The North Carolina Senate election of 2008 was held on November 5, 2008, to elect members to all fifty seats in the North Carolina Senate. The primary election was held on May 6, 2008, with a primary run-off occurring on June 24, 2008.
Walter Dalton (D-District 46) ran for Lieutenant Governor, seat won by Debbie Clary (R)
Detailed Results[]
Districts 1-25[]
District 1[]
Incumbent Democrat President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight has represented the 1st district since 1985.
North Carolina Senate 1st district general election, 2008[1]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Marc Basnight (incumbent)
62,661
100%
Total votes
62,661
100%
Democratichold
District 2[]
Incumbent Republican Jean Preston has represented the 2nd district since 2007.
North Carolina Senate 2nd district general election, 2008[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Jean Preston (incumbent)
51,117
61.61%
Democratic
Greg D. Muse
31,849
38.39%
Total votes
82,966
100%
Republicanhold
District 3[]
Incumbent Democrat Clark Jenkins has represented the 3rd district since 2003.
North Carolina Senate 3rd district general election, 2008[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Clark Jenkins (incumbent)
57,703
100%
Total votes
57,703
100%
Democratichold
District 4[]
Incumbent Democrat Ed Jones has represented the 4th district since 2007.
North Carolina Senate 4th district general election, 2008[4]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Ed Jones (incumbent)
57,429
100%
Total votes
57,429
100%
Democratichold
District 5[]
Incumbent Democrat John H. Kerr III has represented the 5th district and its predecessors since 1993. Kerr didn't seek re-election and Democrat Donald G. Davis won the open seat.
North Carolina Senate 5th district general election, 2008[5]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Donald G. Davis
40,982
52.90%
Republican
Louis Pate
36,493
47.10%
Total votes
77,475
100%
Democratichold
District 6[]
Incumbent Republican Harry Brown has represented the 6th district since 2005.
North Carolina Senate 6th district general election, 2008[6]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Harry Brown (incumbent)
38,139
100%
Total votes
38,139
100%
Republicanhold
District 7[]
Incumbent Democrat Doug Berger has represented the 7th district since 2005.
North Carolina Senate 7th district general election, 2008[7]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Doug Berger (incumbent)
48,874
61.25%
Republican
Chuck Stires
28,588
35.83%
Libertarian
Kira Howe
2,331
2.92%
Total votes
79,793
100%
Democratichold
District 8[]
Incumbent Democrat R. C. Soles Jr. has represented the 8th district and its predecessors since 1977.
North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2008[8]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
R. C. Soles, Jr. (incumbent)
47,905
48.66%
Republican
Bettie Fennell
45,093
45.80%
Libertarian
Rachel Joiner Merrill
5,454
5.54%
Total votes
98,452
100%
Democratichold
District 9[]
Incumbent Democrat Julia Boseman has represented the 9th district since 2005.
North Carolina Senate 9th district general election, 2008[9]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Julia Boseman (incumbent)
50,516
51.67%
Republican
Michael Lee
47,244
48.33%
Total votes
97,760
100%
Democratichold
District 10[]
Incumbent Democrat Charles Albertson has represented the 10th district and its predecessors since 1993.
North Carolina Senate 10th district general election, 2008[10]
Incumbent Democrat A.B. Swindell has represented the 11th district and its predecessors since 2001.
North Carolina Senate 11th district general election, 2008[11]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
A. B. Swindell (incumbent)
59,461
100%
Total votes
59,461
100%
Democratichold
District 12[]
Incumbent Republican Fred Smith has represented the 12th district since 2003. Smith ran for Governor and Republican David Rouzer won the open seat.
North Carolina Senate 12th district general election, 2008[12]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
David Rouzer
44,261
51.93%
Democratic
Kay Carroll
40,971
48.07%
Total votes
85,232
100%
Republicanhold
District 13[]
Incumbent Democrat David Weinstein has represented the 13th district and its predecessors since 1997.
