# 2008 United States presidential election in Tennessee

"none" is preferred when the title is already sufficiently detailed; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
Elections in Tennessee :
Federal government
U.S. President
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate
1796
1798
1803
1809
1823
1826
1829
1833
1835
1841
1844
1847
1851
1853
1858
1866
1867
1875
1877
1883
1887
1889
1893
1895
1899
1901
1905
1907
1911
1913
1916
1918
1922
1924
1928
1930
1934
1936
1940
1942
1946
1948
1952
1954
1958
1960
1964
1966
1970
1972
1976
1978
1982
1984
1988
1990
1994
1996
2000
2002
2006
2008
2012
2014
2018
2020
2024
2026
U.S. House
1796
1797
1799
1801
1803
1805
1807
1809
1811
1813
1815
1817
1819
1821
1823
1825
1827
1829
1831
1833
1835
1837
1839
1841
1842
1843
1845
1847
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1861
1865
1867
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Special elections
Senate
1797
1798
1799
1809
1811
1815
1817
1819
1821
1825
1829
1838
1839
1840
1843
1857
1877
1898
1905
1913
1930
1934
1938
1964
1994
House
At-large
1797
1801
1st
1910
1961
2nd
1815
1891
1939
1964
1988
3rd
1939
4th
1837
1874
1875
5th
1814
1975
1988
6th
1939
7th
1932
1939
8th
1845
1958
1969
9th
1940 :
State government
State elections
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1796
1797
1799
1801
1803
1805
1807
1809
1811
1813
1815
1817
1819
1821
1823
1825
1827
1829
1831
1833
1835
1837
1839
1841
1843
1845
1847
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
State Senate elections
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Representatives elections
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
2006
Amendment 1
2014
Amendment 1
2022
Amendment 1
Amendment 3
Nashville measures
Nashville Charter Amendment 1
Let's Move Nashville :
Local elections
Hamilton County mayoral elections
2018
2022
Chattanooga mayoral elections
2013
2017
2021
2025
Knox County mayoral elections
2010
2014
2018
2022
Knoxville mayoral elections
1983
1987
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
Shelby County mayoral elections
2010
2014
2018
2022
Memphis mayoral elections
2011
2015
2019
2023
Clarksville Mayoral elections
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Jackson Mayoral elections
2015
2019
2023
Murfreesboro Mayoral elections
2014
2018
2022
Nashville Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2018 (sp)
2019
2023 :
Government :
vte :
The 2008 United States presidential election in Tennessee was held on November 4, 2008, and 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.
Republican John McCain defeated Democrat Barack Obama in the state by 15 percentage points. Prior to the election, 17 news organizations had correctly predicted that McCain would easily carry the state, and virtually all polling indicated the same. Most news organizations called Tennessee for McCain immediately after the polls closed. McCain slightly improved upon George W. Bush's performance in 2004, despite the nation as a whole trending significantly Democratic in 2008. This was the first time since 1960 that Tennessee did not back the overall winning candidate in a presidential election. Furthermore, this was the first time it voted differently from swing state Ohio since 1944, and the first time it voted Republican while that state voted Democratic.
McCain became the first Republican to ever carry historically-Democratic Stewart County. As of 2024, this remains the last time that Houston County and Jackson County have voted for a Democratic presidential nominee or that the party has received more than 40% of the vote. It was one of five states to swing Republican from 2004, along with West Virginia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

## Primary elections
### Democratic primary

The 2008 Tennessee Democratic presidential primary took place on Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008. Hillary Clinton won with 53.8% of the vote and was awarded 40 delegates. Barack Obama placed second, getting 40.5% of the vote and was awarded 28 delegates.
| Key: | Withdrew prior to contest |
2008 Tennessee Democratic presidential primary :
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage | National delegates |
| Hillary Clinton | 336,245 | 53.82% | 40 |
| Barack Obama | 254,874 | 40.48% | 28 |
| John Edwards | 27,820 | 4.45% | 0 |
| Joe Biden | 1,531 | 0.25% | 0 |
| Bill Richardson | 1,178 | 0.19% | 0 |
| Dennis Kucinich | 971 | 0.16% | 0 |
| Christopher Dodd | 526 | 0.08% | 0 |
| Mike Gravel | 461 | 0.07% | 0 |
| Uncommitted | 3,158 | 0.51% | 0 |
| Totals | 624,764 | 100.00% | 68 |

