This article or section contains information about an upcoming or ongoing election in the United States. Content may change as the election approaches.

This article provides an overview of the nomination process. For detailed election results, see Results of the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

Pledged Delegate margins in the Democratic primaries and caucuses, according to the election results (which may differ from current pledged delegate estimates). Obama won the delegate count in the darkest purple states by the largest margins, while Clinton won the delegate count in the darkest green states by the largest margins. They tied in NH, MO, and GU.

Popular Vote margins in the Democratic primaries and caucuses. The darkest purple states voted for Obama by the largest margins, while the darkest green states voted for Clinton by the largest margins. (Popular vote winners and delegate winners differ in five contests: NH, NV, MO, TX, and GU.)

The 2008 Democratic primaries are the selection process by which members of the United States Democratic Party choose their candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential election. The Democratic candidate for President will be selected through a series of primaries and caucuses culminating in the 2008 Democratic National Convention scheduled from Monday, August 25, through Thursday, August 28, 2008, in Denver, Colorado. Image File history File links Ballot_box_current. ... This article is about the political process. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The United States presidential election of 2008, scheduled to be held on November 4, 2008, will be the 55th consecutive quadrennial president and vice president of the United States. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Primary. ... A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. ... The 2008 Democratic National Convention will be held from August 25 to August 28 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 240th day of the year (241st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location of Denver in the State of Colorado Location of Colorado in the United States Coordinates: , Country United States State State of Colorado City and County Denver[1] Founded 1858-11-22, as Denver City, K.T.[2] Incorporated 1861-11-07, as Denver City, C.T.[3] Consolidated... Official language(s) English Demonym Coloradan Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th in the US  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ...

In order to secure the nomination at the convention, a candidate must receive at least 2,117 votes from delegates (a simple majority of the 4,233 delegate votes, bearing in mind half-votes from Florida, Michigan, Democrats Abroad and the territories of Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). On June 3, US Senator Barack Obama passed that total as a result of his accumulated primary victories and superdelegate endorsements and became the apparent Democratic nominee, in one of the biggest upsets in United States political history. He won the nomination even with losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton.^[1] Obama is expected to become the nominee officially at the August convention. This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Democrats Abroad Democrats Abroad is the official organization of the Democratic Party of the United States for expatriates, representing Democrats that are citizens of the U.S. but live outside the United States. ... The United States Virgin Islands is a group of islands in the Caribbean that is a dependency of the United States. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... “Barack” redirects here. ...

Candidates and results

Main articles: United States Democratic presidential candidates, 2008 and Results of the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries

Notes for the following table: This article contains lists of current and former candidates associated with the 2008 Democratic Party Primaries for the 2008 United States Presidential Election. ...

• Delegate counts:
  • The pledged delegate estimates come from the sum of the Current estimate columns for the states listed in the Chronicle section later in this article
  • The source for superdelegate estimates is the 2008 Democratic Convention Watch blog^[2]
• Ordering:
  • The candidates are ordered by pledged delegate count and then alphabetically by last name
  • To re-sort this table, click on the double-arrow symbol ( ) at the top of a column

Candidate	Current or Recent Office	Pledged Delegate Vote Estimate[3]	Superdelegate Vote Estimate[2]	Total Delegate Vote Estimate	Campaign Status	Links
Obama, BarackBarack Obama	U.S. Senator, Illinois	1,765½ 52%	396½ 58%	2,162 53%	Presumptive Nominee Estimate surpassed the 2,117 delegate votes needed for a majority. June 3, 2008	campaign article campaign website
Clinton, HillaryHillary Clinton	U.S. Senator, New York	1,639½ 48%	283½ 42%	1,923 47%	Active	campaign article campaign website
Edwards, JohnJohn Edwards	Former U.S. Senator, North Carolina	4½ <1%	0	4½ <1%	Suspended, January 30, 2008. Endorsed Obama, May 14, 2008.[4]	campaign article campaign website
Biden, JoeJoe Biden	U.S. Senator, Delaware	0	0	0	Withdrew, January 3, 2008.	campaign article campaign website
Dodd, ChristopherChris Dodd	U.S. Senator, Connecticut	0	0	0	Withdrew, January 3, 2008. Endorsed Obama, February 26, 2008.	campaign article campaign website
Gravel, MikeMike Gravel	Former U.S. Senator, Alaska	0	0	0	Endorsed Jesse Johnson, March 13, 2008. Joined Libertarian Party, March 25, 2008.	campaign article campaign website
Kucinich, DennisDennis Kucinich	U.S. Representative, Ohio	0	0	0	Withdrew, January 23, 2008.	campaign article campaign website
Richardson, BillBill Richardson	Governor, New Mexico	0	0	0	Withdrew, January 10, 2008. Endorsed Obama, March 21, 2008.	campaign article campaign website