North Carolina Senate 13th district general election, 2008[13]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
David Weinstein (incumbent)
45,776
100%
Total votes
45,776
100%
Democratichold
District 14[]
incumbent Democrat Vernon Malone has represented the 14th district since 2003.
North Carolina Senate 14th district general election, 2008[14]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Vernon Malone (incumbent)
67,823
69.45%
Republican
Carol Bennett
29,835
30.55%
Total votes
97,658
100%
Democratichold
District 15[]
Incumbent Republican Neal Hunt has represented the 15th district since 2005.
North Carolina Senate 15th district general election, 2008[15]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Neal Hunt (incumbent)
56,873
52.83%
Democratic
Chris Mintz (politician)
46,175
42.89%
Libertarian
Jan MacKay
4,602
4.27%
Total votes
107,650
100%
Republicanhold
District 16[]
Incumbent Democrat Janet Cowell has represented the 16th district since 2005. Cowell ran for State Treasurer and Democrat Josh Stein won the open seat.
North Carolina Senate 16th district general election, 2008[16]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Josh Stein
58,357
60.82%
Republican
John Alexander
37,586
39.18%
Total votes
95,943
100%
Democratichold
District 17[]
Incumbent Republican Richard Stevens has represented the 17th district since 2003.
North Carolina Senate 17th district general election, 2008[17]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Richard Stevens (incumbent)
75,311
81.20%
Libertarian
Brian Irving
17,441
18.80%
Total votes
92,752
100%
Republicanhold
District 18[]
Incumbent Democrat Bob Atwater has represented the 18th district since 2005.
North Carolina Senate 18th district general election, 2008[18]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Bob Atwater (incumbent)
66,916
69.00%
Republican
Roger Gerber
30,063
31.00%
Total votes
96,979
100%
Democratichold
District 19[]
Incumbent Democrat Tony Rand has represented the 19th district and its predecessors since 1995.
North Carolina Senate 19th district general election, 2008[19]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Tony Rand (incumbent)
57,027
100%
Total votes
57,027
100%
Democratichold
District 20[]
Incumbent Democrat Floyd McKissick Jr. has represented the 20th district since 2007.
North Carolina Senate 20th district general election, 2008[20]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Floyd B. McKissick, Jr. (incumbent)
64,178
74.58%
Republican
Ken Chandler
19,666
22.55%
Libertarian
David C. Rollins
3,377
3.87%
Total votes
87,221
100%
Democratichold
District 21[]
Incumbent Democrat Larry Shaw has represented the 21st district and its predecessors since 1995.
North Carolina Senate 21st district general election, 2008[21]
Incumbent Republican Harris Blake has represented the 22nd district since 2003.
North Carolina Senate 22nd district general election, 2008[22]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Harris Blake (incumbent)
50,111
60.27%
Democratic
Abraham Oudeh
33,033
39.73%
Total votes
83,144
100%
Republicanhold
District 23[]
Incumbent Democrat Eleanor Kinnaird has represented the 23rd district and its predecessors since 1997.
North Carolina Senate 23rd district general election, 2008[23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Eleanor Kinnaird (incumbent)
62,192
70.90%
Republican
Greg Bass
25,527
29.10%
Total votes
62,192
100%
Democratichold
District 24[]
Incumbent Democrat Anthony "Tony" Foriest has represented the 24th district since 2007.
North Carolina Senate 24th district general election, 2008[24]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Anthony "Tony" Foriest (incumbent)
38,539
52.51%
Republican
Rick Gunn
34,854
47.49%
Total votes
73,393
100%
Democratichold
District 25[]
Incumbent Democrat Bill Purcell has represented the 25th district and its predecessors since 1997.
North Carolina Senate 25th district general election, 2008[25]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Bill Purcell (incumbent)
42,760
60.84%
Republican
Janice B. Abernathy
27,519
39.16%
Total votes
70,279
100%
Democratichold
Districts 26-50[]
District 26[]
Incumbent Republican Minority Leader Phil Berger has represented the 26th district since and its predecessors since 2001.
