2008 United States Senate election in Iowa


The 2008 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Tom Harkin sought re-election to a fifth term in office. Unlike all of Harkin's previous bids for re-election, he was not challenged by a sitting United States Congressman but instead faced small businessman Christopher Reed, who won the Republican primary by just a few hundred votes. Harkin defeated Reed in a landslide, winning 94 of Iowa’s 99 counties. As of, this is the most recent election in which a Democrat won a Senate election in Iowa.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDates administeredChristopher
Reed 		Tom
Harkin
April 21–23, 200820%59%
June 10, 200837%53%
July 10, 200837%55%
August 7, 200836%60%
September 17–18, 200837%60%
October 23, 200841%57%
October 29, 200835%61%

Results