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Barack_Obama. ... “Barack” redirects here. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... This article is about the U.S. State. ... is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Barack Obama, the junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. ... REDIRECT Hillary Rodham Clinton   This is a redirect from a title with another method of capitalisation. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... This article is about the state. ... New York junior Senator and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton had expressed interest in the 2008 United States presidential election[1] since at least October 2002, drawing media speculation on whether she would become a candidate. ... Image File history File links John_Edwards,_official_Senate_photo_portrait. ... This article is about the American attorney and politician. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... Official language(s) English Demonym North Carolinian Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro area Charlotte metro area Area  Ranked 28th in the US  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (340 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (900 km)  - % water 9. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 134th day of the year (135th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... John Edwards campaigning in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Labor day in 2007. ... Biden redirects here. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... This article is about the U.S. State of Delaware. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... United States Democratic Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, announced his candidacy for president of the United States on the January 7, 2007 edition of Meet the Press. ... Christopher John Dodd (born May 27, 1944) is an American lawyer and politician from Willimantic, Connecticut. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area  Ranked 48th in the US  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Senior Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) has sought the nomination of the Democratic Party for President of the United States since entering the race early in January 2007. ... Image File history File links Alaska Senator Mike Gravel. ... Maurice Robert Mike Gravel (pronounced ) (born May 13, 1930) is a former Democratic United States Senator from Alaska, who served two terms from 1969 to 1981, and is a candidate in the 2008 presidential election. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... For other uses, see Alaska (disambiguation). ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... The Libertarian Party is a United States political party founded on December 11, 1971. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...   Mike Gravel, a former United States Senator from Alaska, on April 17, 2006 became a declared candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 election,[1] announcing his run in a speech to the National Press Club. ... Photo of Dennis Kucinich File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Dennis John Kucinich (IPA: ) (born October 8, 1946) is an American politician of the Democratic party and a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in both 2004 and 2008. ... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... This article is about the U.S. State. ... is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Dennis Kucinich announced on December 26, 2006 that he would persue the nomination for the Democratic President of the United States. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 428 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (488 × 683 pixels, file size: 82 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... For other persons named William Richardson, see William Richardson (disambiguation). ... This is a list of Governors of the state of New Mexico (est. ... Official language(s) None Spoken language(s) English 68. ... is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

Delegate system

Delegates are the people who will decide the nomination at the Democratic National Convention. Delegates from forty-eight US states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have a single vote each, while delegates from American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, Guam and Democrats Abroad, as well as the states of Florida and Michigan which contravened the schedule, have half a vote each. Thus, the total number of delegates is slightly higher than the total number of available delegate votes (4,049).^[5] [now updated to 4,233 with FL-MI delegations] The 2008 Democratic National Convention will be held from August 25 to August 28 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. ... ... Democrats Abroad Democrats Abroad is the official organization of the Democratic Party of the United States for expatriates, representing Democrats that are citizens of the U.S. but live outside the United States. ...

