The 2008 Wisconsin Senate election was held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Sixteen of the 33 seats in the

Wisconsin Senate The Wisconsin Senate is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Together with the larger Wisconsin State Assembly they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin. The powers of the Wisconsin Senate are modeled after ...

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

Close races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%: * * * *

Outgoing incumbents

Vacated

Roger Breske Roger M. Breske (November 8, 1938 in Elderon, Wisconsin – April 3, 2012 in Weston, Wisconsin) was an American politician and businessman. He served in the United States Army Reserves. He owned a tavern and restaurant.'Wisconsin Blue Book 20 ...

(D–

Eland Eland may refer to: Animals *''Taurotragus'', a genus of antelope ** Common eland of East and Southern Africa ** Giant eland of Central and Western Africa Places * Eland, Wisconsin, United States * An old spelling of Elland, West Yorkshire * Ela ...

), first elected to the 12th district in a 1990 special election, resigned his seat on June 4, 2008, after being appointed

Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner The Office of the Commissioner of Railroads is the independent regulatory agency responsible for regulating railroads located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin.

by governor

Jim Doyle James Edward Doyle, Jr., (born November 23, 1945) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 44th governor of Wisconsin, serving from January 6, 2003 to January 3, 2011. In his first election to the governorship, he defeated incum ...

. *

Carol Roessler Carol A. Roessler (born January 16, 1948) is an American politician and public administrator. She served as a Republican in the Wisconsin State Senate (1987–2008) and State Assembly (1983–1987). She left the State Senate in 2008 to ...

(R–

Oshkosh Oshkosh may refer to: Places in the United States * Oshkosh, Wisconsin, city and the largest place with the name * Oshkosh (town), Wisconsin * Oshkosh Township, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota * Oshkosh, Nebraska * Oshkosh Township, Wells County ...

), 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

Results summary

{, class="wikitable sortable" ! colspan="1" rowspan="2" , Dist. ! colspan="4" , Incumbent !This race , - valign="bottom" !Member !Party !First elected !Status !Candidates , - ! 02 , , , Rep. , , Incumbent re-elected , *

Robert Cowles Robert L. Cowles III (born July 31, 1950) is a Republican member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 2nd District since 1987. In August 2011, Cowles faced a recall election, but defeated the Democratic challenger, Nancy Nusbaum, 60 perce ...

(Rep.) 99.35% , - ! 04 , , , Dem. , 2004 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Lena Taylor Lena C. Taylor (born July 25, 1966) is an American politician and attorney serving as a member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 4th district. She previously served in the Wisconsin Assembly, representing the 18th district from 2003 to 2005. Tayl ...

(Dem.) 98.82% , - ! 06 , , , Dem. , 2003 , Incumbent Ran , *

Spencer Coggs G. Spencer Coggs (born August 6, 1949) is an American public administrator and Democratic politician. He is the current Milwaukee City Treasurer, since April 2012. He previously served 10 years in the Wisconsin State Senate and 20 years in the ...

(Dem.) 98.85% , - ! 08 , , , Rep. , 1992 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Alberta Darling Alberta Darling (born April 28, 1944) is an American politician and former member of the Wisconsin State Senate. She represented Wisconsin's 8th State Senate district from 1993 through 2022 as a Republican. Her constituency included many of ...

(Rep.) 50.46% *

Sheldon Wasserman Sheldon A. Wasserman (born August 5, 1961) is an American physician and politician, currently serving as Milwaukee County Supervisor for the 3rd District. Wasserman is a member of the Democratic Party and formerly served in the Wisconsin State ...

(Dem.) 49.45% , - ! 10 , , , Rep. , 2000 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Sheila Harsdorf Sheila E. Harsdorf (born July 25, 1956) is a Republican politician in Wisconsin, most recently serving as Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Harsdorf previously served in the Wisconsin Senate and the Wisconsin ...

