2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin

← 2006 November 4, 2008 2010 →
All 8 Wisconsin seats to theUnited States House of Representatives
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Republican Last election 5 3 Seats won 5 3 Seat change Popular vote 1,383,536 1,274,987 Percentage 49.85% 45.94% Swing 1.23% 4.47%
District results County results Democratic   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90% Republican   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90%

Elections in Wisconsin
Federal government Presidential elections 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2000 2004 2008 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections Class 1 1848 1851 1857 1863 1869 1875 1881 1887 1893 1899 1905 1911 1916 1922 1925 sp 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1957 sp 1958 1964 1970 1976 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 2012 2018 2024 Class 3 1848 1849 1855 1861 1867 1872 1879 1881 sp 1885 1890 1891 1897 1903 1907 sp 1909 1914 1918 sp 1920 1926 1932 1938 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1982 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016 2022 2028 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1848 1850 1852 1854 1856 1858 1860 1862 1863 2nd sp 1864 1866 1868 1870 2nd sp 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 5th sp 1887 8th sp 1888 1890 1892 1893 4th sp 1894 7th sp 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 2nd sp 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 6th sp 11th sp 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 6th sp 1931 1st sp 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1941 1st sp 1942 1944 1946 1947 2nd sp 1948 1950 1952 1953 9th sp 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1969 7th sp 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1979 6th sp 1980 1982 1984 4th sp 1986 1988 1990 1992 1993 1st sp 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 7th sp 2022 2024 8th sp 2026
State government General elections 1925 1995 2000 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Gubernatorial elections 1848 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2012 (recall) 2014 2018 2022 2026 Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1968 2012 (recall) Secretary of State elections 1978 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Attorney General elections 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Treasurer elections 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Superintendent elections 1925 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025 State Senate elections 1934 1996 2008 2010 2011 (recall) 2012 (recall) 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 State Assembly elections 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 Supreme Court elections 1852 (3) 1855 1859 1860 sp. 1861 1863 1865 1867 1868 sp. (2) 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 (2) 1878 1879 1881 (2) 1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1892 sp. 1893 1895 1896 sp. 1897 1898 sp. 1899 (2) 1901 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 sp. 1909 1911 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 sp. 1919 1921 1922 sp. 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1929 1930 sp. 1931 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1939 1941 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1949 1950 sp. 1951 1952 sp. 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1961 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1989 1990 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1999 2000 2001 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2013 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2023 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2033
Ballot measures 2006 Referendum 1 2025 Question 1
Brown County County Executive elections 1995 1995 (special) 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023 Green BayMayoral elections 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Dane County County Executive elections 2001 2005 2009 2011 (special) 2013 2017 2021 2024 (special) 2025 MadisonMayoral elections 1874 1875 1876 1973 1997 sp. 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Kenosha County Executive elections 2022 Mayoral elections 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Milwaukee County Executive elections 2000 2002 (special) 2004 2008 2011 (special) 2012 2016 2020 2024 MilwaukeeMayoral elections 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2022 sp 2024
Outagamie County County Executive elections 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Winnebago County County Executive elections 2021 2025
v t e

The2008 congressional elections in Wisconsin were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who would represent thestate ofWisconsin in theUnited States House of Representatives. Representatives were elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the111th Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the2008 U.S. presidential election andother Wisconsin elections.

Wisconsin has eight seats in the House, apportioned according to the2000 United States census. Its 2007-2008 congressional delegation consisted of fiveDemocrats and threeRepublicans. That remained unchanged after the 2008 congressional elections in Wisconsin as all incumbent candidates won re-election, althoughCQ Politics had forecastedWisconsin's 8 district to be at some risk for the incumbent party.^[1]

As of 2025, this is the last time the Democrats won a majority of congressional districts from Wisconsin. However, they would still go on to win the popular vote in several subsequent House elections.

Party		Candi- dates	Votes		Seats
			No.	%	No.	+/–	%
	Democratic Party	7	1,383,536	49.85%	5		62.50%
	Republican Party	7	1,274,987	45.94%	3		37.50%
	Independent	2	103,809	3.74%	0		0%
	Libertarian Party	2	12,842	0.46%	0		0%
Total		18	2,775,174	100%	8		100%

2008 Wisconsin's 1st congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Paul Ryan Marge Krupp Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 231,009 125,268 Percentage 63.97% 34.69%

Precinct results Ryan:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Krupp:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Tie:     50%     No votes

U.S. Representative before election Paul Ryan Republican Elected U.S. Representative Paul Ryan Republican

In this relatively moderate district in southeastWisconsin, incumbent Republican CongressmanPaul Ryan has enjoyed popularity and faced no serious challenge from Democratic nominee, Marge Krupp, a chemist. DespiteBarack Obama'sstrong performance in Wisconsin that year in the presidential election, Ryan was re-elected overwhelmingly.

