The2008 congressional elections in Mississippi were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who will represent thestate ofMississippi in theUnited States House of Representatives. The primary election for candidates seeking the nomination of the Republican Party or the Democratic Party was held on March 11, with a run-off being held for the Republican nomination in the first and third districts, and for the Democratic nomination in the first district.
With the results of the1st congressional district special election included, the Mississippi congressional delegation comprised three Democrats and one Republican. As of 2026, this is the last time in which Democrats won a majority of congressional districts from Mississippi or won a majority of the popular vote.
This district covers the northeastern part of the state, including the cities ofColumbus,Grenada,Oxford,Southaven, andTupelo. DemocratTravis Childers was the Representative of the district, having defeated RepublicanGreg Davis in an April 22 special election. Childers and Davis faced each other again in November[1] along withGreen Party candidate John Wages, Jr., a college professor and farmer; and independent candidate Wally Pang, a restaurant owner.[2] Childers was re-elected with 54.46% of the vote.
This district consists of theMississippi Delta and most of the capital city ofJackson and is Mississippi's only majority-black district. DemocratBennie Thompson had been in office since 1993, when he won a special election to replaceMike Espy who had resigned to becomeSecretary of Agriculture under PresidentBill Clinton. Thompson was challenged on the Republican side by teacher Richard Cook.[2] CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat' and Thompson was comfortably re-elected with 69.05% of the vote.
RepublicanChip Pickering retired from Congress at this election after 12 years of service. The candidates were RepublicanGregg Harper, attorney and chairman of the Rankin County Republican Party; Democrat Joel Gill,Pickens town alderman and a cattle broker; andindependent candidate Jim Giles, a former systems engineer andwhite supremacist.[2] CQ Politics correctly forecast the race as 'Safe Republican', as Harper was elected with 62.54% of the vote.
DemocratGene Taylor had represented the district since 1989. He was challenged on the Republican side byMethodist minister andAir National Guard officer John McCay III.CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Safe Democrat' and Taylor was re-elected with nearly 75% of the vote.
^abcd"2008 House Ratings".House Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. November 2, 2006. Archived fromthe original on November 6, 2008. RetrievedNovember 20, 2023.
^abcd"2008 House". Sabato's Crystal Ball. November 6, 2008. Archived fromthe original on November 6, 2008. RetrievedNovember 20, 2023.