Pledged delegates

Democratic candidates campaign for the nomination in a series of primary elections and caucus events. The results from these primaries and caucuses determine the number of pledged delegates committed to vote for each candidate at the Democratic National Convention. Pledged delegates are allocated to each of the fifty US states following two main criteria: (1) the proportion of votes each state gave to the Democratic candidate in the last three presidential elections, and (2) the percentage of votes each state has in the United States Electoral College. In addition, fixed numbers of delegates are allocated to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Democrats Abroad under the party's Delegate Selection Rules for the 2008 Democratic National Convention.^[6] Pledged delegates reflect the preferences of voters but are not actually legally bound to vote for the candidate they represent. However, since candidates may remove delegates who they feel may be disloyal, the delegates generally vote as pledged.^[7] In 2008, a total of 3,253 pledged delegate votes will be awarded through the primaries and caucuses. Electoral votes by state/federal district, for the elections of 2004 and 2008 The United States Electoral College is a term used to describe the 538 President Electors who meet every 4 years to cast the electoral votes for President and Vice President of the United States; their votes represent...

Superdelegates

Main article: List of Democratic Party (United States) superdelegates, 2008

There are currently a total of 823.5 unpledged delegates (known as superdelegates) who are free to vote for any candidate at the convention. Superdelegate votes are given equal weight to the votes of pledged delegates. Superdelegates are members of the United States House of Representatives and Senate, state and territorial governors, members of the Democratic National Committee, distinguished party leaders, and add-on delegates selected by the state parties. They represent almost 20 percent of the total 4,233 delegates. Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... Current party control of Governors offices (2006). ... The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic...

The number and composition of superdelegates can change right up to the start of the Democratic National Convention. The total number of superdelegate votes at the start of the primary season in October 2007 stood at 850. Various events such as deaths, elections, and disqualifications have brought the total to its current state. Further change is possible, given that in Maryland's 4th congressional district special election, 2008, on June 17, the Democrat is heavily favored to win a currently open seat.^[8] is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

While officially uncommitted until the convention, the superdelegates may publicly endorse or commit to a candidate at any time. The presidential candidates compete heavily for these commitments. News organizations survey the superdelegates periodically throughout the election season and try to calculate how many have committed to each of the candidates. The media often include these superdelegate estimates in their reporting on the race, leading to differing delegate counts from various news sources.

Delegate selection rules

Washington Democrats meet in the legislative district caucuses.

Under the Democratic Party's Delegate Selection Rules for the 2008 Democratic National Convention,^[6] delegates are awarded by proportional representation, with a minimum 15 percent threshold required in order to receive delegates. Each state party is required to publish its own state level delegate selection plan, indicating how the state will select delegates at the congressional and statewide level, how the delegation will implement the party's affirmative action policy, and how the delegation will ensure an equal balance between women and men. Those plans were adopted at state conventions and forwarded to the national party in mid-2007. Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is a category of electoral formula aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive (usually in legislative assemblies). ... Manifestations Slavery Racial profiling Lynching Hate speech Hate crime Genocide (examples) Ethnocide Ethnic cleansing Pogrom Race war Religious persecution Blood libel Paternalism Police brutality Movements Policies Discriminatory Race / Religion / Sex segregation Apartheid Redlining Internment Ethnocracy Anti-discriminatory Emancipation Civil rights Desegregation Integration Equal opportunity Counter-discriminatory Affirmative action Racial quota...

In most state caucuses, the viability threshold must be met at each level in the process, from the precinct level upwards. This puts enormous pressure on the remaining candidates to gain the support of voters whose chosen candidates fall below the 15 percent mark.^[9] The focus on viability is designed to weed out small, divisive factions from gaining delegates to disrupt the national convention. However, this can result in candidates gaining viability in some precincts but not in others, and a complicated "caucus math" is required to allocate delegates to the county and state conventions for each precinct.^[10] In the primaries, the viability threshold is set based on statewide and congressional district votes. At-large and PLEO (Party Leaders and Elected Officials) delegates are allocated based on statewide votes, while district-level delegates are allocated by district votes.^[6]

Although journalists at several news outlets^[11][12] have indicated that Puerto Rico's 63 delegates will all be awarded to a single candidate rather than proportionally, the party's Delegate Selection Plan states that delegates are to be allocated in a manner similar to other state caucuses.^[13] The Washington Post Fact Checker has determined that the "winner take all" Puerto Rican primary is a myth.^[14] The misconception is derived from the fact that by the time Puerto Rico votes, late in the primary season, there is often only one candidate still on the ballot. The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C.. It is also one of the citys oldest papers, having been founded in 1877. ...

