The 2008 Iowa Senate election were held on November 4, 2008. The Senate seats for the twenty-five even-numbered districts were up for election. Senate terms are staggered such that half the membership is elected every two years, with each Senators serving a four-year term. Prior to the election, the Democrats were in the majority - marking the first time in 42 years that the Democrats had controlled both branches of the Iowa General Assembly and the Governor 's Office.[ 1] They expanded this majority by two seats in the 2008 elections.
Iowa State Senate elections, 2008
Results of the elections: Democratic gain Republican gain Democratic hold Republican hold No election
Iowa Senate: pre-election
Seats
Democratic-held
30
Republican-held
20
Total
50
2006 Elections
Democratic held and uncontested
19
Contested
20
Republican held and uncontested
11
Total
50
Iowa Senate: post-election
Seats
Democratic-held
32
Republican-held
18
Total
50
District
Party
Incumbent
Status
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
2
Republican
Dave Mulder [ 4]
Republican
Randy Feenstra
24,595
4
Democratic
John P. Kibbie
Won re-election.
Democratic
John P. Kibbie
18,059
Grassroots For Life
Ken Vaske
7,258
6
Republican
E. Thurman Gaskill
Republican
Merlin Bartz
14,299
Democratic
Doug Thompson
12,496
Independent
Kenneth J. Abrams
2,241
8
Republican
Mark Zieman
Lost re-election.
Democratic
Mary Jo Wilhelm
14,862
Republican
Mark Zieman
13,836
10
Democratic
Jeff Danielson
Won Re-election.
Democratic
Jeff Danielson
16,103
Republican
Walt Rogers
16,081
12
Democratic
Brian Schoenjahn
Won re-election.
Democratic
Brian Schoenjahn
17,402
Republican
Rebecca Wearmouth
9,641
14
Democratic
Michael Connolly
Democratic
Pam Jochum
19,443
Republican
John Hulsizer, Jr.
8,428
16
Democratic
Tom Hancock
Won re-election.
Democratic
Tom Hancock
17,129
Republican
Dave McLaughlin
13,660
18
Republican
Mary Lundby
Democratic
Swati A. Dandekar
20,667
Republican
Joe Childers
17,367
20
Republican
John Putney
Republican
Tim L. Kapucian
15,527
Democratic
Randy L. Braden
13,916
22
Republican
Larry McKibben
Democratic
Steve Sodders
14,837
Republican
Jarret P. Heil
11,846
24
Republican
Jerry Behn
Won re-election.
Republican
Jerry Behn
22,970
Democratic
Albert Sorensen
16,233
26
Republican
Steve Kettering
Won re-election.
Republican
Steve Kettering
22,853
28
Republican
James A. Seymour
Won re-election.
Republican
James A. Seymour
17,188
30
Republican
Pat Ward
Won re-election.
Republican
Pat Ward
21,842
32
Republican
Brad Zaun
Won re-election.
Republican
Brad Zaun
23,190
34
Democratic
Dick L. Dearden
Won re-election.
Democratic
Dick L. Dearden
17,705
Republican
Scott Strosahl
9,617
36
Republican
Paul McKinley
Won re-election.
Republican
Paul McKinley
18,236
Democratic
Deb Ballalatak
10,579
38
Democratic
Thomas J. Rielly
Won re-election.
Democratic
Thomas J. Rielly
16,332
Republican
Michael C. Hadley
12,393
40
Republican
James F. Hahn
Won re-election.
Republican
James F. Hahn
14,134
Democratic
Sharon Savage
12,939
42
Democratic
Frank B. Wood
Lost re-election.
Republican
Shawn Hamerlinck
16,447
Democratic
Frank B. Wood
16,063
44
Democratic
Thomas G. Courtney
Won re-election.
Democratic
Thomas G. Courtney
15,601
Republican
David Kerr
10,536
46
Democratic
Eugene Fraise
Won re-election.
Democratic
Eugene Fraise
14,668
Republican
Doug P. Abolt
11,088
48
Republican
Jeff Angelo
Republican
Kim Reynolds
14,274
Democratic
Ruth Smith
11,653
Independent
Rodney Schmidt
1,021
50
Democratic
Michael E. Gronstal
Won re-election.
Democratic
Michael E. Gronstal
13,375
Republican
Mark A. Brandenburg
9,740
^ "State of Iowa - Senate Journal - Monday, January 8, 2007" . State of Iowa. January 7, 2007. p. 1. Retrieved July 5, 2007 .[permanent dead link ]
^ "Candidate Listing by Office" (PDF) . Iowa Secretary of State . September 8, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 22, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2008 .
^ "Official Results Report - Statewide" (PDF) . Iowa Secretary of State . November 21, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2007. Retrieved July 4, 2007 .
^ Incumbent listing from "Members of the Iowa Senate: Eighty-Second General Assembly" . Iowa General Assembly . Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved October 15, 2008 .