United States presidential election in Tennessee, 2008
Encyclopedia
The 2008 United States presidential election in Tennessee took place on November 4, 2008 throughout all 50 states and D.C., which was part of the 2008 United States presidential election
. Voters chose 11 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President
and Vice President
.
Tennessee
was won by Republican nominee John McCain
by a 15.1% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 17 news organizations considered this a state McCain would win, or otherwise considered as a safe red state. Early polling in the state gave a solid edge to Republican John McCain
over Democrat Barack Obama
, sometimes by a 20-point margin. This prevented a lot of campaigning in the state, as it was seen as a safe red state. Most news organizations immediately called Tennessee for McCain as soon as all the polls in the state closed. McCain even improved upon George W. Bush
's performance in 2004
, a much better year nationally for the Republicans.
in 1992
and 1996
when native son Al Gore
was on the ticket as Vice President
, the state has steadily been trending Republican since then. George W. Bush
narrowly carried the state in 2000
over Tennessee native Gore and easily won in 2004
over John Kerry
. The state was one of five states that swung even more Republican in 2008 with John McCain soundly defeating Barack Obama in the Volunteer State.
McCain won both East Tennessee
and Middle Tennessee
by landslide margins. Historically, East Tennessee, which is a part of Appalachia
, has voted Republican ever since the party was founded; however, Middle Tennessee
has Democratic roots based on liberal economic policies, most famously Franklin D. Roosevelt
's Tennessee Valley Authority
. Middle Tennessee voted strongly for Bill Clinton of neighboring Arkansas
, but Middle Tennessee native Al Gore narrowly lost the region in 2000—a loss that ultimately cost him Tennessee, and the election. In contrast, it was one of the few regions in the country which voted more Republican than in 2004. This is largely due to a growing social conservative
trend in the region, particularly in the Nashville suburbs; some of the most politically active churches in the state are located there.
On the other hand, Barack Obama did improve relatively well upon John Kerry
's performances in the traditionally Democratic cities of Nashville and Memphis
. In the former, support amongst progressive whites led to a 3-2 victory for Obama in Davidson County
. In Memphis, heavy African American turnout ensured him the largest margin in the state in Shelby County
, although far from enough to outweigh his losses everywhere else in the state. McCain, however, carried the third- and fourth- most populated cities of Chattanooga in Hamilton County
as well as Knoxville in Knox County
.
During the same election, at the state level, Republicans picked up four seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives
and three seats in the Tennessee Senate
to obtain control of both chambers of the state legislature for the first time since Reconstruction.
.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 15, 2008 to cast their votes for President and Vice President. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.
The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All 11 were pledged to John McCain
and Sarah Palin
:
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. Voters chose 11 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
.
Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
was won by Republican nominee John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
by a 15.1% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 17 news organizations considered this a state McCain would win, or otherwise considered as a safe red state. Early polling in the state gave a solid edge to Republican John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
over Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, sometimes by a 20-point margin. This prevented a lot of campaigning in the state, as it was seen as a safe red state. Most news organizations immediately called Tennessee for McCain as soon as all the polls in the state closed. McCain even improved upon George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's performance in 2004
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, a much better year nationally for the Republicans.
Predictions
There were 17 news organizations who made state by state predictions of the election. Here are there last predictions before election day:- D.C. Political Report: Republican
- Cook Political ReportCook Political ReportThe Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan online newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, Governor's offices and the American Presidency. The Cook Political Report is led by a staff of five...
: Solid Republican - Takeaway: Solid McCain
- Election Projection: Solid McCain
- Electoral-vote.comElectoral-vote.comElectoral-Vote.com is the website of computer scientist Andrew S. Tanenbaum. The site's primary content is poll analysis to project the outcome of U.S. elections. The site also includes commentary on related news stories. Well known for its color-coded electoral map of the United States, the...
: Strong Republican - Washington Post: Solid McCain
- PoliticoPolitico (newspaper)The Politico is an American political journalism organization based in Arlington, Virginia, that distributes its content via television, the Internet, newspaper, and radio. Its coverage of Washington, D.C., includes the U.S. Congress, lobbying, media and the Presidency...
: Solid McCain - Real Clear Politics: Solid McCain
- FiveThirtyEight.comFiveThirtyEight.comFiveThirtyEight is a polling aggregation website with a blog created by Nate Silver. Sometimes colloquially referred to as 538 dot com or just 538, the website takes its name from the number of electors in the United States electoral college...
