# 2008 United States Senate special election in Wyoming

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The 2008 United States Senate special election in Wyoming took place on November 4, 2008, at the same time as the regular election to the United States Senate in Wyoming. The special election occurred to complete the term of Republican incumbent Craig L. Thomas, who won reelection in 2006, but died in June 2007. Despite being a Democrat, Governor Dave Freudenthal was obliged by state law to appoint a Republican, and selected state senator John Barrasso, who was unopposed in the Republican primary and won the general election to fill the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2013. This is the last time that both of Wyoming's U.S. Senate seats were concurrently up for election.

## Background

Wyoming law dictates that when a U.S. Senate seat becomes vacant, the departing senator's state party at the time of the most recent election must create a list of three finalists, with the governor to select one of those candidates to fill the seat. Speculation about potential Republican challengers had included the other finalists to succeed Thomas, Cynthia Lummis and Tom Sansonetti; as well as former state House Speaker Randall Luthi, and former U.S. Attorney Matt Mead.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Nick Carter, attorney
* Keith Goodenough, Casper city councilman and former Wyoming State Senator

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Nick Carter | 12,316 | 50.67 |
| | Democratic | Keith Goodenough | 11,984 | 49.31 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 22,799 | 100.00 |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* John Barrasso, incumbent U.S. Senator

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Barrasso (incumbent) | 68,194 | 100.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 68,194 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Candidates

* John Barrasso (R), incumbent U.S. Senator
* Nick Carter (D), attorney

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Safe R | October 23, 2008 |
| CQ Politics | Safe 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 | John Barrasso (R) | Nick Carter (D) |
| Research 2000/Daily Kos | September 22–24, 2008 | 58% | 34% |

### Results

United States Senate special election in Wyoming, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | John Barrasso (incumbent) | 183,063 | 73.35% | +3.37% |
| | Democratic | Nick Carter | 66,202 | 26.53% | −3.33% |
| | | Write-ins | 293 | 0.12% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 116,861 | 46.83% | +6.70% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 249,558 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |