2008 United States Senate election in Louisiana

2008 United States Senate election in Louisiana

November 4, 2008
 
Nominee Mary Landrieu John Kennedy
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 988,298 867,177
Percentage 52.11% 45.72%

Landrieu:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Kennedy:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Tie:      40–50%      50%

U.S. senator before election

Mary Landrieu
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Mary Landrieu
Democratic

The 2008 United States Senate election in Louisiana was held on November 4, 2008. This was the first time since the 1970s that Louisiana used party primaries for federal races. Incumbent Senator Mary Landrieu won a third term by 6.4 percent despite being forecast as one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats during 2008. She had received praise and wide publicity for her advocacy after Hurricane Katrina, particularly during hearings regarding FEMA's response to the disaster. This is the last time that Democrats won any statewide election in Louisiana other than Governor.

Landrieu's main opponent John Kennedy garnered allegations of being a political opportunist after switching parties from Democrat to Republican in 2007. He has held the state's other U.S. Senate seat since 2017 as a Republican, having unsuccessfully run as a Democrat for it in 2004.