### Republican primary

The 2008 Tennessee Republican presidential primary took place on Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008. Mike Huckabee narrowly defeated John McCain to win the largest share of Tennessee's delegates to the 2008 Republican National Convention. Both McCain and the third-place candidate Mitt Romney received delegates along with Huckabee.
2008 Tennessee Republican presidential primary :
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Delegates |
| Mike Huckabee | 190,904 | 34.37% | 25 |
| John McCain | 176,091 | 31.84% | 19 |
| Mitt Romney | 130,632 | 23.62% | 8 |
| Ron Paul | 31,026 | 5.61% | 0 |
| Fred Thompson* | 16,263 | 2.94% | 0 |
| Rudy Giuliani* | 5,159 | 0.93% | 0 |
| Alan Keyes | 978 | 0.18% | 0 |
| Duncan Hunter* | 738 | 0.13% | 0 |
| Tom Tancredo* | 194 | 0.03% | 0 |
| Uncommitted | 1,830 | 0.33% | 0 |
| Total | 553,005 | 100% | 52 |
* Candidate dropped out of the race before the primary

## General election
### Predictions

There were 16 news organizations who made state-by-state predictions of the election. Here are their last predictions before election day:
| Source | Ranking |
| D.C. Political Report | Likely R |
| Cook Political Report | Solid R |
| The Takeaway | Solid R |
| Electoral-vote.com | Solid R |
| Washington Post | Solid R |
| Politico | Solid R |
| RealClearPolitics | Solid R |
| FiveThirtyEight | Solid R |
| CQ Politics | Solid R |
| The New York Times | Solid R |
| CNN | Safe R |
| NPR | Solid R |
| MSNBC | Solid R |
| Fox News | Likely R |
| Associated Press | Likely R |
| Rasmussen Reports | Safe R |

### 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.

### Results

2008 United States presidential election in Tennessee :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John McCain Sarah Palin | 1,479,178 | 56.85% |
| | Democratic | Barack Obama Joe Biden | 1,087,437 | 41.79% |
| | Independent | Ralph Nader Matt Gonzalez | 11,560 | 0.44% |
| | Libertarian | Bob Barr Wayne Allyn Root | 8,547 | 0.33% |
| | Constitution | Chuck Baldwin Darrell Castle | 8,191 | 0.31% |
| | Green | Cynthia McKinney Rosa Clemente | 2,499 | 0.10% |
| | Independent | (write-in) | 2,333 | 0.09% |
| | Socialist | Brian Moore Stewart Alexander | 1,326 | 0.05% |
| | Boston Tea Party (political party) | Charles Jay Thomas Knapp | 1,011 | 0.04% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,601,982 | 100.00% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,618,238 | 66.34% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