2008 Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Tammy Baldwin Peter Theron Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 277,914 122,513 Percentage 69.33% 30.56%

Precinct results Baldwin:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Theron:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Tie:     50%     No votes

U.S. Representative before election Tammy Baldwin Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin Democratic

In this very liberal district based in theMadison metropolitan area, incumbent Democratic CongresswomanTammy Baldwin, the first openly lesbian member of theHouse, easily turned away a challenge from Republican candidate Peter Theron and won her sixth term with nearly seventy percent of the vote.

2008 Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Ron Kind Paul Stark Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 225,208 122,760 Percentage 63.19% 34.44%

Precinct results Kind:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Stark:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Tie:     40–50%     50%     No votes

U.S. Representative before election Ron Kind Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Ron Kind Democratic

In this relatively liberal district based in westernWisconsin, incumbent Democratic CongressmanRon Kind easily won a seventh term over Republican challenger Paul Stark.

2008 Wisconsin's 4th congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Gwen Moore Michael D. LaForest Party Democratic Independent Popular vote 222,728 29,282 Percentage 87.63% 11.52%

Precinct results Moore:     30–40%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Tie:     40–50%     50%     No votes

U.S. Representative before election Gwen Moore Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Gwen Moore Democratic

Incumbent Democratic CongresswomanGwen Moore, running for her third term, faced easy re-election prospects in this highly liberal district based inMilwaukee; no Republican candidate filed to run against her. Moore defeated independent candidate Michael LaForest in a landslide.

2008 Wisconsin's 5th congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Jim Sensenbrenner Robert R. Raymond Party Republican Independent Popular vote 275,271 69,715 Percentage 79.58% 20.15%

Precinct results Sensenbrenner:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Raymond:     40–50%     50–60% Tie:     40–50%     No votes

U.S. Representative before election Jim Sensenbrenner Republican Elected U.S. Representative Jim Sensenbrenner Republican

In the wealthiest and most conservative district in Wisconsin, based in the northern suburbs ofMilwaukee, long-serving incumbent Republican CongressmanJim Sensenbrenner easily defeated his only challenger, independent candidateRobert R. Raymond, to win a sixteenth term in Congress.

2008 Wisconsin's 6th congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Tom Petri Roger A. Kittelson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 221,875 126,090 Percentage 63.71% 36.21%

Precinct results Petri:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Kittelson:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     >90% Tie:     50%     No votes

U.S. Representative before election Tom Petri Republican Elected U.S. Representative Tom Petri Republican

This traditionally conservative district based in theOshkosh-Neenah,Metropolitan Statistical Area was narrowly won by Democratic nomineeBarack Obama in the2008 election, but long-serving Republican incumbent CongressmanTom Petri held a tight grip on his seat. Petri sought and won a sixteenth term against Democratic candidate Roger Kittelson, winning handily.

2008 Wisconsin's 7th congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Dave Obey Dan Mielke Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 212,666 136,938 Percentage 60.79% 39.14%

Precinct results Obey:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Mielke:     50–60%     60–70% Tie:     40–50%     50%     No votes

U.S. Representative before election Dave Obey Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Dave Obey Democratic

Long-serving incumbent Democratic CongressmanDave Obey held an iron grip on this district based in northwesternWisconsin for forty years. Seeking a twenty-first term in Congress, Obey was overwhelmingly re-elected again over Republican challenger Dan Mielke despite the centrist nature of the district.

2008 Wisconsin's 8th congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Steve Kagen John Gard Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 193,662 164,621 Percentage 54.00% 45.90%

Precinct results Kagen:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Gard:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Tie:     40–50%     50%     No votes

U.S. Representative before election Steve Kagen Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Steve Kagen Democratic

Incumbent CongressmanSteve Kagen faced off against formerWisconsin State Assembly SpeakerJohn Gard for a second time in this Republican-leaning district that is based in northeasternWisconsin and that includes the cities ofGreen Bay andAppleton. Seeking a second term, Kagen defeated Gard by a larger margin than he did in 2006, allowing him to keep this swing district under Democratic control.

• State of Wisconsin Congressional Districts
• Elections Division from theWisconsin Government Accountability Board
• Wisconsin U.S. House Races from2008 Race Tracker
• Campaign contributions for Wisconsin congressional races fromOpenSecrets
• Politics Plus State and Local Elections from theMilwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper

• United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin
• 2008 United States House of Representatives elections
• 2008 Wisconsin elections

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