin (June 7, 2008). "Michigan Libertarian convention features pair of contested races; full slate of congressional and statewide candidates". Independent Political Report.
  7. Berg-Andersson, Richard; Tony Roza (August 2008). "The Green Papers: Michigan 2008 General Election". The Green Papers.
  8. "Carl Levin continues to dominate Senate fundraising against challenger Jack Hoogendyk". Michigan Elections News. Associated Press. July 16, 2008.
  9. McNeill, John (October 20, 2008). "Debate night for Levin and Hoogendyk". WKZO News.
  10. Geraghty, Tim (October 20, 2008). "Senate Candidates Debate: Carl Levin and Jack Hoogendyk Offer Differing Views". Associated Press and WZZM TV-13 News.
  11. Tagliavia, Tony (October 19, 2008). "Senate debate preview". WOOD TV News.
  12. "US Senate candidates debate at GVSU". MSNBC. Associated Press. October 19, 2008.
  13. Tagliavia, Tony (October 19, 2008). "Libertarian candidate protests Senate debate". MSNBC. Archived from the original on November 11, 2008.
  14. Tagliavia, Tony (October 20, 2008). "Senate candidates clash on economy, war, health care". WOOD TV News. Archived from the original on June 18, 2009.
  15. WXYZ; Detroit News (August 25, 2008). "EXCLUSIVE POLL: 7th & 9th Districts". WXYZ TV News. Archived from the original on September 8, 2008.
  16. Staff (November 5, 2008). "Election 2008: U.S. Senate, Michigan". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 12, 2008.
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