Skip to content

Barack Obama vs John McCain

Barack Obama vs John McCain in 2008: electoral votes, popular vote and every state, side by side.

Barack Obama

Elections
2 (2008, 2012)
Won
2
Electoral votes, all runs
697
Best popular vote
52.9% in 2008
Parties
Democratic
vs

John McCain

Elections
1 (2008)
Won
0
Electoral votes, all runs
173
Best popular vote
45.7% in 2008
Parties
Republican

2008

Barack Obama states
29
John McCain states
22
Popular vote
52.9% – 45.7%
Alabama: John McCainAlaska: John McCainArizona: John McCainArkansas: John McCainCalifornia: Barack ObamaColorado: Barack ObamaConnecticut: Barack ObamaDelaware: Barack ObamaDistrict of Columbia: Barack ObamaFlorida: Barack ObamaGeorgia: John McCainHawaii: Barack ObamaIdaho: John McCainIllinois: Barack ObamaIndiana: Barack ObamaIowa: Barack ObamaKansas: John McCainKentucky: John McCainLouisiana: John McCainMaine: Barack ObamaMaryland: Barack ObamaMassachusetts: Barack ObamaMichigan: Barack ObamaMinnesota: Barack ObamaMississippi: John McCainMissouri: John McCainMontana: John McCainNebraska: John McCainNevada: Barack ObamaNew Hampshire: Barack ObamaNew Jersey: Barack ObamaNew Mexico: Barack ObamaNew York: Barack ObamaNorth Carolina: Barack ObamaNorth Dakota: John McCainOhio: Barack ObamaOklahoma: John McCainOregon: Barack ObamaPennsylvania: Barack ObamaRhode Island: Barack ObamaSouth Carolina: John McCainSouth Dakota: John McCainTennessee: John McCainTexas: John McCainUtah: John McCainVermont: Barack ObamaVirginia: Barack ObamaWashington: Barack ObamaWest Virginia: John McCainWisconsin: Barack ObamaWyoming: John McCainVermont: Barack ObamaNew Hampshire: Barack ObamaMassachusetts: Barack ObamaRhode Island: Barack ObamaConnecticut: Barack ObamaNew Jersey: Barack ObamaDelaware: Barack ObamaMaryland: Barack ObamaDistrict of Columbia: Barack Obama
Every state, 2008
StateBarack ObamaJohn McCainGap (pts)EV
Alabama 38.7% 60.3% 9 -21.6 9
Alaska 37.9% 59.4% 3 -21.5 3
Arizona 45.1% 53.6% 10 -8.5 10
Arkansas 38.9% 58.7% 6 -19.8 6
California 61.0% 55 37.0% 24.0 55
Colorado 53.7% 9 44.7% 9.0 9
Connecticut 60.6% 7 38.2% 22.4 7
Delaware 61.9% 3 36.9% 25.0 3
District of Columbia 92.5% 3 6.5% 86.0 3
Florida 51.0% 27 48.2% 2.8 27
Georgia 47.0% 52.2% 15 -5.2 15
Hawaii 71.8% 4 26.6% 45.2 4
Idaho 36.1% 61.5% 4 -25.4 4
Illinois 61.9% 21 36.8% 25.1 21
Indiana 49.9% 11 48.9% 1.0 11
Iowa 53.7% 7 44.2% 9.5 7
Kansas 41.7% 56.6% 6 -14.9 6
Kentucky 41.2% 57.4% 8 -16.2 8
Louisiana 39.9% 58.6% 9 -18.7 9
Maine 57.7% 4 40.4% 17.3 4
Maryland 61.9% 10 36.5% 25.4 10
Massachusetts 61.8% 12 36.0% 25.8 12
Michigan 57.4% 17 41.0% 16.4 17
Minnesota 54.1% 10 43.8% 10.3 10
Mississippi 43.0% 56.2% 6 -13.2 6
Missouri 49.3% 49.4% 11 -0.1 11
Montana 47.3% 49.5% 3 -2.2 3
Nebraska 41.6% 1 56.5% 4 -14.9 5
Nevada 55.1% 5 42.7% 12.4 5
New Hampshire 54.4% 4 44.7% 9.7 4
New Jersey 57.3% 15 41.7% 15.6 15
New Mexico 56.9% 5 41.8% 15.1 5
New York 62.8% 31 36.1% 26.7 31
North Carolina 49.7% 15 49.4% 0.3 15
North Dakota 44.6% 53.3% 3 -8.7 3
Ohio 51.5% 20 46.9% 4.6 20
Oklahoma 34.4% 65.6% 7 -31.2 7
Oregon 56.7% 7 40.4% 16.3 7
Pennsylvania 54.3% 21 44.0% 10.3 21
Rhode Island 63.1% 4 35.2% 27.9 4
South Carolina 44.9% 53.9% 8 -9.0 8
South Dakota 44.7% 53.2% 3 -8.5 3
Tennessee 41.8% 56.9% 11 -15.1 11
Texas 43.7% 55.5% 34 -11.8 34
Utah 34.4% 62.6% 5 -28.2 5
Vermont 67.5% 3 30.4% 37.1 3
Virginia 52.6% 13 46.3% 6.3 13
Washington 57.7% 11 40.5% 17.2 11
West Virginia 42.6% 55.7% 5 -13.1 5
Wisconsin 56.2% 10 42.3% 13.9 10
Wyoming 32.4% 64.4% 3 -32.0 3

Questions and answers

Who won between Barack Obama and John McCain in 2008?

Barack Obama won the presidency. Electoral votes: Barack Obama 365, John McCain 173. Popular vote: Barack Obama 52.9%, John McCain 45.7%.

How many states did Barack Obama and John McCain each win in 2008?

Barack Obama carried 29 and John McCain carried 22.

Official results As published by The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara) and the state documents it links. How we use this data