(Rep.) 56.40% *Alison H. Page (Dem.) 43.49% , - ! 12 , colspan="3" , ''--Vacant--'' , , Previous incumbent resigned Jun. 4, 2008
New member elected. Democratic hold , *

Jim Holperin James C. Holperin (born December 18, 1950) is a retired American politician from Vilas County, Wisconsin. He served in the Wisconsin State Senate (2009–2012) and State Assembly (1983–1994), representing northern Wisconsin. He also s ...

(Dem.) 51.21% *

Tom Tiffany Thomas P. Tiffany (born December 30, 1957) is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 7th congressional district since 2020. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected to the Wisconsin St ...

(Rep.) 48.73% , - ! 14 , , , Rep. , 2004 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Luther Olsen Luther S. Olsen (born February 26, 1951) is an American politician and former member of the Wisconsin Legislature. A Republican, he served 16 years in the Wisconsin State Senate (2005–2021) and ten years in the Wisconsin State Assembly ...

(Rep.) 99.36% , - ! 16 , , , Dem. , 2004 , Incumbent re-elected , * Mark Miller (Dem.) 99.29% , - ! 18 , colspan="3" , ''--Vacant--'' , , Previous incumbent resigned Jul. 4, 2008
New member elected. Republican hold , *

Randy Hopper Randal B. "Randy" Hopper is a former Republican member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 18th District from 2009 until losing his seat to Jessica King in a 2011 recall election. The 18th District includes the cities of Fond du Lac, Oshk ...

(Rep.) 50.05% *

Jessica King Jessica Jeane King (born July 21, 1975) is an American lawyer and politician from Wisconsin. She is a former Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 18th district when elected in 2011. She defeated incumbent Republican Senato ...

(Dem.) 49.86% , - ! 20 , , , Rep. , 2004 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Glenn Grothman Glenn S. Grothman (; born July 3, 1955) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative from Wisconsin's 6th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected to his seat in 2014. Grothman ...

(Rep.) 80.26% *Clyde Winter (Ind.) 19.64% , - ! 22 , , , Dem. , 1996 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Robert Wirch Robert W. Wirch (born November 16, 1943) is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing the 22nd district since 1997. He previously served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1993 through 19 ...

(Dem.) 66.65% *Benjamin Lee Bakke (Rep.) 33.21% , - ! 24 , , , Dem. , 2003 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Julie Lassa Julie M. Lassa (born October 21, 1970) is a former Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party member of the Wisconsin State Senate, who represented the Wisconsin Senate, District 24, 24th District from April 2003 to January 2017. She was a ...

(Dem.) 67.67% *Tom Kimmet (Rep.) 32.28% , - ! 26 , , , Dem. , 1962 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Fred Risser Fred A. Risser (born May 5, 1927) is a retired American Democratic politician. He holds the record as the longest-serving state legislator in American history, having served 58 years in the Wisconsin State Senate and six years in the Wisconsin ...

(Rep.) 99.13% , - ! 28 , , , Rep. , 1998 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Mary Lazich Mary Lazich (born October 3, 1952) is an American Republican politician. She served five years in the Wisconsin State Assembly and 19 years in the State Senate, and was President of the Senate for her final session (2015–2016). Early life ...

(Rep.) 99.24% , - ! 30 , , , Dem. , 2000 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Dave Hansen Dave or David Hansen may refer to: *David Hansen (playwright) (born 1968), American actor, director and playwright * Dave Hansen (politician) (born 1947), state senator from Wisconsin *Dave Hansen (baseball) (born 1968), former Major League Basebal ...

(Dem.) 66.06% *Chad Fradette (Rep.) 33.88% , - ! 32 , , , Rep. , 2004 , Incumbent re-elected , *

Dan Kapanke Daniel E. Kapanke is a former Republican member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 32nd District from 2005 until losing his seat to Jennifer Shilling in the 2011 Wisconsin Senate recall elections. Early life, education and career Kapanke ...

(Rep.) 51.38% * Tara Johnson (Dem.) 48.53% {{endplainlist

Notes

References

2008 state legislature elections in the United States 2008 Wisconsin elections Wisconsin Senate elections November 2008 in the United States