# 2008 Wisconsin Senate election

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

## Summary

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

## Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| Stateline| style="color:black;background:#ccf" data-sort-value=-2|Lean D | October 15, 2008 |

## Results summary

| Dist. | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | This race |
| Dist. | Member | Party | First elected | Status | Candidates |
| 02 | Robert Cowles | Rep. | 1987 (special) | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YRobert Cowles (Rep.) 99.35% |
| 04 | Lena Taylor | Dem. | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YLena Taylor (Dem.) 98.82% |
| 06 | Spencer Coggs | Dem. | 2003 (recall) | Incumbent Ran | ▌YSpencer Coggs (Dem.) 98.85% |
| 08 | Alberta Darling | Rep. | 1992 | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YAlberta Darling (Rep.) 50.46% ▌Sheldon Wasserman (Dem.) 49.45% |
| 10 | Sheila Harsdorf | Rep. | 2000 | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YSheila Harsdorf (Rep.) 56.40% ▌Alison H. Page (Dem.) 43.49% |
| 12 | --Vacant-- | --Vacant-- | --Vacant-- | Previous incumbent resigned Jun. 4, 2008 New member elected. Democratic hold | ▌YJim Holperin (Dem.) 51.21% ▌Tom Tiffany (Rep.) 48.73% |
| 14 | Luther Olsen | Rep. | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YLuther Olsen (Rep.) 99.36% |
| 16 | Mark Miller | Dem. | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected | ▌Mark Miller (Dem.) 99.29% |
| 18 | --Vacant-- | --Vacant-- | --Vacant-- | Previous incumbent resigned Jul. 4, 2008 New member elected. Republican hold | ▌YRandy Hopper (Rep.) 50.05% ▌Jessica King (Dem.) 49.86% |
| 20 | Glenn Grothman | Rep. | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YGlenn Grothman (Rep.) 80.26% ▌Clyde Winter (Ind.) 19.64% |
| 22 | Robert Wirch | Dem. | 1996 | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YRobert Wirch (Dem.) 66.65% ▌Benjamin Lee Bakke (Rep.) 33.21% |
| 24 | Julie Lassa | Dem. | 2003 (special) | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YJulie Lassa (Dem.) 67.67% ▌Tom Kimmet (Rep.) 32.28% |
| 26 | Fred Risser | Dem. | 1962 (special) | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YFred Risser (Rep.) 99.13% |
| 28 | Mary Lazich | Rep. | 1998 (special) | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YMary Lazich (Rep.) 99.24% |
| 30 | Dave Hansen | Dem. | 2000 | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YDave Hansen (Dem.) 66.06% ▌Chad Fradette (Rep.) 33.88% |
| 32 | Dan Kapanke | Rep. | 2004 | Incumbent re-elected | ▌YDan Kapanke (Rep.) 51.38% ▌Tara Johnson (Dem.) 48.53% |