#### By county

| County | John McCain Republican | John McCain Republican | Barack Obama Democratic | Barack Obama Democratic | Various candidates Other parties | Various candidates Other parties | Margin | Margin | Total |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total |
| Anderson | 19,675 | 62.32% | 11,396 | 36.10% | 499 | 1.58% | 8,279 | 26.22% | 31,570 |
| Bedford | 10,217 | 65.89% | 5,027 | 32.42% | 263 | 1.69% | 5,190 | 33.47% | 15,507 |
| Benton | 3,696 | 57.05% | 2,645 | 40.82% | 138 | 2.13% | 1,051 | 16.23% | 6,479 |
| Bledsoe | 3,166 | 66.18% | 1,517 | 31.71% | 101 | 2.11% | 1,649 | 34.47% | 4,784 |
| Blount | 35,571 | 68.88% | 15,253 | 29.53% | 821 | 1.59% | 20,318 | 39.35% | 51,645 |
| Bradley | 28,333 | 74.19% | 9,357 | 24.50% | 501 | 1.31% | 18,976 | 49.69% | 38,191 |
| Campbell | 8,535 | 67.59% | 3,867 | 30.62% | 226 | 1.79% | 4,668 | 36.97% | 12,628 |
| Cannon | 3,322 | 60.88% | 2,011 | 36.85% | 124 | 2.27% | 1,311 | 24.03% | 5,457 |
| Carroll | 7,455 | 64.01% | 3,980 | 34.17% | 211 | 1.82% | 3,475 | 29.84% | 11,646 |
| Carter | 15,852 | 72.82% | 5,587 | 25.66% | 330 | 1.52% | 10,265 | 47.16% | 21,769 |
| Cheatham | 10,702 | 65.14% | 5,498 | 33.47% | 228 | 1.39% | 5,204 | 31.67% | 16,428 |
| Chester | 4,587 | 71.02% | 1,797 | 27.82% | 75 | 1.16% | 2,790 | 43.20% | 6,459 |
| Claiborne | 7,175 | 68.86% | 3,078 | 29.54% | 167 | 1.60% | 4,097 | 39.32% | 10,420 |
| Clay | 1,676 | 55.98% | 1,248 | 41.68% | 70 | 2.34% | 428 | 14.30% | 2,994 |
| Cocke | 8,945 | 71.67% | 3,340 | 26.76% | 196 | 1.57% | 5,605 | 44.91% | 12,481 |
| Coffee | 13,250 | 63.73% | 7,132 | 34.30% | 408 | 1.97% | 6,118 | 29.43% | 20,790 |
| Crockett | 3,994 | 66.16% | 1,967 | 32.58% | 76 | 1.26% | 2,027 | 33.58% | 6,037 |
| Cumberland | 17,436 | 67.81% | 7,889 | 30.68% | 387 | 1.51% | 9,547 | 37.13% | 25,712 |
| Davidson | 102,915 | 38.80% | 158,423 | 59.73% | 3,885 | 1.47% | -55,508 | -20.93% | 265,223 |
| Decatur | 3,101 | 65.11% | 1,566 | 32.88% | 96 | 2.01% | 1,535 | 32.23% | 4,763 |
| DeKalb | 4,085 | 57.82% | 2,832 | 40.08% | 148 | 2.10% | 1,253 | 17.74% | 7,065 |
| Dickson | 11,677 | 59.82% | 7,506 | 38.45% | 336 | 1.73% | 4,171 | 21.37% | 19,519 |
| Dyer | 9,859 | 68.23% | 4,411 | 30.53% | 180 | 1.24% | 5,448 | 37.70% | 14,450 |
| Fayette | 12,173 | 63.22% | 6,892 | 35.80% | 189 | 0.98% | 5,281 | 27.42% | 19,254 |
| Fentress | 4,789 | 71.06% | 1,831 | 27.17% | 119 | 1.77% | 2,958 | 43.89% | 6,739 |
| Franklin | 10,539 | 60.46% | 6,613 | 37.94% | 280 | 1.60% | 3,926 | 22.52% | 17,432 |
| Gibson | 13,516 | 63.60% | 7,406 | 34.85% | 331 | 1.55% | 6,110 | 28.75% | 21,253 |
| Giles | 6,902 | 59.05% | 4,614 | 39.47% | 173 | 1.48% | 2,288 | 19.58% | 11,689 |
| Grainger | 5,297 | 70.60% | 2,066 | 27.54% | 140 | 1.86% | 3,231 | 43.06% | 7,503 |
| Greene | 17,151 | 69.52% | 7,110 | 28.82% | 409 | 1.66% | 10,041 | 40.70% | 24,670 |