Reporting delegate totals

There is no easy answer to the question, What's the current count? Each of the major news organizations keeps a count of delegate votes, while the campaigns keep their own numbers. Rarely do these totals coincide. Some online sources use an aggregate of sources, leading to even more confusion in delegate vote totals. The actual result may not be known until the votes are cast at the Democratic National Convention.

There are several reasons for this discrepancy. First, some news sources include only pledged delegates in their total count, while others include superdelegates. Second, estimates of superdelegate votes are unreliable and are subject to change. Third, pledged delegates in many states are selected at county or state conventions late in the process; thus, the initial primary and caucus results provide only a projection of pledged delegates, highlighted by the discrepancies with the Iowa county convention results. Fourth, in the days after an election, results in individual precincts may be delayed, and news organizations may project the winners of those precincts based on statistical analysis or may wait for confirmed results. The Democratic nominating process is a complex (perhaps even byzantine) system that has evolved over time, and in close races, it can be difficult under the current system to know who is leading in the delegate count.^[15] The term Byzantine was first applied to the eastern Roman Empire by historians in the 16th century, decades after the Fall of Constantinople to the forces of Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire on 29 May 1453. ...

This article uses pledged delegate estimates from the respective Wikipedia articles of each state primary or caucus. Reliable sources appropriate to each state's individual process are found in those articles. The Not Yet Assigned columns in the tables below reflect pledged delegates that these sources have not yet allocated to any candidates. For superdelegate vote estimates, this article uses the Democratic Convention Watch blog.^[2] A periodically updated article on the blog also provides a comparison of the delegate totals from several different sources (CBS, CNN, NBC, Associated Press, and The Green Papers). This article is about the broadcast network. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... This article is about the television network. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ...

Brokered convention

In most modern United States presidential primaries, the Democratic nominee is known well in advance of the official nomination at the Democratic National Convention. Typically, a presumptive nominee emerges when one candidate receives a majority of the available pledged delegates and superdelegates, and all other candidates drop out of the race.

If no candidate receives a clear majority of delegates, the party may head into the convention without a presumptive nominee. This is known as a brokered convention. The nominee is then determined by a series of floor votes at the convention, which may be preceded by negotiations among the party leaders and candidates. Pledged delegates and superdelegates may switch their support, and negotiations continue until one candidate receives a majority of votes. The last brokered Democratic convention was in 1952. The 1952 Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois. ...

Sometimes the term “brokered convention” is used loosely to refer to any process by which party leaders negotiate among themselves to bring an end to the nominating process. For example, in 2008, if neither of the candidates were to receive a majority of delegates by the final primaries on June 3, party leaders could step in to broker a deal by which superdelegates could come together to provide clear support for a candidate before the August 25 convention. is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Chronicle

See also: Results of the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008, and Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2008

Notes for the tables in this section: Barack Obama, the junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. ... New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton had expressed interest in the 2008 United States presidential race[1] since at least October 2002, drawing media speculation on whether or not she would become a candidate. ...

• Votes to the Convention column:
  • The source for delegation sizes is the Democratic National Committee's official Call for the 2008 Democratic National Convention.^[16] Specific sources are present for Florida and Michigan. Very recent changes not already in the official source are indicated by the footnotes.
• Pledged Delegate Votes Estimate column:
  • The source is each state's primary or caucus article. Click on the Specific Election (link) column to see the sources used in those articles.
  • The candidate with the highest pledged delegate vote is highlighted. In some cases, this may be different from the winner of the popular vote.

