# 2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma

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The 2008 United States Senate election in Oklahoma was held on November 4, 2008. The statewide primary election was held July 29, with the run-off on August 26. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe won re-election to a third term over Democrat Andrew Rice.
This was the last time a Democrat carried any counties in an Oklahoma U.S. Senate election until 2022 and the last time any Democrat did so in a regular Senate election.

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Jim Inhofe, incumbent U.S. Senator
* Dennis Lopez
* Evelyn Rogers
* Ted Ryals

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Inhofe (Incumbent) | 116,371 | 84.18% |
| | Republican | Evelyn R. Rogers | 10,770 | 7.79% |
| | Republican | Ted Ryals | 7,306 | 5.28% |
| | Republican | Dennis Lopez | 3,800 | 2.75% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 138,247 | 100.00% |

## Democratic primary
### Background

Rice officially filed as a candidate for the United States Senate from Oklahoma on Monday, June 2, 2008. He won the Democratic primary against Jim Rogers, a retired schoolteacher who stressed campaign finance reform. As in earlier campaigns, Rogers refused to accept money to avoid any question of his allegiances. State Senator Kenneth Corn had earlier expressed interest in the race.

### Candidates

* Andrew Rice, State Senator
* Jim Rogers

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Andrew Rice | 113,795 | 59.65% |
| | Democratic | Jim Rogers | 76,981 | 40.35% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 190,776 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Candidates

* Jim Inhofe (R), incumbent U.S. Senator
* Andrew Rice (D), State Senator
* Stephen Wallace (I), businessman

### Campaign

Inhofe, who in August 2008 had a 61% approval rating, emphasized his conservative record and tried to label Rice as a "committed liberal." In the debates, Rice tried to connect Inhofe to George W. Bush saying "An era allowed this to happen. George Bush came into office eight years ago with a Republican majority and ... an agenda of radical deregulation." Rice also believed in global warming, something Inhofe is famous for denying. In the election, Inhofe had over $5 million in the bank. Rice had $3.8 million.

### Endorsements
#### Individuals

* Wesley Clark, General, 2004 democratic presidential candidate

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Likely R | October 23, 2008 |
| CQ Politics | Likely R | October 31, 2008 |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Safe R | November 2, 2008 |
| Real Clear Politics | Safe R | November 4, 2008 |

### Polling

| Poll Source | Dates administered | Rice | Inhofe |
| Benenson Strategy Group | December 8–12, 2007 | 35% | 49% |
| Tulsa World/KOTV/SoonerPoll | December 16–19, 2007 | 19% | 60% |
| Research 2000/Daily Kos | June 9–11, 2008 | 31% | 53% |
| KSWO | August 12–14, 2008 | 41% | 50% |
| Survey USA | September 5–7, 2008 | 34% | 56% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 11, 2008 | 39% | 55% |
| Survey USA | September 29, 2008 | 37% | 53% |
| Survey USA | October 19, 2008 | 39% | 51% |
| Survey USA | October 29, 2008 | 36% | 56% |

### Results

United States Senate election in Oklahoma, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Jim Inhofe (Incumbent) | 763,375 | 56.68% | −0.62% |
| | Democratic | Andrew Rice | 527,736 | 39.18% | +2.87% |
| | Independent | Stephen Wallace | 55,708 | 4.14% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 235,639 | 17.50% | −3.50% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,346,819 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Atoka (Largest city: Atoka)
* Coal (Largest city: Coalgate)
* Bryan (Largest city: Durant)
* Johnston (Largest city: Tishomingo)
* Ottawa (Largest city: Miami)
* Harmon (Largest city: Hollis)
* Kiowa (Largest city: Hobart)
* Jefferson (Largest city: Waurika)
* Love (Largest city: Marietta)
* Murray (Largest city: Sulphur)
* Pushmataha (Largest city: Antlers)
* Choctaw (Largest city: Hugo)
* Le Flore (Largest city: Poteau)
* McCurtain (Largest city: Idabel)
* Hughes (Largest city: Holdenville)
* Seminole (Largest city: Seminole)
* Okfuskee (Largest city: Okemah)
* Latimer (Largest city: Wilburton)
* Pittsburg (Largest city: McAlester)
* Sequoyah (Largest city: Sallisaw)
* Haskell (Largest city: Stigler)