2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina
Open-knowledge reference entry
The 2008 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on November 4, 2008, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of North Carolina. Democratic state senator Kay Hagan defeated Republican one-term incumbent Elizabeth Dole.
The November general election was the first time in North Carolina history, and only the eighth time in U.S. history, that the two major-party candidates for a U.S. Senate seat were both women. In addition, Hagan became the first woman to defeat an incumbent woman in a U.S. Senate election.
As of 2026, this is the last time that a Democrat won a U.S. Senate race in North Carolina, and the only time since 1998, as well as the only time Democrats have won this seat since 1966.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Elizabeth Dole, incumbent U.S. senator (2003–2009)
Eliminated in primary
Pete DiLauro
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Kay Hagan, state senator from the 27th district (1999–2009)
Eliminated in primary
Duskin Lassiter, trucker
Jim Neal, businessman
Howard Staley, doctor
Marcus Williams, attorney
Declined
Mike Easley, governor of North Carolina (2001–2009)
Brad Miller, U.S. representative from North Carolina's 13th congressional district (2003–2013)
Jim Hunt, former governor of North Carolina (1977–1985, 1993–2001)
Campaign
Hagan, initially an unknown politician, decided to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole.
National Democrats attempted to recruit incumbent Governor Mike Easley to make the race. Easley declined to run, as did Congressman Brad Miller, who expressed interest in early 2007. Former Governor Jim Hunt who was defeated in 1984 by Dole's predecessor Jesse Helms also declined to compete against Dole.
Neal earned the endorsement of the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
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