The 2008 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican Governor Matt Blunt decided to retire instead of seeking reelection to a second term in office. Despite John McCain narrowly carrying the state in the concurrent presidential election, Democratic nominee Jay Nixon won the open seat, defeating Republican nominee Kenny Hulshof in a landslide.
As of 2024, this remains the last gubernatorial election in which the Democratic Party improved upon its performance from the previous election
Background
On January 22, 2008, Governor Blunt unexpectedly announced that he would not seek re-election because he had already "achieved virtually everything I set out to accomplish, and more ... Because I feel we have changed what I wanted to change in the first term, there is not the same sense of mission for a second."
A November 2007 poll conducted by SurveyUSA showed Blunt with a 44% approval rating. His approval among Republicans polled was 68%, and his rating among Democrats was 23%. On November 10, 2007, Democrat Jay Nixon filed the necessary paperwork with the Missouri Ethics Commission to launch a 2008 campaign for governor.
The gubernatorial and other statewide office primaries were held August 5, 2008. CQ Politics rated the race as "Leans Democratic".
Timeline
- March 25, 2008 – Filing deadline for Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians
- August 5, 2008 – Primary (gubernatorial and other statewide office) elections
- August 19, 2008 – Filing deadline for other third parties and Independents
- November 4, 2008 – General election.
General election
Results
On election night, Nixon won easily, even though fellow Democrat Barack Obama lost in Missouri in the concurrent presidential election (albeit by only 4,000 votes). Nixon performed well in rural parts of the state. When combined with heavily populated, strong Democratic areas like St. Louis and Kansas City, Hulshof did not have a chance to come back. Nixon was declared the winner right when the polls closed in Missouri. Hulshof conceded defeat at 9:02 P.M. Central Time.
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Caldwell (largest city: Hamilton)
- Daviess (largest city: Gallatin)
- Gentry (largest city: Albany)
- Crawford (largest city: Cuba)
- Oregon (largest city: Thayer)
- Vernon (largest city: Nevada)
- Lincoln (largest city: Troy)
- St. Clair (largest city: Appleton City)
- Livingston (largest city: Chillicothe)
- Andrew (largest city: Savannah)
- Atchison (largest city: Tarkio)
- Benton (largest city: Warsaw)
- Camden (largest city: Osage Beach)
- Carter (largest city: Van Buren)
- Cass (largest city: Harrisonville)
- Dallas (largest city: Buffalo)
- Dent (largest city: Salem)
- Douglas (largest city: Ava)
- Howell (largest city: West Plains)
- Laclede (largest city: Lebanon)
- Maries (largest city: Belle)
- Morgan (largest city: Versailles)
- Ozark (largest city: Gainesville)
- Pulaski (largest city: Fort Leonard Wood)
- Polk (largest city: Bolivar)
- Phelps (largest city: Rolla)
- Ripley (largest city: Doniphan)
- Texas (largest city: Licking)
- Wright (largest city: Mountain Grove)
- Webster (largest city: Marshfield)
- Audrain (largest city: Mexico)
- Bates (largest city: Butler)
- Chariton (largest city: Salisbury)
- Clark (largest city: Kahoka)
- Dunklin (largest city: Kennett)
- Franklin (largest city: Washington)
- Henry (largest city: Clinton)
- Hickory (largest city: Hermitage)
- Howard (largest city: Fayette)
- Iron (largest city: Ironton)
- Knox (largest city: Edina)
- Lafayette (largest city: Odessa)
- Lewis (largest city: Canton)
- Linn (largest city: Brookfield)
- Madison (largest city: Fredericktown)
- Nodaway (largest city: Maryville)
- Pike (largest city: Bowling Green)
- Reynolds (largest city: Ellington)
- Scott (largest city: Sikeston)
- Shannon (largest city: Winona)
- St. Francois (largest city: Farmington)
- Wayne (largest city: Piedmont)
- Buchanan (largest city: St. Joseph)
- Washington (largest city: Potosi)
- Iron (largest city: Ironton)
- St. Charles (largest city: O'Fallon)
- Pettis (largest city: Sedalia)
- Adair (largest city: Kirksville)
- Greene (largest city: Springfield)
- Johnson (largest city: Warrensburg)
- Monroe (largest city: Monroe City)