2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana

← 2006 November 4, 2008 (2008-11-04) 2010 →
All 9 Indiana seats to theUnited States House of Representatives
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Republican Last election 5 4 Seats won 5 4 Seat change Popular vote 1,388,963 1,240,577 Percentage 51.89% 46.34% Swing 3.15% 3.56%
District results County results Democratic   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80% Republican   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%

The2008 congressional elections in Indiana were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who will represent theState of Indiana in theUnited States House of Representatives. Indiana has nine seats in the House, apportioned according to the2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the111th Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The elections coincide with the2008 U.S. presidential election.

The delegation comprised fiveDemocrats and fourRepublicans. All 9 incumbents won re-election. As of 2026, this is the last time in which Democrats won both a majority of U.S. House seats and the House popular vote in Indiana.

2008 Indiana's 1st congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Pete Visclosky Mark Leyva Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 199,954 76,647 Percentage 70.9% 27.2%

County Results Visclosky:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. Representative before election Pete Visclosky Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Pete Visclosky Democratic

This district includes a small strip of northwest Indiana and had been represented byDemocratPete Visclosky since January 1985. The district has been one of the most Democratic in Indiana. John Kerry defeated George W. Bush in this district 55% to 44% in 2004.

2008 Indiana's 2nd congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Joe Donnelly Luke Puckett Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 187,416 84,455 Percentage 67.1% 30.2%

County results Donnelly:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. Representative before election Joe Donnelly Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Joe Donnelly Democratic

This district is centered onSouth Bend, Indiana and the Indiana portion of theMichiana region. It had been represented byDemocratJoe Donnelly since January 2007.

2008 Indiana's 3rd congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Mark Souder Mike Montagano William R. Larsen Party Republican Democratic Libertarian Popular vote 155,693 112,309 14,877 Percentage 55.0% 39.7% 5.3%

County results Souder:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. Representative before election Mark Souder Republican Elected U.S. Representative Mark Souder Republican

This district is located in the northeast corner of Indiana and has a large population center in Fort Wayne.RepublicanMark Souder represented the district since January 1995 and was challenged byMike Montagano in 2008. George W. Bush defeated John Kerry in this district 68% to 31%.

2008 Indiana's 4th congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Steve Buyer Nels Ackerson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 192,526 129,038 Percentage 59.9% 40.1%

County results Buyer:     50–60%     60–70% Ackerson:     50–60%

U.S. Representative before election Steve Buyer Republican Elected U.S. Representative Steve Buyer Republican

This district is located in west-central Indiana. Located within the district is the city ofWest Lafayette, Lafayette, Bedford, Monticello, Brownsburg, Plainfield, Zionsville, Lebanon, Frankfort, Greenwood and parts of Indianapolis and many smaller suburban towns. It had been represented byRepublicanSteve Buyer since January 1993.

This district located mostly north ofIndianapolis is one of the most reliably Republican in America, having voted 71%-28% for George W. Bush in 2004. It was represented byRepublicanDan Burton.

2008 Indiana's 6th congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Mike Pence Barry Welsh Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 180,608 94,265 Percentage 64.0% 33.4%

County results Pence:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. Representative before election Mike Pence Republican Elected U.S. Representative Mike Pence Republican

This district takes in a large portion of eastern Indiana, including the cities ofMuncie,Anderson, andRichmond. It was represented byRepublicanMike Pence.

This district is in the heart of Central Indiana and encompasses most ofMarion County/Indianapolis.André Carson won thespecial election to fill this seat and representedIndiana's 7th congressional district since March 13, 2008.

Carson won the primary election with 46%, whileWoody Myers received 24%,David Orentlicher received 21%, andCarolene Mays received 8%.^[14] Carson and his Republican challenger in the special election,Jon Elrod, were set to face off in the general election but Elrod dropped out.^[15] Gabrielle Campo was selected by a party caucus to face the incumbent, Carson.^[16] John Kerry defeated George W. Bush in this district 58% to 41% in 2004.

2008 Indiana's 8th congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Brad Ellsworth Greg Goode Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 188,693 102,769 Percentage 64.7% 35.3%

County results Ellsworth:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. Representative before election Brad Ellsworth Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Brad Ellsworth Democratic

This district has been nicknamed the "Bloody Eighth" because of a series of hard-fought tight campaigns and political reversals.^[19] It ousted six incumbents from 1966 to 1982. The election in 1984 was so close that it was decided in Congress. In 2000, aNew York Times reporter said of the district: "With a populist streak and a conservative bent, this district does not cotton to country-club Republicans or to social-engineering liberals," and also said "More than 95 percent white and about 41 percent rural, the region shares much of the flavor of theBible Belt."^[20]Evansville andTerre Haute are located within its limits and was represented byDemocratBrad Ellsworth.

2008 Indiana's 9th congressional district election

← 2006 2010 →

Nominee Baron Hill Mike Sodrel Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 181,281 120,529 Percentage 57.8% 38.4%

County results Hill:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Sodrel:     40–50%     50–60%

U.S. Representative before election Baron Hill Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Baron Hill Democratic

This district is located in southeast Indiana. This swing district has been recently fought out byDemocratBaron Hill andRepublicanMike Sodrel. Hill beat Sodrel in 2002, Sodrel beat Hill in 2004, and Hill beat Sodrel in 2006 to become the 9th's representative. Hill spent the most on his campaign of those in Indiana, spending $2.2 million.^[21] The largest city located within the district isBloomington followed byColumbus,New Albany,Jeffersonville, andClarksville which all have Democratic Mayors or Council Presidents.

• United States House of Representatives elections, 2008
• Indiana gubernatorial election, 2008

• Indiana Elections Division
• U.S. Congress candidates for IndianaArchived October 23, 2008, at theWayback Machine atProject Vote Smart
• "Indiana U.S. House Races, from2008 Race Tracker". Archived fromthe original on June 30, 2008. RetrievedJuly 18, 2008.
• "Campaign contributions for Indiana congressional races, from OpenSecrets.org". Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. RetrievedJuly 18, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

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

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