Election 2008

Governors Races

Our predictions held true, all 11 contests for governor fell right where we said they would.

Democrats scored a net gain of one seat, picking up the open seat in Missouri with Attorney General Jay Nixon's solid 58- percent to 40-percent victory over GOP Rep. Kenny Hulshof. Also as expected, Govs. Brian Schweitzer in Montana, John Lynch in New Hampshire and Joe Manchin in West Virginia cruised to re-election. State Treasurer Jack Markell easily held on to the open seat in Delaware with 68 percent of the vote. Re-electing Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire was a big win for Democrats. Gregoire, who faced a rematch with her 2004 opponent, former state Sen. Dino Rossi, won with 54 percent of the vote. In North Carolina, Democrats held the open seat and elected Democratic Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue. Perdue defeated GOP Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, 50 percent to 47 percent.

On the Republican side, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels cruised to a second term, beating Democrat Jill Long Thompson, 59 percent to 40 percent. In Vermont, Gov. Jim Douglas was re-elected with 55 percent while Democratic state House Speaker Gaye Symington and independent candidate Anthony Pollina were locked in a tight race for second place. Douglas' margin of victory means that the race will not need be decided by the state legislature. Govs. John Hoeven in North Dakota and Jon Huntsman in Utah both won re-election easily.

Democrats now hold 29 of the nation's 50 governorships and Republicans currently hold 21. This balance will certainly change in the 2009-2010 cycle when a total of 38 seats will be on the ballot.

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