| Grundy | 2,563 | 55.33% | 1,971 | 42.55% | 98 | 2.12% | 592 | 12.78% | 4,632 |
| Hamblen | 15,508 | 68.41% | 6,807 | 30.03% | 354 | 1.56% | 8,701 | 38.38% | 22,669 |
| Hamilton | 81,702 | 55.19% | 64,246 | 43.40% | 2,086 | 1.41% | 17,456 | 11.79% | 148,034 |
| Hancock | 1,588 | 70.86% | 604 | 26.95% | 49 | 2.19% | 984 | 43.91% | 2,241 |
| Hardeman | 5,225 | 46.50% | 5,919 | 52.67% | 93 | 0.83% | -694 | -6.17% | 11,237 |
| Hardin | 7,077 | 70.52% | 2,794 | 27.84% | 164 | 1.64% | 4,283 | 42.68% | 10,035 |
| Hawkins | 14,756 | 70.13% | 5,930 | 28.18% | 354 | 1.69% | 8,826 | 41.95% | 21,040 |
| Haywood | 3,165 | 38.97% | 4,893 | 60.25% | 63 | 0.78% | -1,728 | -21.28% | 8,121 |
| Henderson | 7,669 | 70.79% | 3,021 | 27.88% | 144 | 1.33% | 4,648 | 42.91% | 10,834 |
| Henry | 8,182 | 60.41% | 5,153 | 38.04% | 210 | 1.55% | 3,029 | 22.37% | 13,545 |
| Hickman | 4,784 | 56.30% | 3,563 | 41.93% | 151 | 1.77% | 1,221 | 14.37% | 8,498 |
| Houston | 1,608 | 47.94% | 1,678 | 50.03% | 68 | 2.03% | -70 | -2.09% | 3,354 |
| Humphreys | 3,818 | 50.37% | 3,600 | 47.49% | 162 | 2.14% | 218 | 2.88% | 7,580 |
| Jackson | 2,185 | 48.54% | 2,224 | 49.41% | 92 | 2.05% | -39 | -0.87% | 4,501 |
| Jefferson | 13,092 | 70.65% | 5,178 | 27.94% | 262 | 1.41% | 7,914 | 42.71% | 18,532 |
| Johnson | 4,621 | 70.11% | 1,837 | 27.87% | 133 | 2.02% | 2,784 | 42.24% | 6,591 |
| Knox | 113,015 | 60.73% | 70,215 | 37.73% | 2,856 | 1.53% | 42,800 | 23.00% | 186,086 |
| Lake | 1,175 | 52.50% | 1,024 | 45.76% | 39 | 1.74% | 151 | 6.74% | 2,238 |
| Lauderdale | 4,933 | 52.83% | 4,322 | 46.28% | 83 | 0.89% | 611 | 6.55% | 9,338 |
| Lawrence | 10,566 | 65.96% | 5,161 | 32.22% | 293 | 1.82% | 5,405 | 33.74% | 16,020 |
| Lewis | 2,951 | 61.05% | 1,804 | 37.32% | 79 | 1.63% | 1,147 | 23.73% | 4,834 |
| Lincoln | 9,231 | 70.30% | 3,695 | 28.14% | 204 | 1.56% | 5,536 | 42.16% | 13,130 |
| Loudon | 15,815 | 71.29% | 6,058 | 27.31% | 311 | 1.40% | 9,757 | 43.98% | 22,184 |
| Macon | 5,145 | 69.90% | 2,060 | 27.99% | 155 | 2.11% | 3,085 | 41.91% | 7,360 |
| Madison | 23,290 | 53.12% | 20,209 | 46.09% | 347 | 0.79% | 3,081 | 7.03% | 43,846 |
| Marion | 6,746 | 58.98% | 4,506 | 39.40% | 185 | 1.62% | 2,240 | 19.58% | 11,437 |
| Marshall | 6,755 | 59.84% | 4,320 | 38.27% | 214 | 1.89% | 2,435 | 21.57% | 11,289 |
| Maury | 20,288 | 60.08% | 13,058 | 38.67% | 421 | 1.25% | 7,230 | 21.41% | 33,767 |
| McMinn | 12,989 | 69.13% | 5,541 | 29.49% | 259 | 1.38% | 7,448 | 39.64% | 18,789 |
| McNairy | 7,135 | 68.46% | 3,131 | 30.04% | 156 | 1.50% | 4,004 | 38.42% | 10,422 |
| Meigs | 2,797 | 66.01% | 1,372 | 32.38% | 68 | 1.61% | 1,425 | 33.63% | 4,237 |
| Monroe | 11,484 | 68.45% | 5,053 | 30.12% | 240 | 1.43% | 6,431 | 38.33% | 16,777 |
| Montgomery | 30,175 | 53.28% | 25,716 | 45.40% | 748 | 1.32% | 4,459 | 7.88% | 56,639 |