North Carolina Senate 26th district general election, 2008[26]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Phil Berger (incumbent)
65,392
100%
Total votes
65,392
100%
Republicanhold
District 27[]
Incumbent Democrat Kay Hagan has represented the 27th district and its predecessors since 1999. Hagan ran for the U.S Senate and Democrat Don Vaughan won the open seat.
North Carolina Senate 27th district general election, 2008[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Don Vaughan
59,609
68.75%
Republican
Joe Wilson
27,100
31.25%
Total votes
86,709
100%
Democratichold
District 28[]
Incumbent Democrat Katie G. Dorsett has represented the 28th district since 2003.
2008 North Carolina Senate District 28th district general election, 2008[28]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Katie Dorsett (incumbent)
61,911
100%
Total votes
61,911
100%
Democratichold
District 29[]
Incumbent Republican Jerry Tillman has represented the 29th district since 2003.
North Carolina Senate 29th district general election, 2008[29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Jerry Tillman (incumbent)
45,614
68.00%
Democratic
Ronald Franklin
21,316
31.78%
Unaffiliated
Write-ins
146
0.22%
Total votes
67,076
100%
Republicanhold
District 30[]
Incumbent Republican Don East has represented the 30th district since 2005.
North Carolina Senate 30th district general election, 2008[30]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Don East (incumbent)
52,754
100%
Total votes
52,754
100%
Republicanhold
District 31[]
Incumbent Republican Pete Brunstetter has represented the 31st district since 2006.
North Carolina Senate 31st district general election, 2008[31]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Peter Samuel (Pete) Brunstetter (incumbent)
65,201
100%
Total votes
65,201
100%
Republicanhold
District 32[]
Incumbent Democrat Linda Garrou has represented the 32nd district and its predecessors since 1999.
North Carolina Senate 32nd district general election, 2008[32]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Linda Garrou (incumbent)
57,672
100%
Total votes
57,672
100%
Democratichold
District 33[]
Incumbent Republican Stan Bingham has represented the 33rd district and its predecessors since 2001.
North Carolina Senate 33rd district general election, 2008[33]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Stan Bingham (incumbent)
61,387
100%
Total votes
61,387
100%
District 34[]
Incumbent Republican Andrew Brock has represented the 34th district since 2003.
North Carolina Senate 34th district general election, 2008[34]
Incumbent Republican Jim Jacumin has represented the 44th district since 2005.
North Carolina 44th district general election, 2008[44]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Jim Jacumin (incumbent)
41,320
57.88%
Democratic
Jim Cates
27,782
38.92%
Libertarian
Richard C. Evey
2,287
3.20%
Total votes
71,389
100%
Republicanhold
District 45[]
Incumbent Democrat Steve Goss has represented the 45th district since 2007.
North Carolina Senate 45th district general election, 2008[45]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Steve Goss (incumbent)
46,014
53.90%
Republican
Jerry Butler
39,349
46.10%
Total votes
85,363
100%
Democratichold
District 46[]
Incumbent Democrat Walter Dalton has represented the 46th district and its predecessors since 1997. Dalton ran for Lieutenant Governor. Republican Debbie Clary won the open seat.
North Carolina Senate 46th district general election, 2008[46]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Debbie Clary
36,059
50.50%
Democratic
Keith H. Melton
35,338
49.50%
Total votes
71,397
100%
Republicangain from Democratic
District 47[]
Incumbent Democrat Joe Sam Queen has represented the 47th district since 2007, and previously from 2003 to 2005.
North Carolina Senate 47th district general election, 2008[47]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Joe Sam Queen (incumbent)
41,736
53.59%
Republican
36,144
46.41%
Total votes
77,880
100%
Democratichold
District 48[]
Incumbent Republican Tom Apodaca has represented the 48th district since 2003.
North Carolina Senate 48th district general election, 2008[48]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Tom Apodaca (incumbent)
64,183
100%
Total votes
64,183
100%
Republicanhold
District 49[]
Incumbent Democratic Majority Leader Martin Nesbitt has represented the 49th district since 2004.
North Carolina Senate 49th district general election, 2008[49]