: Solid McCain - CQ Politics: Safe Republican
- New York Times: Solid Republican
- CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
: Safe Republican - NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
: Solid McCain - MSNBCMSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
: Solid McCain - Fox News: Republican
- Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
: Republican - Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
: Safe Republican
Polling
McCain won every single pre-election poll, and each by a double digit margin of victory. The final 3 polls averaged McCain leading 55% to 40%.Fundraising
John McCain raised a total of $2,941,065 in the state. Barack Obama raised $3,481,341.Advertising and visits
Obama spent $518,659. The Republican ticket spent just $3,526. Obama visited the state once, going to Nashville. McCain visited the state twice, visiting Nashville and Blountville.Analysis
Despite narrowly voting for Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
in 1992
United States presidential election, 1992
The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George Bush; Democratic Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot....
and 1996
United States presidential election, 1996
The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee and the Republican national ticket of former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas for President and former Housing Secretary Jack...
when native son Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
was on the ticket as Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
, the state has steadily been trending Republican since then. George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
narrowly carried the state in 2000
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
over Tennessee native Gore and easily won in 2004
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
over John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. The state was one of five states that swung even more Republican in 2008 with John McCain soundly defeating Barack Obama in the Volunteer State.
McCain won both East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
and Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee is a distinct portion of the state of Tennessee, delineated according to state law as the 41 counties in the Middle Grand Division of Tennessee....
by landslide margins. Historically, East Tennessee, which is a part of Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
, has voted Republican ever since the party was founded; however, Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee is a distinct portion of the state of Tennessee, delineated according to state law as the 41 counties in the Middle Grand Division of Tennessee....
has Democratic roots based on liberal economic policies, most famously Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's Tennessee Valley Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
. Middle Tennessee voted strongly for Bill Clinton of neighboring Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, but Middle Tennessee native Al Gore narrowly lost the region in 2000—a loss that ultimately cost him Tennessee, and the election. In contrast, it was one of the few regions in the country which voted more Republican than in 2004. This is largely due to a growing social conservative
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
trend in the region, particularly in the Nashville suburbs; some of the most politically active churches in the state are located there.
On the other hand, Barack Obama did improve relatively well upon John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
's performances in the traditionally Democratic cities of Nashville and Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. In the former, support amongst progressive whites led to a 3-2 victory for Obama in Davidson County
Davidson County, Tennessee
Davidson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 626,681. Its county seat is Nashville.In 1963, the City of Nashville and the Davidson County government merged, so the county government is now known as the "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and...
. In Memphis, heavy African American turnout ensured him the largest margin in the state in Shelby County
Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the state's largest both in terms of population and geographic area, with a population of 927,644 at the 2010 census...
, although far from enough to outweigh his losses everywhere else in the state. McCain, however, carried the third- and fourth- most populated cities of Chattanooga in Hamilton County
Hamilton County, Tennessee
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It was named for Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury. The 2005 Census Estimate placed the population at 310,935 . Its county seat is Chattanooga....
as well as Knoxville in Knox County
Knox County, Tennessee
Knox County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its 2007 population was estimated at 423,874 by the United States Census Bureau. Its county seat is Knoxville, as it has been since the creation of the county. The county is at the geographical center of the Great Valley of East Tennessee...
.
During the same election, at the state level, Republicans picked up four seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
and three seats in the Tennessee Senate
Tennessee Senate
The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the Tennessee state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly.The Tennessee Senate, according to the state constitution of 1870, is composed of 33 members, one-third the size of the Tennessee House of Representatives. Senators...
to obtain control of both chambers of the state legislature for the first time since Reconstruction.
Results
| United States presidential election in Tennessee, 2008 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Running mate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
John McCain John McCain John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election.... |
Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was... |
1,479,178 | 56.85% | 11 | |
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... |
Joe Biden Joe Biden Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama... |
1,087,437 | 41.79% | 0 | |
| Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
Ralph Nader Ralph Nader Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government.... |
Matt Gonzalez Matt Gonzalez Matthew Edward Gonzalez is an American politician, lawyer, and activist prominent in San Francisco politics. He currently serves as chief attorney in the San Francisco Public Defender's office.... |
11,560 | 0.44% | 0 | |
| Libertarian Libertarian Party (United States) The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration... |
Bob Barr Bob Barr Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr. is a former federal prosecutorand a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of... |
Wayne Allyn Root Wayne Allyn Root Wayne Allyn Root is an American politician, entrepreneur, television and radio personality, author and political commentator. He was the 2008 Libertarian Party vice-presidential nominee. In June 2009 Richard Winger wrote he was the front runner for the 2012 Libertarian Presidential nomination... |
8,547 | 0.33% | 0 | |
| Constitution Constitution Party (United States) The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections... |
Chuck Baldwin Chuck Baldwin Charles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin is an American politician and founder-pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. He was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. presidential election and had previously been its nominee for U.S. vice president in 2004... |
Darrell Castle Darrell Castle Darrell Castle is an American political figure, activist and attorney from Memphis, Tennessee, and was the vice presidential candidate of the Constitution Party in the 2008 United States presidential election.-Early life and education:... |
8,191 | 0.31% | 0 | |
| Green Green Party (United States) The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties... |
Cynthia McKinney Cynthia McKinney Cynthia Ann McKinney is a former US Congresswoman and a member of the Green Party since 2007. As a member of the Democratic Party, she served six terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives. In 2008, the Green Party nominated McKinney for President of the United States... |
Rosa Clemente Rosa Clemente Rosa Alicia Clemente is a United States community organizer, independent journalist and hip-hop activist. She was the vice presidential running mate of 2008 Green Party Presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election.Clemente was born and raised in South Bronx, New... |
2,499 | 0.10% | 0 | |
| Write-ins | Write-ins | Write-ins | 2,233 | 0.09% | 0 | |
| Socialist Socialist Party USA The Socialist Party USA is a multi-tendency democratic-socialist party in the United States. The party states that it is the rightful continuation and successor to the tradition of the Socialist Party of America, which had lasted from 1901 to 1972.The party is officially committed to left-wing... |
Brian Moore Brian Moore (politician) Brian Patrick Moore is an United States politician and founder of antiwar organization Nature Coast Coalition for Peace & Justice. He was the presidential nominee of the Socialist Party USA for the 2008 United States presidential election. He waged several campaigns for mayor and city council in... |
Stewart Alexander Stewart Alexander (politician) Stewart Alexis Alexander is an American democratic socialist politician, presidential nominee for the Socialist Party USA in the 2012 election., and former SPUSA nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2008 election.... |
1,326 | 0.05% | 0 | |
| Boston Tea Boston Tea Party (political party) The Boston Tea Party is a U.S. political party named after the Boston Tea Party of 1773. Its ideology is libertarian.A group of former Libertarian Party members founded the party in 2006... |
Charles Jay Charles Jay Charles Jay was the Presidential nominee of the United States Boston Tea Party in the 2008 United States presidential election. He was the presidential nominee of the Personal Choice Party in the 2004 election, achieving ballot status in Utah, and received 946 votes in the general election, coming... |
Thomas Knapp | 1,011 | 0.04% | 0 | |
| Totals | 2,601,982 | 100.00% | 11 | |||
| Voter turnout (Voting age population) | 55.5% | |||||
By county
| County | Obama# | Obama% | McCain# | McCain% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANDERSON | 11,396 | 36.1% | 19,675 | 62.3% |
| BEDFORD | 5,027 | 32.4% | 10,217 | 65.9% |
| BENTON | 2,645 | 40.8% | 3,696 | 57.0% |
| BLEDSOE | 1,517 | 31.7% | 3,166 | 66.2% |
| BLOUNT | 15,253 | 29.5% | 35,571 | 68.9% |
| BRADLEY | 9,357 | 24.5% | 28,333 | 74.2% |
| CAMPBELL | 3,867 | 30.6% | 8,535 | 67.6% |
| CANNON | 2,011 | 36.9% | 3,322 | 60.9% |
| CARROLL | 3,980 | 34.2% | 7,455 | 64.0% |
| CARTER | 5,587 | 25.7% | 15,852 | 72.8% |
| CHEATHAM | 5,498 | 33.5% | 10,702 | 65.8% |
| CHESTER | 1,797 | 27.8% | 4,587 | 71.0% |
| CLAIBORNE | 3,078 | 29.5% | 7,175 | 68.9% |
| CLAY | 1,248 | 41.7% | 1,676 | 56.0% |
| COCKE | 3,340 | 26.7% | 8,945 | 71.7% |
| COFFEE | 7,132 | 34.4% | 13,250 | 63.7% |
| CROCKETT | 1,967 | 32.6% | 3,994 | 66.2% |
| CUMBERLAND | 7,889 | 30.7% | 17,436 | 67.8% |
| DAVIDSON | 158,423 | 59.7% | 102,915 | 38.8% |
| DECATUR | 1,566 | 32.9% | 3,101 | 65.1% |
| DEKALB | 2,832 | 40.2% | 4,085 | 57.8% |
| DICKSON | 7,506 | 38.5% | 11,677 | 59.8% |
| DYER | 4,411 | 30.5% | 9,859 | 68.2% |
| FAYETTE | 6,892 | 35.8% | 12,173 | 63.2% |
| FENTRESS | 1,831 | 27.2% | 4,789 | 71.1% |
| FRANKLIN | 6,613 | 37.9% | 10,539 | 60.5% |
| GIBSON | 7,406 | 34.8% | 13,516 | 63.6% |
| GILES | 4,614 | 39.5% | 6,902 | 59.0% |
| GRAINGER | 2,066 | 27.5% | 5,297 | 70.6% |
| GREENE | 7,110 | 28.8% | 17,151 | 69.5% |
| GRUNDY | 1,971 | 42.6% | 2,563 | 55.3% |
| HAMBLEN | 6,807 | 30.0% | 15,508 | 68.4% |
| HAMILTON | 64,246 | 43.4% | 81,702 | 55.2% |
| HANCOCK | 604 | 27.0% | 1,588 | 70.9% |
| HARDEMAN | 5,919 | 52.7% | 5,225 | 46.5% |
| HARDIN | 2,794 | 27.8% | 7,077 | 70.5% |
| HAWKINS | 5,930 | 28.2% | 14,756 | 70.1% |
| HAYWOOD | 4,893 | 60.3% | 3,165 | 39.0% |
| HENDERSON | 3,021 | 27.9% | 7,669 | 70.8% |
| HENRY | 5,153 | 38.0% | 8,182 | 60.4% |
| HICKMAN | 3,563 | 41.9% | 4,784 | 56.4% |
| HOUSTON | 1,678 | 50.0% | 1,608 | 47.9% |
| HUMPHREYS | 3,600 | 47.5% | 3,818 | 50.4% |
| JACKSON | 2,224 | 49.4% | 2,185 | 48.5% |
| JEFFERSON | 5,178 | 47.9% | 13,092 | 70.6% |
| JOHNSON | 1,837 | 27.7% | 4,621 | 70.1% |
| KNOX | 70,215 | 37.7% | 113,015 | 60.7% |
| LAKE | 1,024 | 45.8% | 1,175 | 52.5% |
| LAUDERDALE | 4,322 | 46.3% | 4,933 | 52.8% |
| LAWRENCE | 5,161 | 32.2% | 10,566 | 66.0% |
| LEWIS | 1,804 | 37.3% | 2,951 | 61.0% |
| LINCOLN | 3,695 | 28.1% | 9,231 | 70.3% |
| LOUDON | 6,058 | 27.3% | 15,815 | 71.3% |
| MACON | 2,060 | 28.0% | 5,145 | 69.9% |
| MADISON | 20,209 | 46.1% | 23,290 | 53.1% |
| MARION | 4,506 | 39.4% | 6,746 | 59.0% |
| MARSHALL | 4,320 | 38.3% | 6,755 | 59.8% |
| MAURY | 13,058 | 38.7% | 20,288 | 60.1% |
| MEIGS | 1,372 | 32.4% | 2,797 | 66.0% |
| MONROE | 5,053 | 30.1% | 11,484 | 68.5% |
| MONTGOMERY | 25,716 | 45.5% | 30,175 | 53.3% |
| MOORE | 881 | 29.8% | 2,010 | 68.1% |
| MORGAN | 1,969 | 28.9% | 4,717 | 69.1% |
| OBION | 4,308 | 32.2% | 8,873 | 66.3% |
| OVERTON | 3,419 | 42.3% | 4,497 | 55.6% |
| PERRY | 1,329 | 44.3% | 1,596 | 53.2% |
| PICKETT | 854 | 32.0% | 1,786 | 66.9% |
| POLK | 2,124 | 32.7% | 4,267 | 65.6% |
| PUTNAM | 9,739 | 35.7% | 17,101 | 62.6% |
| RHEA | 2,907 | 26.2% | 8,042 | 72.4% |
| ROANE | 7,224 | 31.0% | 15,658 | 67.3% |
| ROBERTSON | 9,318 | 33.7% | 17,903 | 64.8% |
| RUTHERFORD | 40,460 | 39.7% | 59,892 | 58.8% |
| SCOTT | 1,720 | 25.4% | 4,931 | 72.7% |
| SEQUATCHIE | 1,717 | 31.7% | 3,610 | 66.4% |
| SEVIER | 8,604 | 25.3% | 24,922 | 73.4% |
| SHELBY | 256,297 | 63.4% | 145,458 | 36.0% |
| SMITH | 2,992 | 38.7% | 4,563 | 58.9% |
| STEWART | 2,470 | 44.9% | 2,956 | 53.7% |
| SULLIVAN | 18,354 | 28.7% | 44,808 | 70.0% |
| SUMNER | 21,487 | 31.9% | 44,949 | 66.7% |
| TIPTON | 7,931 | 31.5% | 17,165 | 67.8% |
| TROUSDALE | 1,475 | 45.5% | 1,688 | 52.1% |
| UNICOI | 2,107 | 29.2% | 5,011 | 69.4% |
| UNION | 1,829 | 28.6% | 4,467 | 69.8% |
| VAN BUREN | 849 | 38.3% | 1,294 | 58.7% |
| WARREN | 5,515 | 38.5% | 8,562 | 59.5% |