| Moore | 2,010 | 68.09% | 881 | 29.84% | 61 | 2.07% | 1,129 | 38.25% | 2,952 |
| Morgan | 4,717 | 69.14% | 1,969 | 28.86% | 136 | 2.00% | 2,748 | 40.28% | 6,822 |
| Obion | 8,873 | 66.26% | 4,308 | 32.17% | 211 | 1.57% | 4,565 | 34.09% | 13,392 |
| Overton | 4,497 | 55.57% | 3,419 | 42.25% | 176 | 2.18% | 1,078 | 13.32% | 8,092 |
| Perry | 1,596 | 53.20% | 1,329 | 44.30% | 75 | 2.50% | 267 | 8.90% | 3,000 |
| Pickett | 1,786 | 66.87% | 854 | 31.97% | 31 | 1.16% | 932 | 34.90% | 2,671 |
| Polk | 4,267 | 65.64% | 2,124 | 32.67% | 110 | 1.69% | 2,143 | 32.97% | 6,501 |
| Putnam | 17,101 | 62.60% | 9,739 | 35.65% | 476 | 1.75% | 7,362 | 26.95% | 27,316 |
| Rhea | 8,042 | 72.41% | 2,907 | 26.18% | 157 | 1.41% | 5,135 | 46.23% | 11,106 |
| Roane | 15,658 | 67.27% | 7,224 | 31.04% | 394 | 1.69% | 8,434 | 36.23% | 23,276 |
| Robertson | 17,903 | 64.83% | 9,318 | 33.74% | 393 | 1.43% | 8,585 | 31.09% | 27,614 |
| Rutherford | 59,892 | 58.78% | 40,460 | 39.71% | 1,547 | 1.51% | 19,432 | 19.07% | 101,899 |
| Scott | 4,931 | 72.70% | 1,720 | 25.36% | 132 | 1.94% | 3,211 | 47.34% | 6,783 |
| Sequatchie | 3,610 | 66.40% | 1,717 | 31.58% | 110 | 2.02% | 1,893 | 34.82% | 5,437 |
| Sevier | 24,922 | 73.43% | 8,604 | 25.35% | 415 | 1.22% | 16,318 | 48.08% | 33,941 |
| Shelby | 145,458 | 35.96% | 256,297 | 63.35% | 2,800 | 0.69% | -110,839 | -27.39% | 404,555 |
| Smith | 4,563 | 58.95% | 2,992 | 38.65% | 186 | 2.40% | 1,571 | 20.30% | 7,741 |
| Stewart | 2,956 | 53.68% | 2,470 | 44.85% | 81 | 1.47% | 486 | 8.83% | 5,507 |
| Sullivan | 44,808 | 70.02% | 18,354 | 28.68% | 835 | 1.30% | 26,454 | 41.34% | 63,997 |
| Sumner | 44,949 | 66.73% | 21,487 | 31.90% | 926 | 1.37% | 23,462 | 34.83% | 67,362 |
| Tipton | 17,165 | 67.80% | 7,931 | 31.33% | 220 | 0.87% | 9,234 | 36.47% | 25,316 |
| Trousdale | 1,688 | 52.11% | 1,475 | 45.54% | 76 | 2.35% | 213 | 6.57% | 3,239 |
| Unicoi | 5,011 | 69.38% | 2,107 | 29.17% | 105 | 1.45% | 2,904 | 40.21% | 7,223 |
| Union | 4,467 | 69.81% | 1,829 | 28.58% | 103 | 1.61% | 2,638 | 41.23% | 6,399 |
| Van Buren | 1,294 | 58.66% | 849 | 38.49% | 63 | 2.85% | 445 | 20.17% | 2,206 |
| Warren | 8,562 | 59.46% | 5,515 | 38.30% | 323 | 2.24% | 3,047 | 21.16% | 14,400 |
| Washington | 32,341 | 66.03% | 15,941 | 32.54% | 700 | 1.43% | 16,400 | 33.49% | 48,982 |
| Wayne | 4,076 | 73.75% | 1,355 | 24.52% | 96 | 1.73% | 2,721 | 49.23% | 5,527 |
| Weakley | 8,855 | 64.68% | 4,596 | 33.57% | 239 | 1.75% | 4,259 | 31.11% | 13,690 |
| White | 6,103 | 63.26% | 3,372 | 34.95% | 172 | 1.79% | 2,731 | 28.31% | 9,647 |
| Williamson | 64,858 | 69.12% | 27,886 | 29.72% | 1,092 | 1.16% | 36,972 | 39.40% | 93,836 |
| Wilson | 34,595 | 67.62% | 15,886 | 31.05% | 678 | 1.33% | 18,709 | 36.57% | 51,159 |
| Totals | 1,479,178 | 56.85% | 1,087,437 | 41.79% | 35,367 | 1.36% | 391,741 | 15.06% | 2,601,982 |

##### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Benton (largest municipality: Camden)
* Clay (largest municipality: Celina)
* Grundy (largest municipality: Altamont)
* Humphreys (largest municipality: Waverly)
* Lake (largest municipality: Tiptonville)
* Lauderdale (largest municipality: Ripley)
* Overton (largest municipality: Livingston)
* Perry (largest municipality: Linden)
* Smith (largest municipality: Carthage)
* Stewart (largest municipality: Dover)
* Trousdale (largest municipality: Hartsville)
* Van Buren (largest municipality: Spencer)

#### By congressional district

John McCain swept the state and carried 7 of the state's 9 congressional districts, including three districts held by Democrats. Barack Obama carried the state's 2 congressional districts anchored by the two largest cities of Memphis and Nashville.
| District | McCain | Obama | Representative |
| 1st | 69.77% | 28.77% | David Davis (110th Congress) |
| 1st | 69.77% | 28.77% | Phil Roe (111th Congress) |
| 2nd | 64.21% | 34.28% | John J. Duncan Jr. |
| 3rd | 61.87% | 36.86% | Zach Wamp |
| 4th | 64.06% | 34.25% | Lincoln Davis |
| 5th | 42.94% | 55.85% | Jim Cooper |
| 6th | 61.87% | 36.59% | Bart Gordon |
| 7th | 64.76% | 34.29% | Marsha Blackburn |
| 8th | 56.01% | 42.73% | John S. Tanner |
| 9th | 22.51% | 76.92% | Steve Cohen |

## 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 elector.
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:
* Sara Sellers
* Jim Haslam
* Wayne Cropp
* Lisa Wheeler
* Beth Campbell
* Albert McCall
* Shirley Curry
* Marilucile Counce
* Colin Richmond
* Winfield Dunn
* Chrystal Horn

## Analysis

Despite narrowly voting for Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996 when former Tennessee Senator Al Gore was on the ticket as Vice President, the state, along with neighboring Arkansas has steadily been trending Republican since then. George W. Bush narrowly carried the state in 2000 over Gore and easily won in 2004 over John Kerry.
A handful of Tennessean counties—including those that hadn't voted Republican since landslide victors Reagan or Nixon were on the ballot, swung dramatically Republican. For example, Grundy County, in southeastern Tennessee, broke 56%-42% for John Kerry in 2004, but wound up being swept by McCain 55%-42% this year. The state was one of five states that swung even more Republican in 2008 with John McCain soundly defeating Barack Obama in Tennessee. 2008 marked the first time since 1960 whereby the state was carried by the losing presidential candidate. A possible factor to Tennessee ironically swinging rightward—despite the national Democratic trend—could be the state favoring Hillary Clinton, former First Lady of neighboring Arkansas, over Barack Obama in the Democratic primary, as was the case in Arkansas itself.
McCain won both East Tennessee and Middle Tennessee by landslide margins. Historically, East Tennessee, which is a part of Appalachia, is one of the few ancestrally Republican areas of the South. Most of its residents strongly opposed secession during the Civil War. They identified with the GOP after the return of peace and have remained in the Republican fold through good times and bad ever since. Some of the region's counties are among the few in the country to have never supported a Democrat for president.
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.