- United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2008
On November 4,
2008 , all 13 members ofNorth Carolina 's delegation to theUnited States House of Representatives will be up for reelection to the111th United States Congress . This will coincide with the presidential, gubernatorial, U.S. Senate, Council of State, and statewide judicial elections. The party primary elections were held May 6, 2008.Currently, North Carolina's congressional delegation consists of seven Democrats and six Republicans.
The races not forecasted as safe for the incumbent party are districts 8 and 10.
District breakdown
District 1
This district, located in the northeastern portion of the state, is represented by Democrat
G.K. Butterfield , who first won it in a2004 special election . It is the only majority-black district in the state, and is overwhelmingly Democratic (Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+9). It is one of the few districts in the former Confederacy that hasn't elected a Republican since the end of Reconstruction. This is not likely to change in 2008. Butterfield is opposed by Republican William A. "Dean" Stephens. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-01 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC01&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgDistrict 2
This district includes several suburban and rural areas near Raleigh, Rocky Mount and Fayetteville. It has been represented by Democrat
Bob Etheridge since1997 . The district is a swing district on paper (CPVI of R+3); it narrowly supportedBill Clinton in1992 and1996 , and gave equally narrow margins toGeorge W. Bush in2000 and2004 . However, Etheridge is very popular in this area. In 2008, he faces his 2006 opponent, RepublicanDan Mansell , and Libertarian [http://www.adkinsforcongress.com Will Adkins] . CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-02 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC02&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgDistrict 3
This district stretches along the northeastern and east-central portions of the state, including the
Outer Banks . It has been represented by Republican Walter B. Jones, Jr. since1995 . Although Democrats have a 14-point plurality of registered voters, Jones had long been thought to have an unbreakable hold on this district. Much of this area had been part of the 1st prior to1993 , and Jones's father, popular 14-term DemocratWalter Jones, Sr. , is still an icon in this region. However, Jones's voting record has shifted increasingly to the center for some time, and he has become one of the most vocal Republican opponents of theIraq War . This has caused considerable chagrin among Republicans in his district. Onslow County Commissioner Joe McLaughlin announced in mid-2007 that he would challenge Jones in the Republican primary. Jones defeated McLaughlin in the May 6 primary, with about 60 percent of the vote. 2006 Democratic nomineeCraig Weber won his party's primary overMarshall Adame , carrying about 70 percent of the vote. The district has a CPVI of R+15--a three-way statistical tie for the most Republican district in the state, making it a very difficult pickup for Democrats on paper. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-03 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC03&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgDistrict 4
This district includes the heart of the Triangle area, including part of Raleigh and all of Durham and
Chapel Hill, North Carolina . It has been represented by Democrat David Price since 1997 (he previously represented the 4th from1987 to 1995). Despite a CPVI of only D+5, the influence of the state's three major research universities plus Price's status as an Appropriations subcommittee chairman (or "Cardinal") make Price a heavy favorite. Two Republicans competed in a May primary for the right to face Price: Augustus Cho and William (B.J.) Lawson. Lawson won, with about 70 percent of the vote. Libertarian Maximillian Longley is also running in the general election. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-04 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC04&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgDistrict 5
Democrats Roy Carter and Diane Hamby filed to run against incumbent
Virginia Foxx . Carter won the May 6 primary, with just over 50 percent of the vote. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-05 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC05&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgDistrict 6
Democrats Johnny J. Carter, Jay Ovittore, and
Teresa Sue Bratton ( [http://www.teresasuebratton.com/ campaign website] ) filed to run against incumbentHoward Coble . Bratton won the May 6 primary, with 61 percent of the vote. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-06 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC06&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgDistrict 7
Republican
Will Breazeale is opposing incumbentMike McIntyre . CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-07 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC07&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgDistrict 8
In a rematch from 2006, Democrat
Larry Kissell faces incumbentRobin Hayes . Kissell came up only 329 votes short of upsetting Hayes in their first race. Libertarian Thomas Hill is also running. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'No Clear Favorite'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-08 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC08&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.org
* [http://www.pollster.com/polls/nc/08-nc-08-ge-hvk.php Hayes (R-i) vs Kissell (D)] graph of collected poll results from "Pollster.com"District 9
Ross Overby and Harry Taylor ran in the Democratic primary, and incumbent
Sue Myrick faced opposition from Jack Stratton in the Republican primary. Taylor defeated Overby, with about 58 percent of the vote, while Myrick easily won re-nomination with 92 percent of the vote. Libertarian Andy Grum is also running. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-09 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC09&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgDistrict 10
Daniel Johnson defeated Steve Ivester in the May 6 Democratic primary, with about 60 percent of the vote. Incumbent
Patrick McHenry won the Republican primary, garnering about 67 percent of the vote in a race against attorneyLance Sigmon . [http://www.charlotte.com/elections/story/613103.html] CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican', but Cook Political Report ranks it as 'Likely Republican'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-10 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://dccc.org/blog/archives/cook_report_upgrades_27_democratic_races/ Race Rankings] from Cook Political Report
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC10&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.org
* [http://www.pollster.com/polls/nc/08-nc-10-ge-mvj.php McHenry (R-i) vs Johnson (D)] graph of collected poll results from "Pollster.com"District 11
First-term incumbent
Heath Shuler will faceCarl Mumpower , who won a three-way Republican primary that included Spence Campbell and John C. Armor. Shuler is favored, since he does not face opposition from the man he defeated in 2006, former Rep.Charles H. Taylor . Libertarian Keith Smith is also running. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-11 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC11&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgDistrict 12
Incumbent
Mel Watt is the heavy favorite over little-known Republican and U.S. Army veteran Ty Cobb, Jr. (no known relation to the baseball legend,Ty Cobb ). [http://www.salisburypost.com/area/303949762461048.php] CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-12 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC12&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgDistrict 13
Incumbent Brad Miller will face Republican former state senator
Hugh Webster , after easily defeating little-known Derald Hafner in the Democratic primary, with 88 percent of the vote. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Democrat'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-NC-13 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=NC13&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.orgee also
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North Carolina congressional districts References
* [http://www.charlotte.com/elections/story/613100.html Congressional Wrap-up, Charlotte Observer, May 7, 2008]
* [http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC/1875/3985/en/summary.html State Board of Elections: Primary Election Results]
* [http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/NCSBE/Cand/Filed/CandidateList.pdf State Board of Elections: Candidate Filings]
* [http://www.lpnc.org/news.php?news=20080630.php Libertarians File List of 2008 Candidates]External links
* [http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/ North Carolina State Board of Elections]
* [http://www.votesmart.org/election_congress_state.php?state_id=NC&go33.x=6&go33.y=7 U.S. Congress candidates for North Carolina] atProject Vote Smart
* [http://www.2008racetracker.com/page/North+Carolina North Carolina U.S. House Races] from "2008 Race Tracker"
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/election.php?state=NC Campaign contributions for North Carolina congressional races] from OpenSecrets.org
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