Early campaigning

Mike Gravel at the launch of his Presidential campaign in April 2006

The race for the 2008 presidential nomination began in earnest after the 2006 midterm elections. Between November 2006 and February 2007, eight major candidates opened their campaigns—Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, and Tom Vilsack—joining Mike Gravel, who had announced his candidacy in April 2006. Potential candidates John Kerry, Al Gore, Russ Feingold, Evan Bayh, Tom Daschle, Wesley Clark, Mark Warner, and Al Sharpton reportedly considered running but ultimately declined to seek the nomination. Vilsack dropped out in February 2007. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      The 2006 United States midterm elections were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. ... United States Democratic Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, announced his candidacy for president of the United States on the January 7, 2007 edition of Meet the Press. ... New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton had expressed interest in the 2008 United States presidential race[1] since at least October 2002, drawing media speculation on whether or not she would become a candidate. ... Senior Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) has sought the nomination of the Democratic Party for President of the United States since entering the race early in January 2007. ... John Edwards campaigning in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Labor day in 2007. ... Dennis Kucinich announced on December 26, 2006 that he would persue the nomination for the Democratic President of the United States. ... Barack Obama, the junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. ... Thomas James Vilsack (born December 13, 1950) is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and served as the 40th Governor of the state of Iowa. ...   Mike Gravel, a former United States Senator from Alaska, on April 17, 2006 became a declared candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 election,[1] announcing his run in a speech to the National Press Club. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, in his fourth term of office. ... This article is about the former Vice President of the United States. ... Russell Dana Russ Feingold (born March 2, 1953) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. ... Birch Evans Bayh III (commonly known as Evan Bayh) (pronounced like bye; IPA pronunciation: ) (born December 26, 1955) is an American politician who has served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana since 1999 and a former Governor of Indiana. ... Thomas Andrew Daschle (born December 9, 1947) is a former U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader from South Dakota. ... Wesley Kanne Clark (born December 23, 1944) is a retired four-star general of the United States Army. ... Mark Robert Warner (born December 15, 1954) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Virginia and a member of the Democratic Party. ... Alfred Charles Al Sharpton Jr. ...

In the first three months of 2007, Clinton and Obama raised more than $20 million each and Edwards raised more than $12 million.^[17] The three candidates quickly became the frontrunners for the nomination,^[18] a status they held all the way through the end of 2007. At the end of the year, December 31, Clinton held a substantial lead in superdelegates, and she was leading in the national polls with 42% of likely voters, over Obama, 23%, and Edwards, 16%.^[19] However, Edwards and Obama remained close in state polls for the early contests, including the Iowa caucuses, where the final polling average had Obama leading narrowly, 31%, over Clinton, 30%, Edwards, 26%, Biden, 5%, and Richardson, 5%.^[20] is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

January 2008

Following tradition, the 2008 primary calendar began with the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary. The Nevada caucus and the South Carolina primary were the third and fourth contests sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee. Under the national committee's rules, no state was allowed to hold primaries or caucuses before February 5 with the exceptions of these four states.^[21] Michigan and Florida also held early primaries, but as the contests were unsanctioned, the results were not recognized by the national committee until a political compromise was reached four months later.^[22] is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The following table shows the pledged delegate votes awarded in the first four contests recognized by the DNC.

Obama won the Iowa caucuses with 38% of the vote, over Edwards, 30%, and Clinton, 29%. His victory brought him to national prominence as many voters tuned in to the race for the first time. In a speech that evening, he defined change as the primary theme of his campaign and said, "On this January night, at this defining moment in history, you have done what the cynics said we couldn't do."^[28] The delegate count was virtually tied, but Clinton’s surprising third-place finish in the popular vote damaged her image as the "inevitable" nominee.^[29] However, she remained upbeat, saying "This race begins tonight and ends when Democrats throughout America have their say. Our campaign was built for a marathon."^[29] The following day, reports described "panic" among some Clinton donors,^[30] and rumors of a staff shake-up began to circulate.^[31] Biden and Dodd withdrew from the race. is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

John Edwards campaigns in New Hampshire.