| WASHINGTON | 15,941 | 32.5% | 32,341 | 66.0% |
| WAYNE | 1,355 | 24.5% | 4,076 | 73.7% |
| WEAKLEY | 4,596 | 33.6% | 8,855 | 64.7% |
| WHITE | 3,372 | 35.0% | 6,103 | 63.3% |
| WILLIAMSON | 27,886 | 29.7% | 64,858 | 69.1% |
| WILSON | 15,886 | 31.1% | 34,595 | 67.6% |
By congressional district
John McCain swept the state and carried seven of the state's nine congressional districts, including three districts held by Democrats. Barack Obama carried the state's two congressional districts anchored by the two largest cities of Memphis and Nashville.| District | McCain | Obama | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 69.77% | 28.77% | David Davis (110th Congress 110th United States Congress The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. It was composed of the Senate and the House of... ) |
|
| Phil Roe Phil Roe David Phillip "Phil" Roe is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in the Tri-Cities area in the northeastern portion of the state.... (111th Congress 111th United States Congress The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of... ) |
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| 64.21% | 34.28% | John J. Duncan, Jr. | |
| 61.87% | 36.86% | Zach Wamp Zach Wamp Zachary Paul "Zach" Wamp is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 to 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party... |
|
| 64.06% | 34.25% | Lincoln Davis Lincoln Davis Lincoln Edward Davis is the former U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:... |
|
| 42.94% | 55.85% | Jim Cooper Jim Cooper James Hayes Shofner "Jim" Cooper is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party and the Blue Dog Coalition. He previously represented from 1983 to 1995.... |
|
| 61.87% | 36.59% | Bart Gordon Bart Gordon Barton Jennings "Bart" Gordon, is a lawyer and former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1985 until 2011. The district includes several rural areas and fast-growing suburbs east of Nashville. He was Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology from 2007 until 2011. He is a member... |
|
| 64.76% | 34.29% | Marsha Blackburn Marsha Blackburn Marsha Wedgeworth Blackburn is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. She is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from the suburbs of Nashville to the suburbs of Memphis.-Early life, education and career:... |
|
| 56.01% | 42.73% | John S. Tanner John S. Tanner John S. Tanner is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1989 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:Tanner was born in Halls, Tennessee, and grew up in Union City, Tennessee... |
|
| 22.51% | 76.92% | Steve Cohen Steve Cohen Stephen Ira Cohen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Tennessee's 9th district includes almost three-fourths of Memphis. Cohen is Tennessee's first Jewish congressman.... |
Electors
Technically the voters of Tennessee cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Tennessee is allocated 11 electors because it has 9 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 11 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 11 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for President and Vice President. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless electorFaithless elector
In United States presidential elections, a faithless elector is a member of the Electoral College who does not vote for the candidate they have pledged to vote for...
.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 15, 2008 to cast their votes for President and Vice President. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.
The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All 11 were pledged to John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
and Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
:
- Sara Sellers
- Jim Haslam
- Wayne Cropp
- Lisa Wheeler
- Beth Campbell
- Albert McCall
- Shirley Curry
- Marilucile Counce
- Colin Richmond
- Winfield DunnWinfield DunnBryant Winfield Culberson Dunn was the 43rd Governor of Tennessee, from 1971 to 1975.-Biography:Dunn was born in Meridian, Mississippi. He graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1950 with a B.B.A., and from the University of Tennessee Medical Units in Memphis in 1955 with a D.D.S. Dunn...
- Chrystal Horn