2008 Wisconsin Senate election

The 2008 Wisconsin Senate election was held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Sixteen of the 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate were up for election—the even-numbered districts. Prior to the election 17 seats were held by Democrats, 14 were held by Republicans, and 2 seats were vacant.

2008 Wisconsin State Senate election

← 2006 November 4, 2008 2010 →
16 of 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate 17 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Russ Decker Scott L. Fitzgerald Party Democratic Republican Leader's seat 29th–Weston 13th–Juneau Last election 9 seats, 49.68% 8 seats, 49.25% Seats before 18 15 Seats won 8 8 Seats after 18 15 Seat change Popular vote 666,668 575,543 Percentage 52.74% 45.53% Swing 3.1 pp 3.7 pp
Map of the incumbents:      Democratic hold      Republican hold      No election
President before election Fred Risser Democratic Elected President Fred Risser Democratic

The primary was held on September 9, 2008, and the filing deadline was July 8, 2008.

Summary

Seats		Party (majority caucus shading)		Total
		Democratic	Republican
Last election (2006)		9	8	17
Total after last election (2006)		18	15	33
Total before this election		18	15	33
Up for election		8	8	16
of which:	Incumbent retiring	1	1	2
	Vacated	1	1	2
	Unopposed	4	2	6
This election		8	8	16
Change from last election
Total after this election		18	15	33
Change in total

Popular vote Democratic   52.74% Republican   45.53% Independent   1.73%

Senate seats won Democratic   50% Republican   50%

Close races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

• State Senate district 18, 0.19%
• State Senate district 8, 1.01%
• State Senate district 12, 2.48%
• State Senate district 32, 2.85%

Outgoing incumbents

Vacated

• Roger Breske (D–Eland), first elected to the 12th district in a 1990 special election, resigned his seat on June 4, 2008, after being appointed Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner by governor Jim Doyle.^[1]
• Carol Roessler (R–Oshkosh), first elected to the 18th district in a 1987 special election, resigned her seat on July 4, 2008, after being appointed Administrator of State and Local Finance by governor Jim Doyle.

Results summary

Dist.	Incumbent				This race[a][2]
	Member	Party	First elected	Status	Candidates	Results
02	Robert Cowles	Rep.	1987 (special)	Incumbent Ran	▌YRobert Cowles (Rep.) 99.35%	Incumbent re-elected
04	Lena Taylor	Dem.	2004	Incumbent Ran	▌YLena Taylor (Dem.) 98.82%	Incumbent re-elected
06	Spencer Coggs	Dem.	2003 (recall)	Incumbent Ran	▌YSpencer Coggs (Dem.) 98.85%	Incumbent re-elected
08	Alberta Darling	Rep.	1992	Incumbent Ran	▌YAlberta Darling (Rep.) 50.46% ▌Sheldon Wasserman (Dem.) 49.45%	Incumbent re-elected
10	Sheila Harsdorf	Rep.	2000	Incumbent Ran	▌YSheila Harsdorf (Rep.) 56.40% ▌Alison H. Page (Dem.) 43.49%	Incumbent re-elected
12	--Vacant[b]--				▌YJim Holperin (Dem.) 51.21% ▌Tom Tiffany (Rep.) 48.73%	New member elected. Democratic hold
14	Luther Olsen	Rep.	2004	Incumbent Ran	▌YLuther Olsen (Rep.) 99.36%	Incumbent re-elected
16	Mark Miller	Dem.	2004	Incumbent Ran	▌Mark Miller (Dem.) 99.29%	Incumbent re-elected
18	--Vacant[c]--				▌YRandy Hopper (Rep.) 50.05% ▌Jessica King (Dem.) 49.86%	New member elected. Republican hold
20	Glenn Grothman	Rep.	2004	Incumbent Ran	▌YGlenn Grothman (Rep.) 80.26% ▌Clyde Winter (Ind.) 19.64%	Incumbent re-elected
22	Robert Wirch	Dem.	1996	Incumbent Ran	▌YRobert Wirch (Dem.) 66.65% ▌Benjamin Lee Bakke (Rep.) 33.21%	Incumbent re-elected
24	Julie Lassa	Dem.	2003 (special)	Incumbent Ran	▌YJulie Lassa (Dem.) 67.67% ▌Tom Kimmet (Rep.) 32.28%	Incumbent re-elected
26	Fred Risser	Dem.	1962 (special)	Incumbent Ran	▌YFred Risser (Rep.) 99.13%	Incumbent re-elected
28	Mary Lazich	Rep.	1998 (special)	Incumbent Ran	▌YMary Lazich (Rep.) 99.24%	Incumbent re-elected
30	Dave Hansen	Dem.	2000	Incumbent Ran	▌YDave Hansen (Dem.) 66.06% ▌Chad Fradette (Rep.) 33.88%	Incumbent re-elected
32	Dan Kapanke	Rep.	2004	Incumbent Ran	▌YDan Kapanke (Rep.) 51.38% ▌Tara Johnson (Dem.) 48.53%	Incumbent re-elected

Notes

1. Not all totals add up to 100% due to scattering
2. Roger Breske (D) resigned June 4, 2008
3. Carol Roessler (R) resigned July 4, 2008

References

1. Richmond, Todd (May 20, 2008). "Rail commissioner named". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 5. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Wisconsin Bluebook 2009/2010". University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries. p. 911. Retrieved March 22, 2024.