After Obama's upset win in Iowa, it appeared to many political observers that he would ride a wave of momentum through the New Hampshire primaries and then onward to win the Democratic nomination. Eulogies were published on the Clinton campaign,^[32] as Obama surged to a roughly 10-point lead in the New Hampshire polls.^[33] However, the race turned quickly in the days before the primary, and the polls were slow to register a reversal toward Clinton. On January 5, Edwards sided with Obama against Clinton in a televised debate.^[34] In one noted exchange, Edwards said that Clinton could not bring about change, while he and Obama could: "Any time you speak out powerfully for change, the forces for status quo attack." Clinton passionately retorted, "Making change is not about what you believe; it's not about a speech you make. It's about working hard. I'm not just running on a promise for change. I'm running on 35 years of change. What we need is somebody who can deliver change. We don't need to be raising false hopes."^[35] It came to be seen as the defining statement for her candidacy. The morning before the primary, Clinton became "visibly emotional" in response to a friendly question from a voter.^[36] Video of the moment was replayed on cable news television throughout the day, accompanied by pundit commentary that ranged from sympathetic to callous in tone. Voters rallied to Clinton's defense, and she won a surprising three-percent victory over Obama in the popular vote. They tied in the delegate count. Richardson withdrew from the race on January 10. is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... discussion redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Cable News be merged into this article or section. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Momentum shifted in Clinton's favor, and she won the popular vote in the Nevada caucuses eleven days later, despite Obama's endorsement from the influential Culinary Workers Union. However, Obama ran strongly in rural areas throughout the state and beat Clinton in the delegate count. Edwards's support collapsed in Nevada, as voters coalesced around the two apparent frontrunners. Dennis Kucinich withdrew from the race. In the following week, issues of race came to the fore as campaigning began for the South Carolina primary, the first to feature a large proportion of African Americans in the Democratic electorate. Behind in the state polls, Hillary Clinton left to campaign in some Super Tuesday states,^[37] while her husband, former president Bill Clinton, stayed in South Carolina and engaged in a series of exchanges with Obama.^[38] CBS News reported, "By injecting himself into the Democratic primary campaign with a series of inflammatory and negative statements, Bill Clinton may have helped his wife's presidential hopes in the long term but at the cost of his reputation with a group of voters African Americans that have long been one of his strongest bases of political support."^[39] Obama won by a more than two-to-one margin over Clinton, gaining 55% of the vote to her 27% and Edwards's 18%.^[40] The day of the primary, Bill Clinton compared Obama's expected win to Jesse Jackson's victory in the 1988 South Carolina primary. His comments were widely criticized as an apparent attempt to dismiss the primary results and marginalize Obama by implying that he was "the black candidate."^[41] The momentum generated by Obama's larger-than-expected win in South Carolina was deflated somewhat by the win Clinton claimed in the nullifed Florida primary the following week. John Edwards suspended his candidacy on January 30. He did not immediately endorse either Clinton or Obama, but said they both had pledged to carry forward his central campaign theme of ending poverty in America. Neither Clinton nor Obama had a clear advantage heading into the Super Tuesday primaries, with 23 states and territories and 1,681 delegates at stake and more media attention than any primary election day in American history. // Main article: Racial demographics of the United States The United States is a diverse country racially. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... CBS News logo, used from Sept. ... African Americans, also known as Afro-Americans or black Americans, are an ethnic group in the United States of America whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Sub-Saharan and West Africa. ... Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Disputed primaries

Main articles: Florida Democratic primary, 2008 and Michigan Democratic primary, 2008

In August 2006, the Democratic National Committee adopted a proposal by its Rules and Bylaws Committee stating that only the four states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina would be permitted to hold primaries or caucuses before February 5, 2008.^[42] In May 2007, the Florida Legislature passed a bill that moved the date of the state's primary to January 29, 2008, setting up a confrontation with the DNC.^[43] In response, the DNC ruled that Florida's 185 pledged delegates and 26 superdelegates would not be seated at the Democratic National Convention, or, if seated, would not be able to vote.^[44] In October 2007, Democrats from Florida's congressional delegation filed a federal lawsuit against the DNC to force a recognition of its delegates, but the suit was unsuccessful.^[45][42] The presidential candidates promised not to campaign in Florida. is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... The Florida Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... These are tables of congressional delegations from Florida to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ...

Meanwhile, Michigan moved its primary to January 15, 2008, also in violation of party rules. In October 2007, Obama, Richardson, Biden, and Edwards withdrew their names from the Michigan primary ballot, under pressure from the DNC and voters in Iowa and New Hampshire.^[46] Kucinich unsuccessfully sought to remove his name from the ballot,^[47] whereas Clinton and Dodd opted to remain on the ballot.^[48] In December 2007, the DNC ruled that Michigan's 128 pledged delegates and 29 superdelegates would not count in the nominating contest unless it were held on a later date.^[49] The Michigan Democratic party responded with a press release noting that the primary would proceed with Clinton, Dodd, Gravel, and Kucinich on the ballot. Supporters of Biden, Edwards, Richardson, and Obama were urged to vote "uncommitted" instead of writing in their candidates’ names because write-in votes for those candidates would not be counted.^[50] is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

None of the top candidates campaigned in Florida or Michigan. The events were described in the media as "beauty contests,"^[51] and voter turnout in both states was relatively low when compared with record-high turnout in other states.^[52] Nevertheless, Clinton claimed wins in Florida and Michigan, and she flew to Fort Lauderdale on the night of the Florida election to thank supporters for what she called a "tremendous victory."^[53] Nickname: Coordinates: , Country State County Broward Established 27 March 1911 Government  - Type Commission-Manager  - Mayor Jim Naugle Area [1]  - City 36. ...

As the primaries continued, various groups tried to negotiate a resolution to the standoff between the DNC and the state parties. The Clinton campaign advocated first for the results to stand and then for a new round of voting to take place in Michigan and Florida, while the Obama campaign deferred the matter to the DNC, while expressing a wish that the delegations be seated in some form.^[54] On all sides, Democrats worried that a failure to resolve the problem could lead to a rules or credential fight at the convention and low Democratic turnout in the general election in November.^[51]

On May 31, 2008 The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee^{[55] [56]} voted unanimously (27-0) to restore half-votes to all the Florida Delegates, including superdelegates. The Michigan delegates were also given half-votes, with 69 delegates pledged to Hillary Clinton and 59 to Barack Obama; this proposed change passing by 19-8.^[57] The delegates will be so seated at the convention unless an appeal is subsequently filed with the Credentials Committee at the Convention itself, in Denver in late August.^{[58] [59]} is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. ...

is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Super Tuesday

Main article: Super Tuesday (2008)

Staffers make phone calls to voters from Clinton's national campaign headquarters.

Traditionally, the Tuesday on which the greatest number of states hold primary elections is known as Super Tuesday. In 2007, many states moved their primaries or caucuses early in the calendar to have greater influence over the race. As February 5 was the earliest date allowed by the Democratic National Committee, 23 states and territories moved their elections to that date. This year's Super Tuesday became the date of the nation's first quasi-national primary. It was dubbed "Super Duper Tuesday"^[65] or "Tsunami Tuesday,"^[66] among other names. In the United States, Super Tuesday commonly refers to a Tuesday in early March of a presidential election year. ... is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

After Obama's win in South Carolina on January 26, he received high-profile endorsements from Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former President John F. Kennedy,^[67] as well as Senator Ted Kennedy, the former President's brother.^[68] Ted Kennedy's endorsement was considered "the biggest Democratic endorsement Obama could possibly get short of Bill Clinton or Al Gore."^[69] On January 31, Obama and Clinton met for the first time in a one-on-one debate, and they struck a friendly tone, seeking to put the racially-charged comments of the previous week behind them.^[70] Obama surged nationally in the polls and held campaign rallies that drew audiences of more than 15,000 people in several states.^[71] is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Caroline Bouvier Kennedy Schlossberg (born November 27, 1957) is the daughter and only surviving child of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline. ... John Kennedy and JFK redirect here. ... For other persons named Ted Kennedy, see Ted Kennedy (disambiguation). ... This article is about the former Vice President of the United States. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

A total of 1,681 pledged delegate votes were at stake in the states that voted on February 5. The following table shows the pledged delegate votes awarded in the Super Tuesday states. is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...